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Then they all turn black, signalling the start of the race.

Xavier doesn’t have a great start. Caleb roars past him, and all the cars battle for position behind him. But on the third turn, Xavier is side-by-side with Caleb, trying to make a move. Then Caleb goes high on the banking and spins the car. I gasp as he saves it, but Mason comes up from behind and passes Xavier on the inside and takes the lead. Yes!

Mason let the first two cars battle it out and took the opportunity to pass them. The garage erupts in response, with everyone yelling and cheering. Isla cheers along with them. We’re Team Collings Motors here, not just Team Caleb.

Mason takes off in the clean air, leaving the rest of the field to fight it out. I turn to Isla, who studies the screen with a frown now.

I should have that frown, too. Caleb has dropped to third, and I do want him to win.

But I’m also cheering for Mason, and I’m happy he got the overtake all the way to first.

What am I doing? Shit, I’m just as confused as everyone else in this garage is about who the number-one driver for this team should be.

But I shouldn’t be.

See? This right here is why I can never date Mason. It would create too much internal conflict for me.

I shift my attention back to the race, where Mason has expanded his lead on Xavier by 2.6 seconds.

Well done Mason, I think as I watch the cars fly around the track.

And Caleb should be fighting Xavier for second in a couple of laps, as his pace is very good.

“Hopefully Caleb can pass Xavier and challenge Mason,” Isla continues.

I decide I need to keep my focus on good racing. May the best man win.

And not take each other out in the process.

* * *

“Mason, the gap is one-point-four and two laps to go,” Zach says.

I grip my hands together as I listen to Zach talk to Mason on the headphones. I watch Mason move ever so slightly closer to taking the chequered flag. Two safety cars gave him the perfect opportunities to pit, and now he’s leading this race towards the finish line.

Xavier is looming behind him, like a shark in the water, but not getting close enough to get a bite out of Mason’s lead.

Now it’s down to one lap.

Mason continues to keep Xavier at bay. Caleb is in his own fight for fourth, after a crappy pit stop where there was a problem getting the wheel gun off a tyre, resulting in a five-second stop.

“Last lap,” Zach tells Mason.

At the same time, Caleb’s engineer, JP, says, “Last lap, Caleb. Romeo is point-eight behind.”

“Yeah, I know, I can see him all over my arse in my rearview mirror!” Caleb snaps.

Isla snickers, and I bite back a laugh. Driver radio never disappoints. Caleb has said it’s like JP chooses the worst possible times to bring things to his attention. But it’s the race engineer’s job to relay important strategy and information, whether it’s the gap someone has or if light rain will appear in turns four and five in three laps.

In the end, I know Caleb loves JP, and I’m pretty sure Mason feels the same way about Zach.

My gaze stays glued to the monitors as Mason comes around the final corner, with Xavier trying to get one last push. He’s gaining.

“Xavier, gap point-six.”

Xavier makes one last move, coming down inside Mason as they race for the chequered flag.

Hold on, Mason! Hold him off! I will him silently.