Off the Track Series Book 3
An unexpected twist of fate finds Charlotte spending a late night turned early morning with Max Verstappen. The only catch - He doesn't even touch her, but they do touch each others hearts. After a lifetime of getting it...
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As it turns out no amount of wishing, anxiety, prays or money can stop time from moving.
So despite me dragging ever minute for days on end to avoid the one reaction I'm so worried about, we're still seated here at brunch with Charles and Amelia.
I had ever intention of a time jump instead, but some dreams really don't come true.
Every second in the car on the way here without telling him was a hell of my own making, the words on the tip of my tongue begging for release every time my mouth dared to open. Right up until my car door opened I was forcing the words down, but ever since we've got here my nerves have taken over and now it's the one thing I can't seem to bring up.
I'm not alone either.
After talking about anything else except the news at hand Amelia and I manage to make it all the way until our cups arrive before she works up the guts to bring it up. When she does I can physically see it bursting on her, the urge to share. So the literal second the waiter leaves with the tea cart, Amelia starts work both on her customary job of fixing tea for the group as well as on the news we promised to share today. "Well, Cat and I got you both wedding presents." She says with her eyes on the tea, away from the boys.
Bloody hell, here we go.
All I can do is nod, eyes on my hands in my lap. Anywhere but Max really.
"Us?" Charles turns in his seat to his wife, even in my peripheral I can tell he's confused by the timing. He can't possibly keep track off all the presents as meticulously as she does, but even he knows the wedding was weeks ago so any gift would be late.
Or early depending on how you look at it.
"What is it?" Max asks me more than Amelia.
"It.. It won't arrive for around nine months." I can barely whisper.
"Eight months?" Max asks, not clicking yet "What kind of gift takes nine months..."
"Seven." Amelia chimes in on her case, our timelines more definite after she forced me to see a female doctor she smuggled into the ferrari paddock under wraps this week.
As both their words drift away, so do my eyes to his confirming what he thinks.
"We're having a baby." A tear falling from my eyes as I confess, feeling immediate relief just telling him. Max is unreadable at the moment, appearing totally stunned as if I'd just said the sky was purple instead of blue after all this time.
"So are we!" Amelia says across the table, in a voice far less nervous than me, having years to back their relationship at this point. Charles is so thrilled he scoops her out of her chair nearly knocking out the tea in the process of swinging her around.
They are both so happy it's touching.
If not for the frozen man next to me, I'd be the same.
Would I?
What is the man thinking? To be honest the fact I'm still unsure is seconds away from confirming my worst fears. Please no, say something Max I beg without a word, eyes only, as each second passes with the intensity of an hour.
He doesn't see the question in my eyes.
Instead Max is just sat there, eyes scanning me up and down for changes that haven't taken place yet, body frozen to the point I am seconds away from pure panic. Surely he's not angry I didn't tell him yesterday after the proposal? Perhaps I should have but... "Max?" Reaching out to touch his leg, "You alright?"
Feels like a dumb question when the man is clearly shocked speechless.
Unexpected news, to say the least.
His beautiful head tilts then nods, studying me while meeting my eyes again so I can tell his are rapidly filling will tears, "We're going to be parents?"
Gulping down anticipation I nod, shocked at his tears. Is he sad... or?
"Isn't that fucking crazy? Suddenly I love you a hundred times more. We're going to be a family.." he says quiet, voice full of awe. Eyes brimming with emotion that reflects my own. Probably because of the conviction in his voice or the sincerity in his eyes, tears I've been holding in since the moment my test came back suddenly flood my flushed cheeks. "Move in with me?"
Laughter escapes behind my tears not at his question but at how we've gotten all the steps so out of order. Most people move in before having a baby or marriage, not us. Nothing if not unconventional the wrong way still got us to the right result.
Love. "Oh baby, there's not getting rid of me now." Smiling into a kiss.
All I can do is smile, heart filled with more love than I would have ever imagined humanely possible. His excitement washes me in relief for the first time in days. For the first time in a long time I really dare to believe everything is going to turn out good.
