Knock Me Down

Chapter Two

'So, what brings you to Monaco, Kat?' He leans in to ask. I wish he wouldn't do that, his proximity seems to scramble my brain cells.

'A client of mine is wanting to sell their current flat here and upgrade to a bigger place, they're having a baby so need at least one extra bedroom....i'm an estate agent' I clarify when I see the puzzled look on his face.

'Ah, right, I see' he nods.

'I sold their house in the UK for them' I explain further 'and during our time working together I told them how much I love F1, so when they asked me to come out here and look at properties for them, they suggested that I tie it in with the grand prix. They've always made sure to stay away that weekend, said the place gets too crazy but they knew I'd love it. I'll whittle properties down over the next couple of weeks to a short list and then they'll come and make the final decision.'

'Wow, that's so cool. So, what are you doing with your spare time whilst you're here?'

'I've been exploring and I'm going to go to Nice for the day I think, maybe do some shopping. Any other suggestions? Seeing as you're a local now'

'Well, seeing as you're an F1 fan you'll need to go to the top cars collection, walk the track route if you haven't already and the Jardins Saint-Martin is always worth a stroll, its very serene and enables you to escape the bustle of the city for a while. Oh, and if you fancy the hike Tete de Chien is worth the view.'

'Thanks, Lando, I'll add them to my list.'

'So, presumably, you know alot about me' he chuckles 'so it's only fair you tell me abit more about yourself, seeing as we may be here for a little while.' 

'I only know what Wikipedia tells me' I point out 'and what you allow the world to see. But, ok. The short version? I'm a divorced mother of two soon to be teenagers, I run my own business and we live in Wiltshire.'

'That is not a Wiltshire accent' he states.

'You don't exactly sound like you're from Bristol' I snigger. 

'Touche' he admits

'Actually, i'm not from Wiltshire. We moved there for my ex-husbands job. I'm orinally from Cambridgeshire.'

'Ah, thats makes more sense.'

'What's that meant to mean!' i exclaim

'Just that you sound less farmer and more.... George Russell' he snorts. 

'He is quintessentially British isn't he?' I can't help but giggle. 

'So, tell me about your kids, what are they like? Girls or boys' 

'One of each. Oliver is the oldest, he's nearly thirteen. He's at that teenage boy stage, you know, where he stays in his room gaming, curtains shut and his room has that distinct boy smell' i gag. 'Paige is my youngest, she's nearly eleven. And she is the complete opposite to her brother. She's stubborn and headstrong, talks for England and is a complete magpie. She's at that stage where she's in to make up and her room smells like a flower shop'

'Chalk and cheese then. Must have been hard to leave them behind'

'It was' i pause. 'But they're with their Dad so I know they're safe and they'll be having an amazing time with him.'

'Sounds like you have a good relationship with him still'

'We do. We didn't split up because anything was wrong or because one of us did something wrong. We just grew apart... But he's a great Dad and we share custody 50/50. These 3 weeks away for me are kind of payback, if you like, for all the times I looked after the kids, on my own, while he way away with work'

'Did he go away alot?'

'Urm... at different times he did. He did Afghan in 2013 and then when he came back they sent him to Canada. He's done Kenya and various other places. Then from 2015 we lived married unaccompanied so he lived away at camp during the week and only came home at weekends.'

'Wow, sounds like you were a de facto single mum for most of your time together.'

'It sometimes felt like that.'

He suddenly clears his throat and looks nervous, 'Can I take you out to dinner tonight, apologise properly?'

'You don't have to do that!' I assure him.

'Maybe not, but I want to. I'd like to get to know you abit better. I'll pick you up at 8?'

'Lando... i'm old enough to be your mother.'

'I don't care. I enjoy talking to you. Makes me feel, normal. Like I can forget about the fans that will undoubtably be waiting for me outside. In here, i'm just Lando, talking to an attractive woman'

'Ok, but only on one condition' I murmur

'What's that?' he leans in closer to hear me

'You bring the McLaren' I laugh.