Mind the Gap

Chapter 2

landonorris: Grateful for nights like this. 🧡

Lando's POV

[6 months later]

The months following our brief encounter in Positano are a blur of races, media obligations, and endless travel. But no matter how packed my schedule gets, Ana is always in the back of my mind. I send a few messages, hoping to keep in touch, but she never replied.

Eventually, I convince myself that maybe she wasn't interested, that whatever potential I felt in Positano was just wishful thinking. I try to let it go, but deep down, I can't shake the feeling of what might've been.

Then, at a charity gala in Madrid, I find myself caught up in a conversation with Zak about the car updates we need for the upcoming Spanish Grand Prix. We're discussing the finer details of the new components when, out of the corner of my eye, I see her.

Ana.

My breath catches. Am I seeing things? I blink, but she's still there—standing across the room in a stunning emerald-green dress that hugs her figure perfectly. Her hair is swept to one side, revealing elegant earrings that shimmer under the lights. She looks every bit as poised and beautiful as I remember. My heart skips a beat.

"Hey, Lando, you still with me?" Zak's voice cuts through my thoughts.

"Yeah, sorry," I say, tearing my eyes away from her. "Got a bit distracted. Can we go over that last part again?"

Zak smirks knowingly. "Sure thing. But it looks like you've got someone else on your mind."

I shake my head, trying to play it off. "Just thought I saw someone I knew."

We wrap up our conversation, but I can't keep my eyes off Ana. She hasn't noticed me yet, deep in conversation with a group of people. I watch how she speaks with her hands, the way she leans in when she listens—every gesture so familiar yet completely captivating. It's as if no time has passed, and I feel that same mix of nerves and excitement I had in Positano.

Screw it. I'm not letting her slip away again.

"Ana?" I call out as I approach her.

She turns, her eyes widening in surprise. "Lando," she breathes, blinking as if she can't believe it. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"I can't believe it's you," I admit, unable to hide the relief and shock in my voice. "It's been so long."

For a split second, I think I catch a flicker of something in her eyes—sadness? Regret? Whatever it is, it's gone before I can place it.

She introduces me to the group she's with, and we exchange polite greetings. But my attention is glued to her. The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them.

"Can we talk?" I ask.

She hesitates, then nods. "Sure. Let's go outside?"

We navigate through the crowd and slip out into the garden. It's quieter here, away from the buzz of the gala, just the two of us under the glow of fairy lights strung through the trees.

"How are you?" she asks softly, her eyes scanning my face like she's searching for something.

"Got ghosted by a girl I met months ago," I tease, though my voice holds more seriousness than I intend. "You?"

She looks away, guilt flickering across her expression. "You wanted to talk?" she asks, sidestepping my question. "Lando, I'm sorry I didn't respond to your messages and calls," she says quietly. "I understand you must've been... frustrated."

"Why didn't you respond to me?" I ask, unable to keep the frustration from creeping into my voice. "For the record, I wasn't pissed—just confused. I thought we had a connection."

"We did," she murmurs, looking down at her hands. "But I wasn't sure if I could handle something like this... the age difference, the spotlight. I guess I'm used to being cautious."

"Cautious?" I repeat, baffled. "Ana, it's five years. You're 29, I'm 24. It's not like you're sixty and I'm a teenager."

She lets out a small, reluctant smile, but there's still conflict in her eyes. "It's more than just the age, Lando. You're in the public eye 24/7. I value my privacy. My work—everything I do is behind the scenes."

"I get that," I say earnestly. "But can't we at least try? We owe it to ourselves to find out what this could be."

Ana sighs, her gaze dropping to the ground. "I don't know," she admits softly. "It's not that I don't feel something. I do. But it's complicated. I don't really know you. We met once in Positano, had a great time, and then..."

"Then nothing," I finish for her, nodding slowly. "But I'd like to change that. I want to get to know you, Ana."

She looks up at me then, her eyes full of uncertainty and something else—something I can't quite name. "I'll think about it," she says finally, almost in a whisper.

It's not a promise, but it's something.

"Okay. Take all the time you need," I say, forcing a small smile.

We stand there for a moment longer, the silence heavy but not uncomfortable. Then we turn and walk back to the party, falling into step beside each other.

I stay a bit longer, mingling and making polite conversation with some of the guests, but my eyes keep drifting back to Ana. She moves through the room effortlessly, her presence commanding attention without her even trying. There's something magnetic about her, something that draws me in every time.

We exchange a few glances from across the room—subtle, fleeting looks that speak volumes. Maybe this isn't the end. Maybe there's still a chance.

As I return to my hotel that night, my phone buzzes. It's Ana. She's finally accepted my Instagram request. A grin spreads across my face.

Maybe it's a small step, but it feels monumental. A step forward in whatever this is... or could be.