I take another sip of my coffee. Which really isn’t helping the excited feeling in my stomach calm down. “Thank you. I hope so. But if not? I’m still going to create F1 content.”
“Right, that was the question I originally had for you. What got you hooked on F1?”
“Well, obviously so I could meet the drivers,” I deadpan. “Isn’t that why women like F1 in the first place?”
The beginning of a smile plays at his mouth, and I try to ignore how my pulse leaps the tiniest bit when I see it.
“Yes. Because you can’t possibly like F1, for you know, being asport.”
“It’s so annoying. I get that in my comments on Connectivity all the time. That I’m just covering F1 because I think the drivers are hot.”
“Well, to be fair, some of us are fit,” Caleb says, the smile now becoming mischievous.
“I’m ignoring that comment.”
He laughs. “You should.”
Now I’m the one laughing. But once I stop, I tell him the story of how my dad took me to this very race years ago and I washooked by everything about it. The roar of the cars. The speed at which they flew on the track. The smell of gasoline and the way the force of the cars seemed to reverberate right through me.
“And, of course, the skill of the drivers to be able to take a high-tech car and drive it at insane speeds with a steering wheel that looks like a video-game controller while fighting crazy g-forces. It was just the most incredible thing I had ever seen in sports, and I love sports. I knew my goal right then, even though I know how hard it is and the odds are stacked against me. I want to work in F1. And if that means just creating content for my own channels, that’s fine.”
Caleb studies me intently with those piercing blue eyes for a moment before answering. “You’re going to make it,” he says firmly.
“There are lots of reporters who want to make it. I’m not saying I’m not motivated to pursue my dream, because I am. But I’m a realist. That’s why I’m doing my own channels.”
“No, you’re going to make it. You’ll be working in F1. Your TikTok channel has more than 400,000 followers. That got The Downforce Network’s attention. They’ll be back. Trust me.”
“You looked at my TikTok?” I ask, feeling that warm flush grow up my neck again.
“You aren’t the only one who prepares for business,” Caleb replies. “I’m an F1 driver. Preparation is everything.”
Yes, I suppose it is, I think.But did that really have to include studying me?
“Your ‘Get Ready with Me’ videos get a lot of views,” Caleb notes before taking a bite of his oatmeal. “I watched some of those last night.”
I freeze. I didn’t think about him watching my videos. Especially ones of me curling my hair and giving my thoughts on F1 racing.
CRAP, THE MAN HAS WATCHED ME CONTOUR MY FACE.
My neck now feels like I’ve sat out on the beach without sunscreen for five hours.
Play it off,I tell myself. Then a reminder sets in.
This is business anyway.
“Well, I hope you got some helpful hints for how to apply bronzer and my thoughts on how Xavier Williams’s aggressive driving is dangerous. I had lots of thoughts on how he forced Mason off the track in Japan.”
“Yeah, you made your thoughts rather clear on that,” Caleb says, grinning. “But I agree with you. Xavier does some crazy stuff on the track. He’s my best mate off it, and he’s a completely different guy. Then again, most of us are different when we turn down our visors. You have to be if you want to succeed.”
Ooh, that’s interesting. I’m about to ask him about it when my phone buzzes.
“Oh, excuse me, I’m always checking my phone this weekend in case it’s the network,” I say, turning around and reaching for my bag. I rifle through it and retrieve my phone.
When I see the text, my heart leaps. It’s Ian from The Downforce Network.
“It’s them!” I gasp, quickly opening the message and reading it:
Isla, great work with Caleb Collings yesterday. Got big views on social media. I’ve got another assignment if you want it. Vipera pit-stop practice on Saturday morning, for the website and social media. Are you interested?