Tangled in Trophies- Lando Norris

25. Flushed

The adrenaline of qualifying still buzzed through the air as the cars came to a halt and the pit crews began their post-session rituals. Lando was still catching his breath, his hands gripping the back of a chair as he went over the run in his head. His head was still sharp from the rush, and his focus was on the mechanics and strategy for the next session.

But then came Lily's voice, sharp and teasing, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"Well, well, well," she said with a grin, stepping into view with a drink in her hand. She leaned casually against the counter near the team's hospitality suite. "You've got a bit of a thing for keeping tennis players around, huh, Lando?"

Lando froze for a second, caught mid-thought, and turned toward her, a bit too quickly. His face flushed, just a hint, but enough to be noticeable. He opened his mouth, searching for words, but they didn't come.

"What?" he managed weakly, unsure of whether he sounded defensive or confused.

Lily smirked as she took another sip from her drink. "Come on. Evangeline Vittori. You brought her here, you showed her the garage, you let her sit in on the qualifying runs. Seems pretty clear to me you've got her on your mind."

Lando let out an awkward chuckle, trying to keep his voice light. "No, not really. I mean—she's cool, she's good company, and I thought she'd enjoy seeing the action. That's all."

But Lily wasn't letting it drop. She raised her eyebrows and leaned in a little closer, her voice lowering just a bit, teasingly conspiratorial.

"Uh-huh. Sure," she said, her smile full of knowing mischief. "You've been flustered every time I've seen you around her. Don't even try to deny it. You like having her around, Lando."

Lando suddenly found himself at a loss. His expression shifted, a bit of tension seeping into his voice as he tried to steer the conversation back to something safer. His hand ran through his hair, and his tone became a little more clipped.

"I'm not flustered," he said, his voice sharp and a little too defensive. "Look, she's just a friend, okay? We've got the same management, she's here for tennis, and it's not like that."

His words came too fast, his usual cocky energy quickly replaced by a sudden and uncomfortable seriousness. He tried to look nonchalant, but his body language betrayed him—his hands fidgeted slightly, his gaze darted for an escape route.

Lily held her smirk for a moment, watching his reaction with amusement, then relented, raising her hands as if to say "no harm done."

"Relax, Lando," she said, letting out an easy laugh. "I'm just messing with you. You're too easy to tease, though. You should learn to roll with it."

Lando let out a long, slow exhale, his shoulders sinking a bit as the tension eased. He tried to shake off the conversation, but the teasing lingered, gnawing at him like an itch he couldn't shake.

"Yeah, sure," he said, rubbing at his temple and looking out toward the pit lane. His voice was flat, but his thoughts were anything but.

Lily could still see the way his expression lingered, though, her teasing smile lingering just as much as the thought in her mind.

"Oh, you do like her," she teased again with a wink as she stepped back toward the team suite. "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me."

Before Lando could respond, she was gone, leaving him standing there with his thoughts, his chest still a little tight, and his mind replaying the conversation like an annoying loop.

He glanced back toward the garage, toward the spot Evangeline had been just a few moments ago. She was gone now, off to her hotel, but her presence lingered like a sharp reminder.