1 month later
Rosie
"Come on Adam, we are going to be late" I tell from his hallway "I'm coming! Hang on!" He shouts back and I fiddle with my car key. Finally he comes down the stairs with his luggage "let's go!" He says and we head out front and I unlock the car and he pops his things in the boot. "Are you feeling okay?" He asks and I let out a sigh "it's just Monaco, doesn't mean I'm going to see him" I say and part of me wants to see him. I know he hurt me but I miss him, he helped me get back to being me. I never thought I would be facing life without him and it's taking everything for me to not go running back.
I park my car in the short stay car park and join Adam, pulling the luggage out of my boot. We start walking to the entrance of terminal 3 at Heathrow for our flight to Nice. I keep my eyes peeled for other members of the team, including my brother. We get through security quickly and wander through the duty free. I'm not much of a shopper so we just walk through to where we can grab some breakfast. "Oh no" Adam says as we walk past the sunglasses section and my eyes dart over and I see a Ray-Bans advert with Charles on. My heart drops and I find that I'm taking shaky breaths "sorry Rosie!" Adam says and guides me gently through the rest of the duty free. Why did seeing his face bother me this much, I do miss him but I didn't think it would effect me like this.
"RoRo!" George calls from a set of seats in the waiting area "Hey!" I say and point so that Adam understands where we are going. I pull him in for a hug still feeling upset from the advert incident. "Have you left the factory this week?" He jokes "haha funny, I've just been pulling long hours" I say and he looks worried "I know it's Monaco but you don't need to work yourself this hard" I swallow down my tears and shake my head "it's good for me to be busy!" He nods "but it's not good for you to burn out" he reminds me and I nod. I'm aware he is right but work is all I have to focus on now.
"Monte Carlo here we come" Adam says as we walk out of the terminal at Nice airport, we are riding with Soph and George to Monaco. "Right! Let's go!" George announces as he starts up his Mercedes that he has for the whole weekend. I look to Adam who I know is buzzing to see Jake and the fact that he is in Monaco. We drive for a little bit before I see the familiar view of Monte Carlo in front of us. I used to view this place as my home, a month ago it was my home. I feel the urge to cry but I fight it down with some deep breaths. George is driving us directly to the hotel and he navigates the overly familiar streets and my heart aches. I miss him.
"Right Rose, see you for dinner?" George checks and I nod "absolutely" I confirm and head into my room. I'm staying alone this weekend as it was assumed that I would be staying with Charles when the arrangements were made, I'm in one of the spare rooms that they always book. Soph offered to share with me but I told her to stay with my brother. Alex text me the other day complaining about how insufferable they are at home. He also asked if perhaps we could find a place together and I'm seriously considering it. I wouldn't mind living with Alex at all! I can't sit in the room with my thoughts so I change into my running gear and decide to head on the costal path route. I pop my AirPods in and head down to the exit of the hotel.
I weave through the people mulling about the streets on my way to the cliff tops. I'm not thinking about the way it's almost like muscle memory at this point. Once I've been running for a while I decide to stop in a spot I always used to sit in. Gazing out over the sea, I let my mind switch off. Feeling the breeze through my hair and enjoying the peace the water always brings me. "Rosie?" A female voice calls and I ignore it assuming they are talking to someone else "Rosie Russell?" This grabs my attention fully and I turn around to see Charlotte stood there. I feel my anger bubbling and I try to block it out "Charlotte?" I ask and she nods before making her way over "I thought you would be in town for the F1 weekend" she tells me "yeah, it's a difficult circuit, George needs me" I comment and she looks down at her hands "he is in love with you, you know that right?" I look at her confused "he is, he loved me, but he was never in love like he is with you" she tells me and I'm really baffled "why are you telling me this?" I question her "because I kissed him, not the other way around, he told me to leave the minute I walked in, he was pushing me away when you arrived. I'm sorry that I tried to take him from you. He didn't want me, he only wants you!" she confirms what he told me "and he hasn't spoken to me since, he won't reply to my messages" I feel a flutter of guilt take over, have I been too harsh? "He is lost without you, Arthur called me asking if I knew what happened as he won't speak to anyone" without thinking I am on my feet "I need to go" I tell her and I start running back towards the city.
