Drifting Deception

Chapter Fourteen

I walked over to the team, and before I knew it, I was being engulfed in their arms and patted on the back vigorously.

"Congratulations," Maurice said as he pulled me in for a hug. "You've made us proud." I nodded, slapping the side of his body as I took in the smile on his face. He didn't smile at me often, but this rare moment would be embedded in my mind forever.

Before I knew it, I was in front of my fake girlfriend. I still had my helmet on, but I knew the moment she saw me smile. It was the moment her gaze shifted to match mine.

"Fancy seeing you here," I teased.

She did her infamous nose scrunch as her pupils dilated. "Yeah, I was passing through Spain and thought I would pop in and say hi."

I shook my head as I held out my arms and pulled her in for a hug.

"You're so gross when you're sweaty," she sighed as she hugged me back.

"Be grateful my helmet is still on." I pulled away and lifted it off. A cool rush of air tickled the edge of my forehead as I ran my hand through my hair. I leaned in and kissed Sydney on the cheek, immediately seeing her eyes widen.

"Cameras are on." I winked. She relaxed, as if she'd suddenly remembered the whole reason why she was here.

"Right. Of course."

"I, uh, have to go and sort out the podium celebrations, but the team have hired the rooftop pool at the hotel. Come and join us, okay?"

"I won't miss it," she said. "I've been meaning to say hi to my brother."

I couldn't tell if she was joking or serious, but either way, I was glad she was interested.

***

The gathering was marketed as being 'small', but there were at least fifty people on the rooftop as I entered. I was surprised the outdoor area could accommodate such a large number.

"There he is," Theo chuckled as he danced his way to me. "Mr. Top of The Podium."

I looked around the room to pretend to search for someone, before dusting off my shoulder and laughing.

Theo laughed too. "You did well, brother."

I held out my hand to pull him in for a hug. The vibe between us had been off for so long, but I appreciated how he still had it in him to be happy for me and this podium. There was always a hint of jealousy when your teammate performed better than you, but none could be found in his expression.

"A double podium is exactly what we need right now," I said. "We did well today." The results from this race ensured we stayed second in the championship. With Matthias being so ahead in the competition, and me being fifth, there was the risk that we'd lose our second place standing in the next few races, but this result had given us a great advantage.

"Is Sydney here yet?" I asked—as it was my duty as a boyfriend to ask, obviously.

Theo's smile faded. "When are you just going to give that up? I don't want Syd getting herself in hot water when she's fallen madly in love and you're ready to move on to the next."

Ouch. While I wasn't surprised by his words, it still stung to hear that my best friend thought of me like that.

"Don't worry, she won't get hurt," I sighed.

Theo looked sceptical. "But you're going to end it one day?"

I shrugged. "We're just taking it day by day. I have no idea what the future holds, but if we plan for the end, we won't be enjoying the present."