The thing is, I honestly can’t say if I am or not. Maybe I am walking down the corridor shirtless to piss him off, because it’s the only thrill I can get from him.
However, I do slip the sweatshirt over my head, trying to keep pace with him as we stride to the lift. Because of course Kian Walker can’t be late. I bet the great Tyler Heath was late for whatever he damn well pleased.Heprobably didn’t care. He was such a big star that he could work off his own schedule.
‘That better?’ I say, now fully dressed and trapped in a lift with him going down thirty floors.
I’m met with a wordless stare; from one of the hottest grumps I’ve ever seen. It’s seven in the morning on our day off – no media to do today, no practice on the track. So why does he feel it necessary to lookthisgoodthisearly in the morning?
‘Were you waiting for me?’ I ask, shooting him a cheeky side eye, incapable of not needling him. Yet still trying to be somewhat friendly.
He huffs out a snort through his nose, but I can’t tell if he’s annoyed with himself or with me, because he wasdefinitelywaiting for me.
‘I was … hoping to catch the sunrise yoga class in the roof garden.’
Ofcourse. Of course it’s something lame. Wanker.
‘I’m sure the sun will rise again tomorrow.’ The lift falls silent as he doesn’t dignify that with a response. He still hasn’t realised that his silence only makes me more determined to pepper him with annoying questions and chat. Silence makes me restless.
‘How much trouble do you think we’re in right now?’
It’s probably not the best question to bug him with before we sit down with the principal, but I genuinely want to know what he thinks of our situation.
He ponders for a second and I watch in the mirror as the cogs of his brain twitch into motion.
Now that I really study Kian’s face, I don’t think he looks that much like Tyler, after all. Tyler’s quite tall – over six foot, if I remember his driver profile correctly. Yet, Kian struggles to meet that height, sitting around maybe five-eleven. Tyler’s got almost jet-black hair, whilst Kian’s is a warm-brown, and in certain lights looks almost auburn. They do share the same eyes, though – piercing hazel ones at that. Okay, fine, I stared at so many pictures of Kian in my late teenage years that I could have described them perfectly. But now that I’m seeing them so often in real life, it feels like they change colour every time I see them. Sometimes moss-green, sometimes warm brown, all mixed up with mustard-yellow and golden hues surrounding the pupil.
They’d be a big hit if he ever went out on the pull. Not that I can imagine Kian in a club, prowling the dance floor for a hook-up. Maybe a sophisticated restaurant or a fancy hotel bar? I’ll have to ask him how he gets laid the next time I’m pestering him with annoying questions, but perhaps not when we’re in the tight confines of a lift and he could easily punch me.
The door pings open with this thought and, as though he’s got the hotel mapped out already – which he probably has – Kian leads us down another corridor before veering off into the conference room.
It feels a little big for the occasion, considering there’s only four other people in the room and the tables are laid out for maybe thirty people or more.
Anna’s sitting beside the team principal, Anders. Their assistants both hovering around with tea and coffee, until they leave and there is a moment of heavy silence. Kian and I sit down on the opposite side of the wide table. I noticeweweren’t offered tea or coffee, but I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from asking. Even I’m not stupid enough to push them right now.
‘So, what happened?’ Anders asks.
The silence between the pair of us is deafening. Neither of us wants to own up to fucking up the interview yesterday and Anders looks increasingly furious.
‘I’m sorry. We messed up,’ Kian finally says, hands twitching where he’s got them resting atop the table. ‘I think we just need a bit more time to find a dynamic between us that works.’
We?‘I don’t know who you think you’re speaking for, Walker, because it’s definitely not me.’ I glare at him as he rolls his eyes and swings out a hand, as if to say,you see what I’m working with?
I’m left gritting my teeth.
‘Look, it’s still early days and I know the change to the line-up was sudden. We haven’t even raced yet, but we can’t afford to fall apart on day one, so we’ve booked you both some private media training to sort your shit out.’ Anders doesn’t even try to beat about the bush. I’ve always admired that about him, even now when I’m on the receiving end of it.
Kian’s face is a picture. It must be incredibly embarrassing for someone who’s been in the industry for over a decade and in the spotlight most of his life, thanks to his parents, to be told he needs media training. That awful interview and this excruciating meeting are almost worth it for this moment alone.
I almost burst out laughing. Until I remember I’m going to have to sit through hours and hours of tedious presentations about the right and wrong way to answer questions with Mr Uptight himself.
But let’s be honest,Iwasn’t the problem in the interview. It was Kian who basically told the world that I’m not good enough to be on this team and that he can’t wait for Elijah to be back.
Kian automatically agrees to the sessions. Like he’s almost happy to be arranging the training with Anna.
Shocker.
Obviously I can’t protest in front of Anders, but I will not be attending that shit.
‘Sure. Sign me up.’ I force a smile and let Anna witter on about sending us an email and putting it in our shared calendar.
