Chapter Twenty-Seven

Two weeks and one miserable race later they were in Hungary. Aiden stood with his race engineer in the Delta garage, staring at his car.

Frank sighed and put his hands on his hips, not a good sign. ‘You’re distracted.’

Aiden tried not to flinch at the disapproving tone. Though drivers were often considered the most important part of the team, Frank had this uncanny ability to make him feel like an errant schoolboy. ‘It would appear I am.’

What else could he say? The paltry two points he’d picked up from ninth place in the last race spoke for themselves. His edge simply wasn’t there. He knew it. Frank knew it. The whole bloody team knew it.

‘I bet next you’re going to tell me my father never let anything distract him from a race, huh?’ The moment the words were out, he cringed. ‘Forget I said that. It was churlish and stupid.’

‘Probably true though,’ Frank drawled. ‘The guy was one selfish bastard most of the time.’ Aiden’s mouth dropped open in shock and Frank let slip an understanding smile. ‘What, you thought I didn’t know that? We race engineers tend to see through all the flash imagery and into the real person beneath. Seb Foster was selfish. It didn’t always make him a nice man to work with, but it sure made him a brilliant driver.’

‘I didn’t want any distractions this year,’ Aiden admitted. ‘It seems circumstances have conspired against me.’

Frank smiled. ‘Tom’s a great kid. Looks a lot happier now than when he arrived.’

‘Yes.’ But could he hand on his heart put all his poor performance down to Tom? It was true he was worried about his mother coming back and dragging his brother away. It was also true that his thoughts were mainly dominated by a certain hazel eyed woman he couldn’t shake out of his system.

‘Well, you need to sort your head out, Aiden. We can tinker with the car and the strategy all we like, but at the end of the day if the man out on the track isn’t giving his all, we might as well give up and go home.’

Trust Frank to lay it bluntly on the line. He couldn’t even argue with him. The last dismal performance was solely on his head. As was the fact that he’d slipped to fourth in the championship. His only saving grace was that Carlos had suffered a DNF in the last race thanks to a tyre blow out, so the gap between them had stayed pretty much as it was.

Acknowledging Frank’s words with a curt nod of his head, Aiden walked back out into the paddock and took in a few lungfuls of air. Nestled alongside fields and farmland the Hungarian Grand Prix had a real countryside feel to it. Well, at least there was a hint of fresh air mixed in with the usual car fuel and burning rubber.

Waving away the journos who dashed towards him, hoping for a quick quote, Aiden strode towards the Delta motorhome where he’d left Tom and Helen hard at work. Time to check up on the lad. As he entered his eyes automatically scanned for Mel, as they always did. He hadn’t seen much of her at the last race. Oh, she’d been here and there, doing her job, but the opportunity to talk to her alone hadn’t arisen, which he knew was a deliberate ploy on her part.

Pushing off his gloom, Aiden bounded up the stairs to the meeting room where he found Tom sitting by himself, playing with an iPad.

‘What’s happening here?’

Tom gave a guilty start and shoved the iPad onto his lap. ‘I finished the stuff she gave me.’

‘Show me.’

With a huff of annoyance Tom rustled through the papers strewn across the table and found his workbook. Aiden flicked through it, noting the kid was about as scruffy as he’d been as a ten-year-old. ‘When did you finish this?’

Tom gave a casual shrug of the shoulders. ‘Dunno. A while ago.’

With a heavy heart Aiden sat down opposite him. ‘Come on, buddy, this is serious. Helen’s being paid to teach you. How often has she been doing this?’

Tom shifted edgily on the seat. ‘Boarding school is shut for the holidays now, isn’t it? I mean, you can’t send me back?’

Aiden sighed, hating the fear that had crept into his brother’s eyes. ‘Yes, it’s closed, though even if it wasn’t I already told you I wouldn’t make you go back there. Now dish the dirt.’

With a small nod, Tom leant forward. ‘She’s been leaving me loads. When we’re at a racetrack, as soon as you go, she sets me some stuff to do and then disappears.’

Aiden thumped the table. ‘Okay. That’s it. When she comes back here, I’ll fire her.’ As Tom’s eyes grew round, Aiden had to laugh. ‘Don’t get too excited, it’s not the end of schoolwork. You still need a tutor. I’ll get an agency to send someone else.’ He winked. ‘What about a guy this time, eh? Less trouble I think.’

Having attended Stefano’s perky press conference, Mel wandered back through the paddock. Stefano was currently one place ahead of Aiden in the championship and had just had a very quick first practice session. At least one of her drivers was happy. The other seemed very flat, as if the stuffing had been knocked out of him. She desperately wanted to check if he was okay, but her feelings were too muddled for such a personal conversation at the moment. Instead she’d stuck to business, satisfying neither of them.

