Chapter Nineteen

Monte Carlo. Home to the most glamorous and famous race of the season. The circuit swept through the streets of Monaco, past the dazzling white luxury yachts on the harbour front and blasting through the famous tunnel. It had a narrow track and tight, tight corners – including a ridiculously slow hairpin – which made overtaking well near impossible.

To win at Monaco required precision driving, technical excellence, balls of steel – and usually first position on the grid.

Aiden didn’t need the media’s reminder of that as they fired question after question at him after the Friday practice. Nor did he need their reminder that this was the same track where Seb Foster had ploughed his car into a concrete wall and died.

‘The last Foster to race around the Monaco track in Delta colours failed to make it home. Will that prey on your mind at all during the race?’

‘It was nearly twenty years ago,’ he replied mildly. ‘A totally different age.’

‘But still, he was your father. Were you watching at the time?’

Jeez, did he really have to put up with this crap? The other drivers were asked about their cars and thoughts on the race to come. He was asked about a race his father had twenty years ago. ‘I was ten. Can you remember what you were doing when you were that age?’

‘No, probably not, but we’re talking about a major occasion in your life. Watching your father crash.’

Aiden fought against the impulse to growl. ‘I’m not here to talk about the past. I’m here to talk about me and the race I have coming up. Surely that’s more relevant?’

‘How is the car handling round the Monaco circuit? As well as it did in Spain?’

Finally, a decent question. Gratefully Aiden latched onto it.

He discussed tyres and downforce for the next five minutes before making his excuses and escaping through the garage and into the Delta motorhome. All the time he was aware of Mel on his heels, head down as she ended a call on her phone.

‘Hey.’

At the sound of his voice, she glanced up. ‘Hey, yourself.’

She was in her PR uniform again, as he liked to call the bland trousers and shirt ensemble. It wasn’t exactly eye-catching, at least not until she smiled. She did more than catch his eye though; she made his heart ache. Why the hell was that? Was it simply because he knew she was out of reach?

‘Well done for neatly deflecting the father question.’

‘The neat deflection is my specialty.’

‘Yes, so it is. Some day I’m going to sit you down and force you to give me an honest answer to all the questions I have.’

He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. ‘Now that sounds interesting. How are you going to force me, exactly?’ She gave him a disapproving look, which only goaded him further. ‘I have a few ideas of what you could do that might make me more inclined to talk.’

‘You can put those ideas back in the box,’ she retorted primly but then frowned and moved closer. ‘I’m glad I caught up with you, because I wanted to talk about Helen.’

‘Helen? As in Tom’s tutor, Helen?’

‘Yes. Helen as in Tom’s sometime tutor.’ She hesitated, her eyes darting round to check nobody else could hear them. ‘Have you spoken to Tom about her lately?’

‘No, I guess I haven’t.’ His spine tensed as he clicked into defensive mode. ‘Should I have done?’

‘He’s under your care and she’s supposed to be teaching him, so yes, it would be a good idea to find out what he thinks of her.’

She’s just looking out for Tom, he told himself, not having a dig. ‘The way I see it, I employed a professional so he’s in good hands. I shouldn’t have to keep checking up on her.’ Okay, maybe he should have, but he didn’t like being told he should have.

‘Did you employ a professional? Or did you just pick the one with the prettiest face?’

Stung, he let out a sharp laugh. ‘That’s really what you think? That I chose Helen because I thought I could get a real bang for my buck? Pun intended.’

Mel knew from the way Aiden was shaking his head, his laugh going nowhere near his eyes, that she’d hurt him. What she’d said had been bitchy, but it irritated her to see what Helen was getting away with. And, yes, she’d still have been annoyed if Helen had been pig ugly. Just not this annoyed.

‘Of course I don’t think you chose her just because you wanted to sleep with her. God knows, you don’t have to go seeking women out. They come to you readily enough, wouldn’t you agree?’

