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

Chapter 29: The Move to Monaco

The next morning, Jamie woke up earlier than usual. Her sleep had been restless, filled with fragmented thoughts about her life, her future, and everything that seemed to be changing around her. She decided to distract herself by making breakfast for herself and Alex. Maybe the routine would calm her mind, she thought as she whisked the pancake batter.

As she flipped the pancakes, the smell of cooking batter filled the kitchen, and soon enough, Alex emerged from his room, looking a bit more rested than the day before. He greeted Jamie with a soft "Good morning" and smiled as he saw her busy at the stove.

"Good morning," Jamie replied, returning his smile.

Alex grabbed two plates, forks, and knives, setting them on the counter before taking a seat. Jamie finished cooking and placed the pancakes onto the plates, adding Nutella and fruits to the side. They both sat down and began eating in comfortable silence, the kind they often shared when they didn't need words to fill the space between them.

As they ate, Jamie noticed that Alex was looking at her, his expression more serious than usual. She could sense something was on his mind. Putting down her fork, she turned to him, a hint of concern in her voice. "What's wrong, Alex?"

Alex hesitated, scratching the back of his neck, a telltale sign that he was nervous. "Jamie, we need to talk."

Jamie's stomach dropped slightly at his tone. She set down her utensils, fully turning to face him, her heart suddenly beating a little faster. "What is it? What's going on?"

Alex took a deep breath and met her eyes. "I've been wanting to tell you this since Bahrain, but with everything that's been happening between you and Lando, I just... I didn't find the right moment."

Jamie nodded slowly, urging him to continue even though she could feel her anxiety rising.

"I've been thinking," Alex started, pausing for a moment to collect his thoughts. "I've been thinking about moving to Monaco."

The words hit Jamie like a punch she hadn't seen coming. For a moment, she couldn't find anything to say. She just stared at Alex, her mind racing with thoughts and questions she wasn't sure how to voice. Moving? To Monaco? Her heart felt heavy with the sudden realization that her life might change in ways she wasn't prepared for.

Alex waited for her to respond, but the silence stretched on. He stood up from his seat, unable to bear the tension. "This has nothing to do with what's going on right now," he added quickly, trying to ease her obvious shock. "I've been thinking about it for a long time. Monaco is... it's a good place for me. A lot of the other drivers live there. It's close to everything I need, and honestly, the tax situation is better than here."

Jamie's mind was still reeling, but she finally managed to collect herself enough to speak. "It's great for you, Alex. You've got a lot of friends there, and I know it's a good move for your career." Her voice was steady, but there was an underlying sadness that she couldn't quite hide.

Alex caught it, and he frowned. "Why are you talking like I'm going alone? Jamie, I want you to come with me."

Jamie looked at him, her heart sinking. She could see how much this move meant to him, how much thought he had put into it. But at the same time, the idea of moving to Monaco felt wrong to her. "I don't think I would feel right there, Alex. Monaco... it's just not me. You know that."

Alex took a step closer to her, trying to bridge the gap he could feel widening between them. "Look, I know you're not a fan of Monaco, but you could at least think about it, right? You don't have to decide now."

Jamie sighed, realizing how serious he was about this move. "Maybe... I'll think about it when I visit Carlos and Charles this weekend. But I'm not promising anything."

Alex looked surprised when she mentioned the two drivers. "You're visiting Carlos and Charles?"

"Yeah, they invited me to meet their girlfriends, Rebecca and Alexandra," Jamie clarified, trying to push down the rising tide of emotions. "Carlos texted me yesterday."

Alex nodded, still processing everything. "If you don't mind, I'd like to come with you. I can look at some apartments while we're there."

Jamie realized how deep Alex's plans ran. He wasn't just considering the move; he was already preparing for it. "Yeah, I'm sure the boys will be happy to have you there."

They stood in an uneasy silence for a moment, the weight of the conversation hanging heavily between them. Jamie forced herself to smile, though it felt strained. "Thursday to Monday, then?"

"Yeah," Alex confirmed, though his mind was clearly elsewhere. "We can fly out on Thursday and come back Monday. It'll give us time to settle things before the next race."

Jamie nodded, though she was acutely aware that Lando would likely be flying back to Monaco around the same time. "Sounds like a plan."

Alex reached out and gave her a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder. "We'll figure it out, Jamie. Whatever happens, we'll figure it out together."

Jamie nodded, grateful for his support, but the knot in her stomach remained. She knew Alex meant well, but the thought of living in Monaco, surrounded by the very world she wanted to escape from, was daunting. She couldn't shake the feeling that this was just the beginning of more changes to come, and she wasn't sure if she was ready for them.

As Alex walked back to his room to get ready for the day, Jamie stayed in the kitchen, her thoughts swirling around the idea of moving to Monaco. The pancakes sat cold on her plate, forgotten as she tried to picture herself in a place that felt so foreign to her. A place that felt more like Lando's world than her own.

Monaco, she thought, feeling a wave of uncertainty wash over her. What am I getting myself into?