Ready or Not?

28.

By the time we had gotten back, Max was already finished with his physio, so I could enjoy dinner with him , just us, which is something that hasn't happened for a while.

"Max can you pass over the gravy please?"

"Why don't you ask Lando? He seems super helpful these days" Max sneered, this was the attitude from my brother I wasn't looking forward to, but expected. It was also not the first one for the evening, he's been like this all night.

"Okay then, just speak to me when you remember who it is your speaking to..." I grabbed my bag I had already packed for this reason and walked over to Lando's place. The gate I normally used was open so I just headed straight through and over to the garden door to see if he would be willing to let me in.

I passed through the side door like usual and found a candlelit set up in Lando's kitchen. Shit. Shit. Shit. He must have had a girl over and I had just stormed in, so I quickly turned around but I was too late.

"Lia! You're on time, just leave your bags there, dinner is nearly ready. What can I get you to drink?" Lando was wearing an apron once again, his hair flopped over his brows and one of his curls was defying gravity like usual. I was both confused and in adoration of the efforts that he had gone too, he must have known me better than I thought. I sat myself on the counter whilst Lando poured me my favourite pinot.

"Lando you didn't have to do anything special, I just needed a break from Max again."

"I know I didn't have to, but I wanted to, there's no wrong in that is there?" His soft brown eyes met mine, he just knew how to make me feel all fuzzy inside. I had to be strong for both my professional and personal life here, if I cross the line it will ruin everything I have worked so hard for. I block out all those feeling for the rest of the night and enjoy the lasagne Lando had made for us. After the food, I washed up whilst he sat in his sim room, this gave me time to reply to some of my messages to, a task I recently found myself avoiding.

Carlos ❤️ 12 new notifications

Lance S 3 new notifications

Maximus 2 new notifications

Joe RB 1 new notification

I wasn't really sure what I wanted to address first so I decided to see what Joe had to say since I had left

Joe RB

Heyy, just checking in with you! Let's meet up for drinks soon you'll know where to find me

I love Joe's happy go lucky ways

Hello stranger! I'm good, I will sneak into RB hospitality to meet up for our terrace drinks once again soon. Just busy settling in here at McLaren atm. See you soon xx

I opened Carlos' messages next, these were paragraphs upon paragraphs and then a final statement.

Carlos ❤️

We need to talk...

It was this behaviour that infuriated me about Carlos, because why am I now on the edge of my seat because I don't know what topic of conversation is about to be had with him.

I decided it was best to call him and clear whatever it was we needed to speak about.

"Natalia, how are you? How was your first day back"

"Carlos it was okay, and I'm okay. What's going on with you? What did you want to talk about?"

"Well, I want to speak about you, I just wanted to tell you that..."

I had butterflies, it was either that or the lasagne didn't sit well in my tummy

"Err Carlos, are you still there?"

"...yeah. I just wanted to tell you that you deserve better than everything that has happened to you"

"You have been through so much shit. You don't deserve any of it. And I guess I am here for you if you needed me"

"Oh that' s so kind of you to say Carlos, thank you"

"Was there anything else or ...."

"No no, I'll see you in Ibiza at the villa like last year right?"

"Yeah I think Lando said he'll take me so I better start packing, see you there"

He hung up quicker than I could say bye, but I guess there's no time to spare when you're an f1 driver. I know he always means well, but I can't commit to anyone in this paddock at the moment until things with Lance settle. I need my name out of the mouths of the media and away from the insta gossip pages. They have wrote so many atrocious lies about me this past week so whilst we are on a break away from the paddock I need to recoup my thoughts and come back stronger. Even more so now that I know my brother is being a prick too.

I eventually decided to come upstairs to find Lando making me my bed, it was funny watching him attempt to fit the corners in the duvet. This proved to me how much he has had done for him all these years, nobody had taught him the ways.

"Hey stop laughing and come help"

"Please"

"Only because you asked so nicely, I will"

His hands were inside the duvet cover, so I grabbed the actual duvet and thread it through his arms. I got him to hold it open whilst I pushed it fully through, whilst I had bent over I could feel more of Lando than I had initially anticipated. He shuffled himself away from my ass, which was for the best for both of us. We finished setting the bed up and both collapsed over our hard work.

"I can't believe you do this every week. How do you have the energy?"

"Honestly it's a weekly ritual, you'll get used to at some point."

I flopped over to face Lando who was already staring into my soul. His eyes met mine and we sat in silence. This is something I could have easily done for hours if it hadn't been for my serious lack of energy. He stroked my hair and must have tucked me in because I felt cosier and comfier than I ever had before. Lando was such a good guy and such a good friend, I just can't let things get too far like last summer. I have learnt my lesson since then and know better than to mess with his feelings like that ever again