With a lot of encouragement from Sophie, Aimee had eventually unblocked Lando's number. That had been three days ago though, and she still hadn't plucked up the courage to call him.
Because what was she going to say? It wasn't like she really deserved his forgiveness.
Sophie's words stuck in her head. 'What do you want Aimee?' She'd asked it like it was such a simple question.
And perhaps in some sense it was.
She wanted the life she'd let herself imagine with Lando. She wanted her job back with McLaren. She wanted to enjoy the race weekends the way she had when she'd first started the job, when it had been so exciting nothing could compare.
She didn't want to spend her whole life thinking about what could've been.
Her phone buzzed quietly with an incoming message, this time from Lily.
Just checking in, I hope you're okay.
Give me a call some time?
Aimee stated at the message for a minute. Another wave of guilt hit her for how she'd treated Lily, who had been nothing but good to her.
I'm okay, and I'm really sorry.
I'll explain, I just need some time.
Tell Lando I'm sorry? I never meant to
hurt him.
The response was almost instant.
Where are you? Why don't we get together
next week? You still owe me a spa day!
I'm at my parents.
Can I give you a call next week instead?
****
"What do you mean you spoke to Aimee?" Lando asked, looking up at Lily with a mix of disbelief and hope.
"I've been texting her every now and then just to check in." Lily explained. "She never replies, but today she did."
"What did she say?" Lando asked eagerly.
Lily pulled her phone out, turning the screen around to show Lando. He must've re read the messages five times.
If she was sorry and she needed time, did that mean that perhaps there was still some hope?
"Don't start calling her." Lily warned, seeing from his facial expression exactly what he was about to do. "If she needs time then give it to her."
Lando groaned in frustration, throwing his phone back down on the floor. "What am I supposed to do in the meantime?"
"Carry on with that." Oscar chimed in, pointing at the furniture Lando had been assembling.
Lando sighed, picking up the screwdriver again. "When you two invited me over I didn't realise the catch was I had to assemble all your furniture." He huffed. "Do I need to speak to Zak about giving you a pay rise so you can afford furniture that doesn't come out of a box?"
Oscar laughed. "Talk to Lily, she's the one who ordered it."
"Oh come on, you know you missed us over summer break really." Lily laughed. "How was your trip with Carlos?"
"It rained the entire time and he beat me by a mile." Lando rolled his eyes. "Why of all places he chose to spend his summer in Scotland in the rain I don't know."
"You'll never convince me to play golf."
Oscar shook his head. "Although it might've been more fun that trying to move countries in the summer break."
"Oh please." Lily rolled her eyes. "You barely did anything. The movers did all of it!"
"I'm building furniture now!" Oscar protested.
"So is Lando!"
Lando carried on quietly putting the table together as he listened to the two of them joking about who'd put more effort into their move.
He knew what they were doing, the same thing Carlos had done, keeping him busy so he didn't have too much time to dwell on what had happened with Aimee. He was thankful they'd all been around to stop him from driving himself insane.
But there was still another week of the summer break stretching ahead of him, nothing to fill his days and give him a distraction. All he could think of is what they would've been doing if Aimee was there.
****
The walk back from Lily and Oscar's new apartment to his own wasn't long, but it gave Lando's mind time to wander. Lily had told him again as he left to give Aimee some space, but his hand was wrapped around his phone fighting the urge to try calling her just one more time.
He nearly dropped the phone when it started to ring and he saw the caller ID on the screen.
"Aimee?" He asked hesitantly as he answered.
"Is that Lando?" An unfamiliar voice asked.
"Who is this?" Lando frowned.
"Aimee's sister, Sophie."
"I didn't know she had a sister." He frowned. To be fair, he didn't know anything about her family. Other than briefly mentioning that she wasn't in touch with them, she hadn't spoken about them at all.
"Long story." Sophie brushed it off.
"Is she okay?" Lando asked. "Why are you calling me?"
"Because I was hoping she'd see sense and do it herself but she's clearly not going to. So it's time for me to be the interfering older sister." Sophie explained. "She might kill me but I'm hoping it'll all work out for the best."
"Where is she? I've been calling her for weeks." Lando asked.
"At our parent's house." Sophie explained. "She's okay, she misses you. But she's okay."
"She doesn't know you're calling me, does she?" Lando asked hesitantly.
"No." Sophie admitted. "I wanted to thank you, for being there for her when we should've been. She told me what happened and I don't even want to think about how it might've turned out if she hadn't had you."
"Anyone would've done the same." Lando mumbled, not knowing what to say.
"Mum and Dad wanted to thank you too." Sophie continued. "If you were ever to find yourself in Norfolk, you should stop by."
"I don't know where your parents live." He pointed out. "Norfolk is a pretty big area."
Sophie chuckled. "I'm sending you the address now. See you soon, Lando."
She hung up the phone leaving Lando staring at the address that had just come through to him on a text.
YOU ARE READING
Stay With Me- Lando Norris
Fanfic*Completed* After discovering that one of his coworkers is in a desperate situation, Lando makes it his mission to try and help her. Except she doesn't want his help, and does everything she can to push him away.
