Sitting In Traffic | Formula 1

Chapter 78- Rebranding

Riley was laying in her hotel room bed while Max was getting ready for the grid dinner. She was sending a few emails to Kevin and her mom about JC's lately. Her mom was only responding to emails, no texts that she was sending through. They always kept their work life and family life separate. Riley didn't even bother apologizing about what happened over email.

"Are you ready" Max walked out of the bathroom, finishing the buttons on his shirt.

"Almost" She said, "I just need to finish this last email"

"Can you do it in the car?"

"Max I'm almost done" Riley said, starting to feel rushed as she typed faster. "I'm trying to rebrand, I don't want it to be Jonah's Compass anymore"

"Don't you think that might start a feud between you and Rachel again?" Max asked, watching as Riley hit send on the email and closed her computer.

"Probably," Riley sat up, "But I want to make another location, Josie set money aside for me to do that" She was using that building to hold onto Jonah. Riley needed and wanted to let go of it. She loved the restaurant and the bar, but it didn't feel like hers anymore. She wanted to renovate, maybe make it into a bakery like Josie's business was. She could use the old recipes, they were all family ones. Riley would just have to dig around for them.

"One in Monaco?" Max asked, standing up while Riley put her heels on.

"No way" She laughed, "It would not be fancy enough for Monaco"

"I think you could pull it off" He started walking around the room to grab Riley's phone for her, sliding it in his blazer pocket.

"We'll see... I think for what I have pictured would work well in France too" She told him, "Maybe I could renovate an old barn or something"

"We could do that" Max said, walking to the door and opening it for Riley.

"With what free time" Riley asked him, she knew she'd end up doing this herself. If Max wanted to help with hands on things he could, but she knew he would be busy with racing. This would give her something to do rather than chasing everyone around the world for races.

"Between races" Max sighed, putting his hand in hers as they walked out of the hotel room. "I could figure it out"

"You know this would mean I can't go to every race" Riley told him, it wasn't like she wouldn't watch them all. It would just be different for everyone without her there. "I'd want to actually work at the store. That's why I want a new location, I miss it"

"As long as you come to my home race and the last one of the season" He told her, walking to the elevator. Riley let go of his hand halfway down the hallway. The honeymoon phase was fading away after being glued to each other's hips. Riley wanted her own hand for the moment.

"I'll go to more than that" She looked at Max who was distracted by the voices coming from down the hall. "It would be another year or two before we'd open the place anyways"

Max quickly pressed the elevator button when he saw Lando walking out of Daniel's room. He didn't have anything prepared to say to Lando yet. Riley followed Max into the elevator, slightly upset that their conversation had ended. She knew it would come back up again though, it was just a matter of when.

The doors closed before Daniel and Lando were even halfway down the hallway. Riley looked up at Max, watching him hide his frustration towards Lando for a brief moment. Riley was frustrated too, but there wasn't anything she could do about the jokes he's already made.

"Can I wear your blazer tonight?" Riley asked Max, "I kind of regret wearing something strapless"

"Yeah" Max started slipping his jacket off for Riley. "Have you ever hooked up with Lando?" Max asked Riley unsurely. He just didn't know where the sudden comments from Lando had come from.