Is this a love story?

Danny Ricc

Mia

I gaze out over the lake behind the house, I get why Seb lives here, It's so peaceful. I feel like I have switched off for the first time in months, I have been dragging myself through without a proper break. I will forever be grateful for Seb and Hanna. For getting to be his race engineer for his last season at Ferrari.

"Well done Seb, and thank you, for everything you have done for this team" I say through my own emotions and he pulls out one more surprise, singing. Of course. I listen to him sing in Italian about this team and I feel slight anger at how they have treated him this last season, I just hope that he is happy at Aston Martin. He deserves to be in a championship winning car. I might be married to Charles but I can still see his treatment this season as a number one driver. They have both been struggling with the car but Charles got the upgrades and the improvements first and all of the best strategy. I had to try and float in the middle, supporting the two drivers. "That was beautiful Seb" I say once he finishes "I had to hide the lyrics in my sleeve" He tells me with a laugh "Oh Seb"

"Here you are" I hear the familiar German accent behind me "I was just enjoying the silence" I tell him as he reaches my side, my fingers wrapping around my coffee mug. Seb takes a breath before speaking "Are you ready to tell Daniel what you want?" He asks and I nod "I am, talking with Hanna helped, thank you so much for having me" I tell him "Mimi, you are always welcome here, you know that" He tells me sternly "I consider you all family" I tell him and he nods "as we do you" and I realise with these people I have found family, a second home. "Im sorry for all that you have been through Mia, I never thought that Charles would treat you like that" He almost sounds apologetic "Me either, but I'm starting to feel glad for the life I now have" He nods again "The life that you want with Daniel?" He checks and its my turn to nod "Im so excited to see him later"

"see you in a few days" Seb jokes as it isn't long till the next race weekend "Thanks for dropping me off, thank you for letting me stay" I wrap him in a quick hug "Good luck with Daniel" He tells me with his typical cheeky smile. We say goodbye and I head into the terminal. I cant stop the butterflies that are circling in my stomach. This flight feels like its taking hours, Daniel said he will pick me up from the airport. I nervous, what if he has changed his mind, what if he decided he doesn't want me and all of the baggage that comes with it. I pull myself out of my thoughts as the plane lands on the tarmac at Nice international airport. I loved my time in Switzerland but part of me is glad to be home, but perhaps home isn't a place anymore, maybe it is a feeling. I walk through security and scan the arrivals hall for my smiley Australian. Immediately my eyes land on him, he grins at me and I can't help but run into his open arms. His aftershave fills me nose, home isn't a place anymore, its a feeling. It's Daniel. I pull away slightly and look up at him "Hey there Mavis" my heart flutters "Hi" I practically whisper before I lean up and press my lips to his. The whole airport melts away, he kisses me back with urgency and I know we have both been wanting this. Perhaps he hasn't changed his mind. We both pull away smiling at each other "I've missed you" He tells me grabbing my hand leading me out of the terminal. " I have missed you too" I tell him and he almost looks surprised. Why would he be? Surely he knows that I love him.

We reach his McLaren and he pops my bag in the boot. Once we climb into the car and start the hour drive into Monte Carlo I realise that this is the perfect time to have the conversation that we have needed for weeks. "Daniel, I think we need to talk" He glances over to me "Yeah, I think we do" He says looking uneasy. "I needed my time in Switzerland, it was so quiet and peaceful" He nods 'It helped me see clearly, to see that its you Daniel, its always been you, from the minute we spoke in the paddock after my divorce" He looks happier now "you make me feel happy, the first time in months. You make me feel the most well me that I have ever felt, I have no single doubts about you, about us, about our future" he is now grinning "Mavis, I have felt like this since I first set my eyes on you, Max always spoke about you, about his best friend in the world and you live up to every expectation that I had, you are kind but strong, careful but fearless, you are in control but you are compassionate. You are warm, I adore every second I'm with you" He tells me and I can't deny how happy I am that he feels the same "where are we going from here?" He asks me and that's what I haven't quite figured out yet "I don't really know how this works, I haven't fallen for someone like this before" I tell him and he nods "I want everything with you Mia, my whole future"

