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“Really? I didn’t realize you had packed the room full of journalists?” I quipped back, earning a laugh from the audience.The laugh told me one thing –even they knew I was being bullied by journalists.Josh laughed too, albeit a tad awkwardly, a small reminder that he was still a journalist himself.
“I kid, I kid. I couldn’tpossiblythink why,” I added, letting my voice go just a bit higher, playing the dumb female racer all of the sponsors wanted me to be.
“Oh, come on now, we all saw that kiss you and Luca shared on Sunday. I have a lot of friends, but I don’t think I’ve ever kissed any of them likethat.” Josh had me there.
“So tell us, Georgia, how did Luca Rossi manage to snag everyone’s new favorite driver?” I had to stop myself from snorting at that.New favorite driver?Whose new favorite driver?I was struggling to get sponsorships over here from the F1 Old Boys network. I doubted if I wasanyone’sfavorite racer – even my own mother had to split her affections.
“Luca insisted we ask you last weekend when we chatted to him.”
“Well, you know, Josh, Luca can be pretty convincing when he wants to be,” I said with a wink, much to the audience’s amusement. “But in all seriousness, it was just sort of sprung on me.”
Not a total lie.
“Luca and I have been friends for a while, and then one day, I looked into his beautiful eyes, and I realized I wanted more than a friendship. Plus, the man asked me out like ahundredtimes. Finally decided to throw him a bone. His persistence really paid off on this one.” I had intended to make Luca look a bit like a soft idiot, but that comment clearly backfired because as soon as I said the words, every single woman in the room sighed with absolute love in their eyes, clearly cheering for Luca.These women really had it bad for him, and judging by his face, Luca was loving this a little too much.
“Well, we really are happy for you both, but more importantly, the question we all want to actually talk about. It’s no secret you’ve had a bit of a tough time with the media and fans. Your team is new, and as a community, we can be a bit tough on newbies.”
Sure, that’s it, Josh. They’re meant to be because I’m… new.I couldn’t help but let a smile form at his comment.
“But I think you’ve been painted a bit unfairly. In fact, I was hoping your brother could help spill the beans on some of these pranks you’ve apparently been pulling across the paddock. I’ve heard rumors that they are brilliant!”
I turned to Henri and quirked an eyebrow at him, very curious about what he was going to say. Henri just kept looking at Josh, laughing away at the podcaster.
“Oh, Josh, if only you knew the half of it. Peaches has actually been banned from the Wilmington garage.”
“Oh, do tell.”Josh leaned in as if he and Henri were two schoolgirls gossiping at the lunch table.
“I don’t think this is a story anyone wants to hear,” I butt in, a little embarrassed, already knowing where Henri was going with this one.
“Nonsense!” Josh just put his hands up as the audience booed at me.
“Well, you see, Josh, Edward is terrified of rodents – mice, rats, hamsters, gerbils, it doesn’t matter.”
“I’m not terrified, mate!” I heard Edward yell from the front row. We both stopped and gave him a look that said,“Don’t even bother Edward – we all know the truth.”
“So Georgia thought it would be hilarious if she brought a hamster to Edward’s driver’s room a couple of years back. We bought it a nice cage and set it up in the room, with a note about it being a gift from Wilmington’s Team Principal, Arthur. The only problem? Georgia apparently didn’t close the door to the cage, and about an hour later, Arthur opened his bag to find a hamster burrowed in hisexpensiveArmani briefcase. Needless to say, he called Edward into his office, demanding to learn more about the hamster – only to be yelled at by Edward, who was angry at Arthur for giving him the hamster in the first place.”
Edward…such a good sport, I chuckled to myself.
“Fortunately, Luca was there, and he was able to catch the hamster. It now lives proudly at the Wilmington offices, from what I understand. Although, it did earn Georgia a ban on visiting the Wilmington garage the rest of the year.”I knew my face was probably bright red at this moment, and I thanked the Gods above that this was not a video podcast.
“Well, well, well, who knew the Dubois family had such a prankster! And did Edward manage to get his revenge?” Josh asked.
“Ooooh, yes!” Edward announced proudly from the front row, standing up and waving at the audience.
“Delightful! I’ll have to ask you at Silverstone how that ended. The saga continues, ladies and gentlemen!”
Once the crowd’s laughter had calmed down, Josh asked us a few more questions before ending the podcast.
“Well, this has been a lovely podcast. You have both been an absolute delight to have on here. We look forward to seeing you both on the podium this weekend!”
After the event, the drivers had been asked to come to the podcast’s after-party. Since the podcast was on Wednesday, I wasn’t able to get out of it, no matter how much I begged Lizzie. Fortunately, Lily was able to join us at the after-party. She had a sponsorship deal with some British investors earlier in the day, so she had to miss the podcast, much to her chagrin.
Lily and I stood at a table some ways from the bar. In the distance, I could see Henri and Noah chatting with a couple of fans, taking photos, and enjoying a few drinks.
“So… you and Luca made up, yet?” Lily asked, giving me a little side eye in the process, but she kept her eye on Henri and Noah in the distance.
I quirked an eyebrow at her. I hadn’t told her that Luca and I were fighting, although I suppose she had figured it out, or maybe Chris, my trainer, had told her.
