The buzz of her phone pulls Mads out of her post-party haze. She blinks at the screen, Lando's name lighting up her notifications. A laugh bubbles up before she can stop it. Of course, he'd text her today. The guy has timing, if nothing else.
She unlocks her phone, the message simple but unexpected:
landonorris you any good at paddle?
Mads arches an eyebrow at the audacity. No "hey," no "what's up" – just straight to the point. Classic. Her lips twitch into a half-smile, though, filled with anticipation.
mads.laurent wouldn't u like to know
The typing bubble pops up almost immediately, and her grin grows. The boy's quick.
landonorris meet me tomorrow?
let's find out
For a moment, she hesitates, her thumb hovering over the keyboard. She's not exactly a pro at paddle, but the idea of wiping that smug look off his face if she wins? Tempting.
mads.laurent fine
u r on
Her message barely has time to deliver before the app marks it as read. Typical. Lando is probably already smugly imagining himself victorious. Mads tosses her phone onto the coffee table, leaning back against the couch.
This shouldn't make her as curious as it does. The back-and-forth, the teasing texts—it's like an unspoken game, and she knows she shouldn't get too invested. She can't forget what's at stake here: nothing serious, just fun. And Mads? She's more than fine with that.
The idea of diving into something dramatic or messy isn't appealing. Relationships? Not her thing. Not now. But the challenge of matching wits with someone like Lando? That, she could get behind.
Her phone buzzes again, and this time she doesn't hesitate to check.
landonorris better get practicing, Laurent
mads.laurent dont need to
ur fragile ego won't survive this
The dots appear again. She can almost picture him laughing, running a hand through his messy hair, plotting his comeback.
landonorris big words for someone who's never played
see u at 4, wear comfy shoes
A soft laugh escapes her. Cocky little–
mads.laurent when I win, I'm making sure everyone knows about it
landonorris deal
hope your trash talk is better on the court
She smirks, tossing her phone onto the couch beside her. A paddle match with Lando Norris. Ridiculous.
Mads stretches her legs, a faint spark of excitement humming beneath her skin. This push-and-pull – it's addictive. He likes a challenge, and she has to admit there's something magnetic about that. Nothing serious, though. Just a game. And if there's one thing she's always been good at, it's playing.
Hot-and-cold, mysterious, never giving away too much – that's how she's always kept the playboy types at bay. But would Lando fail the game if she decided to play now?
She's not sure she wants to find out.
Because finding out means there's a chance it could work, and Mads isn't sure what she'd do if it did. So, for now, she keeps it simple: don't get too deep, and there will always be a way out.
YOU ARE READING
bet on it | lando norris
Fanfictionin which Madison has no intention of falling for another Formula 1 driver - until the very last moment, when she does and can't help herself or in which Lando doesn't care enough to admit he has commitment issues - until the very last moment, when h...
