Page 6 of Lights Out (Love in the Paddock #1)

I stare down at my screen in shock. Why is Caleb texting me? I just left him a few minutes ago on the steps outside the motorhome. I furrow my brow. I don’t think I left anything behind. I’m meticulous about making sure I have all my belongings before I leave a place.

I tap open the message and read:

Isla, I was thinking. If you want to create some content for your Connectivity Story Share, I could get you a VIP pass for this weekend.

I could get you a tour of the garage or get you into my race car if you want.

Or I could see if Mason would be game to talk to you.

Well, I know Mason would. Just say the word and I’ll have Catherine get you sorted.

I feel as if the air has been knocked from me. Caleb is inviting me into the world of Collings Motors. Behind-the-scenes access to things I could only dream of before today. If I can shoot stuff for my channels here, I’ll get an insane number of views.

And it could be just the thing to show The Downforce Network the type of content I can get.

I text him back:

Caleb, that is so generous of you. I would love to record some stuff in the garage if you can arrange it. I would be eternally grateful for the opportunity, and I would owe you one. Thank you so much.

I hit send, save his number as a contact, and continue walking through the paddock, but I can see Caleb is already responding. Within seconds, his reply drops in:

No thanks are necessary. I’m next to Mason—he’s down to do whatever you want to do. Suggestion: Ask him about his mum’s Connectivity messages to him. He LOVES talking about that.

I snicker. Mason’s mother loves to communicate with him via the social media platform Connectivity, so all the world can see her comments. I know Caleb is setting him up here, and I plan to let Mason know it when I talk to him. That would make for some fun content.

I text him back:

I will definitely ask him about his mom’s messages. Any personal favorites of yours I should highlight?

Caleb Collings is typing …

I don’t know how to narrow this down, but if I had to give you my top two, it’s the one where she calls him out for his drunk dancing in a nightclub after he won the Las Vegas Grand Prix last year.

The other—and sorry, I can’t pinpoint a date—is the one where she told him in all caps to “CALL YOUR MOTHER MASON.”

I begin to laugh. I remember that one. Actually, Sarah Clark has done that one more than once. It’s really funny that she uses Connectivity to get Mason’s attention.

Caleb Collings is typing …

Okay, Catherine is going to set you up with credentials. She’ll text you all the details when they are ready.

I reply:

Thank you so much for this, Caleb. I appreciate it more than you could ever know.

Caleb Collings is typing …

Happy to do it. Oh, and if you do want to slip into the cockpit of an F1 car? Make sure it’s mine. It’s superior to Mason’s.

I grin and text him back:

Then I will check out your ride when I’m there.

Caleb Collings is typing …

All right, I’ve got to go to this sponsor brunch. Catherine will tell you what time to come out to the track. See you in the garage, Isla.

I stare at his message, hardly believing what I’m reading.

See you in the garage, Isla.

Goose bumps ripple my skin as I reread that sentence. But then I quickly put the red flag on that and focus instead on getting home so I can edit this video—and show The Downforce Network the kind of story I can land for them if given the chance.

* * *

I finish up my edits and watch the video of me with Caleb one more time. I’m back at home—due to the fabulous pay of a freelance reporter just out of college, I’m living with my parents in Miami Beach right now—and I’m sitting on my bed, editing my work.

I nearly laugh. If Caleb could see me now, I don’t know how impressed he would be with my living and workplace arrangements.

While my office isn’t exactly professional, my video is.

It’s good. I’m not saying that in any egotistical way.

I’m saying it because I got Caleb to not only be on camera, but be comfortable in front of it.

I smile as I watch it back. Caleb is charming.

He showed a fun side that he had kept fiercely under wraps until now.

Until me.

A tingling feeling runs through my stomach again, but I tell myself this is normal. He’s a gorgeous F1 driver who stood up against sexist behavior. Of course my stomach is going to tingle when I look at him. He’s hot. His value system is hot.

I’m reacting like any human with a pulse would react.

I upload my video to the site for The Downforce Network, then shoot my assignment editor a quick email, telling him it’s in the drive, and Caleb Collings is my host for the motorhome tour. I read it carefully for typos and clarity, and then I hit send.

I put my phone aside and flop back onto my pillows.

DID THIS DAY REALLY HAPPEN?