Daniel

Part of me can't believe we are finally at this point, of talking about the future. Our future. When she left for Seb's with the promise of movie night I wasn't sure what was going to happen. "I want that too Daniel, its all I have thought about for days" she tells me and I can't hide the smile that seems to not want to leave my face. "So we go all in?" I ask her, nervousness in the pit of my stomach "All in" She agrees and I can't quite believe this, I have the girl. We continue to home both in our own thoughts "What did you want to do this evening?" She asks me once we are on the familiar Monte Carlo streets "Well you promised me a movie night" I remind her and she chuckles "That I did!" She agrees "Take out?" I ask as we are getting close to her favourite pizza place "Absolutely" she agrees and I pull up in a parking bay "Pizza?" I ask and she realises where we are and jumps out of the car "Let's go!" She cheers and we walk into the Pizza place hand in hand. She suddenly freezes and I follow her line of vision "Charles" she says and he looks over at us his expression falling when he sees our hands intertwined "Mia, Daniel" he greets us both curtly "I will go order" I tell Mia who looks up at me and nods "Sure, just my usual"

Mia

I watch Daniel walk over to the counter before I give Charles my attention again "you two are together now then?" He asks getting straight to the point "We are, not that its anything to do with you" I tell him glancing back seeing Daniel joke with the guy taking our order. He gives makes me better, I look at Charles and all I can see is regret "Remember who you are talking too" I tell him "Oh so because you are my boss that means that our past relationship was nothing?"  He questions "When you slept with Charlotte, that made our past relationship mean nothing" he sighs "I thought we had got past that Mia, we work together" I nod "I can deal with you in a work capacity, I deserve to be happy Charles and Daniel makes me happy" he frowns slightly "He does? And how different is he?" I smile slightly "In every way that matters, he isn't you, he is Daniel and I love him" I feel a hand on the small of my back "I've got the goods, are you ready to go?" He asks giving Charles a dark look "I am all done here" I say and Charles sends a glare in our direction as Daniel leads us back to the car. Why did he have to be there, why?

Once we are back in my apartment I knock for Max, I know I promised Daniel movie night but right now I need my best friend. "Mia? What's going on?" He asks seeing my face on the other side of his door "Charles" I say before bursting into tears. "Daniel what happened?" He ask the man who I hadn't realised was still waiting in the hall "He saw us together and managed to make Mia feel small, once again. It's all he is good at" Daniel tells him and Max wraps me in his arms "You are better than him, you have Daniel and me and you are loved Mia, by so many" he reminds me and I nod "I don't know why he has the effect on me, I know I don't love him anymore" I tell Max "How do you know?" He asks curiously "Because Daniel has my whole heart, there isn't an inch of room for anyone else anymore" Max grins at the Aussie behind me "Good, I'm glad Mia, I'm so happy for you both, you are perfect for each other. Maybe Daniel can make you a bit more fun though" he jokes and I manage a laugh "Now your pizza is getting cold" He tells me before whispering "Go enjoy your time with Daniel" he winks and I know that I can't let Charles have any control over my life. I pull away from my best friend "Love you" I tell him "love you more" He kisses my forehead gently.

Once we enter my home Daniel places the pizza boxes on the side, spinning and wraps me in his arms. "I love you Mia, more than you know and I wont let him get under your skin, not anymore" He tells me and I pull him in for a kiss which deepens and we end up on the sofa with him kissing down my neck. I can't help the whimpers that are leaving my mouth "I want you so bad, but now isn't the time" he pulls away with a grin "I want my movie night with my girl" He kisses my forehead before throwing the remote at me, "Pick a movie, we have some cold pizza to eat" he jokes bringing over my spicy Margherita pizza dumping it unceremoniously on my lap. We settle into each other sides as the beginning of Captain America starts.