Rush: Part One & Two (The Pitstop Series Book 3)

“Get off your phone and focus, mate,” Adrian says, and I turn it off, bringing my attention to Lincoln Nash, one of the Williams drivers this season.

It’s his birthday tonight, and all of the twenty drivers were invited to dinner. The Alfa Romeo drivers, Robert Lin and Felix Stark, had to leave early, something I wish I could have done too. However, Adrian told me to stay put.

The McLaren, Mercedes, Alpha Tauri, Red Bull, Haas, Alpine, Aston Martin, and us Ferrari teammates all sing ‘Happy Birthday’ as the waiter brings out the dessert with candles for Lincoln to blow out. He’s a nice guy, but I’d rather be anywhere other than at his party right now. I hardly know him nor do I want to talk to anyone. I’m tired and miss Val. Today was her first day, and I want nothing more than to listen to her tell me all about it.

Leonard and Cameron are next to me, discussing the weather forecast for this weekend. I turn to them, my interest piqued now.

“It’s supposed to rain?” I ask, earning me a cock of an eyebrow from the Brit.

“Don’t you do your homework?” he asks with a small smile, obviously amused. I give him a playful frown, but he’s right, I should have prepared myself better.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

“Yeah, Gabriel, don’t you do your homework?” Cameron scolds, and I let out an annoyed laugh. He might be my best friend, but he’s also the biggest pain in my ass.

“Excuse me, I was trying to have a conversation with Leonard,” I reply, and the Australian bends forward to let out a low laugh.

“I think someone’s a bit tipsy,” Leonard says, patting Cameron’s back.

“Gabriel Biancheri! What’s with the serious expression?” Eduardo interrupts as he stumbles over to where Adrian, Cameron, Leonard, and I are standing. He’s also tipsy, and I’m not in the fucking mood.

“If he touches me, I’ll lose it,” I whisper to my teammate a second before Eduardo wraps his arm around my shoulders.

Adrian presses his lips together, trying to keep from laughing. My hands ball into fists as my breathing hitches. We weren’t close before he and Val became intimate, and we sure as hell aren’t now.

“You should lighten up a little. You’re kind of bringing the mood down,” the Spaniard goes on, and I shoot Adrian a look that says ‘get him off me before I break his nose’.

The only reason why I hate him is because he was, or is, interested in Val, but it’s enough to make me want to punch him.

“Alright, Eduardo, let’s get some water in you. You have to sober up for tomorrow,” my teammate chimes in, and I mouth a ‘thank you’ when he pulls the Red Bull driver off me.

“Remind me to never piss you off,” Cameron says from next to me, and a smile slips onto my face.

“Why?” I ask, humor now spreading over his face.

“Because when you dislike someone, they become your nemesis,” he explains, making me let out a laugh that reaches my chest.

“Well, I don’t hate many people, so that’s fine, right?” Cameron grabs my shoulder, trying to hide his amusement.

“Let’s just hope not too many other people do something to Val you don’t approve of,” he replies, and I nudge him in the side, our attention drifting to Adrian as he pushes Eduardo down in his chair.

“Stay,” he commands, and the Spaniard gives him a sad look before my teammate walks away.

James, on the other hand, checks on the tipsy driver, making sure he’s alright. As always, James, the super kind, always attentive, good fucking guy does the right thing. Asshole.

“That’s the last time I help you. Eduardo was about to tell me his favorite sex position, and that’s not an image I need in my head,” Adrian says as soon as he’s next to me again. Cameron and I chuckle in response, earning us a glare from the tall man. “Fuck off, you wouldn’t have wanted that either! The only people who should tell me what they like in bed are the ones I have sex with,” he goes on, and, as if on cue, a blonde woman turns to him, clearly having overheard his statement.

“Would it be of interest to you to know mine?” she asks, and Adrian licks his lips, offering her an easy smirk.

“Most definitely,” he replies, and she takes his hand, pulling him to her table.

“Does that mean I get to leave now too?” I call after him, but he doesn’t even turn to me while raising his thumb into the air. I shake my head, shifting my gaze to Cameron’s and Leonard’s faces. They’re full of disbelief.

“How? Just, how?” Leonard asks, and I let out a small laugh.

“I don’t know. Maybe it’s his face. He looks a lot like Val, which means he’s gorgeous and can enchant anyone,” I say before almost laughing at myself. I swoon over my girl way too often.

“God, you’re wrapped around her finger like no one I’ve ever met before,” Cameron says, and I cock a challenging eyebrow.

“Is that so? How’s Elijah, huh?” I ask, and his cheeks go red in an instant.

“I thought you were leaving,” he says with a laugh, and I pat his back before assuring him I will.

As much as I care about him and like spending time with him, I’m done with the evening.