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10. Dinner Talk

At 8pm Olivia was leaving her hotel room wearing a simple blue dress she had bought that day, low nude heels and her hair was in the same loose waves it had been during the day. The makeup as simple and natural as before. She took the elevator to the restaurant floor and when she asked the hostess for a table she led her to the table where Charles was already waiting for her.

"Liv, you look amazing as always" said Charles standing up and kissing her on the cheek. He pulled back the chair for her so she could sit.

"Thanks Charles, you don't look so bad yourself" she said with a smile.
They both sat down, started talking and looking at the menu. Charles started telling Liv this funny story about his karting days and the petty feuds the young drivers had with each other.

About 15 minutes after they sat down, somebody approached their table.

"Oh hey guys, fancy seeing the two of you here" said Max stopping by the table.

"Hey mate, we were just grabbing some dinner" answered Charles cheerfully. Liv tensed up, she knew this was no coincidence.

"Oh good, I'm starving" he said as he pulled up a chair from the table next to theirs and sat on it. After seeing Olivia's and Charles' uncomfortable faces he added "it's okay if I join you right? I was just going to have dinner by myself" he said looking at Charles with an innocent face.

"Uh... yeah sure why not? We cannot let you eat all alone" said Charles falling for his act, then he turned to Liv "it's okay right?"

"How can I say no?" She said with a forced tight lipped smile on her face and looking directly at Max.

"So what were you two talking about?" asked Max.

"I was telling Liv about the olden karting days, you remember?" said Charles.

"Oh of course, did you tell her about the inCHIdent?" said Max laughing.

"Oh God no" said Charles and he hid his face in his hands, his smile disappeared from his face.

"What is the incident?" asked Liv curiously.

"You don't know about the inCHIdent?! Oh Olivia you gotta know this story..." and Max started telling Olivia about this time when they were karting and Charles had pushed him off the track. The short interview they did afterwards went viral now that were both in F1 and people loved quoting Charles. 

Against her will, Olivia was actually laughing, and throughout the dinner she actually had a nice time. She was trying so hard to not mind Max and focus solely on Charles, however it was incredibly difficult since Max kept interrupting and Olivia couldn't help but feel this magnetic pull towards him. 

During the middle of dinner Charles stood up "excuse me for a moment guys, i'll be right back" and he headed towards the men's bathroom.

"You look pretty tonight" Max said quietly looking up at her and then back to his plate of food. 

Olivia took a deep breath "What are you doing?" she asked to Max.

"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything" he said raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders, acting like he had no idea what she was on about.

"You know exactly what I mean, you knew I was having dinner with Charles" she said.

"Well yes, that I did, but I did not know the place. That was purely fate intervening" he said trying hard not to smile.

"Fate huh? Is that another one of your middle names?" she said daringly into his eyes, but there was still a sparkle in those dark eyes, he could see it.

"It's actually a second last name" he said jokingly while nodding. 

Olivia couldn't help but let out a little laugh, as much as she hated to admit it there was still something there. They just had a connection like no other, they complemented each other. She tried to put an end to it.

"So where's your girlfriend?" she asked seriously.

"I really need to talk to you about that Olivia, it's just a longer conversation, it's not that simple" he said.

"I wouldn't expect it to be simple" she said.

Max let out a sigh "I really haven't been able to stop thinking about you. I know I made a huge mistake, please give me a chance to explain. Meet me tomorrow at 7 am? I know it's early but that way we can get a chance to talk properly before leaving for the paddock" he said pleadingly.

"Alright, I'll see you at 7 am, i'll give you a chance to explain. Mainly because I may go crazy if I never learn the truth" she said.

"What did I miss?" said Charles cheerfully getting back to the table.

"Not much, Max was saying he was just leaving. He's got an early morning tomorrow" said Liv with a daring smile in Max's direction.

"What? Surely not before dessert" said Charles a little disappointed. Even though Max had crashed his date, he was having a lot of fun.

"You know what? I really have never been able to say no to a good cheesecake" said Max grabbing the dessert menu and and flashing a smile in Liv's direction. 

After dinner was over they all headed to the elevator.

"I'll walk you to your room Liv" said Charles with a kind smile on his face.

"Oh Charles I forgot I need to borrow something from your room, actually" said Max quickly.

"What do you need to borrow?" asked Charles genuinely confused.

"Your... your hair gel" said Max.

"I'll give it to you tomorrow" said Charles with a little laugh. 

The elevator arrived at the lobby and they all hopped on. 

"I really need it right now though" said Max "Olivia what floor are you in?" he asked her.

"Uh, the 7th" she replied a little confused by what was going on.

"Great your floor is on our way up, we are both on the 9th. We'll just drop you off and then you can give me that hair gel Charles".

Charles looked a little bit bummed "Alright Max".

The three of them got off the elevator on the 7th floor and the two drivers walked Olivia to her room, she felt like she had a couple of body guards. 

"Well this is me" she said while awkwardly gesturing to her room number, the 722.

"I had so much fun Liv, let's do this again" said Charles with a smile while giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Max hopped in "Really, so much fun, we really do have to do this again" he said making his way closer to Olivia and grabbing her shoulders while leaning in to kiss her cheek. Olivia could smell his lotion and she had flashes of the night they had spent together. The moment Max kissed her cheek she felt like her cheek was on fire.

Max just stood in front of her for a moment and they looked at each other. Then he finally reacted and turned to Charles and patted him on the back "Okay mate, let's go" and he guided Charles towards the elevator.

Once they reached the 9th floor and they got off the elevator Charles said "my room is this way" signaling to the right.

"Oh you know what? I just remembered I did bring hair gel with me. Stupid me, I had forgotten. Thanks anyway mate, good night!" said Max with a bright smile as he walked towards the left corridor to his own hotel room.