ALICE Ch 254

Alice pinches the bridge of her nose, then rubs her face. She pictures Faye.

“I’m sorry,” she says to Christian. “Not mid-season. I can’t. I want to. But I can’t.”

“The cars don’t run on integrity, Alice.”

“I know.”

He looks impressed as he offers his hand. Alice shakes it, then notices Glynda looking straight at her.

“You’re not a nice person,” she says to Christian as Glynda abruptly turns and heads for the bar.

“All the same, I hope we can work together someday.”

“Me too.”

Alice breaks away and follows Glynda, joining her in line.

“How drunk should I be, then?” Glynda asks, not with the tightly controlled anger that usually characterizes her calm. This is resignation. Defeat. That’s a little gratifying.

Alice knows that this means it’s going to be a long, painful season. But she also feels a little lighter now. She likes going fast. She doesn’t like hurting people. That probably goes double for people who gave birth to her girlfriend.

“Wasted,” Alice says.

Glynda grimaces.

“You’re stuck with me,” Alice says.

Glynda’s eyes pop open. “Sorry?” she says.

“Don’t get all fucking weepy,” Alice mutters. “It’s just for this year.”

She can feel Glynda’s disbelieving stare on her back as she walks away.

FF1

Lora touches her hair self-consciously. Erica Bruhl has her cornered at the party, and she’s doing this sexy lean in with one hand on the wall. It’s not as effective as she thinks it is, but all that confidence is oppressive.

“What’s it like, working with Faye Darcy?” Erica presses.

She doesn’t want to know about Faye; Faye is out for the season. She’s irrelevant. She wants to know about how Lora feels about being sacked, and the real answer is that Lora wants to go back to the hotel and drink a bottle of wine while eating a whole package of Tim Tams. And then maybe shamefully masturbate under the covers while thinking about Kylie and the Amazons.

“Lora? Are you OK?” Erica asks, moving closer. Whatever masculine fragrance she’s wearing is awful, but Lora hardly notices. She’s staring at Esteban Ocon. Or more specifically, the busty, drunken girl on his arm. She wobbles in her too-tall heels and she glitters from head to toe with jewelry and her shimmery, too-short dress that her boobs are spilling out of. She giggles as she nearly loses her drink. She and Ocon are with Bottas, Two-Time World Champion Fernando Alonso, a pretty lady on his arm as well, and Sainz, who is telling jokes.

That is Katya. And this is where Lora has seen her before, except it wasn’t on Ocon’s arm. It’s on the arm of a rich visitor to the Paddock. Or a third driver. Katya probably is not employed by the Formula One Group, but she might as well be. She follows the sport to make her living. Lora swallows. There’ll be no escaping her, just like there’s no escaping the memory of that night with her and Kylie.

“Lora? Lora?” Erica is saying.