Behind the Pit Wall: Jamie Albon's Challenge // Lando Norris // F1

Chapter 9: Untangling the Mystery

The next morning, Jamie woke up feeling utterly drained. Sleep had eluded her, and her mind was still haunted by the events of the previous night. Thoughts of Kean and Lando swirled endlessly in her head, preventing her from finding any peace. She groaned, forcing herself out of bed, and headed straight for the bathroom. A cold shower was the only way to jolt herself awake.

She hated cold showers, but the icy water did the trick, snapping her out of her sluggish state and bringing her back to reality. After wrapping herself in a towel, she stared at her reflection in the mirror. Dark circles had formed under her eyes, a visible testament to her sleepless night. Jamie sighed, pulling out her makeup bag to conceal the evidence. She couldn't let anyone see how restless she was.

Once she was dressed in her Williams team gear, she made her way down to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. The familiar routine helped calm her nerves, and as she sat down with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast, she tried to focus on the day ahead. Just as she was settling in, Kika arrived, cheerful as ever.

"Hey, Jamie!" Kika greeted her with a bright smile before grabbing some breakfast and sitting across from her. "So, how did the date go with Kean? You looked so excited yesterday!"

Jamie's heart sank at the mention of Kean, and she took a deep breath before answering. "He never showed up."

Kika blinked, stunned by the revelation. "Wait... what? What do you mean he didn't show up?"

Jamie pushed her food around on her plate, her voice low. "I waited for hours, Kika. He never came. I don't know what happened. Maybe it was just a joke, or maybe he changed his mind."

Kika's face softened with concern, and she shook her head. "Jamie, no. There's no way it was a joke. Any guy would be lucky to go on a date with you! Don't let one idiot ruin your confidence."

Jamie smiled softly, grateful for Kika's support. "Thanks, Kika. I just don't understand. I had a good feeling about him, but then..."

Kika leaned in, determined to cheer her up. "Listen, Jamie, you're a great person. You've got a hot body, an amazing personality, and any guy would be a fool to let you go. You don't need to be sad over this. Trust me, the right guy is already out there, probably waiting for his chance."

Jamie laughed, Kika's energy lifting her spirits a little. "You're too sweet. But yeah, you're probably right."

They chatted a bit longer, and Jamie began to feel a little lighter despite the disappointment gnawing at her. As they finished breakfast, Kika suggested they have a girls' day out to take her mind off everything. Jamie had no plans for the day, so she eagerly agreed. The boys were already at the track, so the two of them decided to let them know they'd be heading out.

Jamie went to the Williams garage to inform Alex. When she found him, she explained that she and Kika would be heading to a nearby park for some fresh air. Alex nodded, giving her a protective smile. "Have fun, but stay safe."

Jamie grinned. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

As she made her way to the Alpine garage to meet Kika, her stomach twisted when she saw Kean standing with his Red Bull colleagues, laughing and looking relaxed. The sight made her blood boil. How could he stand there so casually after standing her up? Anger surged through her, and she marched up to him, her eyes blazing.

Kean looked surprised to see her. The other Red Bull guys sensed the tension and quickly excused themselves, leaving the two alone. Jamie wasted no time.

"What happened last night, Kean?" Jamie demanded. "You didn't show up. I waited for hours!"

Kean's face paled slightly as he looked at her in confusion. "Wait, what? You texted me last night. You said the date was canceled."

Jamie's eyebrows shot up. "What are you talking about? I didn't text you. I've been waiting for you."

Kean frowned, pulling out his phone. He scrolled through his messages and handed it to Jamie. There, in plain sight, was a message claiming to be from her, saying that the date was off because her phone had died and she was texting from Alex's phone. The number, however, was not Alex's.

Jamie's heart sank as she stared at the message. "This... this wasn't me. I never sent this, and that's not Alex's number."

Kean looked equally baffled. "I swear, I thought it was from you. After I got that message, I deleted your number and turned my phone off."

Jamie shook her head, trying to piece together what had happened. Someone had pretended to be her, but why? "I would never cancel like that, Kean. Something's wrong here."

Kean nodded, looking genuinely apologetic. "I'm sorry, Jamie. I didn't know. If I had any idea this wasn't from you..."

Jamie sighed, the anger slowly draining from her. "It's not your fault. I just... I don't know who did this."

Kean smiled softly. "Does that mean we can try again? I'd really like to take you out."

Jamie hesitated for a moment, but then she smiled. "Yeah, we can try again."

They exchanged a few more words, and Jamie felt relieved knowing that it hadn't been Kean's fault. But as she walked away, something about the situation still didn't sit right with her. Who would go through the trouble of sending that fake message?

Kika reappeared, her bright smile returning as she asked, "Ready for our park day?"

Jamie nodded, waving goodbye to Kean. "Let's go."

They picked up Simba, Kika and Pierre's adorable little dog, from the hotel before heading to a beautiful park just outside the city. The day was warm and sunny, perfect for a relaxing afternoon. They laid out a picnic blanket and ordered food, stretching out under the shade of a large tree. Simba wagged his tail happily as the two women rubbed his belly, the little dog relishing all the attention.

As they chatted, Jamie tried to push the events of the last few days from her mind. Being with Kika was always refreshing, and the peaceful surroundings helped soothe her nerves. But in the back of her mind, the mystery of the fake message lingered. She couldn't help but wonder—who would want to sabotage her date?

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, Jamie closed her eyes, trying to let go of the frustration. Whatever was going on, she would figure it out. But for now, she had a girls' day to enjoy.