“Ooh,” Dad says knowingly. “I think it might be a boy.”
I will myself not to blush.
Mom blinks. “Really? Isla! Who is it?”
“If it goes anywhere, I’ll tell you,” I say mysteriously. Then I clear my throat. “What time is dinner? I’m so looking forward to another meal at home before back to hotel room service.”
Mom looks disappointed I’ve switched the subject, but Dad looks more amused, much to my relief.
“I’m going to go downstairs to start it. Probably about an hour. Your dad is going to grill chicken and steak for fajitas,” Mom says.
“Oh that sounds so good!” Hadleigh says.
“Okay, we’ll be down by then,” I say.
My parents leave the room, and as soon as Dad shuts the door behind them, Hadleigh turns to me. “Isla, when are you going to tell your parents about Caleb?” she asks, sinking down on my bed. “You usually tell them everything.”
I retrieve more clothing from my closet, then turn and face Hadleigh as I fold them on my bed.
“Are you afraid of what they might say?” she asks gently.
“Yes,” I admit. “But it’s not what theymightsay, it’s what Iknowthey’ll say. I’ve gotten the career break of a lifetime, and I’m willing to possibly throw it away for an F1 driver. They’ll ask how many relationships he’s had before, and when they hear none, they’ll wave a red flag. They’ll talk about the abuse I’ll take on social media if we do decide to date and ask me ifCaleb is worth the huge gamble that I have to take. Because he won’t suffer if it doesn’t work. He loses nothing. But I could loseeverything.”
Hadleigh is studying me carefully as I finish speaking. “Do you agree with that?” she asks softly.
I swallow hard. “If they think those things, they wouldn’t be wrong.” I pause for a moment and then look at her. “What do you think?”
She doesn’t reply right away, and my stomach sinks a bit.
“I think,” Hadleigh says slowly, “I wish someone had left that kind of impression on me that I’d be willing to risk all of it for a chance at love with him.”
Love.
That’s why I’m risking all of this. Caleb is special. I know I don’t know him that well, but I’m basing this off our personal interactions, not things I’ve read or seen about him online. I like this man who has revealed himself to me. I like who he is without the visor down. Caleb is someone worth getting to know.
And possibly falling in love with.
“I’m not going to say anything for now. Caleb and I could have dinner this week and it could not be the same. It could fizzle out, or we both could want different things …” I trail off.
“Or the chemistry could be crazy stupid like it was during that interview you had with him,” Hadleigh points out.
I bite my lip. I had Hadleigh skim social media for me, and yep, some astute viewers commented on the chemistry between us.
“I think I want to know where this is going before I tell Mom and Dad. You, Catherine, and Xavier are the only people who know.”
“Xavier?” She looks shocked. “Why does he know?”
“Xavier is truly Caleb’s best friend,” I say, resuming my folding and putting another blouse into my suitcase. Then I lookover at her. “And Caleb probably told him so he wouldn’t make a move on me.”
Hadleigh laughs at that. “Well, if Xavier ever needs a distraction, you can tell him to slide into my DMs.”
I chuckle at that. “I will.”
“So what are the plans when you get to Monaco?” she asks, her eyes sparking with curiosity.
“Well, The Downforce Network has put me in their rooming block at this posh hotel in Monte Carlo for starters, so the first thing I’ll do is check-in. And pinch myself to prove that I’m actually there.”
“I knew studying analysis was a mistake!” Hadleigh declares. “I get to go to Des Moines for a conference this summer and you’re going to freaking MONTE CARLO!”