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“I’m just going to say it, we’re all thinking it.” Anthony huffed and Kate fought the urge to roll her eyes at her husband.
She’d listened to this exact speech the entire way here. He’d sat with his arms crossed while she drove.
“I don’t want to go.”
“Well, you have to go. It’s our media day. The car’s launching tomorrow, you’ll get to do the shakedown tomorrow, you’ll love it.”
Anthony pouted, “I’d feel better if I got to drive this car.”
Kate rolled her eyes, “Yeah, I’m not letting you drive the car I basically built from scratch because you’re sad your sister’s going to be holding hands with your friend in a few pictures.”
“I’m a professional driver, Babe.” Anthony huffed, smoothing his moustache. “I do this for a living.”
“And that’s exactly why you’re not allowed to drive it.” Kate kissed the side of his head as they pulled into her parking spot out the front. “You’re not flogging my engine.”
“I’ve trimmed my moustache specially.” Anthony turned towards her, “I look so handsome. Just let me do one little lap around the track here.”
Kate rolled her eyes despite the heat that prickled down her spine every time he leaned in close to her. Every time. Despite the fact they’d been together the better part of two years.
“Put the moustache power away.” Kate hummed, kissing him quickly. “You can use one of the Jags to do the hot lap with your Dad.”
She opened the car door, waving at Edmund and Violet who had pulled up beside them. Anthony huffed and scrambled out. “A hot lap with that lunatic,” He pointed at his father, “Always makes my tummy hurt! He’s a maniac! You should have seen him when I was a baby, I was bouncing around in the back of that car in my little booster seat.”
“Ah that explains so much.” She tapped his forehead chuckling as her husband gasped.
“Wow, that’s harsh. You told me you loved me this morning.”
“A lie, obviously.” Kate sighed sadly, “I love your moustache. He and I just put up with you.”
Anthony rolled his eyes, rounding on his dad instead, “Dad, why is Kate’s parking space closer to mine?”
Edmund raised his eyebrows, “Ah I like her more than you?”
“I knew it! Forget the fact that I’ve won two championships for you!”
“Well, technically so have I.”
“It’s right, she has.” Edmund gasped as he caught sight of the backseat, “And she had my grandson!” The corgi pupped yipped excitedly at the sight of Edmund, scrabbling towards him. “Newton! Boyo! Are you ready for some Poppy Edmund cuddles?”
Violet sighed, kissing the top of Anthony’s head, then Kate’s cheek. “One of you needs to have a baby soon. He’s going insane.”
And now here they were. Anthony perched on the tyre of this year’s car with Kate on his his knee. Violet and Edmund were standing behind the cars, his arm wrapped around her waist and Simon and Daphne were beside them in his car, the numbers shining gold under the studio lights.
Simon didn’t hold back rolling his eyes. “I’m not sure we were all thinking anything, Anthony.”
Daphne tutted, “I’m hoping Anthony shuts up. Can we get a show of hands who’s thinking the same?”
Simon raised his hand chuckling as he kissed his new fiancée’s cheek. They’d been engaged three days, a tiny surprise when Daphne had found the engagement ring in his chest of drawers. Anthony was… still adjusting to the idea.
Kate covertly raised her hand and Anthony gasped, “Kate! You love it when I’m vocal!”
Anthony’s family let out a disgusted sound, and his father sighed, “Anthony, please.”
“Not like that!” Anthony tutted before a smirk quirked his lips and he nudged Kate, “I mean… a little like that as well.”
“So me sitting on my fiancé’s lap is too much but I have to listen to you flirt with your wife constantly? Relentlessly some have said.”
“Oh people love our relentless flirting!” Anthony hissed at his sister pouting like a little boy. “It’s part of our charm! And our flirting is a union that’s been thrice legally allowed!”
“There wasn’t anything legal about two of those weddings!”
Simon leaned back, catching Kate’s attention. “These are really the people we’ve chosen aren’t they?”
Kate blanched a little leaning forward to rest her chin on her hand, “To be fair, there’s still time for you. I’ve married this one three times. It’s getting a bit embarrassing.”
“I was a bit mortified with the confusing formula one Elvis wedding for you I’ll not lie.”
Kate raised her eyebrow, “Hey, I’m sure he’s available for your own wedding.”
“Okay!” The photographer clapped her hands, “Let’s all refocus. We’re a family team, we’re ready to take on the competition as a family.”
“Just one thing.” Anthony raised his hand as thought to ask a question and Kate groaned.
“Anthony. Do not. Please.”
“I just wanted to say that Simon needs to keep his hands in a family friendly place.”
Daphne reached over and swatted her brother on the side of the head and Anthony gasped dramatically. “Daphy! Mum! Daphy hit me!”
“Maybe you could act like adults,” Violet sighed pinching the bridge of her nose. “Rather than embarrassing your father and me in front of everyone? Maybe you could just act like this at home.”
“Kids,” Edmund said firmly, “Listen to your mother.”
“Thank you, darling.” Violet tutted, “That was very helpful.”
“Still thinking this was a great idea?” Kate looked at her father in law, her eyebrows raised, “One family, united in the battle for sporting glory? Isn’t that what you pitched to me?”
Edmund blanched a little, “I might have overestimated who my children are. Newton’s a star though, obviously.”
Kate chuckled as she reached into the cockpit and scratched Newton behind the ear. “He’s a very good boy. Unlike his Papa.”
“I’m a very good boy.” Anthony scoffed, “I’m being goaded by my sister.”
“I’m not sure that classifies you as being a good boy.”
“Are you the authority on that?”
“I’m your wife, honey. In your life my opinion is the only one that matters.”
Anthony’s brow furrowed, adorably crumpled despite the fact that no one got under her skin quite like him. “When did I agree to that?”
“Oh, baby.” Kate hummed, patting her husband on the cheek. “When your Dad hired me to run your entire life.”
“And he complained every bloody step of the way.” Edmund muttered, plastering a smile on his face while the camera flashed. “Couldn’t get him out of my bloody office for weeks.”
Anthony grinned as the camera flashed, holding her tighter around the waist. “I complained with love, Babe.”
“I doubt that.” Kate paused for a second, “He’s also not telling you about all the times I sat in his office and complained about you. And it wasn’t out of love.”
“I’ve never complained about anybody.” Simon said mildly. “Despite someone’s efforts to make this a toxic work environment.”
“How is this toxic?” Anthony scoffed, “How?”
“How indeed?”
“Can we just get through these pictures please so we have bloody something to release tomorrow and I’m not just standing up there looking like a twat?” Edmund sighed.
“To be fair, we’ll all be there looking like twats, Dad.”
Kate rolled her eyes, “I won’t be on the stage. Engineers don’t have to be.”
“No such luck,” Edmund said, avoiding Kate’s gaze, “Our whole tagline is Racing is in our DNA. The ah… whole family’s going to be up there.”
“Wow. Really leaning into those nepotism jokes huh?” Daphne smirked, poking her tongue out at her brother who gave her the finger back.
“It’s not nepotism that I’m better than everyone else! No offence Simon, obviously you’re my brother and I love you.”
“Glad you can finally admit it.”
“Just keep your hands off my sister.”
“We’re getting married!” Daphne hissed, “And your helmet looks so stupid this year! You look like you’re auditioning for Daft Punk!”
“That is the meanest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
Kate leaned back this time, smiling grimly at Simon, “How legal do we think those ceremonies were? Do we think I get a take backsies?”
“I kind of doubt it!”
“Okay! Big Smiles! Happy Family! Racing is in our DNA!” The photographer sighed, “Once more! Anthony if you could not make that gesture at your sister I think we’ll get a better shot!”