Off the Tracks

Chapter 40- Italia

Riley and Daniel walked into the lobby of his condo, passing an old man that worked the front desk on the way to the elevator. Daniel stopped to talk to him about the past weekends race before they headed upstairs. Riley stood off to the side as a bystander in the conversation until Daniel introduced her to the man.

"Mr Palmero, this is Riley Stowan you've definitely seen her here before"

"I haven't in a long time," the man said with a bright smile, "I almost thought you two had a falling out"

"Me and Daniel could never" Riley said with a smile, "It's really nice to meet you, I'm sure you'll see a lot more of me" she said shaking the man's hands.

"Daniel you're back!" A girl said from across the lobby exiting the elevator, "And you brought Riley" she said with a bright smile while walking towards them.

"I'm Julia, I live across from Daniel" The girl introduced herself to Riley, giving her a small hug that she wasn't expecting.

"Oh he's told me about you a few weeks ago" Riley said remembering Daniel mentioning her at lunch in Silverstone.

"That's good to hear, I'm glad I made a good impression" She said smiling up at Daniel. "Well I'm off for a shoot, I'll see you guys around" Julia said walking out of the condominium complex.

"She's a model" Daniel clarified when they started walking to the elevator.

"You like her" Riley said with a content smile stepping in through the elevator doors with Danny next to her.

"Too soon to tell"

~~~

Riley grew more and more excited as they landed in Belgium, with Daniel hyping this race up every day she spent with him in Monaco. She was rushing around their hotel room searching for her earrings before Daniel pointed them out to her.

"Did your parents deal with the article yet?" Daniel asked Riley watching her put in her earrings.

"Yeah they paid the site to remove it," She said putting the back of her earring on. "But that was after it got shared like 20 times so, it's still out there"

"I don't think I ever said that I'm sorry it came out" Daniel said to her buttoning up the top of his shirt.

"You didn't release it, so there's nothing to be sorry for" She grabbed her purse off the back of hotels chair. Walking throughout the small living space in the hotel room, waiting for Daniel at the door while he puts his shoes on. Making his way over to her, just to turn back around to grab his wallet.

Finally making their way down to the lobby, they rush to get to the taxi they had ordered that had probably been waiting outside for 5 minutes now. Riley apologised for the wait as soon as her and Daniel got into the freezing car; making sure to tip the driver. Riley shivered lightly in the car as the driver was blasting the air conditioning on its coldest setting.

"I'm going to Italy for a day after the race" Riley says after some short silence in the car, looking at Daniel. "So I won't be flying back with you"

"What day are you going to Monaco" he asked her, trying to remember what she had told him a few days ago.

"Tuesday, so August 1st" she told him while he nodded.

"I'll be back in Australia by then"

"Yeah, please don't tell Max, I don't want him to try and keep tabs on me" She almost begged him, making him laugh.

"I won't," he pauses while the driver slams down on the brakes, waiting for him to start driving again before he spoke. "I'll leave the key under my door mat for you to get in" he told her.