Blake's voice breaks into our private moment as he returns to the table. "What the hell did William do this time?" he asks, his tone playfully exasperated as he takes in the sight of my hand covering William's mouth.
I withdraw my hand quickly, but not before William presses his lips softly against my palm—a kiss so brief I might have imagined it, except for the tingling sensation that lingers on my skin, and the smug look on his face.
Blake settles back into his seat beside me, looking between us with the resigned expression of someone who's seen this particular dynamic play out before.
Belforte and Felix choose that moment to return from the balcony, both pausing when they register the tableau before them—my flushed face, William's self-satisfied expression, Blake's knowing look.
"What did we miss?" Felix asks, amusement clear in his voice.
"William being William," Blake supplies helpfully.
Belforte laughs, the sound rich and genuine. "Some things never change."
I duck my head, embarrassed at being caught in such an obviously intimate moment, yet unable to regret it entirely. These people—our makeshift family—they see us. Really see us. And they accept what they see with warmth and understanding rather than judgment.
William finds my pinky again, out of sight, as conversations resume around us. The contact resembles a promise, a reminder, a secret shared.
"So," Blake says, "Emma wants to do an internship next year, juggling with her second year studies. She's been pestering me about whether I have any connections in aerodynamics."
He says it casually, pride evident in his voice whenever he mentions his daughter. Blake never pushes, never directly asks for favors—it's not his style—but I know him well enough to recognize when something matters to him.
"Have you found anything?" I ask, turning slightly to face him.
Blake shrugs. "I've been looking around. Obviously, I don't want her working for rival teams." His expression turns mischievous. "Although it could be good to have access to their data..."
"We are not committing corporate espionage," I cut in firmly. "That's really low."
Blake laughs, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "Just temptation talking. You know I'd never actually suggest it."
I study him for a moment, this man who's been my Dad's right hand, my mentor, and now my most trusted advisor and friend. "If you're okay with it," I say carefully, "I could see about getting Emma an internship with our aerodynamics team back at headquarters."
Blake raises his eyebrows in surprise. "You'd do that?"
"Of course," I say, as if it's the most natural thing in the world—because it is. "If she needs an internship, we can give her a spot, assuming we have capacity." I tilt my head. "Does she actually want to pursue aerodynamics in motorsport specifically?"
"F1, specifically," Blake confirms, a hint of parental exasperation mixing with obvious pride. "She's had her heart set on it since she was fourteen."
A smile spreads across my face. "I'll revisit this by the end of the year, but in principle, she can have an internship with us."
William leans forward, catching the tail end of our conversation. "Who's joining the team?" he asks, interest piqued.
"Blake's daughter," I explain. "Potentially as an aerodynamics intern next year."
EJ snaps his head up from his conversation with Johnson. Tom and Maya tune in as well, their technical discussion paused. "What's happening?" Tom asks.
"Blake's daughter might do an internship with us," I repeat, amused by how quickly team gossip spreads.
Maya's face lights up. "That would be fantastic! We need more women in the technical departments."
"It'd be good to welcome another genius mind to the team," Belforte adds, rejoining the conversation with characteristic enthusiasm.
Felix nods his agreement. "This team is slowly surrounding itself with top talent. It's the right approach—build from within, nurture the next generation." His tone carries the wisdom of someone who's seen teams rise and fall based on their development pipelines.
"The engineering and aerodynamics teams back at the factory are already almost ninety percent women," Tom points out with a grin.
"Because we're awesome," Maya adds without missing a beat.
"Yeah, you are," Tom agrees, his eyes lingering on Maya just a fraction longer than necessary.Oh. Am I seeing it right?
