A girl chasing her dream. A boy looking for the light.
When Florence Nyx started her internship at a Formula 1 paddock, she expected a lot. Fast cars. Exclusive impressions most people could only dream of. An entire array of skills she'd acquire...
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God, I was exhausted.
I'd spent most of my days preparing for the season. That included training twice a day, following Idir's meal plan, and rushing in and out of the damn factory to get the car ready for me. Just yesterday, I'd sat in the preliminary seat for hours to make sure the mold would fit me perfectly by the time I got back on the asphalt.
"Five more!" Idir called out, holding up his hand while counting down with his fingers.
"You said that twenty times ago," I huffed while doing my hundredth push-up of the day. My muscles ached just the way I wanted them to ever since I broke my damn leg. Idir had been taking it easy until the prospect of a seat rolled around, and ever since then, I'd been getting the 24-hour special treatment with sore muscles and a heavy neck.
"Stop whining, McCoy. We gotta get your ass fixed." He grinned as I pushed myself up again. "Three more."
Shaking my head, I finished my set and got back on my feet. I hissed at the pain piercing through every inch of my body, but then smiled in relief. The accomplishment coming with finishing my sessions had always fueled me, especially since it made a massive difference in the car.
People underestimated just how much muscle memory did for your body when you drove the fastest racecar in the world. They could try going through 5G in a fast corner without breaking your neck.
"Alright. Run it out." Idir nodded at the treadmill at the other end of the fancy gym. It was the first time we'd been here, but I didn't like the sterile vibe. "And then you're done for the day. I ordered lunch to your room already, so make sure you're there in an hour. You got the meeting at eight and we'll have another session tonight."
The grin on his lips made me roll my eyes; this asshole was enjoying my torture far too much. I couldn't deny that it was part of why I chose him as my trainer, though. Idir loved his job with every fiber of his being — we'd always bonded over that.
Even if he pulled me out of bed at five in the morning every damn day.
"Thanks," I retorted, throwing a black towel over my sore shoulders while he gave them a squeeze.
I set myself up on the treadmill at the far end of the room and watched how he left the gym, the blue and red glass door sliding open for him. He didn't step out, though. For some reason, he just stood there in the open door and looked out into the hallway.
Suddenly, he jumped to the side, pressing himself against the edge of Azure Racing's glass door before waving his arms in front of him.
A familiar dog with blue wheels came rushing through the door, sprinting straight into the gym without even looking where he was going. My heart thundered instantly, the dots connecting in my mind just when Florence stepped through the door.
Her dark hair was clipped to the side and pulled into a short ponytail that wiggled when she jogged after her dog, catching him just as he reached the step machine in the front of the gym.
