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

Chapter 12: A Surprising Morning

Jamie woke up early, her heart buzzing with excitement. Today was the day Lily was arriving, and Jamie had been eagerly anticipating her best friend's visit. They hadn't seen each other in a while, and Jamie was thrilled that Lily had planned to surprise Alex with her arrival. All the teams had a few days off before the official season started, so it was the perfect opportunity for some downtime.

Jamie dressed in her usual style—shorts and a crop top, paired with her favorite Nikes. She felt good in that kind of outfit, comfortable yet cute. Grabbing her purse, she was just about to leave when she realized she didn't have the car keys. Of course, Alex had the keys. She needed to come up with a good excuse to avoid Alex figuring out the surprise for him.

On her way to his room, she tried to think of something convincing. Alex was sharp and could read her like a book, so she had to be careful. She arrived at his door and knocked, but instead of hearing a simple "come in," there was a loud thud, as if something had been knocked over. The door swung open a few seconds later, and to her utter surprise, George stood there, looking disheveled and half-asleep.

"Good morning," George mumbled, rubbing his eyes, his signature grin forming despite his tired state.

Jamie blinked, taken aback. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, scoffing as she tried to wrap her head around why George was standing in front of her, clearly not in his own hotel room.

He ran a hand through his messy hair and chuckled. "Well, Lando and I made a little drinking game last night. Turns out Alex couldn't get a hold of anyone from Mercedes or McLaren, so he brought us both back here."

Jamie rolled her eyes. "Great, so now you both smell like a distillery," she said, wrinkling her nose. "Seriously, George, you stink."

George laughed, his voice still heavy with sleep. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She stepped past him into the room, scanning the messy space in search of the car keys. "Do you know where Alex put the car keys?" she asked, rummaging through the scattered belongings.

George, still groggy, raised an eyebrow. "Why do you need them?"

"I'm heading out for something important," Jamie replied, avoiding specifics. The last thing she needed was George poking around and asking too many questions.

Surprisingly, George didn't pry and even started helping her search. But after a few minutes of no luck, Jamie sighed and decided to wake Alex. She found him sprawled across the bed, looking utterly exhausted.

"Alex," Jamie called, shaking his shoulder gently. "Where are the keys?"

Alex groaned, his face buried in the pillow. "Mmm... Lando had them last. Something about a call or... I don't know, ask him."

Jamie turned to look at the couch, where Lando lay, tucked under a blanket. Despite the chaos, he looked almost peaceful. It was a stark contrast to his usual cocky self, and Jamie couldn't help but think, He actually looks... kind of cute. But she quickly shook that thought away, reminding herself of the mess he'd caused recently.

"Of course, he has the keys," Jamie muttered, walking over to the couch. She didn't want to wake him, but she also wasn't leaving without those keys. Her eyes landed on a pair of jeans tossed over the desk chair, and with a sigh, she picked them up, rummaging through the pockets. Sure enough, there were the keys.

"Got them," she announced to George, who was leaning against the doorframe, watching her with mild amusement.

"Leaving so soon?" George asked with a teasing grin as he walked her to the door.

Jamie rolled her eyes. "You're suspiciously nice this morning, George. What's up with that?"

George smiled, his tone more serious now. "Not as much of an asshole as I was last year, I guess."

Jamie raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. "Sure, because the biggest asshole is lying on the couch," she muttered.

George chuckled but shook his head. "Lando's not as bad as you think. He's got his moments, but there's more to him than what you see. You should spend more time with us. Maybe you'll see the real him."

Jamie crossed her arms, frowning. "I don't think so, George. I don't like being around you guys when all you do is joke about women, sex, and relationships. It's... disrespectful."

George didn't argue. He simply nodded, understanding her feelings. "Fair enough. But give us a chance. Give him a chance."

Jamie shook her head, dismissing the idea. "We'll see," she said, offering a half-hearted smile before walking out.

She got into the car, put on some music, and drove to the airport, singing along to clear her head. It didn't take long for her to reach the airport, and she parked near the arrivals terminal, leaning against the car as she waited for Lily. After a few minutes, she heard someone call her name.

"Jamie!"

She turned and saw Lily running toward her, luggage in tow. Jamie grinned widely, meeting her halfway as they threw their arms around each other, laughing with excitement.

"It's so good to see you!" Jamie said, still grinning as they pulled back from the hug.

"I've missed you so much!" Lily beamed, her eyes sparkling. "I can't wait to see the look on Alex's face when he sees me."

They chatted excitedly as they loaded Lily's luggage into the car. Once they were settled, Jamie offered, "How about we grab breakfast before heading back? The boys are still sleeping off last night's antics, so we have some time."

Lily laughed. "Let me guess—Lando and George?"

Jamie nodded, rolling her eyes. "They had a competition over who could drink more. Alex had to bring them back to his room because no one from their teams was answering the phone."

"Well, that sounds like a typical Lando move," Lily said with a smirk.

They found a cozy café for breakfast, and as they sat down, the conversation naturally shifted to what had been going on in Jamie's life. Eventually, Jamie opened up about the kiss with Lando.

"Wait—Lando kissed you?" Lily asked, her eyes wide with shock.

Jamie nodded, looking both frustrated and embarrassed. "It wasn't planned. He was drunk, and he just grabbed me and kissed me. I don't even know why. It was... intense."

Lily leaned in, her voice lowered. "So... are you two dating now, or...?"

"God, no," Jamie replied, making a face. "I mean, it wasn't terrible—he's a good kisser, but we're not dating. I don't even know what he's thinking half the time."

Lily chuckled. "I'm just saying... it sounds like there's something there. Maybe you just don't want to admit it yet."

Jamie shook her head, laughing softly. "Lily, trust me, that's the last thing I need. Lando is... Lando. He's trouble."

"Well, trouble has a way of finding you," Lily teased, raising an eyebrow.

Jamie shrugged, sipping her coffee. "Maybe. But right now, I just want to focus on the job and avoid any more drama."

They spent the rest of the breakfast catching up on everything that had happened in their lives. Lily's laughter and warmth were a welcome relief for Jamie, who had been feeling tangled in the complications of her feelings toward Lando.

Once they finished eating, Jamie glanced at the time. "I guess it's time to head back and surprise Alex," she said, smiling.

Lily grinned. "He's going to be so surprised."

They got back into the car and drove toward the hotel. Jamie felt a mix of excitement for Lily's reunion with Alex and dread about what could happen if she ran into Lando again. But for now, she pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the joy of seeing her best friend again.