Dear Lando - Book Two

Bonus Chapter ♡ That one time in Canada

The living room of Lana's house was alive with laughter and friendly banter as the group settled in for a cozy game night. Snacks were scattered across the table, and empty glasses hinted at the wine and cocktails everyone had been enjoying. Lando leaned back against the couch with Lana nestled beside him, her feet tucked under her, while Nat and Theo lounged nearby, already giggling at the ridiculous prompts from the game.

Charles, seated next to his new girlfriend, looked as smug as ever, but Lana had been waiting for the perfect moment to get back at him for spilling her secret to Carlos. And then it came.

Lana drew a card from the deck and smirked as she read it aloud. "Tell an embarrassing story about the person to your left."

Everyone's heads turned toward Charles, and he froze, his smirk faltering as he realized who the card had targeted.

"Don't you dare," he warned, narrowing his eyes at Lana, who looked far too pleased with herself.

"Oh, I dare," Lana said sweetly, her grin widening. "You all remember that one time in Canada?"

Charles groaned, already sinking into his chair. "Lana, no."

"Oh, yes." She turned to the rest of the group with a dramatic flourish. "Let me paint you a picture."

flashback to Canada

It was a crisp autumn afternoon in Montreal, and the four of them—Lana, Nat, Charles, and Carlos—were strolling through a picturesque park near the city's iconic Old Port. The trees were a kaleidoscope of oranges and reds, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of fresh leaves. Lana and Carlos walked a few paces ahead, chatting about their favorite cities on the F1 calendar, while Charles and Nat lagged behind, Charles looking far too intrigued by a group of geese waddling near the water's edge.

"You know," Nat teased, "I bet you can't pet one."

Charles gave her a skeptical look, puffing up his chest. "Why wouldn't I be able to? They're just birds."

"They're also mean as hell," Lana called over her shoulder, catching wind of their conversation. "Seriously, Charles, don't."

But Charles, ever the showman, waved her off. "I'll be fine. They like me."

Nat's grin turned mischievous. "Alright, go on, Goose Whisperer. Prove it."

Charles marched confidently toward the nearest goose, crouching low as if to appear non-threatening. The goose, however, clearly didn't appreciate his approach. It honked loudly, flapping its wings in warning.

"Uh, Charles," Carlos said, turning around just in time to see the chaos unfold. "I don't think—"

Before anyone could intervene, the goose launched itself at Charles, honking furiously.

"AHHH!" Charles let out an uncharacteristically high-pitched yelp, stumbling backward as the goose chased him in circles.

Nat was doubled over in laughter, while Carlos and Lana stood frozen, too stunned to react.

"Stop laughing and help me!" Charles yelled as he tripped over a root and tumbled backward into a shallow pond with an undignified splash.

The goose, apparently satisfied with its victory, strutted away, leaving Charles soaking wet, sputtering, and covered in pond muck.

Carlos couldn't contain himself any longer. He doubled over with laughter, clutching his sides. "That... was... incroyable."

Lana knelt at the edge of the pond, trying to offer Charles a hand while biting back her laughter. "I told you not to," she said, her voice shaking with suppressed giggles.

Charles glared at her, dripping wet and thoroughly defeated. "I hate you all."

present day

Lana finished recounting the tale with a flourish, relishing the group's reaction. Nat was crying with laughter, Theo was grinning ear to ear, and even Lando smirked as he pictured the scene.

Charles, meanwhile, looked as though he wanted to crawl under the table. "I thought we agreed never to speak of that again," he muttered, shooting Lana a betrayed look.

"Oh, I never agreed to that," Lana said innocently, leaning closer to him. She lowered her voice so only he could hear. "Consider it payback for telling Carlos about my crush."

Charles groaned but couldn't entirely suppress the twitch of a smile. "Fair."

Lando leaned in, his curiosity piqued. "Wait, you were chased by a goose and fell into a pond? Why wasn't I there to see this?"

"Because you weren't invited," Charles shot back, his cheeks still red.

As the laughter died down, Charles' girlfriend patted his arm sympathetically. "I think it's cute. Everyone makes mistakes."

"Yeah," Nat added, grinning wickedly. "Just not usually that big."

And with that, the group dissolved into laughter again, the memory of Charles' misadventure in Canada now firmly cemented in their game night lore.