Page 21 of Retrograde

Lucie lived for race day. Much like Brett, racing was in her blood.

Neither of them had racing in their family history, but they had grown into adults within the motorsport industry and spent years trackside as children.

Brett had been karting from a young age, and Lucie had been taken to other championships with her dad and siblings.

Her dad knew the owner of one of the major catering companies for the IEC, and they had taken Lucie on board as a waitress when she’d announced she didn’t want to go to college.

Being young, enthusiastic and passionate, Gabriel Lopez had taken notice of her.

She served him food three times a day during race week, striking up conversation each time, and two seasons in, he had told her he could see she was itching to get involved in the action.

He’d invited her into one of the garages and let her shadow an existing social media team.

She’d learned the ropes from Louise Beacham, her predecessor in the IEC, offering to help her edit late into the night and following her round with a spare camera on her breaks from waitressing.

She had taught herself how to use the necessary software, earned a marketing degree from the Open University, and a few months later, Jasper had handed her a contract to be Revolution Racing’s social media assistant.

From that day forward, she had worked to prove that she belonged there.

Early on, it often felt like she didn’t.

Some of the interns tried to push her out, but Lucie fought back.

She had forged working relationships with drivers, engineers and mechanics, showed off her portfolio and showered teams with content ideas, and invited herself to be part of their world, parties and casual drinks included.

Her determination had resulted in her being able to get up close and personal and earn their trust.

These days, the team of interns had been carefully curated by her and Faith, and any behaviour like her fellow co-workers had exhibited back then would be firmly dealt with.

Adding Faith into the mix was like adding that last missing puzzle piece, and the entire organisation relied on them to maintain their stellar social media content.

Sure, it was stressful. It meant holding meetings at every given opportunity, strict scheduling and constantly running around the paddock to check in with the other teams, but if it meant getting to share their beloved championship with the world, they’d do anything it took.

The IEC deserved a chance to shine like some of the bigger championships did.

She and Faith had their entire filming schedule for today planned out down to the hour.

It was based on the team’s race strategy, and which driver was in the car and when.

They had spent the last few days getting the drivers involved in various fun challenges with each other and with other teams, another part of their wider plan.

Although there was competition between different teams and manufacturers, Gabriel and the other CEOs were committed to fans seeing and believing that the grid was a family.

‘Marco! Can you check this edit for me, tell me if you’re happy with it?’ Lucie passed him her headphones and pressed play on her laptop. She was huddled at the back of the garage in a camping chair, rushing to get a video uploaded onto the Revolution Racing channel.

She didn’t have to get the green light from the drivers when she posted, just Jasper or his assistant and a member of the PR team, but if there was time, she still liked to out of respect. She had spent years tiptoeing around Julien, who had been anti-social media until Faith came along.

Now, she left his social media presence entirely to his wife, who was slowly introducing the world to his daughter.

He’d kept her hidden since she was born at the very start of his career with the IEC, but she was old enough to use social media herself now so there was little point in hiding her for her own protection.

Jasmine wanted to get involved in her dad’s world.

‘Love it. You made me look like less of a stuttering idiot, and for that I thank you.’ He passed the headphones back. They had filmed a challenge video with Eden Racing, and because Esme had wanted a video for Eden’s channel too, she had been there. Marco had blushed. A lot.

‘You’re not a stuttering idiot, Mars. You’ve had plenty of media training.’

‘Yeah, but Esme makes me nervous, and it was super obvious in the original footage.’ He shrugged nonchalantly, like he hadn’t just admitted to his feelings for Esme.

‘Esme’s cute, huh?’ Lucie teased.

‘Oh, don’t start. She’s always wearing bright yellow with a massive smile on her face. It’s hard not to be drawn to her.’

‘Would you like me to put a good word in?’

‘No, I would not.’ Marco’s cheeks turned an adorable shade of pink. ‘Besides, I don’t need advice from you , thank you.’ He picked up a bunch of grapes and a cube of cheese from Lucie’s heaped buffet plate.

‘What is that supposed to mean?’

‘It means, I know your secret.’ He winked and turned on his heel, leaving Lucie sitting there in silence.

