Racing For Love

Chapter Sixty Three

I wake to the sound of the coffee machine and padding downstairs in my dressing gown, I find Jono frothing milk and staring out of the window deep in thought. I wrap my arms around him and pull him close to me.

"How are you feeling?" I ask, knowing the daunting task that awaits him today.

"I'm ok, I couldn't sleep any longer - my brain was running through what I'm going to say to them." Jono replies, and I can hear the sadness in his voice.

I hold Jono close, trying to offer him whatever comfort I can. "You've got this, JC. Just be honest with them," I say softly, reaching up to brush his hair off his face. He looks at me with a grateful smile, and I kiss him gently on the forehead before leading him to the kitchen table. "Let's have some coffee and breakfast before you head to office. It might help distract you," I suggest.

As we sit at the table, sipping our coffee and eating breakfast together, Jono opens up his phone and I hear the intake of breath before he speaks. "Um, Annie...have you looked online yet?"

"Not yet" I reply before pulling my own phone out - there's several messages from friends, but I head straight to the news article Jono has just forwarded me:

'Mystery Woman Revealed! F1 Royalty Dating Jono Campbell' - the article is titled, a photo of Jono and I in the supermarket yesterday accompanies the article which tells of Jono's new relationship with Bianchi employee and niece of the late Joe Stephens. I am no longer an enigma, and I see our relationship reported across various news outlets. Social Media has been flooded with images of me - luckily my own profile is private, but they have found photos that old Uni friends had shared, along with pictures of Joe and I at races over the years. I take a deep breath and shut my phone.

"I think I'd better come with you and speak to Kate." I say to Jono.

"Are you upset, Annie? Sorry - I should have thought about photos when I kissed you in the supermarket...I just forgot for a moment."

"Hey, don't worry - I'm not upset. It was going to happen sooner or later, I suppose. Anyway, it'll be old news tomorrow after Andrea's announces the team change," I say, before realising how insensitive it might sound and reaching out to find Jono's hand. "Sorry, you know what I mean."

"Yeah, it's good. I'm glad it's out there. I don't want any secrecy with you, Annie." Jono tells me, picking up the last of his toast and chucking it into his mouth before standing. "Right, time to get going." he says, but I can see his hesitation.

"It's going to be fine, Jono. Well, it's going to be shit, but you'll be fine." I tell him and see a small smile flicker across his face. We get ready to head to the team headquarters. Jono looks handsome with the light tan he's picked up from our time in Italy and is dressed casually, without the signature Bianchi red polo shirt, which will probably be the first indicator for the team that something's going on. I am dressed in jeans and a linen blouse - I'm not technically back at work yet, but I've already messaged Kate to tell her I'm coming in and need to chat - she's not surprised as she sent me about 6 of the links to articles about Jono and I.

As we arrive, Jono takes a deep breath before getting out of the car. I give him an encouraging smile as we begin to walk. He reaches out to hold my hand, grasping it tightly as we reach the entrance. I notice his posture change - his shoulders square in determination before he looks across to me, gently dropping a kiss on my lips before we go in opposite directions. I head towards the marketing department, anxiously worrying about how Jono is going to announce his departure to the team. The office is empty and it is only Kate here - everyone else has been called to join in Jono's meeting and I am thankful that we can have our conversation without the pressure of seeing the rest of the team just yet.