Racing For Love

Chapter Eighty Five

When I eventually made it to the hotel room, after our long morning meeting, Jono was already gone. He had already gone to the track, but I still took in a deep breath, smelling his familiar scent through the room before breathing out the sigh I had been holding in since I left the Optimove offices.

The consortium meeting was gruelling - my head swam with numbers and deadlines, but mostly, I couldn't stop thinking about the drivers. No option involved keeping Lorenzo, and despite everything between us, my heart ached for him. His world had crumbled around him, and we were going to have to take away yet another part from him.

As I unpacked and found a change of clothes suitable for being trackside, I contemplated what today would bring. There were many facets to this afternoon's race - not just the drivers on the track, but Giovanni's return to The Paddock, the consortium's attendance - and no doubt the beginning of gossip surrounding the attendance of Maria and Bobby especially. I felt anxious already about what might happen, but I tried to push those thoughts away and focus on why I had come - Jono.

I dressed simply in a pair of jeans and a loose shirt - my nod to Bianchi in my red trainers, and ribbon tying my hair up. I quickly grabbed my bag and left the room - I'd be meeting the other guys at the track, but I was desperate to try and catch up with Jono before he started race prep.

I made it to the Bianchi area in The Paddock and saw Jacques leaving the driver's area. He looked shattered, dark circles under his eyes as he swigged at a water bottle absentmindedly.

"Hey Jacques! How's it going?"

"Oh, Annie. He'll be glad to see you - he's just finished, probably in the shower though?"

"Thanks! I'll see you in a bit!" I skipped off towards Jono's room - Jacques knew I didn't want to stop for some inane chat when my time with Jono would be so brief. I went into his room and heard the shower running, taking a seat on the hard sofa as I waited for him. His face changed as he came out of the bathroom - his face changing to a wide smile once he saw me.

"Hey JC!" I said brightly, pulling him in for a damp hug and kissing him across his face in excitement.

"You're here. Hey Ace." Jono replied. Picking me up and spinning me around before kissing me once more and releasing me so that he could get dressed. As he pulled out his clothes from the shelf, I was able to look at his frame as he pulled on trousers.

"Have you lost even more weight?" I asked, as I noticed the loose fit at his waist.

"Um, yeah - I think so. Jacques and I have been training intensely so that I'm ready for these last few races. It's so close Ace."

Jono had become singularly focussed on the championship in a way that I hadn't known possible. He started the season off with no expectations, but with the points so close, I knew why he was working so hard. Nothing I could say would persuade him that it wasn't worth it at this point, but I just hoped that once it was over, the whole of him would return, and when I had a chance, I could try and get him to relax, just a little.

"Oh, how was your meeting, Ace? Were you surprised by Gio and his nieces on the plane?"

"Yeah, I was surprised - it was great to see them again. I've been with Gio all morning at the meeting - he's coming today, you know?"

"He is? That's incredible! Oh, I just wish we were in with a chance at the podium - I don't think today's going to go well at all. I'm so glad you're here, Ace." He smiled warmly at me stroking my shoulder before grabbing his Bianchi polo and slinging it on over his head. I looked at it, thinking about the new team names that might be on it next year instead. There was so much I couldn't discuss at the moment with Jono, so I looked around the small room instead, finding Jono's eyes as he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and exited to find Matt and James for an early lunch.