Buzz!

I glance at my phone, which is vibrating into my mattress. It’s another unknown number, but when I tap it open and see the message is from Catherine, it’s another confirmation that yes, today really did happen.

Hi, Isla, Catherine Collings here. Once again, it was a pleasure meeting you this morning, and I deeply apologise for Arthur’s behaviour. Charles Birmingham, our HR director back in Surrey, will be contacting you to discuss the incident.

I have issued you a credential for our garage and got you a VIP pass for the weekend per Caleb’s request. Can you be there around nine? That would be best for shooting.

Oh, and Caleb said you might need someone to film for you.

I’d be happy to do that if you need assistance.

Text me after you pick up your VIP pass and I’ll meet you and take you to the garage.

I’ll introduce you to some people, including Mason.

And we’ll make sure you get to sit in Caleb’s car, too.

You must be special. He NEVER offers to let people sit in his car, but he said you could.

My mental red flag is tossed aside for the image of the starting lights lit up in red for the race, and then they suddenly go dark, signaling the race has started.

“AND AWAY WE GO” runs through my head.

Caleb never lets anyone sit in his car. Except for me.

I swear I almost feel dizzy with this realization.

Suddenly my phone rings. I glance down and see it’s Ian, my assignment editor from The Downforce Network. I quickly answer it. “Hello, this is Isla.”

“Isla. How did you get Caleb Collings to talk to you?” he blurts out, his voice thick with astonishment. “This feature you did is gold!”

I bite my lip, thinking for a moment. Do I want to tell him about the Arthur incident? I mean, women in sports face that kind of crap all the time. But do I want Ian to possibly hear it from someone else, like Chip?

No, I need to tell him about the incident.

“Caleb heard the Collings Motors communications director making some shitty comments about the feature and my capability to do it. I assured him these pieces are important to building that fan connection and that I was more than qualified to do the story. Caleb leaped to my defense, and so did Mason Clark.”

I hear an exhale on the other end of the line. “Shit. Go on.”

“They didn’t like it, and neither did Catherine Collings, who reported it to HR. I’m going to talk to their rep at some point, and I won’t make a big deal out of it, but Caleb liked my style and decided to talk with me.”

“Unbelievable. Wow. I wish I were surprised by what you faced, but we still have a way to go with sexism in sports.”

“Agreed.”

“But back to your feature. You got him to open up, and he looked like he was enjoying himself. You did an outstanding job with it. So much so, we’re going to air it on the pre-practice show tomorrow in addition to posting it on social media.”

OH MY GOD! Now I’m buzzing again, but I need to be professional about this.

“That’s amazing. I’m so pleased you liked it so much,” I say calmly.

“We do,” Ian says.

“Well, I’ll be sure to cross-promote it on my social media,” I assure him.

We chat a bit more, with Ian thanking me for my work, and then we hang up.

I sink back into the excessive number of pillows propped against my headboard, taking in everything that happened today.

The Downforce Network loved my feature. This could lead to more if it does well on their social media channels.

It’s the kind of content that bridges fans with the sport.

And I’m shooting more of it tomorrow with Caleb and Mason for my own platforms.

Tomorrow’s content—even if it’s not for The Downforce Network—will be critical.

If I rack up the views on it, that will prove to the network I know what audiences want and I can deliver it in a way that moves the needle.

Because even if I am hired to do more work for them at other F1 races, I’ll still be creating content for my channels.

I see my career trajectory as having both, if I can make it happen.

And it’s all thanks to Caleb Collings.

I stare down at my phone. I know he’s doing sponsor things right now, and then he will go straight into the drivers’ press conference.

I smile as I picture the scene. Caleb—who always looks like he’s being held against his will at these—will be sitting with Laurent Paradis, the French driver who races for Vipera, a team at the bottom of the standings, and American bad boy Xavier Williams, the ace driver for Hoffman who is always fighting Caleb and Mason for pole position and spots on the podium.

Hmm. I wonder what Caleb’s relationship with Xavier truly is.

They are bitter rivals on the track—with Xavier loving to push boundaries—but they seem to be close friends off of it.

They are called Calvier on social media, and people are always speculating when they have a spat on the track, if that will be the end of their friendship, whether they are best friends, etc.