‘You’re in love with you, too?’ His fingers dig into my ribs and I can’t help but laugh. I know exactly what he’s saying but I need to hear it from him.
‘No, you idiot. I love you. I really bloody do.’
There are no more words after that. There’s only the future, and I can’t wait.
Epilogue
Harper
Before coming up to Championship racing, I don’t think I ever could have imagined a world where after coming first in a Grand Prix, the most exciting thing would be getting a text from Kian which is nothing but a screenshot displaying the top three rankings of the season so far.
1. Harper James.
2. Elijah Gutaga
3. Johannes Muller.
There’s no denying the way it fills my heart with a little burst of joy, I almost want to save the picture and put it as my background, but that would mean replacing the one of me and Kian and I would never.
We’ve become a tight little threesome at the top of the championship rankings, but this is the first time I’ve been on top. Johannes might not be a Hendersohm, but all three of us; me, Kian, and Elijah, route for him like one in private.
If we could be a team of three we would be, but sadly that’s not possible. It also didn’t stop me from constantly wanting to come out on top in our little trio. There is nothing I love more than lording it over the other two as the driver who had the least experience in the lower category.
‘Oi, James, come on we need to address the media before we can go out and celebrate.’ And yep, I’ve turned Kian’s best friend to the dark side. He loves going out for our celebratory drinks and dinners after a win or even to commiserate a loss.
‘Remember who you’re talking to, Gutaga. The rankings don’t lie.’ I flash him the screenshot and he shoots me the middle finger.
‘It was actually your bestie who sent me that, how sad are you that he loves me more than you?’
‘Dream on.’ He rolls his eyes at my behaviour, but I know he’s nothing but happy for me and Kian.
Last season it’d taken us a moment to get in the swing of things after Hendersohm offered me a three-year contract alongside Elijah. I’d almost slipped back into bad habits of partying and not being a good team player, but Kian had flown out to Canada for the seventh Grand Prix of the season and whipped my ass back into line.
There is no denying I found it harder to get back into my A game at first with him not on the team and tracks, too. But, the second me and Elijah found our groove it was like magic. And has been ever since.
Anders had been so grateful that Kian had come four-thousand miles to make sure I sorted myself out and things with Elijah that he paid for his flights.
Anders is still the absolute best, it almost hurts to hear the rumors that he is thinking about retiring and handing over the reins to his son.
Not that I’d be complaining, I might be tied down now but I could appreciate every bit how gorgeous Jackson is. His tanned skin, chocolate curls and velvety-brown eyes wouldn’t hurt to look at for nine months a year.
He’s been around more recently again, hanging out in the garage, becoming chummy with Cole and Ash and Anna. Making his mark, it feels like.
He’s the same age as Kian, so maybe I just have a thing for older men who enjoy telling me what to do. Who knows. I’m just excited to see how it all plays out.
The press have harped on and on about the dream team Hendersohm has become in their short period of existence and how there are now drivers all over the world wanting to be part of the best team currently in the sport. It’s been an absolute core moment that I’ve been a big part of putting the team on the map. An honour.
Elijah takes the lead with a lot of the team-based questions, but the journos love to try and gain an insight into my personal life.
‘Is Kian Walker here today?’ One of them asks and I shake my head. ‘Trouble in paradise?’
I almost laugh in his face, but I’m not willing to sit through media training again right now.
‘Not today, he’s building our forever home as we speak.’
I can’t believe I ever wanted to hide us behind closed bedroom doors. Now I take great pleasure in talking about him all the time. Especially to journalists who doubted us during the early stages of our relationship.
Our relationship has taken the racing world by storm. I can only imagine how it would have been if Kian hadn’t retired. If we’d been a team again with Hendersohm or, heaven forbid, on rival teams. The rivalry is strong enough between teammates, never mind opposing teams. Everyone would have had a field day with it, I’m sure.