Hands on hips, he glared at her. ‘How am I supposed to respond to that? Agree with you and I sound like an arrogant prick. Disagree with you and you become even more irate with me.’

‘I’m not irate with you. I’m …’ she searched in her mind for the right words ‘… I’m disappointed. I’ve seen Helen wandering around the paddock when I know perfectly well she should be with Tom. I think you should ask him how he feels it’s going, that’s all.’

‘Thanks,’ he replied flatly. ‘Any other parenting tips you’d like to pass on?’

She’d handled it all wrong, she knew that. But heavens above, he didn’t have to be so prickly. ‘No, that’s all for now. I take it there’s still no news on the whereabouts of your mother?’

‘Correct. Don’t worry, I’m sure she’ll turn up before the end of term. And before I’ve made a total hash of his education.’

As Mel opened her mouth to give him a sharp retort, Frank’s voice boomed down at them from the upper deck. ‘Aiden, we’re up here waiting for you.’

With a curt nod of his head, Aiden turned his back on her and climbed up the stairs, two at a time.

Though Monaco was a gorgeous place to stay, the race itself was one to forget. Aiden had a poor qualifying and ended up fifth on the grid and, predictably enough, fifth in the race. Behind his third placed teammate. Well behind Carlos, who was now comfortably leading the championship.

Tom, who sat between Mel and Helen in the garage as they watched, was quiet throughout.

‘That was pretty boring.’

They were the first words he’d uttered all race.

‘Well, you can’t expect Aiden to win every time.’ Helen followed her trite statement with one of her tinkling laughs that got right on Mel’s nerves.

‘I don’t,’ Tom returned sullenly. ‘But there was no overtaking or crashing. It was dull.’

‘Watching drivers crash isn’t fun,’ Helen scolded.

‘I guess it is when you’re ten,’ Mel cut in, now thoroughly fed up with the woman. All race she’d twittered on about Aiden this, Aiden that. She wished she’d just hurry up and launch herself at him. It was clearly what she wanted to do.

‘Well, I’m off to do a bit of shopping.’ Her glance dismissed Tom and settled on Mel. ‘I presume it’s okay if Tom stays with you?’

She waltzed out before Mel even had a chance to reply.

Tom watched her go. ‘I don’t like her.’

He said it with such finality Mel had to stop herself from giggling. ‘You’re not supposed to like your teachers.’

‘I guess.’

Because she was a nosey cow, Mel couldn’t let it slide. ‘Why don’t you like her?’

‘All she ever wants to talk about is my brother. Where he is, what he’s doing. Even whether he has any girlfriends,’ he spat out disgustedly.

‘Have you told Aiden this?’

‘Nah. He’d just tell me to stop moaning.’ He sat up straight and pulled a face. ‘We’re lucky to have her, kiddo,’ he parroted. ‘Be nice to her, otherwise you’ll have to go back to boarding school.’ His eyes arrowed in on hers. ‘Is that true?’

Tricky waters. ‘I’m sure there are other tutors who would be very happy to do what Helen’s doing,’ she told him honestly. ‘But it would be a hassle to find another one, and there’s no guarantee they would be any better.’ At his crestfallen look she roughed his hair. ‘Come on young man. Look on the bright side, having lessons next to a Grand Prix circuit, even with Helen, has to be better than being at school.’

A glimmer of a smile. ‘Suppose so.’

Later that evening a few of them went out for a drink on Aiden’s boat. Of course he had to have a fifty foot motor yacht moored in the Monte Carlo harbour. Which racing driver didn’t?

Their small group included two of the single engineers who weren’t in a hurry to rush home, Frank and Nancy and Tom. Oh, and Helen, of course, who trailed after Aiden like an overexcited teenager.

‘Now the race is over,’ Frank was saying to Aiden as they settled onto the plush leather cushions on the top deck. ‘Do you mind if I ask a personal question?’

Aiden sat back on the seat, an arm casually draped across the back. ‘Sure, go ahead,’ he replied easily, taking a sip of his ever present water.

