Something Gained

Chapter Twenty

Daniel cuddled into me, it's like he couldn't be close enough, he was behind me and we were half on our sides and half on our backs while he cuddled. His chin resting on my head. It was very peaceful to be laying here together.

"There's pictures of us from tonight" he whispered, breaking the silence
"Uh oh" I said. I mean I did exactly have a problem with it but.. anyway, he reached for his phone and unlocked it and brought up the images that were online from tonight

Daniel Ricciardo and Communications Manager look cosy as they leave together for dinner

Collegues? Friends? More? Daniel Ricciardo pictured with his PR Manager looking rather "together"

Who's this rather special lady that appears to be McLaren drivers, Daniel and Lando's, right arm?

All the pictures were of Daniel with his hand round my waist, or him helping me into the car, or just literally him walking next to me, to be honest it looked friendly but they had spun it there way. It clearly didnt matter that in some pictures you could see Michael, Lando and some other members of McLaren. I sighed and passed Daniel back his phone

"Oh well, nothing they haven't done before and nothing they won't do again" I said, shrugging it off. And it was true
"You're okay?" He questioned, looking down on me trying to gauge if I was serious or not. I nodded and he pulled me in closer and placed a kiss on my head. "Why didn't you tell me it was your birthday Saturday?" He whispered, he sounded upset?
"It just isn't important" I said, I wriggled around so that I could face him while we spoke
"Your birthday is important, I could of arranged something, we should be celebrating" he said. I shrugged it off
"I don't need to celebrate it" as I said this he huffed at me and let it go silent. He kissed my forehead and we settled back into the comfortable silence once again

Friday came around quick and the practise sessions went well. I walked into the trailer to find the boys. I gave Lando a knock and went in his room where he was laying on his massage table and Jon was with him.
"Lands, 10 minutes, we've got to go do some media" I called out, he put his thumbs up and I left, I knocked on Daniel's door and he was doing the same, I told him 10 minutes and left them to it. Stressful job being a driver, I rolled my eyes and chuckled to myself before sitting at my desk and opening my laptop. I was replying to emails and filling in next race schedule while I waited for them.

*Knock Knock*

I looked up and saw both Lando and Daniel walk in and sit down on my sofa. Followed by cameras, Netflix were on the scene. Along with our own cameras filming for our YouTube, it was a very weird thing.
"What we up to then?" Daniel asked
"We need to go speak to sky sports and some other local channels, then back up here to film for social media" I said as I closed my laptop and picked up my phones. "Come on chop chop" I said as I ushered them out. Lando looked towards the camera
"She's bossy this one" and he ran off. I laughed and the three of us left the trailer and walked down the paddock towards some media guys. I directed both the boys to different journalists and they answered questions and made statements about their sessions and how they felt in the car. The cameras for Netflix following us the whole time.

For the rest of the day Daniel seemed to be a quiet and shady. For the whole two months I had worked with him he had never been like this, particularly towards me. He seemed fine with everyone else, every chance he got he was disappearing into his room with Michael. I brushed it off and just put it down to my overthinking and he was doing anything bizarre.
Later that evening I half expected him to want to do something but he didn't. We got back to the hotel and we all said goodbye including him to me, and yet again disappeared into his hotel room with Michael. I let it slide because I thought it would be pointless trying to speak to him right now and to be honest I didn't want to upset myself more at the fact it was my birthday tomorrow and I literally was on my own. It wasn't important for me to tell everyone about my birthday but I also didn't like my birthday now had no friends or family to celebrate with me.

At about 7pm, while I was sitting in my room just watching in bed, my phone buzzed and Daniels name flashed up on the screen

"Fancy a walk?"

I sighed and threw my phone back on my bed, and kicked my duvet off. Near enough annoys me apart
from work obligations, is distant and shady and now wants a walk. I was mumbling to myself and stomping around my room getting out of pyjamas and I didn't hear the door open. I wandered into my bathroom so spray some perfume and check my hair my mumbling getting louder and more annoyed. As I turned around to walk back out the bathroom I saw Daniel sitting on my bed laughing and watching me.

"What?" I snapped, he immediately held his hands up
"What have I done?" He asked. I huffed and facepalmed my head
"Shocker, you've ignored me for most of the day, barely said two words to me, haven't spent any time with me and now you just want to go on a walk" I said staring directly at him. I knew I was snappy and it was unnecessary but I didn't like the behaviour, it made me feel unwanted
"Okay, I have been busy sorting something out. But why has it affected you so much?"
"Because it sounds really stupid but I've spent two months in liking you so much and to be felt like I was being tossed aside made me feel crap, and it's my birthday tomorrow not that I care, but I don't have anyone else apart from you and Lando maybe" I said sighing and sitting down on my bed next to him. He took my hand and entwined our fingers
"It's been two months of falling for you, and wanted to spend every waking minute with you. I missed you like crazy today but it's just something I had to do, and I didn't want to make you feel crap and like you're being shoved aside because you're not and you never will be. As for having no one else around you, first off all Lando and I would be screwed and would fall apart with you, you manage our lives, and everyone else in the team loves you, what about Liam, and all the other mechanics, and Zak adores you, every single person at McLaren loves you to bits. Don't ever feel like you don't have anyone, Lando is always there for you when I'm not, Michael loves you so much" I nodded and smiled at me him, knowing I'd probably overreacted but I shrugged. "Now come on, let's go for that walk before it gets too dark out there" I nodded again and let him pull me up off the bed. I put my shoes on and grabbed my phone and my keycard and walked out the door with Daniel. I gave him my things as I didn't have pockets and he put them in his and we left the hotel, through the back exit to not get seen by paparazzi and got into Daniels car.

He sped through the streets and we arrived at our destination around 10 minutes later.
He got out the car and raced round to my side to open the door and get me out of the car.
"What are we doing here?" I asked
"We're gonna walk, well walk and climb" he said, taking my hand. The sun was setting and it started to look beautiful surrounded by the rocky hills, it looked steep but I wanted to walk.