Something Gained

Chapter Eighty

I sat interviewing some people on a zoom call with both Zak and Andreas. Zak as CEO was in there, I myself was now head of all the PR and media teams and Andreas was team principle, so it didn't directly affect him but he knew the best fit of people from inside the garage, it was easier this way as we were all in different countries at the moment, but we narrowed down our final list of ten candidates with four people, which we would then do a final interview in England. It was very tricky to interview people on the job they would doing because so many people applied that weren't right but they did so because of who they'd be working with and when, but we got there. During the last interview Daniel and Lando both walked into Daniels apartment and I had to ssh them for interrupting which was a nightmare, the girl I had earmarked for Daniel heard them and just laughed and made a funny comment and it made me smile, she seemed like the right fit for him, I hoped she did well and got the job if I'm honest, she had the experience of actually already working in the f1 world and for a team and loved the sport herself so it was working in her favour. We finished up and it was just Zak, myself and Andreas on the call.

"If the guys are there can we have them on the call?" Zak asked. I nodded, time for an impromptu meeting.
"Dan, Lando, can you join us now?" I called out to them, they both come into the room I was in, it was one of the spare rooms and Daniel and I had agreed to set it up as an office for me which was ideal. They both come in and grabbed chairs as I adjusted my computer for them both be in view.
"Good afternoon" Andreas greeted them
"Bonjourno" Daniel joked and for some reason Lando was already giggling
"Oh dear, come on serious now. We need to run through your pre season schedule and what's going on" Zak laughed at them and shook his head "Alex" I nodded and pulled out a separate notebook and clicked on something and was able to share my screen with them both so that they could follow along.
"So everyone regroups on the 14th in England, we've got a full schedule of media which I will be with you both. Then we've got the final interviews for PR" I gestured to Zak and Andreas who nodded " we've got photoshoots of the new livery which you will then see for the first time, seat fits and final bits with the engineers and mechanics and making sure everything is set, car unveiling is the 18th, obviously big event, we have a MTC packed with journalists and special guests, fans will on a screen, but we have some backstage pass fans attending so we will do a meet and greet as well, and then we'll fly to Spain for the testing on the 20th and get ready for that. Hopefully we'll have your new PR team with us all going to plan" I told them
"We hope so, you're going to be busy" Andreas laughed, I nodded
"Do we get to know who it's going to be?" Lando asked
"Once we've hired them you'll be the first to know" I said, they both nodded
"Zak you've got your meeting schedule, I've sent that to you, you fly back to England on the 10th?" I asked him
"Yeah the 10th, I've got it. You'll be available?" He asked me
"Yeah flying back for that day a little before the guys" I said, Daniel gave me a look but I ignored it for now "Andreas you to. Sky sports have some interviews lined up for you from then" he nodded along with me
"Go in depth with Lando and Daniel, I'm sure you will do for their line up" Zak said
"Yeah I've got them here for that now anyway" I told him
"Wonderful, you've got it all to plan. Thank you Alex" I smiled and everyone said goodbye before the call disconnected
"You go back on the 10th?" Daniel asked as soon as the call ended, Lando had got up and went to the kitchen
"Yeah, I've got all their meetings to sort and I need to get set up before unveiling"
"And so it begins" he mumbled
"What do you mean?" I had pulled up their schedules to go through and then gotten up to put some stuff away
"I thought you were travelling with us, you're going to be leaving earlier and now I won't see you"
"It's for three days Dan, plus I'm chief of communications, which requires me to oversee media for Zak and Andreas as well" I sighed
"And what about the rest?"
"We're going to be so busy anyway and once you're in England we'll be in the same house anyway" I said, resting my hand on the back of his neck and playing with his hair, he sighed and nodded "Lando?" I called
"Yeah?" He called back from the kitchen
"I need to run through these bits"
"Oh, okay" he said. He came back into the room and sat down. I ran through the specific schedules and where they needed to be, Michael and Jon included but they went wherever the drivers went anyway.

Once Lando had left I finished putting away my things and left the office to find Daniel. He was laying on the sofa scrolling through his phone. I jumped ontop of him whipping his phone from his hands.
"Don't be grumpy" I mumbled as I snuggled into his neck
"I'm not grumpy, I'm just worried again"
"Don't be, I'm going to be with you still. I live with you now remember" I smiled and he kissed the side of my head
"I know but I don't want a new PR" he mumbled
"I'll let you in on a little secret, the one I think I want is really nice, you'll like her" I smiled
"Oh yeah"
"But I didn't tell you that and it's not decided"
"I'll keep it secret" he mumbled as he cuddled me
"But if you start fancying her I'll be fuming" I said propping my head up on my hand
"And why would I do that?" He asked looking right into my eyes
"Because you fancied your last PR" I joked, he boomed with laughter which I found funny
"But that was you. No one can top you" he smiled. I cheered jokingly and he kissed the tip of my nose which made me giggle.
"I should hope so"
"You can tell them what to do anyway" he smiled "not like you told yourself what to do"
"I did, the first year I reported to Hannah the whole time, second year she let me get on with it because I knew what to do"
"You're just that good"
"Of course. Now get up" I said as I got off of him
"Why?"
"Because I've made plans. And you certainly can't be grumpy for that" I smiled
"Plans?"
"Yes plans, the whole afternoon is free. Let's go" I smiled, he chuckled and got up. Working half days and here and there while we weren't at the tracks was fun. I had got a few of Dan's friends together that were here for a little picnic thing on the beach. Scott, Michael and Blake were all here and a couple of other people. Chloe, my new bestfriend was coming. That girl was seriously so nice and so easy to get along with, I loved it. But I hadn't told Daniel until now because he raced out for training this morning.
"That's why Michael said see you later" he mumbled as he got changed.