Tangled in Trophies- Lando Norris

26. Questions

The evening had settled into a cool, quiet rhythm. Evangeline was curled up on the couch in her hotel room, laptop open beside her and the soft glow of the lamp illuminating her notes from the day. She'd forced herself to focus, to put away the distracting thoughts about Lando and his easy smile, his confidence, and the way his voice lingered in her mind.

She'd just closed a few tabs when her phone buzzed on the table.

The name on the screen made her heart jump—Lando Norris.

Frowning slightly, she hesitated, staring at it for a moment before picking up.

"Hello?" she said, trying to sound casual.

His voice came through, bright and a little surprised. "Hey, Evangeline. It's Lando. I was wondering why you didn't say goodbye earlier today. After qualifying, I mean. You kind of disappeared."

Evangeline froze for a moment, her heart racing as though she'd been caught at something. She tried to gather herself, tried to sound calm and neutral.

"Oh, uh—sorry about that," she said, her voice hesitating as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. "I just didn't want to bother you. You looked pretty busy with everything going on, so I thought it would be better to let you focus."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. She could hear him breathing, the casual rustle of noise in the background.

"Well, you don't have to worry about that," he said, his voice low and easy. "I wanted to check if you'd like to ride with me to the race tomorrow. After all we do share the same hotel, and I thought it might make things easier for you. No pressure, though. Just thought I'd ask."

Her stomach gave a twist. The invitation came so casually, so effortlessly, and yet her mind was already warring with itself. She could hear the temptation in his words—the shared car, the proximity to the race, the few minutes with nothing but the sound of the engine and his voice—but the logical part of her was already drawing up red flags.

She leaned back into the couch, taking a deep breath. She knew what her answer should be, but her hesitation lingered.

"I—uh—thank you for the offer, Lando," she said, her voice careful. "But I don't think it's a good idea. My schedule's a little complicated, and... well, I don't want to give people the wrong idea about things."

He was quiet for a moment again, the kind of pause that made her overthink, her heart squeezing in her chest.

"Wrong idea?" he asked finally, voice soft but searching.

"We have a lot of eyes on us," she admitted, her words stumbling a bit. "My manager, Clara, always warns me about being too public with things like this. She says fans can take things and turn them into stories we don't intend, and I don't want to lead anyone on. My life's complicated enough without creating confusion."

She could hear the slight edge of understanding in his voice, though it didn't stop her from feeling a little guilty for having to decline.

"Got it," he said simply. "No problem."

She could hear him trying to sound casual, but his voice had taken on a tone that felt heavier now.

"I didn't mean anything by it," he added, his words uncertain. "I just thought it might be nice, I guess. No worries, though."

Evangeline's chest tightened. She could hear the disappointment there, faint but unmistakable, and it made her stomach twist.

"It's not that," she said quickly, trying to backtrack. "It's just... you know how these things work. And it's nothing to do with you."