UNLOCKED - LANDO NORRIS [Book 3]

24

3 MONTHS LATER 

35 WEEKS PREGNANT 

DUTCH GRAND PRIX

Carrying out this bump was turning my walk into a waddle, having to leave bigger gaps when walking through the McLaren hub and through the garages. Johan, Lando and Max as well as everyone on the grid seemed to treating me like I was the most breakable person in the paddock. 

"How are you feeling, darling?" Lewis asks as I bump into him in the paddock on my way down to the McLaren garage. 

"Swell" I tease, running my hand over the bump. 

He chuckles, "Have you guys settled on a name yet?" he asks. 

I shake my head, "Not really, I think once we see him, we're going to just know, you know?" 

He nods his head, "This is so exciting, you guys are going to be the most amazing parents" he gushes. 

"Thank you" I appreciate, "That really means a lot to me" 

Both of our attentions are turned to a familiar cherry red driving suit coming in our direction. "I'll leave you to it" he winks before walking away, giving Charles a friendly bump as he passes him. 

"Hey" he says awkwardly as he approaches me. 

"Hi" I mumble back. 

His eyes travel down to my stomach and on instinct I run my hand over it, almost like protection. 

"How are you?" he asks, unsure of himself. 

"I'm okay. Tired. But I'm really good" I answer in confidence. "How are you?" 

He shrugs his shoulders, his eyes dropping to my stomach again, "I'm okay" 

Moments of awkward tension pass between us, as I watch him shuffle his weight from side to side. 

"Umm" he grumbles, trying to break the tension. "I heard it's a boy" 

"Yeah" I breath out, "We're having a little boy" 

He nods his head. "Max will be happy" 

"Charles?" I whisper. 

"I miss you" he blurts out, "I miss being apart of your life and I've been watching you turn up at this paddock every single week, growing, and I've wanted nothing more than to find out how you are" 

My lips are parted in shock, this wasn't where I was expecting his conversation to go. 

"I'm sorry, I just..." he shrugs. 

"I miss you too" I confess. 

I watch as the held breath releases from his body. 

"Can we just like, go back, please, forget I've been an absolute tool the past few months" he gasps. 

I chuckle, taking a few steps toward him, "Yes" I agree. "As long as you forget I've been an absolute tool as well" I giggle. 

"It's forgotten" he gushes, bringing his arms around my shoulders and pulling me toward him. 

My hands find themselves on his lower back, squeezing as hard as I could. 

As he steps back, I notice that he had a little tear present in the corner of his eye. "I better go get ready for the race" he points behind him. 

I hold my hands out, reaching for him. He retrieves them, giving them a little squeeze. "Good luck" 

"Thanks, Ev" he smiles as he backs away, facing me and then turning to jog away. 

"That looked like it went well" Lando acknowledges from beside me, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. 

"It did" I breath out, relieved. "I've missed him" 

"I know" he pull my head toward him and kisses my temple. "I'm glad it's sorting itself out" 

"Me too, how are you feeling? Are you ready?" I ask him, straightening his race suit collar for him. 

"Yeah" he acknowledges. "Let's go" he pulls me in the direction of McLaren garage. 

Watching him suit up for his race, he always looks so in the zone and I love that. I love watching him be so passionate about something and his talent shows and is a real credit to his dedication and training. 

Before putting his helmet on and stepping into his cockpit he comes toward the back of the garage to where I'm sat. 

"I love you" he whispers, cupping my face inside of his hands. 

"I love you" I reply before he drops to his knees, coming in eye line of our baby boy still nestled inside my stomach. 

"Love you peanut" he mumbles. 

"You know we can't actually call him that you know?" I mock as he stands to his feet. 

"Oh come on, it has a nice ring to it. Peanut Norris" he teases. 

"I'd rather call him Carlos" I chuckle. 

He points his finger jokingly at me, "Not happening" 

I'm startled by the rumble of thunder, but when I look out of the garage, there isn't a spot of rain anywhere. 

Lando looks at me with the expression on his face like a kid on Christmas morning. "Fun" he gushes with a raise of his eyebrows. 

"Be careful" I warn as he walks back to his car, securing his helmet and hoping into the cockpit. 

I glance over at the weather monitor on Jason's screen. "Is it coming this way?" I ask. 

He shakes his head, "Nope, it should miss the track, heading over the south side" he informs. 

"Okay" I breath out, securing a set of headphones to my head and tuning into Lando's radio. 

As I watch him pull out into the pit lane as they make their way around to the grid. Lando takes his position on pole with Max beside him, Charles behind him. 

The loud rumble of thunder again startling me, but checking on the weather radar, it hasn't moved from where it was before and Jason gives me a reassuring thumbs up.