Race to the Top: Book one in the Racing to Find Love series

by KT Shears

  ‘There should be some pretty big names,’ he said. ‘The first race of the season is always a popular one with the Hollywood scene, so I’m sure you won’t struggle.’

  Anna smiled, looking glad. He sensed she was a bit worried about her column, but from what he knew of her, she had no reason to be – she was obviously talented way beyond a column about celebrities and fashion.

  ‘I hope so,’ she said, getting to her feet. ‘I’m sorry again for bothering you.’

  As she reached the door, Erik spoke, surprising himself by what he said.

  ‘Would you like to get something to eat?’ he asked. He thought he noticed the tip of Anna’s ears turn pink.

  ‘Now?’ she asked.

  ‘Sure,’ Erik said, warming to the idea. ‘I’m starving and I know of a really great restaurant nearby. I can call them and reserve a table if you want to get changed.’

  ‘Changed?’ Anna stared at him. ‘What’s wrong with what I’m wearing?’

  Erik started to stammer that it was fine, but she cut him off, laughing.

  ‘I’ll go change,’ she said. ‘Meet you downstairs in half an hour?’

  Chapter thirteen

  Anna skipped around her hotel room. Erik Jonasson had asked her to dinner. Her! She delved into her suitcase, throwing all her clothes onto the bed and surveying them. She needed something attractive but not too attractive. She didn’t want to look like she was trying too hard.

  She eventually settled on a fitted peplum dress with her favourite knee-highs. She straightened her hair and applied her make-up, concentrating on her eyes. Then she sat on the bed, watching the second hand on her watch tick down until it was time to meet Erik downstairs.

  He was already there when she arrived in the foyer, with his back to her. She touched him gently on the arm, revelling in the thrills one small touch sent running up and down her body. He turned and Anna was delighted to notice his eyes travel up and down her body.

  She was looking forward to an evening in Erik’s company – and not just because he was smoking hot. She enjoyed his conversation. He made her laugh, and she liked a man who made her laugh. Scott had made her laugh at first, but that had quickly faded, so it was nice to be in the company of an attractive man who made her brain sing, as well as her body.

  ‘Shall we?’ Erik said, starting towards the door. Anna walked along beside him, wondering where they were going. Erik guided her towards an expensive-looking car and a chauffeur popped out, doffing his cap like something in a film. Anna giggled. The chauffeur opened the door and she and Erik both slid into the back of the car.

  ‘You’ll love this restaurant,’ he said. ‘It’s Thai food, one of my favourites.’

  Anna nodded enthusiastically. She loved Thai cuisine.

  ‘It’s one of my favourites, too,’ she said. ‘Do you eat out often?’

  ‘Pretty much every night when I’m away,’ Erik said. ‘I like to cook when I’m at home, though.’

  ‘I’m an awful cook,’ Anna said, sadly. She remembered the time she had tried to make fudge, and had ended up with something so brittle, she’d cut her thumb on it quite badly. That was her first and last foray into the world of fudge-making.

  ‘I don’t know if I’m awful or not,’ Erik said. ‘I only cook for myself so I’m the only judge. I like it though.’

  Anna was tempted to volunteer herself up as a judge. Good food and a gorgeous man, it didn’t sound like hard work to her. But she knew that was a bit forward. They barely knew each other, after all.

  They arrived at the restaurant and Anna blushed when Erik pulled her chair out for her.

  ‘Wow, you’re a real gentleman,’ she said, sitting down.

  He grinned.

  ‘My mother would kill me otherwise,’ he said.

  As they ordered drinks, Anna asked about his parents, curious.

  ‘Do they ever come to races?’

  ‘A couple a year,’ Erik said, tasting the bottle of wine the waiter had brought and indicating it was fine. Anna always felt like a fraud doing that – she’d never send it back, she didn’t know enough about wine – but Erik seemed completely at ease. She supposed he was used to it.

