❥𝑹𝒆𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆

Chapter 46

The next morning
Monday

Charles

»Val!«
My high volumed voice echoed though half the house as I was waiting for my girlfriend to answer.

I heard quiet footsteps from afar, the coming closer, getting louder and louder until she was leaning in the doorframe.
»Yes, mi amor?«
She sounded nearly annoyed. But there was still some amusement in her voice to hear.

We were in the middle of packing. Our flight to the Bahrain circuit would be leaving in the next hours and we didn't manage to get out of bed until now.
Blanca stayed a while the evening before. It was actually fun chatting with Valerie's two siblings, even though I have known Carlos for a while now.

But as my thoughts wandered, that important conversation with Valerie still burned under my skin.

What if she'd get upset? What if she would think I arranged this on purpose? What if she wouldn't understand? What if she-
»Charles.«
Her impatient voice tore me out of my thoughts.

»Yes uhm," my gaze went over my suitcase, »do you know where my blue pullover with the white Ferrari lettering is?«
I faced her, gesturing with my hands.

She seemed to think about it for a quick moment.
»It might be over at my house.«

»Why would it be-?« My confusion was obviously amusing her.
»Maybe I borrowed it... temporarily.«

»Really?« I turned to my suitcase again, not waiting for an answer to my theoretical question.
Val used to do this alllll the time.

Whenever I opened my closet, a bunch of shirts or pullovers were missing.
But I loved to see them on her.

Valerie wanted leave the room again but I held her back by another question.
»Have you seen my light blue bracelet? I can't find it anywhere.«
»You and your bracelets...« she looked around, »but no, I haven't. But we'll find it eventually.«
»Yeah, probably.«
I wasn't satisfied with that. My bracelets were very important to me.
Gifts from family, friends, fans. I couldn't just go around losing them.

But alright, I hadn't got the time to look for it properly.

***

We said goodbye to my mom and my brothers and hopped on the plane together with Carlos and Andrea.
Leaving Monaco, it was always a little stitch to my heart.
Event though I would be visiting during the breaks, I was often far away from home.

But what can I say?
My eyes searched for Valerie. She sat down next to me, at the hallway.
She hasn't been to Spain in a long while, since the beginning of the season.

I promised myself that we would head there as soon as the next Grand Prix was over.
She deserved to spend time at home with her family, too.

While drowning in my thoughts, I felt her returning my rigid look.
My tongue burned, not being able to spit out what's been on my mind for too long.
I should've told her right away.

But now we were sitting in that plane for a couple of hours and I couldn't let her know, not with her brother and Andrea around.
Even though Andrea already knew.

It wasn't the right place to tell her that our worst nightmare made her way through the paddock again, looking forward to ruin our lives.

I smiled, trying to reassure her asking gaze.
Valerie returned it.
It made me smile even more.
Hers was magnificent, a true wonder of nature.
I could've looked at it for the next hours.