Under the Microscope (Book One of Three)

Chapter 32

After hanging around and celebrating with the team for a while and filming some thanks to the fans we were finally able to leave the garage and escape the paddock. On the way out I replied to Pierre who was asking whether there was a party, to which I disappointed him by saying no because of the race the following week, but that he was welcome to join me for some dinner before I caught my flight later that evening. Despite some light guilting he said yes, and we agreed that we would try and rope some other people in to join us although everyone that I knew was flying early evening. 

Which is why, when I turned up at the hotel lobby for dinner later, it ended up just being Pierre and me. 

"Bonjour," I said softly as I approached him where he was strewn across one of the lobby sofas on his phone. 

"Wow, you look fantastic!" He responded in French, standing up to greet me with a hug, a grin covering his face. I had tried, I'd wanted to celebrate, even if it was just something simple like dinner. The champagne from earlier had made me rather tipsy, so I had just done my brows and put some mascara and lip gloss on with my hair in a low messy bun with strands loose framing my face and pulled on a simple black midi dress and low strappy heels to match. It had a t-shirt neckline and slits up the side of either leg to the knee to make it easy to walk in despite it being a bodycon dress. Pierre was wearing a simple Alpha Tauri jacket and trousers with a simple white t-shirt underneath.

"Thanks, you too." I say deciding to continue our conversation in French, as it seems it might just be us, smiling back at him, "I, er, everyone in the team was headed back on the first flight from Merc, whereas I'm flying straight out to Hungary." I tell him, explaining that I wasn't bringing anyone. 

I didn't want to tell him why though, being that I was going to meet with his team bosses who were going to be in Hungary early to meet with me and discuss a potential partnership. Well, that and get some more time on the Mercedes simulator in the event that I got the car again the following weekend.

"Me too, well I changed my flight when I heard you were on the podium and then decided that made the most sense," he agreed as we walked over to the hotel restaurant. After we were seated and had received our drinks, a couple of glasses of champagne he proposed a toast. "To you, and your fantastic drive!" Pierre said smiling wide and I grinned back, clinking his glass with mine before and taking a sip without breaking eye contact, smirking as I put my glass down and picked up the menu.

"Thank you very much, I'm sorry about your race though, but I saw a few clips of some of your overtakes!" I tried to be positive, and he winced, "your parents' reaction was gorgeous." I continued causing him to blush and chuckle with embarrassment.

"Yeah, it's just a shame that the car doesn't seem to have what I need from it this year, it's been tough." He explained and nodded.

"Is it really that bad?" I asked curiously, this was possibly my team next year.

"It's not good, but it could be worse maybe," he said awkwardly, and I nodded in understanding. "I just want to be back in the Red Bull seat, I know that I could do better this time around." This time it was my turn to be awkward, and I just tried to mask it with a nod and a smile. This was the part I hated, I was either possibly taking the place of his good friend and teammate, or I was effectively shutting the door on his Red Bull ambitions. "How about you, I know you're staying tight-lipped on a move, but surely other teams are trying to steal you away, no?" 

I shrug, the awkwardness building, "talks, but you can never tell how seriously another team is being. I have hopes but as I say, the top teams seem to be busy, as do most of the other midfield teams. I really don't know where I will be next year." I say truthfully, biting the inside of my cheek, trying to force myself not to say anything I shouldn't.