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"So you're not going to be racing with me this year then, I hear?" Mark asked, breaking the silence that had descended on the pair since the sunlight had dropped. They sat on a beach, somewhere on the south coast of England, having spent the day cycling across the country. Their tents had been set up, side by side on the grassy verge that led down to the sands and they'd collected wood for a fire that they'd not yet set alight. His breath misted in front of him from the cold December air.
"Looks like McLaren want to drag another year out of me," Jenson replied, throwing some shells towards the receding tide and pulling his hoody sleeves over his hands for more warmth, "I kinda feel for Kevin though, you know? He must be gutted." It was true, Jenson had grown fond of Kevin over the past year and whilst he looked forward to a year with Fernando, he'd miss having his little protege by his side.
Mark forced a nod and pulled fire lighter tape from his rucksack. Secretly, he'd missed hanging out with Jenson on race weekends. He'd half hoped that McLaren would pick the younger driver and Jenson could then have moved over to World Endurance. Maybe he even have ended up at Porsche too. But still - he absentmindedly rearranged the wood and placed the tapers as he thought - it was still nice that they got to hang out like this from time-to-time.
Jenson stepped up to the woodpile and lit a match, sparks spluttering before it puffed into life. He quickly lit the tapers and they sat in silence again while the fire built. Mark pulled his woolly hat down over his ears, and zipped his fleece right up over his mouth. He wasn't really sure what had possessed him to agree to go on this cycling and camping trip with Jenson, but his buddy had seemed pretty eager to get away and he really couldn't refuse when he'd been given the puppy-dog eyes.
It was mid December and now they'd stopped moving about they were both quickly growing cold. They huddled together in a blanket as close to the fire as they could be without setting alight. Mark pulled a couple of beers out of his rucksack and set them on the sand, cracking the tops off with his bottle-opener before handing one to Jenson, The sat in silence still, drinking, listening to the sea and enjoying the peace and relaxation.
After a few more bottles, both of their cheeks were rosy-red from the heat of the fire and the slightly tipsy feeling they were encountering. They were laid out on the blanket now, both tucked into their sleeping bags, the fire beginning to dwindle. The bottles in their hands were their last and they were both beginning to feel sleepy. Jenson finally broke the silence,
"You know I'm getting married to Jessica at the end of this month," he said. Looking up at the stars that glittered between the clouds.
"Really?" Mark was taken aback. He knew that Jenson and Jessica had been getting serious but he thought his best friend might have mention that he was planning to pop the question. He was kinda of hurt. He pulled himself into a seated position and stared into the fire, watching the sparks that managed to escape the rest of the flames before dying out.
"Yea, it was a spur of the moment thing," Jensen replied, sitting up beside Mark, "I asked her to marry me the night McLaren announced me as their driver. She said yes, and we figured why not just do it quickly and quietly. No publicity or anything, just a nice, normal wedding." Jenson threw his empty bottle on the sand with the others, turning to look at Mark.
Mark wasn't sure what to say. He figured congratulations were in order, but he was still upset that he'd had no idea. They'd had this planned for nearly a week and he'd only just found out? He forced a smile as he turned to look Jenson in the eye.
"Well done, mate. Congratulations. I don't know who is the luckiest, you or Jess," he teased, trying to sound sincere, "I'm sure you'll be..."
"The thing is..." Jenson cut Mark off half way through the sentence, "Well. I wanted you to be the first to know because... Well... Would you be my best man?"