The Last Chicane

Happy Tears

We spent most of the day on his boat. We played card games, sunbathed, he snorkeled for a bit. Which, I was a nervous wreck the whole time he snorkeled.

We were laying out on the back of the boat, him laying on his back and me on my stomach, when turned my head and asked him. "Truth or dare?"

"I'll say truth this time." He smiled at me.

I thought for a second. "Why did your last relationship end?" I didn't know much. After he had found out that I had googled him, I felt guilty. Guilty that his life is plastered all over the internet while if he wanted to know me, then he would have to ask me.

His face fell into a sorrowful look. "Alex... it was complicated. I met her during an interview last year at one of the Grand Prix's. She's an interviewer for Sky Sports. We hit it off during the interview. And not long after that we became public with our relationship. We dated for six months... and then I found out that she had been leaking information about me to SkySports so she could get a raise."

My chest twisted with pain from what he told me. Who would do that? Why would someone date another person and get close to them just to betray them for money?

Reaching out and lacing my fingers through his, "I'm sorry that happened to you. Being watched 24/7 must be difficult."

He stared at our hands locked together.
"It has its ups and downs. Unfortunately being a Formula 1 driver comes with the price of your privacy." He shrugged a shoulder at me like he had accepted it.

"But you shouldn't have to sacrifice your privacy. People should respect that of all things. You are a race car driver, and anything outside of that should be yours. Yours to decide what other people know about." And I meant that.

He looked at me like he was about to ask me something when my phone started ringing.

"Hold that thought." I said sighing.

Grabbing my phone I saw it was Tessa FaceTiming me. She should be at work, concern now taking root.

"Hey Tessa. Is everything alright?" I asked.

"Uh, Hey Blake. Listen. I need your help. I have this patient whose children are deaf and know ASL. The in house interpreter is with another patient right now. But it's pretty urgent, we are talking about code status. Do you mind interpreting for me?" She was calling in a favor. Of course I agreed, I promised I would help her no matter what, especially while I was on vacation.

"Of course. Let me just.... Find a shirt to throw on..." Glancing down at my bikini top. I went over to my bag and looked through it. My crop top wouldn't be appropriate enough either. Glancing over at Charles while he watches me walk around the deck, I spot his tshirt he had worn onto the boat.

"Mind if I...?" I pointed at his tshirt. He smirked and tossed it over to me. I pulled it on over my head, fixed my hair. Glancing at the shirt, it was a plain white t-shirt with the word"Ferrari" print on it in their famous handwriting.

Looking around, I tried to find the best place to prop my phone up so I could use both of my hands to sign. I could sign with one hand, but I hated doing that, it made me feel disconnected. After a couple of moments and being unsuccessful in finding a spot for my phone, Charles finally spoke up.

"Here just hand it to me and I'll hold it for you." He stood and walked over to me, grabbing my phone from my hands. 

"Thank you." I smiled at him. I positioned my phone in his hands until it was just right. 

"Okay Tessa, I'm ready. Just start talking and I'll interpret for you." Tessa disappeared from the phone, and suddenly I was seeing two people. They both appeared to be in their 50s, which meant the patient themselves had to be at least 70. 

Tessa and the doctor started talking to the family about the status of the patient, and the importance of having a code status. 

After approximately 30 minutes of interpreting for Tessa and the family, the family made the selfless decision to make the patient a DNR. All of the family's questions were answered, and finally they disappeared on the screen. A moment later, Tessa re-appeared. 

"B, thank you so much. You are a life saver." Tessa thanked me again. We couldn't stay on the phone for long, her having to get back to work. I promised I would FaceTime her later and catch her up on how my vacation is going, and we hung up. 

I retrieved my phone from Charles' hands, I was sure by now they were numb having held my phone for so long. 

"Thank you, I really owe you one." I smiled up at him. I realized I was still wearing his shirt, and reached for the hem of it to take it off when he reached out and grabbed my hand to stop me. 

I looked up at him and found him staring at me.

"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" I questioned.

"You..." he started, "you are incredible." 

"What? No, I'm not. I was just doing my job." I explained. I hated compliments. But he didn't know that.

He took a step closer to me and I looked down at our interlaced hands. How my hand fit perfectly within his. I saw all of the bracelets he wore, sure that some of them were given to him from fans. I saw the ring that he wears on his index finger, the one that he has worn every day since I've met him. I saw him. I didn't know everything about him, yet. But I was determined to find out. 

"No. I'm not talking about your job. You are more than your job. You are incredible. I've never met anyone like you." He reached up and brushed my cheek with his fingers. The moment was intimate, one that I craved.

Before I lost my nerve, I asked him. 

"Kiss me?"

He stared into my soul. Did I shock him? Does he not want to kiss me? Did I read this the wrong way?

He still hadn't moved. Now feeling extremely awkward, I went to pull away to give him some space. 

"I'm sorry, that was completely out of place. I shouldn't have said tha-" 

"Blake, stop talking." He grabbed the back of my neck, pulling me back so I was flush against him, and brought his lips to mine. It only lasted a few seconds, before he pulled away.

"Is this okay?" Charles hesitantly asked.

"Charles, stop talking." Was my only reply before I stood on my tip toes to kiss him again. I ran my hands through his hair. The kiss started out featherlight, but as the seconds went by, the more it intensified. His lips were warm and soft, sending heat down into my core.

We broke the kiss, both panting and out of breath. I dropped down from standing on my tip toes, but still not wanting to break contact with him. 

I opened my eyes at the same time he did. 

Unsure of what to say or do next, I turned my head to rest my cheek on his chest as he wrapped his arms around my shoulders. 

We stood like that for a while, before I finally built up the courage to ask the question that hung in the air.

"So, what are we now..? And where do we go from here?" I muttered, hardly able to say the words. Because the truth was, I was scared. What if he didn't want to see where this went? I mean, I was going back home in a week after all. His racing season hasn't even started yet, and reality was fixing to pull us apart. 

"I want this, I know it is going to be difficult once you go back home and my season starts. But there is no one else that I would rather be with. We will figure it out, if this is what you want as well?" he asked.

I looked back up at him, fresh tears starting to pool. 

His eyes widened. "What's wrong?"

I reached up and kissed his cheek. "These are happy tears. Pinky promise. I want this. I want you. I want to be here for you. I want to know everything there is to know about you."

He smiled at me, and I smiled back.

Best day ever.