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“Most people think sliding doors are fancy but this…this is another level.”
“Yeah, wait till you see the pool and outdoor kitchen.”
“What kind of Airbnb did you find this place? Sure as hell can’t be the same one the rest of us search on.”
“I know a guy who knows a guy.”
“Of course you do,” I laugh, burrowing deeper into his side as we step outside and he leads me down the porch steps to the outdoor kitchen where a chef is waiting for us. “Holy shit. You got a chef?”
“Technically Maggie did when she helped organize everything or maybe he came with the place? I don’t know.” Releasing me, Brody pulls out a chair for me with an exaggerated bow that makes me snicker when he almost misses his own chair.
It feels weird being surrounded by all this wealth. Not that it’s over the top and gaudy, more that, it’s a completely different world to what I’m used to. Our house has always been beautiful. It’s probably one of the bigger places owned by townies with its large lakeside yard and five bedrooms. Still, compared to this place it’s tiny.
The chef comes over once we’re settled in our seats, asking us what we would like him to cook. There’s an actual menu with meat, fish, and vegetarian options for entrées, mains, and desserts. My mind is blown by it all and I end up going with Brody’s choices because I can’t think past the fact that he’s done all this for me or maybe this is his normal. People on hand at his beck and call.
“Is this what it’s like for you all the time?” I ask when the chef heads back to the kitchen area.
“What do you mean like this?” Brody levels me with a genuinely confused scrunch of his brows.
Before I can elaborate, the chef comes back with an ice bucket. There’s a small bottle of wine and a larger bottle of artisan soda water with a couple of bowls containing different garnishes.
“Would you like to taste the wine first?” he asks Brody, who only diverts the question to me.
“I’m sure it’s great, but I’d like water for now.”
“Rosie, you don’t have to do that.”
“I know.” But it feels wrong to drink alcohol with him when I’m aware of the reason he doesn’t drink. “We have limited time together and I want to make the most out of it. Oh, and I want to taste the fancy-ass artisan water.” I pull a face that makes him laugh, setting him at ease again.
“It’s part of the perks of being who I am,” he replies, with a flick to my nose before he goes about adding ice and garnishes to our glasses. “Not as fancy when you get it for free,” he tells me, sticking his tongue out at me.
The action may be childish, but it makes me laugh. It makes me like him that much more because he doesn’t take himself too seriously. Even if he is cocky and driven, he’s still down to earth and easy to be with.
As the chef is about to pour for us, he takes the bottle from him. “I got this,” he tells him, clearly excusing him so we can be alone again.
Once we are, I ask him, “Do you always have people on hand to do things for you?”
“Most of the time, I do, but I’m also a grown-ass man that does most things for himself. Sometimes, though, it gets hectic and there’s just not enough time for me to stop and do normal.”
“So they step in?”
“There’s a lot more to being a championship driver than turning up to the races. A lot goes on behind the scenes. Like I told you before, motor racing isn’t just a sport, it’s a multi-billion dollar business that everyone has to keep going and growing.”
“Is that why you said you didn’t have time for distractions?”
“You’re not a distraction,” he tells me, leaning forward to cup my face as he presses a kiss to my forehead.
“You’d tell me if I was? I don’t want to get in your way or…I don’t know, make life harder for you?”
“That’s possibly the silliest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
“I mean it, Brody. I don’t want to be another thing you have to fit into your life.”
“You’re not, sweetheart.” Nudging our noses together, he brushes my hair back.
“But you would tell me if I was?” I don’t want to go back to being the reason anyone feels trapped or stuck. The thought of him resenting me is enough to choke me. “Don’t drag this out if it ever becomes that way.”
“Okay.” Brody nods, giving me a small smile, but the hard swallow that follows says he hasn’t said everything he wanted to.
