The Only Man I Ever Loved

🧚‍♀️T W E N T Y E I G H T🧚‍♀️

'Estella, you look absolutely beautiful.' Kelly stood from the table to greet me as we entered the restaurant.

'Kelly. Stop you are literally a walking angel.' I pulled her into a hug. 'You look dashing as always Max.' I smiled when I finished my hug with Kelly.

'Thank you Estella. You do look really good. It's so nice to see you.' Max smiled warmly at me.

'How is the book coming along?' Kelly asked me once a glass on wine was placed in front of me. I wasn't sure if I was supposed to drink it. Then I remembered Adriana's words 'I want you to live like the old Estella Montgomery.'

'I have really got round to writing more chapters, with everything that has gone one.' I half smile, taking a sip, I felt Charles hand on my thigh to calm me down.

'I feel like I haven't seen you in ages Estella. What have you been up to?' Max questioned me. Nobody had seen me since Monza, I had been under the radar keeping myself to myself, scared to break anything I touched.

'Just surviving.' I responded with a smile. Charles and Max were having a catch up whist Kelly and I did the same. Kelly was giving me the low down of everything that had happened whilst I had been away from the formula one scene. The food came and shortly once we were finished, it was time to pay the bill and part ways. But I didn't want to go home and slip back into the depression.

'Where are you guys heading?' I questioned max and Kelly as we stepped out of the restaurant.

'We are going to go to a club.' Max responded. 'You two are more than welcome to join?'

I glanced over to Charles who I had barely spoke to all evening. He gave me a reassuring nod. 'Yeah sounds good.' I responded, following Max and Kelly down the street.

***********************

My ears were ringing. I had forgotten how loud it can be in the clubs. Kelly and I were six shots deep already and we were up in the dance floor, dancing the night away whilst Max and Charles stood watching us with smiled on there faces.

'I've missed this.' I shouted to Kelly over the music.

'I know. I've missed you. It's so good to see you. To see you smiling.' Kelly came closers pulling me into a hug. We collectively decided that we needed more alcohol following through our veins. We headed up to the bar and we saw Max and Charles having a conversation with some other people. We placed our order and waited.

I could hear a high pitched laugh, that sent a shiver down my spine. It came from the left hand side of me, the side to where Charles was standing. I took the drinks from the bartender and wandered over to Charles. I could see a group of women standing with to two men. I glanced over to Kelly who was sharing the same thoughts as me.

'Hey.' Charles smiled at me as he saw us approaching. His smile was wide and he was happy to see me.

'Hello my love.' I smiled back at him handing him his drink. I waited for him to take a sip and then I pulled him in for a kiss. 'Dance with me?' I questioned once we pulled away.

Before Charles could answer, one of the girls spoke up. 'Erm, who are you?' She questioned me.

I looked over to Kelly, who was trying not to laugh at this girls confidence. 'I am his girlfriend. Who the hell are you?' I say reaching to hold my boyfriend's hand.

'His girlfriend?' The girl raised her eyebrow at me, pointing to Charles.

'Yeah. And you are?' I asked again not liking her ignorance. 'Are you his bodyguard?' She shook her head. 'Oh wait I know! You're a groupie!' I gasped and she didn't like that. 'Let's go dance Charlie.' I pulled him towards the dance floor.

'You handled that better then I ever imagined.' Charles shout when all four of us were on the dance floor.

'I understand that you have a large fan base that are girls. Girls who would do anything to be in my position. I trust you.' I smile at Charles.

'I was ready to fight.' Kelly interrupted 'But Stel had it under control.'

****************

We had been dancing for hours and we were just getting drunker and drunker. Truth be told I wasn't ready to go home yet.

Charles was by my side all night occasionally checking on me. It was like the last 3 months hadn't happened.

'Charles.' I grab him and pull him close. 'I love you.' I hadn't been able to say it yet. I knew I loved him. I had always loved him. He was the only man I ever loved for crying out loud. Charles had been patient with me and I was grateful for that.

'I love you Stelly.' He pulled me for a kiss, a deep passionate kiss. Those 3 words must have been like music to his ears.

'You made me a promise.' I say to him, not sure if he could remember his promise. I knew he wouldn't remember and I am supirised I could with everything that I had happened.

'I made you a promise.' He raised an eyebrow, still keeping up to our dancing that was matching the beat. 'Go on.'

'When we were twelve.' I start but he quickly interrupts me.

'I asked you to marry me. You told me I was stupid because kids cannot get married. I promised you when we turned eighteen I would marry you.' Charles cupped my cheeks as he spoke to me.

'You didn't keep your promise, Mr Leclerc.' I raised my eyebrows at him.

'I didn't.' He responded. We carried on dancing for a few moments until I found my words.

'Marry me.' I blurted out. Charles had received the message, and I was watching him processing the information I had just announced. I couldn't work out what his reaction was going to be.

'I'm supposed to ask you that.' Charles finally speaks. Although we were in a club, the silence between us was becoming deafening.

'Sorry, that was stupid.' I half laugh, I was stupid to even say something like that.

'You want to marry me?' Charles said in disbelief.

'Of course Charles. You are the only man I've ever loved.' I chuckled, I kept laughing because I felt extremely awkward, all of a sudden the the alcohol had worn off.

'Estella, all I have ever dreamed of is you making you my wife.' Charles said with a beam appearing across his face.

'All you have ever dreamed of it making it to formula one and driving for Ferrari.' I smiled back at him.

'Stop being sarky with me Estella Montgomery.' Charles comes closer to me wrapping his arm around me.

'Let's make a deal.' I say to him. 'If we remember this conversation in the morning, we will fly to Vegas and get married.' I extend my hand for him to shake.

'Oh you are so one Miss Montgomery.' Charles immediately shakes my hand.

'What are you guys up to?' Max appearing with a very drunk Kelly.

'I think we are going to Vegas,' Charles laughs

'What right now?' Max asked, very intrigued but the conversation he had just entered.