When it Rains | Daniel Ricciardo

Chapter 6 - Catch up

Saturday was horrible, there was so much social media content to put out for FP3 and Quali. Add a huge hangover from all the sugar in those cocktails and VERY loud cars. 

After Qualifying and a quick video with the drivers, I decided to go back up to my room and have an early night.

This morning I actually woke up refreshed for once. I got up early made some coffee and had a shower. When I got out I saw that the light on my phone screen go off. Odd. I walk over and check my notifications.

1 missed call - Ryan

Without even thinking I pushed the return call button.

It was on! Hope raged through me, but slowly faded when it just rang and rang and rang. Seriously! I shouldn't have left my phone so far away when I've been waiting to get hold of him if I was just a few seconds earlier.

The rest of the day didn't go too well either. The boy's positions were not far from expected but I could see Daniel was having a difficult time with it when he disappeared into the motorhome for an hour after the race had ended. I had a small chat with Nico to see if he still loved me and he said that I owed him a beer when he was back in Enstone and hugged it out.

I checked my phone a couple more times before I decided to reply to Dan's message from Saturday morning.

Hey Dan, still keen on that chat? - Lex

Your room, 7:30?

I'll get some snacks 😊

So here I am anxiously sitting on the floor in front of my bed - Yes the floor, I'm too nervous to sit on a moving object right now. I don't even know why I messaged him, I mean what are we going to talk about. I'm sure he doesn't want to hear my sob stories or listen to why I said all those things about Ryan. 

Oh god, what I blurted out at the club in front of him and Mike is playing through my head over and over. Oh, that's right we're here to talk about him and his race and how things are going. We'll chill and everything will be fine. No need to bring up any of my crap.

I check up on my appearance one more time. The only things I have left, are a pair of denim shorts and a red tank top. I've left my hair loose to air dry after my shower and didn't even bother to put shoes on, we're going to be in here anyway.

And then, a knock on the door. Always with the dramatics huh Lex? Why am I talking to myself? Get the door!

"Hey! " I greet him with a huge smile.

"Howdy Darlin" that iconic lopsided smirk ever present. He looks rough but better than before. His hair is still wet so he's had a shower. Damn Alexia, this isn't healthy. The man is not a piece of meat he's a colleague and you are not available!

"How you doing?" I reciprocate his hug but jump back when I repeat the fact that I am NOT available for the last time in my head.

"I'm alright, are you?" he says laughing at my sudden recoil.

I laugh it off, "I'm fine just need a glass of wine to cool off from the weekend. Want one?"

"Sure, whatever you're having"

"Don't even say it Ricciardo, I'm mortified after Friday night's escapades. I'm not normally like that and it was extremely inappropriate for me to have just blurted that out the way I did, or whatever. You don't deserve to be pulled into my business and-"

"Lex, chill. We're friends and everyone has their days. They never come at the 'right time' or when you expect it to, but the important ones stand by you and won't judge you for one drunken night. We're fine."