The Red Bull Party Girl |ON HOLD|

2. A change of plan.

I walked into my room, dropping my bag down on the bed. After what had been a good day I was left a little disappointed when I'd been stood up by Sebastian. Well, ok, maybe not stood up as such. He'd come and found me in the hospitality tent to say he'd have to cancel tonight. Red Bull had booked him for an appearance on an evening tv show on one of Australia's biggest channels. So, it was a night in with my pj's on and wine from the mini bar for me tonight, probably while I watched Seb on the tv. I knew I shouldn't feel disappointed about Seb, I had flown here to join this mega money travelling circus with my parent's words of warning in my ears. 'Don't go dating any of those bloody drivers! Aragant so and so's. You'll only end up hurt. They're only after one thing. They're all the same!' That was just a part of what they'd said. What made them form this opinion of people they'd never met was beyond me, but it had stayed in my mind, especially when I'd been asked out by one of them on my very first day. There was a loud knock at the door, I opened it to reveal Emma standing there and motioned for her to come in.
"Hey Harper!" She chirped as she walked in. "I just wanted to see how you're feeling about your first day." She plonked herself down on my bed.
"It was good, quite exciting actually." I couldn't help but smile as I remembered the fun I'd had channelling my inner Jordan earlier.
"You definitely made an impression on a certain pair of drivers." She grinned. "I hear you have a date tonight."
"I did have a date, but not now." I opened the mini bar, inspecting the contents. Once seeing the prices I wondered if going down to the bar was a better option.
"No way! Seb hasn't cancelled has he?"
"Yep, he has." I shut the fridge door harder than I meant to.
"Right, in that case we'll go out." She stood up and went to the door and opened it "Get yourself dolled up, not that you need much dolling up, get your glad rags on and I'll meet you back here in an hour."
"I was kinda planning a date with my pj's now." I looked at my still unpacked suitcase.
"Bugger that! You're coming out with me, I'll see you in an hour." She stepped out, shutting the door behind her. Guess I'll be out after all then.

I ended up spending my evening in a friendly waterfront restaurant with Emma. She explained she'd eaten here before a few times during her four years with them team. Now in to her fifth year I'd asked her what it was like to join Red Bull at the start of their dominating run of form. I'd loved her enthusiasm as she'd filled me in witnessing Seb's four world titles and the team's constructors titles. She did admit it was kind of her fault that Seb had to work tonight but we were getting on so well I didn't mind. I discovered she was a 29 year old divorcee. She had married quite young and when her marriage had started to fall apart she'd applied for the job with Red Bull and left her now ex to travel around the world. I filled her in my parts of my life, I'd discovered we had a lot in common. I too had come out of a divorce, but after catching my older husband cheating on me. I was like Emma in that I had married at the quite young age of 24. My husband was 10 years older than me, he was the classic tall, dark and handsome, an Italian who owned a security business and swept me off my feet. He had made me feel loved and safe, it had been great while it lasted. Then I'd come home from work one night to find his angry girlfriend waiting for me, thinking that I was the other woman. I was devastated. With the divorce finalised six months ago, I had applied for a few different jobs and ended up here, a divorced, single woman, now 27 years old.
"So, are you looking for love again?" She asked me.
"No, I don't think I am." I pondered. "It would be nice to meet someone, I think I'm one of those people that doesn't like being single. I love the security of a relationship, but I know I need to have some fun for a while now."
"Too right you need to have some fun!" She smiled and then thanked the waiter for bringing us another two cosmopolitan cocktails.
"Are you seeing anyone at the moment?" I asked her. The big grin that appeared on her face told me she was. "Tell me!"
"Antti." Her grin got even bigger.
"Seb's trainer?" This was big news to me, I could possibly grill her on Seb, or get her to grill Antti for me. Not that I'm that interested, am I?
"Yup." She nodded before taking a sip of her cocktail.
"How long?" I was keen for a few more details.
"Since November last year, we got together at the end of season party in Abu Dhabi. Will you go out with Seb if he asks again?"
"I think so." I looked down at my glass. Who was I kidding? There was a high chance I would, if he asked me again.
"He's cute, I'll give you that. You should go for it with him." She grinned again. "There's nothing to stop you."
"Don't you think it'd look bad? I've barely started here and already hooking up with someone. I don't want people thinking I'm the garage bike."
"No one will think that of you! It happens all the time, people from the same team seeing each other."
"Not so much with drivers though I bet." I'd suddenly remembered going on date with Seb meant going on a date with someone in the public eye.
"That's true.' She looked at her phone, no doubt Antti was texting her.

I finally got in to my bed at just after 11.30pm, myself and Emma had been talking so much the time had just flown by. She had also given me some good news, no catsuit tomorrow! Tomorrow was a skinny jeans and vest day, I knew I'd feel more comfortable around the garage wearing that. I unlocked my phone and started scrolling through my Facebook when there was a knock at the door. I got up to open it thinking it was maybe Emma suddenly remembering something she'd wanted to tell me. I was surprised to find Sebastian there instead.
"Hi." He smiled, his eyes flickered down to my breasts, I realised I'd opened the door in my sports bra. "Can I come in?" He asked.
"Sure." I stepped aside to let him through.
"Did I wake you?" He asked as he saw my bed.
"No, I'd only just got in to bed so I was still awake." I sat on the end of my bed, briefly taking in his appearance. He had jeans on with a pale blue v-necked t-shirt and a black leather jacket, some gel in his hair, he looked so bloody sexy and he smelt divine.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry again about tonight." He looked down at me from where he stood. "They'd booked me in for the tv show and for some reason failed to tell me."
"It's ok, really. Can I just ask, how did you find out which room I was in?" It had just hit me that I hadn't had the chance to give him my room number.
"Antti." He said looking a little sheepish. "I got him to ask Emma earlier, she'd told him you two were out together."
"I knew they were texting each other earlier!"
"So, can I maybe have another chance to take you for that drink?" He asked me, those blue eyes looking hopeful.
"Won't you be busy now we're going in to the weekend? I don't want to impose on your preparation time." Christ, he was a major player in formula one, if he had a bad session because he'd been out with me instead of concentrating on race prep I'd feel so guilty.
"You wouldn't be imposing at all. I was thinking, maybe tomorrow night? I know of a nice water front bar, away from the tourist area so less chance of being interrupted by race fans."
"Ok then, that sounds perfect." I couldnt help but smile at him. Emma was right, he is cute.
"Great. I'll let you know what time tomorrow, it depends on what time I can get out of the debrief after FP2 finishes. It's never usually too late finishing." He walked back to the door. "I'll let you get back to bed."
"I'll see you tomorrow at the track then." I stood and watched as he opened the door.
"See you tomorrow." He gave me another smile and then left. I just stood there, staring at the door unable to quite believe that Sebastian Vettel had just turned up, late at night to ask me out again. He wasn't even staying in the same hotel as me but had still come to my door. I climbed back into bed with a stupid grin on my face. Less than 24 hours in to the job and I had a date!