07-17-2019, 12:52 AM
Nika received a call on her wallet almost as soon as she completed her order. Not one to rudely talk on the phone while other things were going on, she waited until she was several steps away to answer. It was Annessa, the Ducati Racing’s PR manager.
“Hey, couple of things for the media. The vultures are all over me because you're not here.” There was really no need for small talk between them. “How’s your wrist doing?”
“It’s fine.” Nika sat down at a table with a bright blue tiled top. Pretty.
“Really.” Annessa’s tone was dry. “I don’t believe you.”
“That’s on you then,” Nika traced the grout lines around the squares. “Cast came off yesterday.”
Annessa sighed in her ear. “That could mean anything coming from you. It could mean you took the damn thing off yourself so you could test on Friday.”
Nika made a pained sound in her throat. “Did you want to call the doctor?”
“Is that your expressed permission to do so?”
“Ness…”
“Don’t you take that tone with me, you little demon!”
Nika laughed darkly before offering a reassuring answer. “Track docs have the final say, remember? They’ll test it.” She shrugged. “Or you could just come out on the track with me and ride two-up. That’ll show you my wrist is fine.”
Annessa scoffed and launched into a rather lengthy expletive-laced tirade about all the times Nika had ridden with broken bones and the like.
Nika sat politely, listening, noting the manager approaching with her cappuccino but paying attention to what the PR woman was going on about in case there was a quiz later. That had happened before and if she blew it well, Ness could schedule her a day of interviews with the worst thing ever: creepy basement bloggers. That had happened too.
It was clear there was something else bothering Annessa but that wasn’t due out for another ten or so minutes. It wasn’t like the woman to be so…course. She must have had to smile through more stupid questions than usual today.
Nika saw the cup, the extra flourish in her name...but was mentally split between curiosity and the split second she was getting a word in edgewise. Nearly-black eyes under a quirked brow found Olivia’s face just as she said to Annessa, “Clearly, you need to go out with me.”
Two heartbeats of silence and Nika’s gaze saucered as her own words caught up to her. Her mouth shut with an audible click. She blushed and looked mortified. “Err...I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be rude.” I mean, you can’t just come on to people like that! Unsolicited. But...the cup? Quickly into the wallet, “Call you back.” She’d pay for that later. Ugh!
Nika stood hurriedly, her chair pushed back loudly. “Hey, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.” Her nose scrunched up and a dimple peeked out on her cheek. She bit her lip, unsure. “Thank you for the coffee.”
“Hey, couple of things for the media. The vultures are all over me because you're not here.” There was really no need for small talk between them. “How’s your wrist doing?”
“It’s fine.” Nika sat down at a table with a bright blue tiled top. Pretty.
“Really.” Annessa’s tone was dry. “I don’t believe you.”
“That’s on you then,” Nika traced the grout lines around the squares. “Cast came off yesterday.”
Annessa sighed in her ear. “That could mean anything coming from you. It could mean you took the damn thing off yourself so you could test on Friday.”
Nika made a pained sound in her throat. “Did you want to call the doctor?”
“Is that your expressed permission to do so?”
“Ness…”
“Don’t you take that tone with me, you little demon!”
Nika laughed darkly before offering a reassuring answer. “Track docs have the final say, remember? They’ll test it.” She shrugged. “Or you could just come out on the track with me and ride two-up. That’ll show you my wrist is fine.”
Annessa scoffed and launched into a rather lengthy expletive-laced tirade about all the times Nika had ridden with broken bones and the like.
Nika sat politely, listening, noting the manager approaching with her cappuccino but paying attention to what the PR woman was going on about in case there was a quiz later. That had happened before and if she blew it well, Ness could schedule her a day of interviews with the worst thing ever: creepy basement bloggers. That had happened too.
It was clear there was something else bothering Annessa but that wasn’t due out for another ten or so minutes. It wasn’t like the woman to be so…course. She must have had to smile through more stupid questions than usual today.
Nika saw the cup, the extra flourish in her name...but was mentally split between curiosity and the split second she was getting a word in edgewise. Nearly-black eyes under a quirked brow found Olivia’s face just as she said to Annessa, “Clearly, you need to go out with me.”
Two heartbeats of silence and Nika’s gaze saucered as her own words caught up to her. Her mouth shut with an audible click. She blushed and looked mortified. “Err...I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to be rude.” I mean, you can’t just come on to people like that! Unsolicited. But...the cup? Quickly into the wallet, “Call you back.” She’d pay for that later. Ugh!
Nika stood hurriedly, her chair pushed back loudly. “Hey, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean to be disrespectful.” Her nose scrunched up and a dimple peeked out on her cheek. She bit her lip, unsure. “Thank you for the coffee.”