Forbidden

35. Dinner with an Ex

"So, Patito what are you doing here?" asked Liv inside the motor home. 

"Checo told me he had already told you I would be here" said Pato looking confused.

Olivia thought for a moment, shit he was right. Checo had told her about it but with everything going on she must have forgotten.

When Liv stayed quiet with her eyes wide open and a forced smile on her face Pato said "WOW Liv, that hurts my feelings, you forgot?!" he said jokingly "and here I was excited to spend your birthday with you" he said. 

"Yeah, there's really no birthday celebration" she said.

"What do you mean? Of course we need to celebrate your birthday! It's a quarter of a century! You are getting old Liv" said Pato, who was barely a couple of years younger than her.

"Ha - ha we are basically the same age shut up" she said throwing a piece of toast at him. "Besides, Sunday is race day so if we win there will be a team dinner" she shrugged.

"Okay, then at least let me take you to dinner then. Tonight" he said with a bright smile. 

Liv saw the smile she knew all too well "You are never going to take no for an answer are you?" she asked as a smile peaked through her lips.

Pato's smile grew wider "Oh you know me so well" he giggled. "We should get all dressed up and go have a real dinner, I will plan everything" he said. 

"Alright then, 8 o'clock?" agreed Liv.

"Sounds great!" he said brightly. "So tell me Liv, what is the deal with Max Verstappen? Because as much as I wanted to meet him I didn't expect a direct Q&A about us two " said Pato leaning in closer to Liv. 

Olivia tried to lie "Yeah I don't know, no idea" she shrugged as she ate a bite of toast. 

Pato was looking at her directly and a smile peaked through "What's the point of lying Liv? I know all of your tells" he said shaking his head with a small laugh.

"What are you talking about! I have no tells!" Liv laughed, she couldn't suppress her smile. 

"You can never just lie, you always start blinking too much and you occupy yourself.. like with food" he said as he pointed to the toast she was bringing back to her mouth.

Olivia almost spat out the toast as she started laughing, he was right, she always did that. Things hadn't worked out for Liv and Pato in the past but after the last few difficult months she was glad to see him, he could always make her smile. 

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After media day, Olivia went back to the hotel and got ready for her date with Pato. Was it a date? She thought it was. However dates with Pato felt familiar, it wasn't something new or something that made her nervous, he basically had been her best friend for about 8 years until they had broken up recently. So for her, going to dinner with Pato was just a nice night to spend with someone who she had known for forever. 

Olivia decided to wear her favorite dress, which Pato had gifted her during her last birthday but which she never wore because it was so beautiful she was scared something would happen to it. It was this short dress, completely beaded in black, with golden beaded fireflies and flowers. She put on some black strappy heels, her hair was down and in curls, and her usual makeup had an added golden eye shadow and brown eyeliner. 

Once the elevator arrived to her floor she was frozen on the spot as the doors opened and inside she found Checo, Carola and Max.