It’s someone who caused a blush on her skin when his name was mentioned earlier. Someone who is in fierce competition with her brother this season. Not only for the Drivers’ Championship, but to retain his position as number-one driver on the Collings Motors team.
And that person is Mason Clark.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
I reach my gate at Heathrow and take a seat. After a week off, Formula 1 is back, and this time, I’m heading off to cover Round 10—the Grand Prix du Canada. I get to add another country—and another racetrack—to my list of ones visited, and I couldn’t be more excited about the week ahead.
Buzz!
I pull out my phone and see Caleb has sent me a selfie onboard the Collings Motors private jet with a message:
Taking off soon. See you for dinner tonight in Montreal. X
I feel a big smile spreading across my face as I stare back at his image. He’s dressed in a white T-shirt and wearing a backward black baseball cap.
He’s so beautiful. And Caleb’s intelligent, thoughtful, funny, caring, brave, fierce, determined, fearless, sweet … and he’s all mine.
I’m a lucky, lucky girl.
I text him back:
I can’t wait. Have a good flight. Sitting at the gate now, will not board for more than two hours though. X
Caleb Collings is typing …
Selfie, please. I need to see your gorgeous face.
Goose bumps prickle my skin.I’m so falling for this man.
I take a selfie and send it to him. Then I think about where things have gone since the break between the F1 rounds in Spain and Montreal. Caleb stayed in England the entire two weeks so we could spend more time together. I went to his penthouse for our dates since it was easier for me to get around without being recognized, and I could use private entrances into his building. I still had anxiety doing it—this big fear hanging over my head, causing my palms to sweat and my heart to race—that someone might see me. Or snap a picture and try to link me to Caleb.
It’s so stressful. I’ve never experienced stress like this.
But once I reached the safety of Caleb’s penthouse, with him opening the door to greet me and pull me into his arms?
I forgot the stress and thanked God this man is mine.
We made dinner together. Ordered a lot of takeout—or takeaway, as Caleb calls it. Watched TV. Spent hours talking and laughing together. We discussed the world around us. How we thought about current events and issues. Listened to each other when we didn’t quite see things the same way.
I’ve never talked with any man like that. It’senergizing,that’s the best way I can describe it. We have this chemistry together, whether we’re making breakfast or discussing international events. I love our conversations. I appreciate how thoughtful and intelligent Caleb is, about so much more than racing, and I know he values the same thing in me.
He wanted to know more about my life, too. He asked what it was like to go to college, which is something he never did. Caleb didn’t have a normal childhood—he’s been racing since he was a little boy, starting with karting—and he wanted to know all about my experiences, too. What it’s like to be an only child and have parents who have always had a steady relationship. I asked him how he could be in a sport that causes him to put his life on the line every time he goes behind the wheel—and he said he doesn’tthink of it that way. He loves being on the edge. The speed. The challenge of driving an F1 car.
And, of course, the competition.
But most of all? He’spassionateabout it. His passion for racing is what drives him, and he can’t imagine doing anything else right now.
There’s one topic I haven’t shared with Caleb.
I still haven’t told Caleb what my parents said about him—their concerns, their feeling I’m jeopardizing way too much to be with him—but after these past two weeks? Knowing how I’m falling in love with him?
That is a conversation I have to have with him.
I don’t want there to be any secrets between us. I didn’t see the need to bring it up before—I mean, how weird would that have been? Like, “Hey, Caleb, I know we’ve had like one date and all, but my parents are already thinking I’m throwing my whole career in the trash for you, what do you think about that?”
Things are different now, though. We’ve had deep conversations. Shared things that we haven’t shared with other people.
And we’ve had sex.