Deals with Daisy // LN4

47 ~ Paris

Daisy's POV

Paris was good on the whole but the first couple of days were rough. I'll confess that I had quickly fallen back into a couple of nasty habits and spent the first two days at different hotel bars drinking in a desperate attempt to try and forget the stupid mistake I'd made by telling Max. What really hadn't helped with this was the fact that I had not picked up my hoodie from my bed but Lando's and with no other jacket with me, I was stuck wearing it for the first 48 hours of leaving which didn't help at all with sorting through any complex emotions at all.

With the drinking came the return of the smoking which I had previously managed to stop shortly before dating Laurent. I couldn't get my mind to slow down which then went on to make sense after I got a call from Lando a couple of days in, to reveal that I'd left my meds with him. After that revelation I was able to go to the pharmacy and request an emergency prescription for the various medications I needed to stay sane. This was especially good because it meant I was back on track to not need alcohol to stop the tingling in my fingers, which was necessary for my liver after that many days in a spiral. After that there was a day of sleeping and getting my body and mind semi-regulated again, I had the sense to call Laurent back after many missed calls.

Paris was made even better when Laurent came to visit after a couple of days off from filming in Rome. I don't really know why that wasn't my first thought when I did the runner but I was happy with the choice because it was perfect. We did every romantic thing that anyone could ever wish to do in Paris and I actually switched off from work for the most part - not completely but enough that Laurent didn't seem to feel the need to glare at my phone each time it buzzed.

By the time I was headed to Paul Riccard I had relaxed so well that I had a brand new LV suitcase filled with almost every designer you can imagine just because Laurent was so excited that I'd taken the time off and invited him to the most romantic city in the world. I was golden in the girlfriend books but I had to get ready for the come down now because now I had to face the music - I had to see Max, Lando and Elena because this race was one of the only ones this season that she could make it to. I couldn't remember ever being so nervous to see Lando and quite frankly I was freaking out. I knew he wanted a better explanation but I didn't really have anything other than I was drunk and I overreacted.

I was waiting for Lando in the car park under the french sun - happy that I was wearing a green mini skirt and white t-shirt combination that was low key for me. I'd come here direct from the train station so that we could walk in together with minimal coordination issues because we'd agreed that it would be best given there were some chatty people at his party and rumours were spreading about a falling out between us. Not that it is any of the rest of the world's business but alas here we are. I'm just glad that the rumours of us both cheating on our partners were finally in the bin for the most part.

While waiting for Lando to appear, I lean against a post towards the back of the car park and pull out the cigarette that I'd been craving since I had woken up this morning. The come down from the party Laurent and I had attended at some fancy French club last night was beginning to hit me quite hard and I just needed something to help draw me back into reality. Also it was helping to calm the nerves that still resided in every cell of my body.

"Ugh, that's so disgusting," I hear Lando whine a few minutes later before I see him and I turn around to see him frowning at me. I take a drag of the cigarette and just watch him for a moment as he stays far enough away so as to not get hit with the smoke before I take a final drag of the cigarette, letting it fall to the floor and stamp it out for safety, just taking in the way he looks. Other than a little nervous - he seems good. Tanned and well dressed as he so often was now - especially on a media day as he could relax in those clothes for as long as he wanted. We were actually loosely matching as he had a matching sage green t-shirt and white shorts on and it was looking really coordinated when you take into consideration the shoes we were both sporting.