I knock loudly on the door and wait. Impatiently. Come on! After what must only be a few seconds the door swings open "Mon Ange?" He asks me and I respond my throwing myself into his arms "I'm sorry" I say into his chest and I feel his arms wrap around me "what are you apologising for?" He asks me confused "for not listening to you, I didn't give you a chance" I say and he doesn't reply for a few minutes "I shouldn't have had to explain anything, I'm sorry I put us in this situation" he tells me and I pull back "it shouldn't have happened but it did but I fully believe that you didn't want it to happen" he nods "not at all, I only want that with you" he tells me and I feel my heart swell "I have missed you so much" I say and he smiles softly at me "not as much as I have missed you"
Charles invited me to stay and we are currently curled up on the sofa. I can't explain how content I feel right now, if Charlotte hadn't have spoken to me I wouldn't be here. "Can I ask what changed your mind?" He asks me "I was on a run along the costal path and I sat for a few minutes" I say "in the usual spot?" He asks and I nod "Charlotte saw me and told me that it was all on her and I believed her because what did she have to gain?" He shrugs "I haven't been speaking with her so I wouldn't know" he tells me and I can't help but smile "she said you hadn't spoken to her, anyway she explained and I actually listened and I came straight here" he pulls me into his side "I'm so glad you did" I have missed this so much. "We have a lot to figure out" I tell him. He hurt me, I won't deny that but he also saved me when my whole life was trying to drown me. "I know but we have time to do that"
"I'm going to head back to the hotel, I said I would meet everyone for dinner" he nods but looks sad "okay, did you want to stay here tonight?" I think for a moment "I would if that is okay?" He nods "more than okay, I will pick you up?" I agree and then pick my phone off of the table "okay, I will see you later" I tell him feeling slightly awkward as I don't know how to be with him right now. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me on my head "I love you Mon Ange" he whispers into my hair. I hold back from saying it back, I need to know what we are going to do moving forwards. I pull away and give him a soft smile before turning to the door "see you later" I say walking out and heading down to the exit of the apartments.
Charles
Knocking on the door disturbs me, I'm sorting out Rosie's stuff to give to her tomorrow. My heart sinks at the idea, it will be officially over and I'm not ready to let go. I walk over to the front door and swing it open. Surely I'm imagining things "Mon Ange?" I ask and I feel confusion wash over me, what is she doing here? She throws herself into my arms "I'm sorry" she says into my chest and I wrap my arms around her "what are you apologising for?" I ask trying to hold onto this moment like my life depends on it "for not listening to you, I didn't give you a chance" she says and I process what she has said, does this mean she wants to be with me? That she forgives me? I feel the hope blossom in my chest. I thought I had lost her forever. "I shouldn't have had to explain anything, I'm sorry I put us in this situation" I tell her she pulls back and looks into my eyes "it shouldn't have happened but it did but I fully believe that you didn't want it to happen" I find myself nodding "not at all, I only want that with you" I tell her and she looks at me the way she used to "I have missed you so much" She tells me and I smiles softly at her "not as much as I have missed you" I tell her genuinely, she is my life and I have been lost.
Rosie
I arrive back at the hotel and I feel like the dark cloud that has been following me for the last few weeks is finally gone. He isn't Lando and I knew that, Lando didn't even want to try to be Jules dad, Charles was stepping up even when it wasn't his. I know it might be stupid to take him back but I know I need to give him one more chance. When I see him later I will lay down some rules going forwards. I pull my running kit off and step into the shower. The warm water washes over me and I feel calm for the first time since I walked into his drivers room. I know my friends might not support us getting back together but I need this for my happiness. He is my person and I don't want to let that go.
I pop on a black dress and grab my handbag before throwing my keycard in and picking up my pink jacket. I walk downstairs and immediately spot Jake and Adam. I haven't seen Jake for a couple of weeks and I find myself running over to him and launching myself at him "RoRo! You nearly knocked me over!" He jokingly complains before giving me a hug. "She is never this excited to see me!" Adam complains and I stick my tongue out at him " I see you everyday!" I justify and he laughs. "Hey guys!" George greets us as he and Soph walk over "ready to go?" Jake asks and they nod. I can't hide the good mood I'm in and Adam keeps looking at me concerned. We arrive at a cute Italian that I've been to before with Charles. Now we've spoken, the memories don't hurt, I'm happy. I take my seat next to Soph and across from Jake. I skim through the menu and immediately decide on the pizza I had the last time I was here. "What are you getting?" Soph asks me "pizza capricciosa" I say and she nods "have you been here before?" She asks and I nod "yeah me and Charles came a few months ago" I smile slightly "makes sense! You seem happy about that though! What have I missed?" I'm not sure if I want to tell them all yet but I know it's inevitable.
"Well I had a good talk with Charlotte today" she looks confused "Charlotte? What? When?" She asks and this attracts everyone's attention. "I went for a run along the costal path and she spotted me and came over to talk" she gestures for me to continue "and she apologised for going after Charles and told me that he didn't want her there, he was genuinely pushing her away" Soph's eyes narrow "you believe her?" I nod "how is it in her agenda to push me and Charles back together?" Her expression softens "it wouldn't be, have you spoken to him?" I freeze for a second "I went to his, I want to give him a chance" I brace for her to tell me I'm an idiot "how did he take it?" She asks and I look at her confused "we've both really missed each other" I say and she smiles "look, be careful okay, I support you giving him a chance but if he does anything I will make sure he never sees you again" I know she means well "so you and Charles are back together?" Jake asks and I shrug "we haven't discussed it yet" he nods "if he genuinely wasn't interested in her then I support the second chance" he tells me and George and Adam agree.