Just One Kiss

Chapter 5

"I didn't expect it to be this cold.", China rubbed her hands together as her and Nicolas waited together outside their hotel for a car to take them to lunch with Martin, the guide. The Indianapolis cold was not something she had prepared for, and this was not the best start to her first day.

"It's not that bad. Barcelona can get worse than this." Nicolas laughed as he put his hands into the pockets of his black trouser to keep them warm. Contrasting her large blue scarf and black bomber jacket with blue jeans, he relaxed in black jeans with a grey sweater and dark tinted shades covering his eyes from the bright sun that felt like decoration for the shivering China.

"That's because Barcelona is in Europe where it snows. I don't do snow." she said, as she dramatically chatted her teeth. In time, a black tinted van pulled up next to them with a man in what seem to be his mid 30s jumping out. He dressed in a big leather jacket and dark jeans. He too wore sunglasses, putting them on top his balding head as he made his way towards them.

"Good afternoon, I hope I haven't kept you waiting" the man said with a Yorkshire accent as he shook Nicolas's hand, walking over to China to do the same. "Nice to finally meet you. The name is Martin."

China introduced herself to him, but it seems like the two men already knew each other. From college maybe, China thought to herself and they entered the back seats of the black tinted van.

"I'll be here to show you around and help you out with any information you need as we go along." Martin said from the front seat. After some light conversation, Martin explained that he had a very long history with JE and Co as well as Carla and Nicolas, writing many articles for them before opening his own firm overseas.

By the time they got to the venue, the parking lot was full of cars and people heading towards the entrance.

"It pays to be in journalism sometimes." Martin said mostly to himself as their van drove past the packed lot and into a VIP area. He handed them two exclusive passes for the day as they stepped out of the car and walked towards where the drivers were preparing to go on track after a brief interview with the press in the conference room.

Walking alongside the drivers, Nicolas blended in effortlessly as he waved to one he seemed to know, who introduced himself and some of the other drivers to the group. His arms flicked left and right to the grid, almost as if he were right at home.

Walking in pace with them, Nicholas asked many questions to his friend about the engineering of the vehicles as well as the track the history of the sport. Mindfully, China pulled out her phone to record their interaction taking a mental note to write down the important bits of what both men said and the questions that were asked.

After meeting a few more drivers and taking small interviews, Nicolas and China made their way to the front row of their small pocket of the track, where Martin had been waiting. The two got comfortable with Nicolas sipping a cold beer and China holding her own in both her hands, watching as the cars began to drive in rows of three.

"How do you know that guy" China asked as the cars began to spill out.

"Old friends from my Oxford days" he said sipping his beer. Oxford, China mumbled to herself sat back. It was amazing how casually he was able to converse with some of the most popular athletes in the world and not even bat an eye, but there was so much more to him than meets the eye. I wonder what mister Oxford is hiding?

Eventually, the crowd began to erupt in and excitement as the car zoomed past them,  watching as the cars to move in a flash past their eyes. China's gasped as she stood to join the crowd in their cheers, pushed back slightly by the wind of the passing vehicles.

"I've never seen something so incredible!" China yelled to Nicolas on top of the loud roaring of the engines and cheering of the crowds. She was smack in the middle of her dream, and she couldn't believe it.

"Likewise!" Nicholas yelled back, his eyes not leaving the road in front of him. Though they had walked into the track for work, he stood in awe as they both soaked in the adrenaline that came with the vehicles speeding past them. The cars continue to move along with a zooming sound as each racer pushed to overtake the other, encouraged by the roars of the crowd. All the action and energy around them was enough for both of them to fall in love with motorsports all over again.

By the time the race was coming to a close, Nicolas has been smiling so long his cheeks started to hurt. The three made their way to the post race interviews, China talked excitedly on and on about the events that she had seen to Nicholas who didn't stop her. He knew this a big deal for her, and it was obvious with the large grin on her face and her animated tone of voice that he had never heard before.

He watched her as she beamed like a little girl, almost skipping towards the drivers as she continued talking about how fast the cars were and how excited she was to be part of the experience. He missed feeling that rush of a new story, he reminisced; it has been too long.

By the time they were driving back to the hotel with Martin, who was taking a nap in the front passenger seat, the two of them were exhausted, but happy. Nicolas's eyes were glued to the tinted window, far away in his thoughts, while China couldn't stop moving around in her chair.

"If this is what this project is going to be like, I'm in for the time of my life.", China smile as she scrolled through her notes of the day on her phone.

"I'm glad I accepted this offer. Working hands on is more exciting than I remember it to be" Nicolas agreed, still looking out the window.

"Do you miss your old days of reporting?" China did not pretend to be clueless about him and his history, knowing that he used to work for his school newspaper back in university before starting his company. The more she thought about it, the more she realized just how much this project is right up his alley.

"Yes and no" he began. "Don't get me wrong, I love what I do but there's something about being in the action that I can never get over. There's nothing like being in the middle of it all." He stayed silent after that, seeming to be stuck back in his old days back at his alma mater.

The drive back to the hotel that they shared seem shorter than when they left. Martin bid them farewell as they got out of the car, heading back to his own hotel to rest, despite it only being seven in the evening.

"Well, we still have one more night to kill before we have to go back to Madrid." Nicolas said turning to China. "I still have some energy."

"Me too" she agreed as they entered the elevator and pressed their respective floors. "Any suggestions?"

"How about dinner? They say America has very good steak."

"I can meet you in the lobby in an hour" she said, the doors opened to her floor.

"Sounds good to me" he agreed as China exited the elevator, leaving Nicolas to go up to his own room a floor above.