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Hayley was too busy hero-worshipping and seemed to have forgotten. Alex prompted her.
‘Hayley’s best event is the thousand metres. But she’s pretty good over shorter distances as well.’
‘Ah, an all-rounder. So what’s your best time over the thousand metres?’
‘I... Not as good as yours.’
Arielle laughed. ‘Well, I’ve been doing this a bit longer than you. Can I see?’
Hayley looked around wildly. Apparently she’d also forgotten the notebook she kept in her sports bag, noting all of her times, along with the dates.
‘Hayley, go and get your book. Show Arielle your times.’
Hayley dropped Arielle’s hand suddenly and pushed through the group to the side of the track. Arielle flashed Alex a smile and followed her.
* * *
The initial frenzied excitement at Evie and Arielle’s arrival had subsided to an elated buzz. Rhona was dealing with the sound engineers and the seating area was beginning to fill up. The first competitors were beginning their warm-up routines and everything seemed to be working like a well-oiled machine. Alex had sat down by the side of the track, feeling suddenly surplus to requirements.
‘Everything okay?’ Leo sat down beside her.
She turned to him, smiling. ‘Thank you. You were right, Leo.’ He probably knew that already, but Alex wanted to be the first to say it.
He shrugged. ‘Have you taken Evie’s number?’
‘No. Am I supposed to?’
He sighed. ‘It would be good to think about these things. You’re a good contact for her to make and she and Arielle can help you too.’
‘That sounds a bit cold-blooded, doesn’t it?’
‘No, it’s not at all. You both have the same priorities, don’t you?’
‘Yes, I suppose so. But it’s so good of them to come; I can’t ask any more of them.’
He rolled his eyes, taking his phone from his pocket. Alex averted her eyes. Probably a message from someone that Leo couldn’t help but take. He typed for a moment and then her own mobile beeped.
‘Done.’ He put his phone away and Alex withdrew hers from her pocket. A text from Leo, to both her and Evie. She looked up towards the top of the stand, where Evie was sitting with a group of parents, and saw her turn, look at her phone and then wave down at them.
‘Leo...’ She felt herself flush awkwardly. Her phone beeped again and she looked at the text.
Making yourself useful, Leo? Please keep my number, Alex. Will call you.
‘See...’ Leo leaned in, looking over her shoulder.
Her whole body screamed at her to relax against him, and her mind told her to keep her distance. Good sense won out and she blanked the screen, feeling the pressure of his shoulder against hers relax.
‘I’m not very good at this. Networking...’ Leo seemed to do it all so effortlessly, knowing exactly the right thing to do in any given circumstance.
‘No, you’re not. You’re good at making the magic. Leave the rest to us lesser mortals.’
Hard truth, laced with a compliment. Or maybe the other way round; it was impossible to tell with Leo. Somehow he managed to make it sound real, the two twisted together in a complex, sparkling spiral that sent shivers down her spine.
She should be doing something useful, not spending her time sitting here, however good it felt. ‘Do you have an interview schedule or something? Anything I can help with?’
‘I expect there is one. What I really need is a mike, though.’ He signalled to one of the sound engineers who came hurrying over, putting a microphone in his hand.
‘Thanks.’
