The DILF (Sebastian Vettel)

17. A Taste of the Future

A/N: just a quick note to say that I decided to put Mick with Williams for the 2023 season in case anyone got confused haha.

Seb looked over at the woman sleeping next to him on the aeroplane. He still couldn't believe that Savannah was his fiancée.

Four weeks had passed since she had agreed to marry him, and he didn't have a single regret. They'd kept it quiet at first, telling just their parents, Antti, Maddy and Britta. They'd told them all the truth about it, that it was a marriage of convenience. Savannah's parents had actually taken it better than what he'd thought they would. They just wanted their daughter to be happy and out of Christian's reach. Antti and Maddy had understood. His own parents were supportive, although he knew his father still had his reservations. Britta thought he was crazy. She'd tried time and again to talk him out of it but she'd not even come close to succeeding. He had a feeling she'd keep trying. He knew it was only because she was worried about him. She actually liked Savannah.

They'd finally told the kids the day before, and to say they were all over the moon was an understatement. If either of them had been having doubts, seeing the smiles on those five little faces would have magicked them away.

When they got back Seb would be moving back into the master bedroom to share with Savannah. He was looking forward to it, nervous about it and scared of it, all at the same time. He really didn't know how he'd cope being so close to her every night. He just hoped she slept in oversized pyjamas and not a sexy little nightie or things could get awkward.

They would also be booking their wedding once they got home. They'd decided on a small, family only affair at Kreuzlingen town hall in mid April, some time between the Malaysian Grand Prix and the Azerbaijan Grand Prix.   

They were currently on a flight to Japan. He'd managed to persuade Sav to leave the kids with his parents and accompany him to Suzuka to attend the Japanese Grand Prix. It would be the first race he had attended since his retirement.

The truth was he wasn't going there just to watch the race. He was going there to sign a three year contract with Mercedes. Lewis's retirement announcement had been made a couple of weeks earlier and gossip was flying around about who was going to replace him.

Seb and Toto both knew that if they were spotted anywhere near each other the press would throw Seb's name into the ring so they'd agreed to stay clear of each other at the track. The contract would be signed at a meeting in Toto's hotel suite on the Saturday night.

The only person at the track besides them and Mercedes that knew why they were there was Seb's good friend, Mick Schumacher, who he'd confided in.   Mick had managed to get them a couple of VIP passes to hang out in his team garage, so that would take the spotlight off of him a bit.  

He knew the press would still try to ask him questions, he'd been practically a recluse since his retirement, and he'd bet his last euro that Kym Illman would be trying to get photos of him and Savannah.  

The truth was he was hoping for it.  He wanted there to be pics of him and Savannah looking loved up, and hopefully that twat Christian would see it and get the message that Savannah wasn't his.   As far as he was concerned she was Seb's. 

He smiled as he thought of the surprise he had for Savannah in his suitcase.   He'd bought her an engagement ring.  He was going to give it to her that night after they'd checked into their suite.  

He'd seen it in the jeweller's window when he'd been into Zurich to see his lawyer about the pre-nup and he'd thought about how much it would suit her. It was a round aquamarine stone, almost the exact colour of her left eye, surrounded by tiny diamonds, set in a white gold band.