Mel found she couldn’t take her eyes off him. Surrounded by the trappings of his wealth he looked incredibly handsome in a pale blue shirt and casual jeans. So far beyond the reach of someone ordinary like her. He might claim to want her but it was hard to see how that could be anything other than a whim. A taste for something different.

‘Do you ever think about your father when you race here?’

Aiden flinched, obviously not expecting Frank to ask that question.

Immediately Frank held up his hand. ‘Sorry if that’s too personal a question. It’s just that I think about him every time I come here.’

With slow, controlled movements Aiden took another sip of his water. ‘I think perhaps you had a closer relationship with him than I did,’ he said finally. ‘The first few times I raced here, the image of his crash did cross my mind, but not now. Now the only times I think of him are when you guys remind me.’

‘That’s not exactly true, is it,’ Frank replied quietly.

An awkward silence fell between them and Nancy tugged at Frank’s arm. ‘Now’s not the time for this,’ she hissed, glaring at her husband. ‘Not in front of an audience.’

Frank nodded. ‘Yet again, my wife is right. Sorry.’ Slowly he stood up. ‘I’m going to grab myself another beer. Anyone else want anything?’

As others stood, the awkward moment was successfully navigated and Helen took the opportunity to sidle next to Aiden. It left Mel trying to entertain Tom while also trying not to notice how close Helen was sitting to Aiden. She was practically on his lap. Not that Aiden seemed to be pushing her away, though to be fair he didn’t appear to be encouraging her, either. He was leaning forward, arms resting on his thighs, and from the occasional word she overheard she guessed they were talking racing.

It was another hour before Aiden finally noticed how tired his brother was. ‘Sorry to break up the party, guys, but this little lad here needs to get to bed.’

Tom started to protest but Aiden grabbed him, swinging him up and over his shoulder. ‘Yes you do, buddy.’

‘Can’t we sleep on the boat?’ he moaned from his upside down position.

‘I told you earlier, we’ll do it another day when the harbour isn’t so busy. Sleeping here tonight would be like camping in the middle of Piccadilly Circus at rush hour.’

As Aiden and a wriggling Tom clambered off the boat, Frank and Nancy caught up with her. ‘If looks could kill,’ Nancy whispered, ‘young Helen would be lying ten foot under by now.’

‘Oh God, was I that obvious?’

Frank chortled. ‘Only to us.’

Mel huffed out an evening’s worth of suppressed irritation. ‘I can’t stand women who make such an obvious play for a man.’

‘Any man, or just this one?’ Though Frank’s voice was teasing, his eyes were serious.

‘Any man,’ she replied, firmly crossing her fingers. Possibly, probably, definitely, she was lying.

Nancy smiled, squeezing her arm. ‘You know we love you like a daughter, don’t you?’

The softly spoken words caught at her throat. ‘I’m lucky enough to know that, yes.’

‘So if you ever need to talk to us about what’s in your heart, you know we’re always there for you.’

Mel bit at her lip, willing the tears in her eyes not to spill over. ‘I do, and thank you.’

Gently Nancy patted her cheek, her eyes kind and full of understanding. ‘You know if a woman’s going to lose her heart to a man she needs to make sure he’s somebody special.’ Her gaze fell on Frank, and then over to where Aiden was walking with Tom still hanging over his shoulder, laughing his head off. ‘I don’t know Aiden as well as Frank does but I can tell you this. He’s not another Carlos.’

Mel’s heart jumped. ‘How can you be sure?’

‘Carlos is selfish. He treats women, and people in general, like objects, there to entertain him while the mood strikes. He would never have risked his shot at a World Championship to help look after his brother.’

‘No, he wouldn’t,’ Mel admitted, watching Helen laugh at something Aiden said. ‘Just because Aiden is a kinder man though, it doesn’t make him a more reliable one.’

Nancy smiled. ‘True. It doesn’t automatically make him unreliable, either.’

