Dear Lando - Book Two

𝟹𝟸 ♡ After The Storm

After The Storm By Kali Uchis, Tyler, The Creator, Bootsy Collins

Back at Lando's apartment, everything felt calmer, the chaotic energy of the race weekend finally behind them. As soon as they walked in, Lando made a beeline for the shower, his hair tousled, still slightly damp from the post-race chaos, mumbling something about "needing to wash off this disappointment."

Lana watched him disappear into the bathroom before letting out a deep breath. She glanced around, the apartment feeling a bit too quiet after all the commotion in Texas. Needing something to do, she pulled out her phone, an idea sparking as she opened her gallery.

Scrolling through her favorite pictures of Lando from the weekend—ones she'd taken at the paddock or ones he decided to take on her phone —Lana's lips quirked up in a small smile. She opened Instagram, quickly putting together a carousel of her top shots. One of Lando "working" and all of him looking so effortlessly handsome it was almost irritating. She knew it would generate a lot of attention, but at this point, she didn't care. The comments would be nothing compared to the smile she knew she could bring to his face when he saw it.

She captioned the post: mr. lando throughout the weekend <3
With a satisfied nod, she clicked "Post," setting her phone down and letting herself sink back into the couch cushions. She couldn't help but feel proud of him, despite the race outcome. It wasn't easy to bounce back from setbacks, but she knew Lando would keep pushing, keep fighting.

Minutes later, the bathroom door opened, steam escaping as Lando stepped out, a towel slung around his waist. His hair was messier than ever, but somehow he managed to look completely at ease.

Lana looked up from her spot, a playful smile crossing her lips as she caught sight of him. "Feeling better?" she asked, watching as he made his way over.

"A bit," Lando admitted, running a hand through his damp curls. He gave her a curious look as he noticed her phone still in her hand, "What've you been up to?"

"Just posting some of my favorite shots from the weekend," she replied casually, though the glint in her eyes suggested she knew exactly what she was doing. "You know, capturing all those moments of you looking especially charming."

Lando let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. "Oh really?" He didn't try to hide his smile as he plopped down beside her, glancing over her shoulder to peek at her phone.

"Yup, just giving the people what they want." Lana teased, nudging him lightly. She could already hear the comments flooding in, but she chose to focus on the here and now—the two of them together, finally alone.

Lando looked thoughtful for a moment before an idea seemed to pop into his head. He leaned back, throwing an arm over the back of the couch, his eyes locking onto hers. "Hey, want to hit the hot tub?"

Lana arched an eyebrow, slightly taken aback. "Hot tub?" She hadn't expected that, but a soak in warm water didn't sound half bad. Plus, it was still chilly after their flight, and her body could definitely use the warmth.

"Yeah, come on. It'll be nice," Lando grinned, standing up and already making his way to grab some towels. He glanced back at her, his expression almost boyish, a spark of hope dancing in his eyes.

Lana let out a small sigh but smiled, shaking her head at his eagerness. "Alright, fine. But I'm making us some drinks," she stated, pushing herself off the couch and following him.

"You read my mind," Lando threw back over his shoulder, his grin widening. He looked much lighter now, as if he had shed the weight of the entire weekend, and Lana couldn't help but feel a little lighter, too, as she grabbed her swimwear.

Maybe some quiet moments—just the two of them—were exactly what they needed.

The hot tub bubbles rose around them, warmth soaking into their skin as they settled back into the relaxing heat. Lana handed Lando one of the drinks she had whipped up—a tropical concoction that had just the right amount of kick—and kept her own drink in her other hand, the condensation from the glass cooling her fingertips.

They were tucked into the corner of the hot tub, their shoulders barely brushing. The night air was crisp, contrasting with the heat of the water, and the stars twinkled above them in the clear sky.

"This," Lana sighed contentedly, taking a sip, "is exactly what I needed."

"Right?" Lando grinned, swirling his drink and watching the bubbles. "I mean, who could be upset sitting in a hot tub with a cocktail?" He raised his glass as if to toast, and she gently clinked hers against his, both chuckling.

They slipped into easy conversation, giggling at each other's stories about the antics that happened over the past week. There was something comforting in the way they talked, no pressure, no need to pretend. Just them, wrapped in warmth, enjoying the moment. Lana felt her guard slowly lowering, the weight of everything else slipping away as she laughed at something Lando said.

Suddenly, Lando's phone buzzed from the side of the tub. He leaned over, grabbing it, and unlocked the screen to find a notification from Instagram. Lana watched as he pulled up the app, his expression turning from curious to genuinely pleased as he scrolled through the post she had made.

"You did post them!" he said, his smile widening as he flipped through the carousel of photos. His eyes held that light-hearted glint she'd grown to recognize—the same one that let her know he was genuinely happy.

"Of course," Lana shrugged, trying to play it cool, but the look on his face made her stomach do a small flip. She caught herself blushing, the warmth in her cheeks not entirely from the hot water.

Lando turned to her, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "You got me looking good, Red. You captured my best angles."

"Oh, please," she rolled her eyes but couldn't help the smile tugging at her lips. "You make it easy, Norris."

Lando held her gaze for a moment, something soft behind his eyes made her heart skip a beat. He lifted his drink toward her, "Well, thank you. For all of it."

"Anytime," she whispered, a smile still lingering as she took a sip of her drink, feeling the moment stretch between them.

And just for a little while, with the world reduced to just the two of them, the bubbling warmth, and the laughter that seemed to flow as easily as the cocktails, everything was perfectly simple. No fake smiles, no pressure—just them, at ease, enjoying each other's company.