  ‘My mother doesn’t like to travel. My father would be at every race otherwise. He loves racing – he wanted to be a racer himself and spent all his weekends messing about in some car he’d built himself, but he was in a crash and my mom told him to quit or she’d leave him. And he loved her more.’

  ‘That’s sweet,’ Anna said, sipping her wine. It was delicious and she made a mental note not to overindulge and make a fool of herself.

  ‘What about your parents?’ Erik asked her.

  Anna shrugged.

  ‘We’re not that close,’ she said, sadly. ‘Not like you and your parents. They were disappointed when I split up with my last boyfriend. He’s a lawyer and they thought he was a safe bet. I haven’t spoken to them much since. I see them at Christmases and family occasions.’

  She felt envious of Erik. The way he spoke about his parents made it obvious he had a very close relationship with them.

  They ordered food, and Erik changed the subject. Anna was grateful – he could obviously tell that parent-talk made her a bit uncomfortable.

  ‘When did you know you wanted to be a writer?’

  ‘Oh, since forever,’ Anna said, smiling. ‘I’ve always loved writing. I made my own newspaper when I was a child.’ She laughed, remembering the silly hand-drawn illustrations and articles about the next-door neighbour’s cat. ‘It had a circulation of two – my parents. What about you and racing?’

  ‘The same,’ Erik said. ‘I started racing go-karts as a child, and just went from there really.’

  Anna wondered what it must be like to hit the big-time, and suddenly be thrust into the eye of the media.

  ‘Was it strange,’ she asked, pausing as the first course arrived. ‘Was it strange, suddenly being famous and worth millions?’

  Erik looked like he was considering the question carefully.

  ‘Yes,’ he said eventually. ‘It still is strange, really. It’ll always feel a bit strange to me that I get paid for doing something I love so much. I’d do it for free, really.’

  Anna believed him.

  The food was excellent, and she was glad Erik had chosen the restaurant. As they sat, waiting for coffees to arrive at the end of the meal, she saw a small boy sitting with his parents, gawping at Erik. His mother bent down and whispered in his ear and he averted his gaze for a second, resuming gawping when his mother turned back to his dad.

  ‘I think you’ve got a fan,’ Anna said, smiling.

  Erik turned round and spotted the boy. He waved, and the boy looked like he was about to faint. He looked behind him, in case Erik was waving at someone else. Erik caught his mother’s eye and nodded, beckoning them over. The little boy arrived at the table – he must only have been about eight or nine, Anna thought – and was completely star-struck, gazing at Erik with adoration.

  Anna sat and listened as Erik talked to him, asking him if he liked racing, and who was his favourite driver?

  ‘You,’ said the little boy, and Erik laughed.

  ‘Good choice, kid,’ he said.

  He reached into his pocket and brought out a pen, signing a napkin with a flourish and handing it back to the boy.

  His mother thanked Erik, and the pair went back to sit down again.

  Anna wondered if Erik was actually perfect.

  Chapter fourteen

  Erik slipped into his racing suit and tried to focus his mind on the upcoming qualifying session. This would decide what position he would start the race, and it would make his life a whole lot easier if he could start first. He had a feeling Devlin would race extremely aggressively now that the team had given them carte blanche to compete against each other, and the quicker he could get started and away, the less likely he was to have to try to overtake him and end up off the track in the gravel.

  His mind wandered sligh
tly, back to the previous evening he had spent with Anna. He’d had a really great time, better than he had imagined. He hadn’t wanted it to end, and he thought Anna hadn’t either. They had lingered a while in the foyer, drawing out the conversation, until eventually she smiled at him and said she would see him the next day.

  ‘I’ll be the one with the “Go Erik” banner,’ she had said, making him laugh.

  He’d got back to his room and had felt quite turned on, thinking about her in that little dress with her knee high boots. He’d want her to keep them on during sex, that’s for sure.

  It had surprised him to feel like that, but he savoured the feeling. He had been tempted to do something about his arousal himself, but instead he had turned off the light and went to sleep.