Speak of the devil. Her eyes, apparently capable of hunting down Aiden’s form from a ridiculously long distance, zeroed in on him as he stood deep in conversation on the steps of the Delta motorhome. Her spine automatically stiffened as she saw who he was talking to but as she continued to watch she noticed a distinct unease between the two figures. There were no smiles, just grim faces and tense conversation until Helen suddenly whipped round on her dainty heels and stormed off.

Unconsciously Mel stopped in her tracks. What was all that about?

Aiden chose that moment to look up and pin her with his clear grey eyes. Bugger. It was more than obvious she’d been nosing in on the pair of them.

She gave him an awkward wave. Now what was she meant to do? Walk by and pretend she wasn’t interested? As if. Taking in a deep breath she walked straight towards him. ‘Umm, what just happened there, with Helen?’

His gaze followed the tutor’s retreating back. ‘I fired her.’

‘Oh?’ She tried to retain at least a semblance of professionalism but her traitorous face split into a wide grin.

Aiden gave her a wry smile before shuffling her inside and leading them to a quiet table in the hospitality suite. ‘I know, I know,’ he said as he sat down next to her. ‘You warned me all along. Seems as soon as my back was turned Helen was setting Tom work and then buggering off.’ He let out a snort of disgust. ‘I should have paid more attention. God knows what damage it’s done to his schooling.’

Mel’s glee dimmed a little. ‘Hey, come on, don’t beat yourself up. I’m sure she was doing a good job of actually teaching him.’

‘Yeah, when she was there.’ He thrust a hand through his hair in a familiar gesture. ‘He’s only ten, Mel. She shouldn’t have been leaving him alone. Christ knows, I’ve been trying to make sure there’s always someone with him.’ In a weary gesture he pushed his head into his hands. ‘Maybe I’m just kidding myself. Sure I’ve asked people to sit with him, but I’ve never bothered to check he’s okay.’ He looked up at her with slightly accusing eyes. ‘I told you I’d be rubbish at this. I can barely look after myself, never mind a child.’

Though she wanted to be angry at the implication that this was her fault, all she felt was sympathy. He was beating himself up because he hadn’t found the time between his endless press calls, team briefings and actual racing to keep tabs on the tutor.

‘You’re a great brother to Tom,’ she told him honestly. ‘The scared, sullen little boy who first arrived is a long, long way removed from the happy boy he is now. That’s down to you.’

‘And you.’

His eyes held hers and she found herself unable to swallow. ‘Not really, but if I’ve helped at all, I’m glad.’

Silence pulsed between them. Although chatter floated across the sleek hospitality suite, Mel could hear the gentle exhale of Aiden’s breath. Almost feel the steady beat of his heart. The words he’d uttered the other day buzzed through her mind. I can’t sleep with one woman while my mind is obsessed with another.

‘I like your skirt.’ His statement took her unawares and she glanced down at the flirty summer print skirt she’d put on this morning. The one she’d bought two days after Aiden had told her she looked smoking hot in sexy clothes.

‘Thank you.’ She smiled self-consciously at him. ‘Someone whose opinion is important to me told me it was time to express myself again.’

‘Clever guy.’

‘Umm. I’m not sure. I have a feeling his motives were on the selfish side.’

‘Being a kind soul, it makes you happy just knowing you’ve made him happy though, doesn’t it?’ He gave her an impish grin. ‘Did you only buy one?’

Slowly she shook her head. ‘I bought a whole new wardrobe.’

He let out a long whistle. ‘If the skirt is a sign of things to come, I’m looking forward to seeing the rest.’ Lazily his eyes travelled up her legs. ‘Do they come any shorter?’

Caught between embarrassment and amusement, she ended up laughing. ‘Come on, this one is indecent enough.’

‘Nah, indecent isn’t the right word. Sexy works. So does pretty. If I were to be hyper critical though, it needs taking up another five inches.’

Mel waggled her finger at him, enjoying the banter. Enjoying the way his eyes travelled over the lines of her body with such frank appreciation.

Sally was right. Staying away from Aiden was cowardly and stupid in the extreme. She’d already gone and fallen in love with the man, so why keep holding back? He’d make no promises and when he’d had enough, he’d let her down as gently as he could. She’d hurt, but she’d get over it, as she had before. And the memories she’d take to her grave would fill several lifetimes.

Rising from the table she whispered into his ear. ‘I tell you what. Invite me over to your motorhome for dinner tonight and I’ll wind it up another five inches.’

As astonishment flooded his face, Mel grinned to herself. For the first time in years she let her hips sway a little as she walked away. Only a little, because God knows, she didn’t want to come across as a hooker. Just a real woman again.