She pressed the export button on her editing software and abandoned her laptop under the watchful eye of Jasper’s wife, who was attending this race as his guest, while she scuttled away to find Faith, who may be about to deal with Lucie’s unleashed hell.

‘Jensen.’ Lucie flung the door to the trailer open, expecting to find Faith working away.

Instead, she found her and Julien in a compromising position on the sofa.

‘Oh, God.’ She was never sitting on that sofa again.

They were mostly clothed, but that was beside the point. It was like walking in on her brother.

‘Oops, sorry!’ Faith stuttered, having the decency to look embarrassed.

‘It’s Jensen-Moretz now,’ Julien stated.

‘I don’t care. My eyes are burning.’ Lucie covered them with her hands to emphasise her point. ‘I think I’m actually blind.’

‘Don’t be dramatic, Luce. I am just loving on my wife.’

‘I think I might throw up.’

‘Jules, play nice,’ Faith scolded her husband. ‘Time for a chat?’

‘Please.’ Lucie peeked through her fingers to check all their clothes were back on.

‘Julien, out.’ Faith shooed him out of the trailer.

‘If I need to yell at anyone, you just let me know!’ he called out over his shoulder.

Once Julien had shut the door, Lucie eyed Faith suspiciously. She sat on the sofa, eyes wide, looking totally innocent. ‘Wait, am I being yelled at? Did I do something?’

‘I don’t know, did you?’

‘Stop talking in code, Luce. What’s up?’

‘Did you tell De Luca that I almost slept with Brett in Vegas?’

‘Absolutely not! Lucie, I haven’t even told my husband. He has his suspicions, of course, but my lips remain firmly sealed. Your secrets will always be safe with me.’

‘Okay.’ Lucie blew out a breath, feeling guilty for semi-accusing her. ‘He said he knew my secret, and I panicked. Sorry.’

‘I think Marco just has eyeballs. Don’t you read the comments on the team account?’

‘Well, as long as Brett doesn’t know people are talking about it, I don’t care. He’s got too much on his plate to be worrying about his love life being in the media again.’

‘You really are a wonderful friend to him, Luce. To all of us. You’re a proper mother hen in all the best ways.’ Faith jumped up to give Lucie a hug. ‘Right, come on. I let Jules distract me for too long, let’s go shoot some vlog footage.’

‘Sunny, can you help me?’ Brett popped his head out of the trailer’s bedroom a couple of hours before the race, a round pair of designer sunglasses perched on his nose. The irony of her nickname being used in that moment made her laugh.

‘What do you need?’ Lucie joined him to see multiple PR boxes on the bed, where Brett had spread out an array of sunglasses and was studying them.

‘I’ve been sent these by our new sponsor, but I have too many options. My sunglasses collection now beats Julien’s. They’ve sent so many.’

‘Well, you are all official brand ambassadors. But I’m not sure the ones you’ve got on suit you. They’re much more Marco’s vibe. Try these.’ She held up a gunmetal pair which were slightly more hexagonal, and he switched them out.

‘Better?’ He checked himself out in the mirror, touching up his hair.

‘Absolutely. I think that should be the first pair you wear.’

‘I feel guilty,’ Brett sighed, removing the sunglasses and catching her gaze in the reflection. Vulnerable Brett incoming.

‘About what?’ She stepped forward, turning him round by his torso and wrapping her arms around his waist to give him a comforting hug.

‘The reserve driver not getting his big moment. I was so happy to be back, so determined, that I didn’t really think about the fact I was taking a monumental opportunity away from some kid who’s been dreaming of this moment.

Of racing with a top team, or even just racing in the IEC at all. It was his time to shine.’

‘Woods will get his shot. Just like you did, just like every other driver in the history of motorsport did. Remember how many times Sarah Ridings thought she was going to get a seat and then they chose someone else over her? And now look, she’s one of the best drivers in her class.

Garrett Woods will be no different to anyone else.

We all know he’s talented, he just has to wait for the right time, and this wasn’t it. ’

‘I just can’t help but think that he deserves to be here more than I do right now.’

‘Anderson, no. That’s just the guilt talking. You’re talented as hell, you’ve got the grit and the determination. Jasper wouldn’t let you behind the wheel if he didn’t think the same thing.’

‘I’m so scared I’m going to fuck this up.’