Tangled in Trophies- Lando Norris

28. Dinner

In the upcoming chapters any words in italics are meant to represent Italian. Eg Hello guys = Italian

The day after the race, Evangeline found herself back in the quiet sanctuary of her hotel room. The sunlight filtered through the sheer white curtains, casting golden streaks of light onto the floor. Her body was still a little sore from standing for so long during the race and the walk through the paddock afterward, but it was a satisfying kind of tiredness.

She had planned to spend the day focusing on her routine—working out, reading, and clearing her head—but then the memory of Lando's invitation came back to her. He had invited her to the driver's dinner the evening after the race, and part of her had been unsure. Still, his words lingered. A simple dinner with the drivers and their team management. It felt like an opportunity to learn, to connect, and maybe even to understand a bit more about the world Lando was navigating.

She picked up her phone from the nightstand and stared at it for a moment. There was still a little time before the dinner, and she figured she'd check in with herself before heading out for the evening. Just as she considered that, her phone buzzed in her hand.

It was Lando.

She hesitated for only a second before answering.

"Hey," she said, setting her phone down on the small wooden desk in front of her.

"Hey, Evangeline," came his familiar voice, light and calm. "I was wondering if you're still planning on coming to the dinner tonight?"

Evangeline hesitated for a moment, her thumb absently swirling over the phone case as she thought.

"Yeah, I think so," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.

"Well, don't catch a taxi to the restaurant," he continued. His tone was casual but inviting. "Meet me in the hotel lobby instead. I'll pick you up, and we'll head over together."

Her brow furrowed briefly at the suggestion. She was used to making her way to places on her own, but there was something in his voice that made the idea of letting him take care of things sound much easier.

"Okay," she said finally, trying to keep her voice light. "Sounds good."

"Great," Lando said, his voice cheerful now. "I'll see you later, then."

The call ended, and Evangeline placed the phone down on the desk. She stood and stretched, the sunlight warming her shoulders. Despite herself, she found her mind drifting toward the dinner, toward the possibility of stepping into this new space with Lando.

The evening came quickly. As the day turned into twilight, Evangeline took a few moments to get dressed. She chose a sleek, simple black dress—elegant but understated—and paired it with a pair of gold hoops and strappy heels. A small, soft clutch rested beside her, and she threw her hair into a low, effortless bun, leaving a few stray strands to frame her face.

The nervous energy she had yesterday was there again, a tiny flutter in her chest. But she tried to shake it, focused instead on the idea of experiencing the evening as it came—no expectations, just a dinner and conversation with people from a different world.

After one final glance in the mirror, she grabbed her coat and headed down to the lobby. The air outside had grown colder, with the Italian evening settling into a soft, crisp breeze. The lobby was alive with chatter as the last groups of people wrapped up their days and prepared for their own evenings.

She spotted Lando standing near the large glass entrance as she entered. His hair looked as soft and messy as ever, his smile effortless. His black jacket was sharp, and he looked relaxed as he leaned casually against the door.