The Red Bull Party Girl |ON HOLD|

17. Austria Part 2.

Sunday, and I'd reached race day without losing my shit. I'd kept my chin up and with Emma's help, up to the end of yesterday, was actually managing to achieve my goal of pissing Seb off, simply by keeping a smile on my face. Even Christian was surprised as I spent the morning mingling with guests of the team and few big wigs from Red Bull, happily chatting to people and posing for photos. One particular man had taken a shine to me, his name was Felix and I took great delight in having a little flirt back. Felix was head of marketing, not for the F1 team but for the actual drinks company. He was quite muscular, with dark, almost black hair and tanned skin and he wore tight tan coloured chinos and a snug fitting white shirt. We stood talking while Felix admired Seb's race car, Suzie.
"So, how does Sebastian decide what name he gives his car? Is there a process?" He asked.
"I'm not sure really, it's my first season with the team so it's not something I'm really aware of. I know he discusses names with his team so maybe they vote or something." I replied.
"Ah, I forget you are a new asset to the team." Felix smiled at me.
"I wouldn't call myself an asset." I smiled back, I was definitely not an asset, ass hole maybe!!
"Don't do yourself down, you are most definitely an asset. A diamond, standing out from the rough." He smiled, holding my gaze for a moment. At this moment Sebastian entered the garage, as it was still nearly two hours until lights out he was wearing his Red Bull t-shirt and jeans. His eyes met mine as he saw me with Felix, he arched a brow at me as if he was questioning what I was doing.
"Seb!" I waved him over, I knew Felix was keen to meet him. He walked over to me, at first looking unimpressed but then quickly put on a smile for Felix. "Seb, this is Felix, head of marketing for Red Bull energy drink."
"Hi, good to meet you." Seb shook Felix's hand.
"It's good to meet you Sebastian, you have a beauty here." Felix grinned and Seb glanced at me for a moment before realising Felix was gesturing to the car.
"Yes, Suzie is a looker." He smiled.
"Can I have a photo with you and Harper please?" Felix asked, waving at one of the other men he was here with to get him to come over.
"Sure." Seb replied. The other man came over and took Felix's phone from him, we lined up in front of Suzie, with Felix in the middle and me and Seb either side of him. Felix slipped his arm around my waist in a relaxed way, his fingers just brushing on my hip. He came across as a confident, but not cocky, man and very self assured. With the photo done, Seb made his excuses and left, but not before shooting me a parting glance to which I just smiled in reply.
"Are you two a thing?" Felix asked, watching Seb walk back out of the garage with Britta hurriedly following behind. He was observant, I'll give him that.
"No, Felix, we are not." I smiled.
"Well, he gave you a look as he walked away." He said.
"Let's go to Daniel's garage shall we?" I said to try and divert his attention.

The race had just started and I stayed in the viewing gallery in Seb's side of the garage with Felix. With Seb starting from 13th on the grid he had his work cut out today. Dan had started from 5th so there was high hopes of a points finish or even a podium for him, while Seb at the moment was hoping for a points finish.
"I'm losing drive!" Seb's voice could be heard over the team radio in my headset. "Somebody tell me what's happening." My mood dropped, it was only lap one, Suzie was giving him payback on my behalf I think.
"Box box Sebastian, this looks terminal." Rocky's voice sounded pissed off as Seb was halfway round his second lap and quite well down. Seb just made some frustrated noises in reply.
"Its ok! It's back!" Seb said and sure enough his last sector time improved. I smiled, hoping for a half decent result for him and the team. For a while things were uneventful for both drivers.
"What are you doing after the race?" Felix asked me.
"I'm heading straight home to England." I replied.
"Ah, shame, I was going to ask you to dinner tonight." He looked at me, breaking his attention away from the race for a moment.
"Sorry, I have to catch the flight." I smiled. Suddenly there was commotion from Seb's crew, my eyes shot up to the monitor to see he had accrued front wing damage from colliding with another driver. I thought he might have been able to get back in but he didn't and pulled off of the track, his race was over on lap 34. I looked at Felix as Seb filled the airwaves with expletives. About five minutes later he arrived back in the garage with his helmet still on but his visor up. He didn't even look at anyone as he headed to the back of the garage and I heard the door slam to his drivers room, I noticed Antti and Britta hanging back, they were giving him a couple of minutes to cool down before they went in after him. I stayed in the viewing gallery with Felix and we watched the rest of the race together, during which time, Seb emerged from his room with Britta to head to the media pen. The race ended with Nico and Lewis in first and second and Valtteri Bottas in third. Daniel finished in eighth, it was not the best day for the team. By the time the chequered flag had been waved Seb had already left the circuit to take a short flight home.

I had left the circuit at 5pm to go back to the hotel, gather my things and head home. Although there was a party tonight at a venue at the circuit not many of us from Red Bull were in the party spirit. It was late at night when I arrived home, back to my own quiet little space in Norfolk. I checked through my mail and then headed to bed. The next morning I woke up and checked my phone, there were messages from Seb.
Seb V 🏁: Enjoy your night with Felix
Seb V 🏁: I'm sorry. I miss you x
I locked my screen, as much as I wanted to reply to him I knew there was no point. Even if I did give him another chance, I knew that once the baby arrived it would change everything and I wasn't prepared to feel like the other woman. I got up and switched on my wireless speaker then got back in bed and connected up my phone to it. Feeling sorry for myself I lay there for a while, listening to to Whitney Houston's Run To You while looking at photo's of Seb online, it certainly wasn't the best therapy and my heart ached for him. As if he knew what I was doing a text came through.
Seb V 🏁: Can't stop thinking of u x
That did it, I lay there for a while in floods of tears. Better out than in hey? I wanted to reply so badly to tell him I was feeling the same but what good would it do either of us? After depressing myself even more, I got up. I needed cheering up and I knew just the person to do it. I grabbed my phone off of the bed and selected a contact to dial.
"Hi you!" I said trying to sound upbeat. "Are you busy? I could do with some fun."
"I'm working from home today, give me an hour and I'll be all yours." Darren replied. I cut the call, my smile quickly faded, Darren might be good in bed but he wasn't Seb.