It was only a short walk back to the hotel where they were all staying. As they waited for the lift Mel saw plenty of people do a double-take at Aiden as they crossed the lobby. Also plenty of women flashing him a seductive smile – and receiving a charming one back.

She knew he was only living up to his image, his brand, yet still it hurt. Aiden might not be as callous as Carlos but there would always be women surrounding him, tempting him.

Tom, who was now just about standing upright, nudged her leg and raised sleepy eyes up at her. ‘Are you gonna come and say goodnight?’

Why did she find it impossible to refuse those grey eyes? ‘Sure.’

As Aiden opened the door to his suite, Mel’s jaw dropped. ‘I definitely haven’t got a view like this one.’

His eyes glittered. You could have, they seemed to be saying, before he nodded back at the stunning view from the floor to ceiling windows. ‘I figured it’s quieter, safer and more comfortable for us to stay here and look out on the marina than to try and sleep in it. At least during a Grand Prix.’ Turning back to Tom, he ruffled his hair. ‘Change, teeth and bed. You’ve got five minutes. Ready, get set. Go.’

Tom legged it into the swanky slate grey bathroom, leaving Aiden and Mel alone for the first time since their altercation about Helen on Friday.

‘I see you’ve got the bedtime routine down to a fine art,’ she remarked when she couldn’t stand the silence any longer.

‘At least I’m getting something right.’

So, he was still cross with her. ‘You’re getting a lot of things right,’ she told him honestly. ‘He’s almost chatty now and he certainly smiles a lot more. That’s all down to you.’

Aiden slumped onto the sofa. ‘I’d like to think so, though when you’ve been through something really bad, the alternative can seem fun for a while. I’m just not sure how sustainable it is in the long run.’

‘You’re thinking of keeping Tom with you even when his mother comes home?’

He glanced up at her and gave her a tight smile. ‘Yeah, and I can see from your face exactly what you think of that idea.’ She wanted to protest, but he cut her short. ‘No, don’t worry, you’re right. I’m being stupid thinking this could work. He needs stability. A home and a school, not a motorhome and tutor. It’s just if she forces him back to boarding school.’ He rubbed at his face in a weary gesture. ‘I know why he hates that. I hated that.’

‘Tom does need a proper education,’ she answered carefully. It was the only thing that concerned her about how Tom was currently living. Sure mixing with people his own age was important, but not as much as being around somebody who loved him. The pair of them might not realise it yet, but that was something Tom now had.

Aiden glanced at her imploringly. ‘Please let’s not have another argument about Helen. Right now, we need her.’

‘So I understand. Apparently she’s the only person capable of tutoring Tom. If he’s not nice to her, he has to go back to school.’

Grey eyes narrowed. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘That’s what you’ve told Tom, isn’t it? Yet by all accounts he doesn’t like Helen much and she spends all her time asking him about you.’

Aiden’s body language was becoming more and more rigid and Mel knew they were heading for another argument but she couldn’t stop. This was too important.

‘Doesn’t it worry you that Tom’s tutor is more interested in you, than him?’

‘It would worry me more if it was the other way round.’

Mel shook her head at him. ‘Why do you always try to turn everything into a joke? This is serious.’

‘The tutor’s got the hots for me, so what.’ He shot to his feet and stalked towards her, his body fizzing with suppressed anger. ‘You know what all this is, Mel? You’re jealous, pure and simple. You don’t want to sleep with me, but you can’t stand watching somebody else try.’

‘Oh, please, spare me the egotistical rant. You’re responsible for a young boy now. It’s time you grew up.’ Frustrated, fed up with him and damn it, angry herself now, she turned away and marched towards the door, wrenching it open. She was almost through it before she remembered why she’d come. ‘Please tell Tom I’m sorry, but I had to take an important phone call.’

As she shut the door behind her, tears streamed down her face. To hell with Aiden Foster. He was an arrogant git and she wasn’t falling in love with him. She wasn’t.