“Hi.” Turning around he sees me and smiles.
“Look at you getting out of your room.” I’m about to respond when I see a thin plastic covering his neck. I rush up to him, looking straight at the material, making it known that I’m interested.
“Did you get a tattoo?” I ask him. He looks at me, quirking his eyebrow. Taking his shirt off, I see the tattoo in its entirety.
It’s two roses with no color inside, just black. Ink is spilling out of them in a vine pattern. The roses are on his chest, and the ink trails up to his neck. It’s amazing.
“When you told me about your dream, I knew I had to get this tattoo. I had it in my head and sent it over to my tattoo artist. He flew to Mexico just for me and did the whole thing in a day. That’s why I said I had to go so soon.” Running my hands over every inch, he hisses. “Sorry, did it hurt when you got it?”
“No. I like having you inked on my skin, the burn felt good.” I slap him, making sure I don’t hit a part of the raw area before I smile up at him
“You’re amazing. You know that, right?” He grabs me by the waist, getting closer to me. “If you die, then I die with you.”
“Are you sure about this?” I question, making sure he knows that what we’re about to announce to the world is a do or die situation. It’s not like people aren’t on to us, but this makes it official.
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
“What if they fire us?”
“They can’t do that, it’s the first race and start of the new season. We’ll explain, and if they don’t like it, I’ll take the fall.”
“You won’t be doing that,” I tell him.
“Yes, I will, and if anyone questions it, I’ll simply ignore them.” He shrugs just as I hear the car squeal, signifying that we just pulled up to the paddock.
“Ready?” He smirks. I nod, opening the door. Feeling the heat of Bahrain blow past me, I start walking as Luca comes up behind me, grabbing my hand.
The cameras click just as it happens. I take a deep breath before we walk into the paddock, hand in hand.
A few months later.
“We will be asking you an array of questions, just like always. You already know that this one will be a little more personal after the whole announcement. If you don’t want to answer any of them, you can simply shut up.” Lauren laughs, and I nod.
I sit down on the little black stool. Ring lights blaze onto me as a mic is placed overhead. A few months ago, I didn’t even want to be interviewed. But here I am, facing the music and mostly likely answering the questions everyone wants to know. When Luca and I walked into the paddock that day, people immediately went crazy about the whole thing. I didn’t care at the time, but once social media got a hold of the news, people were brutal. Of course, with me being the only female driver currently in the sport, the slut shaming was very real. It got better as time went on.
The hashtag #TeamAluca was everywhere. Corporate wasn’t very happy, until Luca shut them up, fighting for both our positions, which we kept. Publicity ratings have gone up, and merch sales have gone through the roof.
Everyone loves a good love story, especially one that’s unconventional.
“Okay, people. Season six ofDrive for Your Life, take sixty-four in progress.” The interviewer goes straight in.
“So, what were you and Luca like when you first met?” I look up at the camera, staring straight into the lens, tilting my head.
I say, “we absolutely despised each other.”
That’s when I smiled.
Epilogue
Luca Donatello
Two Years later
Being nervous is something I’ve never been fond of. But I’ve never been more anxious than I am right now. I acknowledge the fact that I’m a cold-type of guy, but this woman makes me different. I wasn’t even this nervous when I was proposing to Adèle, who I thought was my soulmate.
This time is different. I’m proposing to my real soulmate.
I know she’s going to say yes, but that doesn’t necessarily mean I’m not afraid of the slim chance she isn’t ready.