When Mercedes, a solo traveler and commercial pilot, finds herself dining alone in Monaco, she never expects the evening to take such a surreal turn. But across the room, she spots Lando Norris, the famous Formula 1 driver, trying to enjoy a quiet d...
Mercedes finished her post-flight paperwork in record time, something that didn't go unnoticed by James, who kept shooting her knowing looks across the flight deck. She changed out of her uniform in the crew locker room, opting for black jeans and a comfortable sweater, all too aware that Lando would be somewhere in the arrival hall.
Her phone had been buzzing continuously since landing:
Sienna
Today 18:20
I swear if you don't call me in the next 10 minutes
Actually nevermind, I'm at your flat. Brought wine. HURRY UP
OMG someone just posted a pic of him at Heathrow on Twitter.
ARE YOU STILL WITH HIM???
Just finished my post-flight checks.
And no, I'm not 'still with him.'
I was kind of busy flying the plane, remember?
Lando
Today 18:31
Still by baggage claim.
No rush if you're still doing captain things, but thought maybe we could share a ride into the city?
Unless you've got plans
Give me 10 minutes. Just need to check out with crew scheduling
~~~
Walking through the crew areas of Heathrow, Mercedes tried to maintain her professional composure, but she couldn't help the slight spring in her step. Several of her colleagues gave her curious looks – news traveled fast in the airline community, and she had a feeling her dinner in Nice wouldn't stay secret for long.
As she approached baggage claim, she spotted Lando immediately. He was standing slightly apart from the crowd, a McLaren team cap pulled low over his eyes, scrolling through his phone. Despite his attempt at being inconspicuous, she noticed a few people doing double-takes as they walked past.
"Need a pilot's escort to help you escape?" she asked, approaching him with a grin. Lando looked up, his face breaking into a warm smile. "Captain Mercedes! That landing was proper smooth. Though I still think—"
"If you say one more word about speed, I'm leaving you here," she threatened playfully. He held up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! Though I did time it on my phone and—" He dodged as she pretended to swat at him with her pilot's cap.
"My crew's already insufferable thanks to you," Mercedes said as they started walking toward the exit. "Sarah's convinced we're secretly dating, and James made me promise to get him paddock passes for Silverstone."
"Well, about that first part..." Lando rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly looking a bit nervous.
"I meant what I said about dinner in London. There's this great Italian place in Mayfair – very private, excellent pasta. Maybe tomorrow night, if you're free?"
Mercedes felt her cheeks warm. "I'd like that. Though I should warn you, my best friend Sienna is currently camped out at my flat with wine, demanding every detail of last night. She's your biggest fan – actually had to unfollow you on Instagram last year because she was getting too invested."
Lando laughed. "Should I be worried?"
"Probably. She's already planned our wedding and named our future children."
They reached the taxi rank, both hesitating. "Share a car?" Lando suggested. "I'm headed to Mayfair anyway, and it's on the way to your place, right?"
Mercedes nodded, trying to ignore the butterflies in her stomach as Lando's security person loaded their bags into the boot of a waiting car. They slid into the backseat, and Mercedes couldn't help but notice how much closer they were sitting than strictly necessary.
"So," Lando said as they pulled away from the terminal, "tell me more about these future children Sienna's planned for us."
Mercedes groaned, hiding her face in her hands. "I'm never going to live that down, am I?"
"Not a chance," he grinned, then added more softly, "Though dinner first might be a good start."
The drive into London was surprisingly comfortable, filled with easy conversation and shared laughs. Lando told her about his plans for the upcoming race weekend, while Mercedes shared some of her more interesting pilot stories. It felt surreal yet somehow completely natural, as if they'd known each other for years instead of just a day.
As they approached her neighborhood in West London, Lando's phone buzzed. He glanced at it and groaned. "My PR team's found out about Nice. Apparently someone at the restaurant posted a photo. It's already on several F1 fan pages."
Mercedes felt her stomach drop. "Oh god"
Lando looked at her, his expression serious for once. "I'm used to it, but I know it can be overwhelming for... for people who aren't."
She took a deep breath. "Well, I suppose dating an F1 driver—" She stopped herself, blushing furiously. "I mean, not that we're dating! I just meant—"
"Yet," Lando said quietly, a small smile playing at his lips. "We're not dating yet."
The car pulled up outside her building before Mercedes could process that comment. Through her window, she could see Sienna's distinctive blonde hair through her flat's front window.
"That would be my welcoming committee," Mercedes said, nodding toward the window. "Last chance to escape before you get dragged into the chaos."
Lando pretended to consider it. "Tell you what – save me from the chaos tomorrow night instead? I'll text you the restaurant details."
"Deal," Mercedes smiled, gathering her things. Before she could overthink it, she leaned over and kissed his cheek quickly. "Thanks for making my Nice layover considerably less boring."
"Thanks for pretending not to know who I was," he replied with a wink. As Mercedes walked toward her building, her phone buzzed one last time:
Lando
Today 18:51
By the way, check Instagram 😊
~~~
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