Pedro had wanted to bring Bernadette last time but things had been so incredibly tight that there had been no room for wives and girlfriends.
Things were different now.
‘Sure.’ Abby nodded.
She wanted Pedro to linger, to tell her all about his day, or rather anything else Matteo had even loosely mentioned, but he was soon heading off to show Bernadette his new clothes and car and to tell her the news. Abby spent the rest of the night wondering if Matteo would call.
He didn’t.
And so, by the time the team were due to fly to Milan, Abby was in a state of high anticipation at seeing him.
She felt a bit like a schoolmistress at an all-male school as they boarded the Di Sione jet. Everyone was in high spirits, everyone except Abby, because there was no sign of Matteo.
Abby sat in a plush leather seat and rolled her eyes as Pedro looked around the jet.
‘Who gets the suite?’
‘You do!’ The attendant smiled.
It was then, Abby knew, Matteo wasn’t joining them.
* * *
Milan she glimpsed from the inside of a luxurious coach that took them from the airport to the hotel.
Abby knew the hotel the Lachance team stayed at and she had chosen another one, as she always did, which gave her one less thing to worry about.
Everyone was checked in but Abby lingered till they had all headed off to their rooms and then she asked the receptionist if there were any messages for her.
There weren’t.
‘Is Matteo Di Sione here yet?’ Abby made herself ask.
‘No.’
‘Do you know when he’s arriving?’
‘We can’t give out that sort of information.’
‘I’m a colleague,’ Abby attempted but she was no match for the tight security around the Di Sione name. ‘A close colleague.’
‘Then ask him.’ The receptionist’s smile did not waver. ‘Is there anything else that I can help you with?’
It was a busy week with little waking time to dwell on Matteo and when and if he would arrive.
Despite their amazing win, Abby did know it was unlikely to be replicated.
Pedro had raced the Dubai course but never Milan and, though they went over and over it and watched endless recordings of previous races, she could feel Pedro’s tension.
‘I shouldn’t have brought Bernadette,’ he admitted to Abby before he put on his helmet for the practice run. ‘She’s going to see me place last.’
‘Don’t think about that,’ Abby said.
‘I just got a text from Matteo, wishing me luck...’
It was more than she’d had.
‘I’ve a feeling I shan’t be getting his jet for a week.’