Lights Out • 1 • Formula One ✔️

Chapter 64

Summer break - finally. As much as I wanted to just breathe a sigh of relief and embrace the time off I just couldn't. The weight of my uncertain foreseeable future in the sport pressed down on my shoulders for the entirety of the first week. That, in addition to Max's 'off' behaviour, had me unsettled. Ever since Esteban spilled about what Lawrence had told me (I still don't know how he found out), Max has been acting a little down and less enthusiastic about things whenever we were out around other people. I have tried to reassure him many times that a team who forces me to make a decision like that isn't one worth staying that. It's no lie that I did consider it; since my job is so important to me and I don't want to lose it, but Max is important to me, too.

"What are you thinking about, schatje?" Max's soft voice drew me away from my thoughts. We had been driving from the airport to the summer house that Marcus booked in Portugal. Murray was still sleeping on the back seat after he had a restless flight (perks of private flying is that they're less fussed about pets).

I lifted my head from the cool window, blinking a few times to fix my dry eyes. "Not much."

"Work?" He briefly looked away from the road to me and raised an eyebrow. Max obviously could read me well. It's either that or he has picked up on the fact it was constantly clouding my thoughts. I just hummed in response, not really wanting to talk about it in case he brings up the breakup idea. "Maybe-"

"Can we please just have a week where work isn't mentioned?" I sighed, rubbing the crease in my forehead. "Like, go back to complaining about Ocon or something and not my job situation."

Upon hearing the Frenchman's name, Max visibly stiffened. He had a similar response whenever I brought up Charles, as well, for some unknown reason. "I can't believe they're making me do service."

"Maybe you should've pushed him where there weren't any cameras?" I suggested.

"If he gets in my face at any point this week-"

"Yeah, yeah, you'll 'sort him out'." I finished the sentence for him with a roll of the eyes, adding the quotation marks with my fingers. "You talk about it a lot."

Max glanced at me out the side of his eyes and scoffed. "I don't talk about it that much."

"I'm afraid you do, babe." I bit my lip to suppress a grin.

"I hope this place has soundproof rooms," Max randomly said out of the blue. I furrowed my eyebrows, prompting him to elaborate. "If you biting your lip like that, they won't stop hearing you moan my name."

It was my turn to scoff now at his cheekiness. "Don't flatter yourself, Verstappen."

It was now Max's turn to bite his lip (which did look incredibly sexy, might I add). "When we're married, you won't be able to call me that anymore." I almost choked on my breathe at the mention of marriage. It was a surprise he even brought it up since he had been considering breaking up.

"And why is that?"

"Because you'll have my last name, too. It'll be weird," he said it as of it were a fact as simple as 'the sky is blue'.

I raised an eyebrow, finally recomposing myself. "What makes you think I'm taking your name? Max Archer isn't all that bad, you know."

"But Alyssa Verstappen is better." He pointed out. Okay, true.

"But what would I race under? Would I have to steal the 'VER' from you?" I teased. I noticed his face scrunch up. "What if I end up as the most successful Verstappen?"

Max let out a short, loud laugh, as if what I said was hilarious. "Oh, babe - not if I can help it."

"Give it ten years and we'll see. You'll be retiring way before I will."