Page 45 of The Finish Line
“I don’t control the tabloids.”I finally set my tablet aside, meeting her gaze.It was a weak defense—one we both knew wouldn’t hold water.
“But you can control your behavior.”She adjusted the cuff of her blazer.“You’ve embarrassed Rennen, me, and yourself.And now we’re walking into a meeting where they’ll decide how much of your contract survives the season.”
That was perhaps a bit extreme on her part, but she’d made her point.They weren’t going to throw me out for being seen with Henri, and yet it didn’t look good either.I wasn’t sure how much Felix cared about the morality clause itself, but I knew he’d care that I’d been seen with a Hermes driver.That was going to be a sticking point for him.
“This is exactly what I was talking about when we discussed the contract last year.Sponsors care about your image, and this is the exact opposite of what we need right now.”She set down her coffee cup with a deliberate thump, as if that would further make her point.“I cannot believe you would jeopardize your contract this way, Lily.”
“Jeopardize?”I rubbed my temples as I stared at the ground.“Good grief, it was five minutes.”
“At one in the morning?”She took a seat on the couch before immediately standing again, pacing the room.“The male drivers might be able to get away with a playboy vibe, but under no circumstances is that going to work for you.I mean, what were you thinking?”
“Clearly, I wasn’t thinking about how it wouldphotograph.Next time Henri follows me to my room uninvited, I’ll make sure to check the paparazzi’s schedule first,” I shot back, letting a wry smile tug at the corner of my mouth despite the gravity of the situation.The sarcasm rolled off my tongue easily, my default defense mechanism when cornered.
I knew I was beingflippant, but honestly, what did she expect me to say?That I’d carefully orchestrated some master plan to destroy my reputation in the span of two days?
“This isn’t a joke, Lillian.Felix called me this morning, and now we’re about to be dragged in front of both him and the President of Rennen.”Her finger snapped in front of my face, yanking my focus back toward her.She looked like a toddler ready to scream at any moment.
“You cannot afford this kind of mistake.You’re not a man, Lily.You don’t get the privilege of indiscretions like they do.”
There it was, the familiar sermon.I stopped listening at “you’re not a man.”As if this were some shock for me.Like I hadn’t spent my entire life realizing this.
For a moment, I was thrown back to my conversation with Georgia from three seasons ago, the one where I’d told her no one really cared about our sex lives or who we dated.She’d told me I was dreaming, that there would always be a double standard.
I was young and naïve then.It turned out everyone loved a bit of gossip, and what was more salacious than the top two rivals dating each other?
“You’ve made your point,” I said finally, letting my thumb run over a patch on my racing suit that held a few different sponsor logos.My mother wasn’t entirely wrong: I’d been careless.And now everyone, from my sponsors to team leadership to the tabloids, had opinions about my private life.
“Wait.”The word came out quieter than I intended.
My mother paused mid-pace, eyebrow arched.
“Ollie actually offered something.Earlier.”
“What kind of something?”
I picked at a loose thread on my race suit.“He has a photo of us from our dinner in Montreal.Ollie said if it would help with the situation, he’d be willing to post it.You know, show people that I’m…”
“Dating him instead of Henri Dubois?”my mother finished, her expression sharpening with interest.
“No, he didn’t say that, because wearen’tdating.It’s more like… it would relieve some speculation on me and Henri, right?”
She crossed back to the couch, settling beside me with renewed energy.“What exactly did you tell him?”
“I said no.It felt wrong, using our date like that.Usinghimlike that.”
My mother’s hand found mine, surprisingly gentle.“Darling, you aren’t using him if he’s offering.”
“But—” I interjected.
“But nothing.”Her grip tightened slightly.“Let me handle this.”My mother stood, already pulling out her phone.“I’ll float it by Felix and the communications team.”She checked her watch, a small look of desperation crossing her face.“Come on.Felix is waiting.”
I followed her out of the room and into the office hallway, my footsteps falling into a reluctant rhythm behind hers.I felt like I was being led to the guillotine.
When we approached the large conference room, my mother made a show of fixing her blazer, not sparing me a glance.“I want you to apologize before Felix has to ask.”
I pressed my tongue to the roof of my mouth before whispering, “For the photo or simply existing?”
She only sighed as the doors parted slowly, revealing Rennen’s largest conference room.In the center of the room was one long table, spotless except for the lineup of espresso cups and Felix’s folded hands.Rennen’s logo shone on the far wall, always watching me.Thomas, President of Rennen, was also there waiting, staring down at his phone with a large frown.