  He hadn’t seen her in the morning – he had got up at the crack of dawn and headed to the track for his pre-race routine. He had some superstitions, that he knew were silly, but he didn’t want to risk not doing them. Especially not this year, when he was determined to win the championship.

  Practice three had gone well, and he had finished slightly above Devlin – which had made his teammate furious, if the look on his face when he’d got out of the car was anything to go by. Erik had seen him engaged in a hissed conversation with his race engineer, Devlin gesturing furiously at his car.

  Now it was time for qualifying, and he walked through from the back of the garage to get in his car. Devlin was already in his, just driving out of the garage as Erik walked in. He watched his teammate pull away, and then clambered into his own car. Mechanics buzzed around him, making last-minute adjustments. He looked around and noticed Anna, standing off to the side. She was holding something and he squinted.

  ‘Go Erik!’ read the small sign she was holding. He laughed, she hadn’t been joking. He gave her a thumbs-up as he pulled out of the garage.

  The track was dry but he still took it cautiously around the first lap, getting warmth in his tyres to improve grip, and getting a feel for the twists and turns. He knew the track like the back of his hand, of course – all the drivers did. His race engineer, Sergei, came over the radio, telling him the forecast was to remain dry. That was a relief. Anything could happen in a wet race – you could go from first to fifth in the blink of an eye.

  As he approached the start line for his first lap, he prepared himself – he’d have to cross it at maximum speed to get the best start for his next lap. He pushed the throttle pedal to the ground and the car responded, its throaty growl familiar and comforting. He was at one with the car now; they were a single entity, their fortunes intertwined.

  By the time he had reached the final qualifying session, Erik was feeling pretty good about his chances. He had finished top of the previous two, Devlin just below him. He just had to keep it together, keep his focus, and he would be starting from pole position.

  He pulled out onto the track for the third and final session, ahead of Devlin for once. He wanted a clear run, without anyone in front of him holding him up. He took it easy round the first lap again, mentally preparing himself. His race engineer came on to tell him Devlin was out on the track. It was time, Erik knew as he floored the car, his gloves gripping on to the steering wheel.

  ***

  As was customary after a qualifying session, Erik called his mother and father when he got back to his hotel room. As expected, both were delighted to hear that their son would be starting on pole position. Devlin had been furious, of course. It had been close, and Erik knew the race tomorrow would be tough. If he got a bad start, Devin could easily take advantage and go into the lead, and all Erik’s hard work today would be for nothing.

  After he hung up with his parents, Erik stretched out on the bed. He always liked to get an early night before a race, and after a couple of hours of watching TV, he was just about ready for sleep.

  He thought about Anna and her little banner she had made for them. It was ridiculously cute – no girl had ever done that for him before. Nikki hadn’t seemed particularly bothered with the outcome of the actual races; she looked forward to the parties and the black-tie events where she could drape from his arm and be photographed. But Anna seemed to really care. He’d seen her after qualifying, although he hadn’t had time to speak to her. It was always a media scrum and the reporters were particularly rabid due to the closeness of Devlin and Erik’s lap times. He had managed a small wave, though, as he was bustled away by his media handler, and she had beamed back at him. It had been nice. Getting pole position was great enough in itself, but to have someone there, rooting for you? Well that was just even better.

  There was a nagging voice in the back of his head, though, and he thought back to what he’d said to Anna during their breakfast conversation earlier that week. About not having a girlfriend because he wanted to focus on his racing. That was true, he wasn’t looking for a girlfriend. It wasn’t a good time – he needed 100% focus and dedication, or he would fail. Devlin wasn’t held back by emotional concerns, and he couldn’t be either. While it could make him better, he was also aware it could make him worse. And he didn’t think it was a risk he should be taking.

  He sighed, thinking about her gorgeous body and the smell of her skin. Come on, Erik, get a grip of yourself.

  Chapter fifteen

  Anna woke up early on race day. She was excited; it felt like she had been waiting for this for a long time. She laughed to herself. Just a few weeks ago she hadn’t even known what a grand prix was, and now she was actively looking forward to going to one. She shook her head. Life sure was funny sometimes.

