Snap Happy (A Daniel Ricciardo story)

10. Uphill or Downhill?

DANIEL

I looked at her, her hair swept back behind cheap plastic sunnies. Her nose and cheeks were sprinkled brown by the sun, and there was a streak of dirt across one side of her face. She smelled of perfume and suntan lotion. It was a strangely endearing combination. I reflected once more how different she was to the flawless orange barbie dolls that usually stalked the F1 drivers. You'd see them following the cameras in the paddock, or sipping cocktails in the VIP lounges but I bet you'd never get them up a hill on a tractor. That was how you told the real passionate fans from the vacuous socialites. 

I realised she was gazing at me expectantly, waiting for me to say something. I wondered if the same hopes and doubts had gone through her head in the last 4 weeks as the ones that had tormented me

"It's good to see you". Hopelessly inadequate - well done!

"Yeah, you too" Strangely the barriers between us seemed bigger now that we were sitting alone in the car, than when we'd been on opposite sides of the fence. 

 "So, how've you been?"

"Good" As you'd know if you text her back you idiot!

"Good" I repeated.

"I watched you win, Dad and I were cheering you on from home"

"Yeah that was pretty awesome"  I couldn't keep the pride out of my voice, or prevent a grin spreading across my face from ear to ear. Fortunately this seemed to break the ice as her smile reached her eyes this time and the tension diffused slightly.

 "I think the rest of the group are starting to leave" she observed.

I attempted to concentrate, probably a good idea in such an expensive car park, and started the engine,  following the string of supercars out of the paddock. She stuck her hand out of the open window and waved, presumably at her Dad, before raising her camera to her eyes.

"Do you intend to film the whole way down?"

"Absolutely! And besides, nobody is ever going to believe me if I don't"

 "Fair point, it's a shame we're only cruising back down or I'd give you a proper thrill"

"Trust me, you already have" she assured me, lowering the lens,  her eyes sparkling.

EMILY

We stepped out of the car into the searing heat that really didn't feel like England.

"Y'know I could always drive you home tonight" he offered.

I won't deny I was tempted...VERY tempted, but I shook my head.

"Thanks, but I'm here with Dad, and this is kind of our thing. ANYWAY..." I realised that there was one pretty major thing that I hadn't yet told him "you'll be seeing me in a week"

"You're going to Silverstone?"

"yeah...but not as a spectator"

I blushed as he processed this, and a grin of realisation began to spread across his face.

"Y'mean?"

"Yeah, Darren called - the magazine lost one of their regulars so they asked me to join them. Silverstone is my probation ...I've already handed in my notice!"

He grabbed my hand and sprinted towards one of the team trucks, pulling me along behind him. Once safely out of sight he put his hands on my waist and lifted me into the air, spinning me round as easily as if I were little Felipinho Massa.