Dear Lando - Book Two

𝟹𝟺 ♡ I Wish you Roses

I Wish you Roses By Kali Uchis

Lana wandered down to the lower deck, searching for the bathroom, the sound of the music above fading slightly as she moved further into the yacht. She sighed in relief when she found the door marked as the bathroom, and was just about to head in when she heard a voice behind her.

"Lana, repping the wrong team this past weekend, huh?" a familiar voice slurred.

She turned around, her stomach sinking as she saw Carlos leaning against the hallway wall. He was clearly drunk, his eyes a bit glazed and his smile just a little too crooked.

"Carlos," she said, forcing a polite smile, "you know I'm with Lando now."

Carlos chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "Right, right. Lando Norris. McLaren," he said as if the words were a joke.

She tried to be patient. "Yes, Carlos. Lando's my boyfriend."

Carlos tilted his head, his eyes narrowing as a grin spread across his lips. "You know what a little birdie told me?"

Lana's brows knitted in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

His smile widened, and his voice dropped to almost a whisper. "That you have a crush on me."

Lana's face flushed. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. She had to get out of this situation. She took a step back, swallowing hard. "Had, Carlos. Had." She tried to brush it off and turned slightly, hoping to move past him. "Now, excuse me."

Carlos moved in front of her, blocking her way. His eyes, still clouded by alcohol, bore into hers. "Come on, Lana. Admit it—you want me, not Lando."

Lana frowned, her frustration building. "Carlos, you have a girlfriend, and I have a boyfriend. Let me go. I'm leaving."

Carlos leaned in, his face uncomfortably close to hers. "Screw her. It's you I want."

He moved to kiss her, and Lana dodged, her heart pounding now. Her stomach churned with discomfort. She was about to say something else, but he grabbed her, pressing her against the wall.

"No!" she said firmly, her voice shaking slightly.

Without thinking, she kneed him in the groin, making him stumble backward with a groan. She pushed past him, her breath coming fast as she rushed down the hall, her eyes blurry with tears.

When she emerged back on the deck, she bumped into someone—Lando.

"Whoa, whoa," Lando said, his hands coming up to steady her. He took in her wide eyes, her trembling hands, the look of panic on her face. "What's going on? Are you okay?"

Lana pulled away from his hold, tears threatening to spill over. "Like you care," she shot at him, her voice cracking with emotion. She wiped at her eyes and started walking away, her mind spinning.

"Lana!" Lando called after her, his voice full of confusion. He jogged to catch up to her, stepping in front of her. "Lana, wait. What happened?" He lowered his voice, concern etched on his face. "Let's leave, yeah? We can talk."

Lana stopped, her emotions swirling inside her—anger, confusion, embarrassment. She finally nodded, not wanting to be anywhere near Carlos right now.

They made their way down the ramp and onto the dock, the sounds of the party fading into the distance. Lando stayed by her side, his hand hovering near her as if ready to catch her if she stumbled. Once they were far enough away, Lana turned to him.

"You told him, didn't you?" she snapped, her voice thick with emotion.

"Told who what?" Lando frowned, his confusion deepening.

"Carlos," she spat out, "about my crush. You told him."

Lando's eyes widened, his mouth opening in shock. "No, I didn't, I swear."

Lana looked at him, searching his face for any sign of deception. But she saw none—just honest confusion and concern. She let out a shaky breath, her anger slowly subsiding. "If it wasn't you..." Her voice trailed off, realization dawning. "It was Charles. Of course, it was Charles."

Lando watched her, his heart sinking as he saw the look of hurt in her eyes. "Red..."

She shook her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. "I should've seen that coming." She suddenly turned back towards the yacht. "I'm going to go find him."

Lando stepped forward, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her back to face him. "I don't think now is the time for that."

"Lando, let go of me," she snapped, her hands pushing against his chest.

"No," Lando said, his voice calm but firm. He met her gaze, his eyes softening. "I'm gonna take you home. We can deal with this later."

Lana's shoulders slumped in defeat, the fight leaving her. She nodded slowly, and Lando led her away, his arm still around her protectively as they made their way back to his place.

Lana blinked awake, her eyes adjusting to the early morning light filtering through Lando's curtains. She slowly took in the familiar surroundings of his room—the soft grays and blues, the minimalist decor, and the comforting scent of his cologne mixed with something uniquely Lando. She looked to her right, at the space beside her in bed—empty, but the pillow still carried the comforting warmth and smell of the tousled head of curls she had gotten so used to sharing a bed with.

Just then, the door opened softly, and the very same tousled curls appeared in the doorway. Lando stepped quietly into the room, a tray in his hands topped with an assortment of fresh fruits, a few cups of water, and a couple of other beverages. He gave her a small smile as he approached the bed, a hint of sheepishness in his eyes.

"Hey," he said gently. "I, uh, wasn't sure what you'd want, so I brought you some options."

Lana couldn't help the smile that spread across her face at the thoughtful gesture. She sat up, brushing some stray hairs out of her face, and accepted the tray as he set it down beside her. "Thank you, Lando," she said, her voice still soft from sleep.

He just nodded, his gaze meeting hers for a lingering moment before he turned away to settle back into the space beside her, though he kept a small distance. Lana bit her lip, her fingers fidgeting on the tray, and she took a deep breath, deciding to just get it out.

"Lando, about last night..." she started, her voice tentative. "I'm really sorry for accusing you. I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions like that."

Lando shook his head, his expression kind as he looked back at her. "Red, it's okay," he said. "I get why you did. It's been a lot lately." He paused for a moment, as if debating something before adding, "Do you... want to talk about what happened with Carlos?"

Lana hesitated, glancing down at the tray before meeting his eyes again. She could see the genuine care there, the soft concern he had for her, and it warmed her. She shook her head gently, a soft smile tugging at her lips. "No," she said, her voice steady. "I think I've already made peace with it. Actually, it helped me realize something..."

Lando raised an eyebrow, curious, but didn't press her for more. Instead, he reached over, taking a slice of pineapple from the tray and holding it out to her. Lana couldn't help but let out a quiet laugh, leaning forward to take the fruit from his fingers.

They sat there together, quietly sharing the fruit, their shoulders touching slightly as the morning sunlight slowly filled the room. There was a comfortable silence between them—an unspoken understanding that there was no need to rush, no need to push the boundaries of what they had. Lando didn't need her to explain what she realized, and she didn't need to tell him—not yet. For now, it was enough to just be here, in this moment, with him.

And as she took another piece of fruit, Lana couldn't stop the warmth that spread in her chest as she thought of what she'd realized—that the person she had truly grown to care for wasn't Carlos anymore. It was the boy beside her, the one with the messy curls and the kind smile, who had become more than she'd ever expected.

AN

Yall, to all my Carlos girlies, I'm sorry.