  She put on her race-day outfit – she had bought a Willis Mechanical team t-shirt the other day from the merchandise stall and she pulled it on, along with a pair of jeans. She packed her handbag, making sure she had her notepad and some spare pens. She had to remember not to get too caught up in the action today – she had a column to write, after all. This would be her first of three – her next trip with the team would be to Germany in just under three months. She felt a bit of a pang she would be away from the team…well, Erik…for that length of time. She had felt something the other night, and she thought he had too. Either that, or she was making a monumental fool of herself. But he’d been the one to invite her out to dinner, hadn’t he?

  She thought back to what he had said when she had asked if he had a girlfriend. What was? He had to concentrate on his championship? She felt a bit deflated, suddenly. She was being a fool – he had pretty much said to her that he wasn’t interested. But she kept coming back to the same question – why had he asked her out if she wasn’t interested? She tried to ignore the little voice in the back of her head that was screaming ‘For sex, Anna’. Erik hadn’t struck her as being like that. She thought there was sensitivity there; he wasn’t your run-of-the-mill alpha male. But then she thought about it more – the guy was a millionaire, for god’s sake, he would only date models, and pop stars. Not features writers called Anna Sawyer.

  She wished she hadn’t started thinking about him. She had been in quite a good mood, and now she was feeling a bit sad. She looked at her watch. It was 11pm back home – maybe Jules would still be awake.

  ‘Hello?’

  Jules did not sound like she had been awake.

  ‘Oh I’m sorry, Jules, I thought you might still be up.’

  ‘Anna?’ Jules cleared her throat and Anna heard her murmur something to Dan.

  ‘Sorry, Jules. Go back to sleep.’

  ‘No no, I’m awake now. Are you ok? You sound funny.’

  Jules sounded concerned and Anna felt guilty for not only waking her sister up, but for burdening her with her silly ramblings. Jules listened without saying anything, as Anna related the last couple of days – the time she had spent with Erik, their meal out, and now her thoughts about what he had said.

  ‘So I’ve just been kidding myself,’ Anna finished, miserably.

  ‘I don’t know, sis,’ Jules said, sounding thoughtful. ‘I know what he said but his actions seem to
be saying something else. Maybe he just said that because he thought it was the easiest way to explain why he doesn’t have a girlfriend? And maybe now he’s getting to know you, he’s changing his mind?’

  Anna felt a bit brighter – Jules always knew what to say to make her feel better.

  ‘Just don’t stress about it,’ Jules carried on, ‘If it’s meant to be, then it will be. I know that sounds hokey, but I believe it. Just be true to yourself.’

  Anna hung up feeling happier. She had been overthinking it. They’d only been on one date, after all, and she wasn’t even sure it had been a date.

  She grabbed her things together and headed out of the hotel room – she had a grand prix to go to.

  ***

  It was like a carnival atmosphere when she arrived. There was a big stage with a band playing, and she wandered around, taking it all in. She got extremely excited when she saw an actor famous for starring in a series of superhero films, and scribbled his name in her notebook along with a brief description of who he was with and what he was wearing. This really was a glamorous sport. She was amazed by how many women were tottering around in incredibly high heels and teeny skirts. She imagined she would be on her feet all day – comfort was definitely the key here, she thought, although she was a tiny bit envious of some the long-legged blondes and their designer garb. She could just imagine Erik with one of them hanging off his arm.

  Speaking of Erik… where might he be? The race didn’t start for a while, and she wasn’t sure what the drivers did before. She presumed there was some sort of routine. She wandered about a bit more, spotting a few more celebrities. At this rate, her column would write itself.

  She couldn’t believe the sheer numbers of people milling about. Most of them seemed to be on a mission, and eventually she retreated to the safety of the Willis Mechanical garage. She headed to the seating area that Gary had banished her to in the days before, and sat scribbling in her notepad, trying to think of exciting ways to start her column.