Tangled in Trophies- Lando Norris

24. Introductions

The McLaren garage buzzed with a controlled kind of chaos: engineers making last-minute adjustments to the cars, mechanics checking systems, and the unmistakable drone of engines being prepped for qualifying. Evangeline leaned against a table, her new headphones comfortably in place, trying to take in the paddock atmosphere. Lando had already started to unwind, chatting with Oscar and Zack while Lily joined them moments later.

"Hey," Lando said, glancing over at her as she adjusted her headphones, "you mind sticking around with us for a bit before qualifying starts? Just some pre-qualifying strategy and stuff."

Evangeline looked up at him, a faint smile forming. "Sure. I've got nowhere else to be."

Before she could adjust her posture further, Lily walked over with her usual bright smile. She was effortlessly put together—her blonde hair tied back neatly and her McLaren gear styled in a way that somehow looked casual yet polished. She extended her hand toward Evangeline.

"Hey, Evangeline," she said warmly. "Nice to see you again."

Evangeline looked up at her in surprise, but the warmth in Lily's tone quickly eased her. "Oh, hey, Lily," she said with a smile. "Nice to see you, too."

"I've got some people I'd love for you to meet," Lily said with excitement as she gestured toward a small gathering of familiar faces just off to the side of the motorhome. "Come with me."

Before Evangeline could object, Lily had already begun pulling her along.

"Wait, wait—" Evangeline started, but she found herself caught in Lily's friendly momentum.

And just like that, she was standing in front of three women—each effortlessly elegant and effortlessly charismatic.

The first was Alexander Saint-Mleux , her warm smile and natural presence commanding attention without arrogance. She was dressed impeccably in a sleek, casual outfit, her sunglasses perched on her head as she gave a bright smile.

"Hi there," Alexander said, extending her hand. "You must be Evangeline. It's so lovely to finally meet you."

Evangeline hesitated for a moment, then took her hand, surprised by how kind and genuine her voice felt. "Hi, Alexander. Nice to meet you."

Lily gestured again toward the second figure, her smile widening even more. "This is Lily Muni. She's great and has been around the sport for a while. You're going to love her energy."

Lily Muni stepped forward with her own warm grin, her energy vibrant as she said, "Hey, Evangeline. Don't worry about any of the nonsense that comes with being in the paddock. It's all fun when you've got the right people by your side."

Evangeline couldn't help but smile at how down-to-earth she was. "Thanks, Lily. That's reassuring."

Finally, there was Kelly Piquet—her style effortless but bold, her confidence calm but unmistakable. She offered her hand, her smile just as genuine. "Hey, Evangeline. It's great to meet you," she said with a friendly grin.

"Hi," Evangeline said, taking her hand. "You, too."

"I've heard so much about you," Alexander said, her tone light and conversational. "You've got great energy. You're friends with Lando, right?"

Evangeline hesitated for a moment, her fingers nervously fiddling with the strap of her bag. "Well... sort of. I've only really been friends with Lando and Oscar because we share the same management team. So it's not really like I'm a regular at these events."

Alexander gave her a curious look, tilting her head slightly. "Oh, really?"

"Yeah," Evangeline continued, her tone careful but conversational. "I've been at a few races because of tennis, but this isn't something I plan on doing regularly. Honestly, I'm mostly here this weekend because of tennis commitments and Lando being kind enough to invite me."