Page 33 of Formula Freedom (Race Fever #3)

One of the Matterhorn junior engineers walks by, heading toward the staff trailers. He spots me and pauses. “Reid! They’re looking for you up at the garage.”

“Why? Is something wrong?”

He shrugs. “No clue. Just said to grab you if I saw you.”

I shoot Carlos a look. “Probably forgot to sign off on the tire sheets.”

Francesca laughs. “Probably forgot them because you were too busy perfecting your surfer smile for the cameras again.”

I grin as I stand and stretch. “Careful, Accardi. Keep that up and we’ll start thinking you like us.”

The paddock is mostly shut down as I make my way back toward the Matterhorn garage, leaving the warmth of camaraderie behind. Tomorrow, we’ll be opponents again.

Lights are low, the thrum of equipment quieting for the night. I jog up the stairs to the garage floor, expecting a clipboard and a missed signature.

Instead, I see her.

Lara.

Standing just inside the garage in one of my Matterhorn hoodies that’s a size too big, eyes wide and searching.

Time stutters.

She’s here.

Everything else—engine notes, tire strategy, lap deltas—fades. There’s only her.

I don’t even realize I’m moving until I’m across the room, pulling her in close. Her arms slide around my waist, and she presses her face into my chest like she’s been homesick and I’m the only place she resides.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, dazzled by her eyes as she tips her head back and smiles.

“My place is by your side,” she says simply, and six words make everything right in my world. Every doubt, every ache dissipates and euphoria washes through me.

I lower my forehead to hers and whisper, “Welcome back.”

She doesn’t let go, not right away, and I don’t ask her to. I just breathe her in—her shampoo, the lingering scent of travel, the clean, warm weight of her against me.

After a moment, she pulls back and places a hand over my heart. “I talked to Lance.” My gut tightens but I don’t say anything. Don’t show any emotion. “He showed up yesterday at my house. Mum and Dad were out.”

My hands tighten around her waist. “He came to your house while you were alone?”

She nods and I have to suppress the rage building inside me. I remind myself that she’s here, she’s safe, and it appears she’s good with how things have turned out. “He looked awful. Like he hadn’t slept in days.” She pauses, then adds, “It looked like he was… unraveling.”

Fear joins the rage. “Jesus, Lara—”

“Everything’s fine,” she cuts in. “I was never afraid he’d really hurt me and most importantly… it’s done.”

My jaw clenches. I want to say I should have been there. But she’s here now. And she handled it.

Her expression saddens. “He’s convinced we were seeing each other behind his back.”

“He’s projecting,” I growl.

Lara nods. “Yeah… I know. I reiterated that we started after I left him. That it wasn’t about you taking me—it was about him losing me. I stood my ground, Reid. I didn’t back down once. I looked him in the eye and made sure he knew it was over. No wiggle room. No hope.”

I nod slowly, soaking it in, my arms tightening around her. “And he left?”

“Yup. And then I called your parents. I wanted to give them a heads-up that he wasn’t in a very good place. They’re both worried about him and they’re going to talk to him… maybe see if he’ll get some help.”

I nod, considering that. Of course my parents will try to help him, and they should. That’s what parents do. But I find myself still unable to care very much about his well-being, unwilling to forgive the fact that he struck Lara and called her a slut.

Maybe in time, but I doubt it.

I exhale, tension unspooling in my chest. “Why didn’t you call me?”

Her eyes lift to mine, soft but sure. “Because you’re in race mode and I knew you’d worry. I didn’t want this on your shoulders when you needed your focus.”

I study her, amazed and gutted all at once. “You still should’ve called.”

She gives a small smile. “I wanted to tell you in person.”

I touch her cheek. “How do you feel?”

“Relieved,” she says without hesitation. “But I’m a little sad he thinks we betrayed him. That this was going on before.”

I stiffen. “What a douche. I mean… how could he think that?”

Her eyes drop away and when they return to mine, I’m shocked to see that they’re filled with guilt. “Because he knows me. And he knows I’ve always had feelings for you, even if I buried them. Even if I told myself they were just leftover childhood loyalty.”

I stare at her, pulse thrumming.

“We were always dancing close to the edge,” she continues. “That kiss when we were young and then that one night we were together. It shook me, and although I knew it probably wasn’t the right timing, I think I was always disappointed in that. Maybe he could just… sense it?”

“It wasn’t the right time,” I confirm with a press of my lips to her forehead. “We wouldn’t have worked because my life was consumed with moving up the racing ranks and you had a job back home.”

She nods her agreement. “We would’ve burned out.”

“But now we’re here, and the timing is exactly right.”

A long silence heavy with everything unsaid stretches between us.

“I hate what happened with him,” I murmur. “I hate that he said what he did. That we came to blows. I don’t think I can forgive him.”

She nods. “I know. But maybe… one day, you can build something new. Different.”

“Maybe.” It’s all I’ll commit to. My brother is the least of my worries right now.

We stand there a moment longer, the quiet hum of the garage wrapping around us like a shield.

Then I pull her hand into mine, lift it to my mouth for a light kiss on her fingertips. “So, what happens now?”

“You tell me,” she says, smiling.

I take a breath, no hesitation. “Call me crazy, but I want you with me. Traveling. At my side. Every city, every paddock, every race. You work remote. We’ll make it work. Monaco, Zurich… hotels and planes and chaos—I want all of it. With you.”

She laughs through a soft exhale. “That has potential.”

“And I know you’re not a fan of Monaco, so I can sell that home and we can base ourselves out of Zurich. Whatever you want.”

“I want to be with you,” she whispers. “Whatever that means.”

“It means building a life together. Traveling the world. Having kids and teaching them to surf. We’ll grow old together back in Torquay and spoil our grandkids rotten.”

“Sounds like a fairy tale to me,” she breathes out, eyes misting.

“I love you,” I say, voice low and steady. “I’ve loved you since we were fifteen. Probably even before that. And now that I’ve got you, I’m not letting go.”

She smiles, all softness and fire. “Then you’re stuck with me.”

“And you love me too?” I tease.

“More than you can possibly imagine.”

I kiss her like it’s the first time—slow, certain, sealing everything we just promised.

We’re not unfinished anymore.

We’re just getting started.

Things heat up on and off the track when the first female driver in Formula International history goes head-to-head with one of the sport’s biggest names. Formula Dreams is a high-speed enemies-to-lovers standalone romance.