LOCK UP - Lando Norris [BOOK 2]

09

Testing weekend was finally here, and Lando and I hadn't really fixed what was broken the other night. We were talking and we were going about our usual day to day activities, but you could just feel there was something fractured in the way we operated.

I told him that I wanted to watch testing from the grandstands rather than sitting inside the Red Bull garage. I lied and said it was because it was the better view, but in reality, what broke between us was something that wasn't going to improve by my sitting inside that garage and possibly overhearing a strategy or improvement. Placing myself in the grandstands, I couldn't be asked what was happening on the datasets and I couldn't be responsible for any leaked information either.

I had officially decided it was safer to stay away. For the sake of Lando and the sake of Christian.

"Hey babes" I hear sung from behind me.

I turn to see Maddie making her way down the steps in my direction. Fantastic. "Hey" I reply as she takes a seat next to me, placing her feet identical to mine up against the railing.

"How's it all going?" she asks.

"Good I think, most of them are out on track now" I inform just as both flinch at the sound of a Mercedes going past.

"Not with the racing, I don't care about that. How are things with Lando?" she wiggles her eyebrows at me, and I instantly feel sick.

"If you don't care for the racing, why do you hang around so much?" I chuckle, attempting to move this conversation away from Lando, given her history with him too.

She looks at me in shock, as if the answer should be obvious. "Ummm, have you seen those boys?" she points her thumb at an empty track, but I get what she's implying.

"Right." I sass. "Who is it you're seeing these days?"

The good thing about Maddie is that she is well aware of her reputation, and she almost seems like she is proud of it. But I mean, more power to her, she knows what she's got, and she flaunts it. I wish I had that much confidence.

"Uhhh, I was seeing Logan for a bit, but I don't know. I don't really like the American in him" she shrugs her shoulder like that reasoning is valid.

"I don't think he can change that." I mock.

"I know" she almost sounds disappointed, "I kind of like Charles though. I've actually never been with Charles, believe it or not"

My heart immediately stops.

"Umm, I don't think Charles is like that though, he's more like into relationships" I try and turn her off him immediately.

"I know, I see what you and Lando have, and I think I might want that now" she suggests.

Oh no.

"Right" I almost whisper.

"What do you think? Do you think he'd be interested?" she chirps.

I shrug and fidget with my fingers, "I'm not sure"

She shakes her head at me, "Come on Ev, you two were like joined at the hip for most of the time I've been around. You probably know him better than anyone on the grid here"

All I can do is nod.

"You know, I used to think you and Charles would be the ones to end up together. I had no idea you had it hot for Norris" she teases.

A small laugh falls from my lips. "No"

"Like, there was just so much chemistry, and sexual tension between you, every time I was around at least. And how he used to look at you. Oh god" she melts, "To have a boy look at me like that. But then I heard about you and Norris, and I was kind of like, right well Charles is fair game then. I didn't want to go there, thinking you liked him" and I don't believe that for a second.

"We were just friends" I defend.

"I know that now, silly" she chuckles, "So, anyway. I'm thinking I might see if he wants to grab dinner or something. What do you think?"

I swallow my truth, "Go for it" I encourage unconvincingly.

"Cool" she gallops, settling back in her seat and turning her attention back towards the racetrack.

I could never imagine Maddie actually settling down in a relationship, but if she was going to want to do it with anyone, of course its Charles, I mean, he's great. Any girl would be lucky to have him.

I just don't want to admit that thought makes me jealous.

"Oh my god" Maddie exclaims, snapping me out of whatever daydream I was in, her attention fully on me. "Has Lando done that stupid noise thing yet, like right before he's about to wake up. That little grunt sound thing that sounds like he's about to choke?" she starts laughing.

"Maddie, you and I cannot discuss that sort of thing?" I look at her in horror.

"What?" she gasps confused, "Why?"

I look at her for a beat, waiting to see if it'll hit her.

"What? Because he and I used to..."

I cut her off, "Maddie!" I shout chuckle.

"What? Oh, come on, Ev. Lighten up. That was like ages ago" she defends, even though it really wasn't.

"Still, I would rather not know what other women know about MY man in bed" I defend, and I have no idea why a laugh is accompanying that statement, perhaps its nerves.

"Whatever you say" she holds her hands up in defence, a lightness to her tone confusing me even more.

By the time the season has finished, and everyone begins packing up. Maddie and I head down to the garages, she breaks off in the direction of Ferrari, "Wish me luck" she mutters before darting off.

I find myself standing there watching as she approaches Charles who is with one of his engineers at the front of his garage. I watch their entire interaction, and how confident she is.

"What's going on?" Lando asks as he joins by my side, looking in the direction where I'm starring.

"Maddie is going to ask Charles out; she thinks she's ready to have a stable relationship" I inform him.

Lando chuckles "Yeah right, that girl wouldn't know stable if it hit her on the forehead"

I shrug my shoulders. "Yeah, I know, she said after witnessing what we have, she wants it too"

"And she thinks she's going to get it from Charles" Lando mocks, "She's kidding herself"

He peels away and catches up with Max along the pitlane. The two of them exchanging a handshake and then I can see them discussing something, so my eyes dart back toward Maddie and Charles.

He's nodding and smiling and that kind of annoys me. I have absolutely no right to be feeling protective of him, I don't even know why I do. I think it's more because I know how Maddie is and Charles deserves someone better.

Maddie suddenly jumps up and down, clapping her hands, before planting a quick kiss on his cheek and darting out of the garage. Charles eyes follow her out of the garage, looking a little shell shook. But then his eyes land on mine.

He shrugs slightly at me, but I can see it written all over his face.

He makes his way over to me across the pitlane, and I stand frozen in place.

"Judging by her reaction, I'm guessing you agreed to go on a date with her?" I ask, and I sound judgey, I just can't help it.

He simply shrugs again.

"That's good. No. I'm happy for you. You two will be great match" I hear the sarcasm, and I can't help it.

"Ev, stop" he warns.

"What do you mean? I'm happy for you, Charles." I defend.

He eyes me for a beat. "You made your decision, Ev." Before walking off, leaving me stunned.