"He definitely recognised you," Jessie said quietly to Seb as they sat down at a table with their drinks. Seb shrugged. He agreed with her, the barman who had served them had definitely given him a strange look. Still, as long as he didn't make a phone call to one of the newspapers he didn't really care. He could manage a selfie or signing an autograph if asked. He just didn't want to be asked questions about why he was with a woman that wasn't his wife. He didn't want Jessie to get badmouthed and accused of being his mistress. That wasn't fair on her.
He took a swig out of his Diet Coke. He'd have loved a beer but it was only midday, and he thought that was a little bit early. Maybe he'd ask Jessie to stop at a supermarket again on the way back to hers and pick some up for later.
Jessie picked up the dessert menu. She looked through it and decided that the banoffee sponge and custard sounded amazing. Hopefully she'd have enough room left after her jacket potatoes for it.
"You still have a sweet tooth," Seb remarked. Jessie looked up at him and grinned.
"Always, and now you get to join me in scoffing desserts. No strict diet for you now champ."
"For now, but maybe that will soon change."
Jessie wondered if he was serious about getting back into racing. She hoped he was. He was a born racer, which was what had made what Ava had done even worse.
"Enjoy it while you can then Seb."
"Oh I intend to," he replied, giving her one of his trademark grins. "I'm just going to pop to the toilet, then we'll eat yeah?" She nodded.
As Seb disappeared across the room towards the toilets Jessie found herself thinking about what had happened that morning. A shirtless Seb had been the last thing she'd been expecting to see in her kitchen when she'd returned from the shower.
It wasn't the first time she'd seen him shirtless, but it was definitely the first time seeing him shirtless had had that effect on her! Damn, he really had kept up with his training.
Why on earth was she reacting to him like that? He was her friend! She's known him for years. Maybe she was just sexually frustrated. It was two and a half years since she'd been with a man. Yeah, that must be it.
She tried to think of something else but she couldn't get the image of Seb stood there shirtless out of her head. His hard chest with its sprinkle of hair that was slightly darker than the hair on his head, his hard, firm abs. The way his joggers had been hanging dangerously low on his hips. His vlines, that trail of hair that disappeared below his waistband.
She felt a faint tingling beginning to manifest between her legs. She groaned inwardly , annoyed by her awkwardly timed arousal.
"Shall we get some spuds then?"
She jumped slightly. She'd been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't noticed Seb return. She stood up and they headed over to the potato bar. They took a plate each.
"After you," Seb told her, ever the gentleman. Jessie made her way along the potato bar, picking up two small potatoes.
The potatoes were already sliced in half so she added a small amount of butter to each and then continued on to choose her filling, deciding on chicken curry and grated cheese. She then headed back to the table, Seb following behind her.
"What filling did you get?" she asked him.
"Savoury mince," he replied, picking up the salt pot and sprinkling a small amount onto his food.
"I nearly had that, but you know what I'm like with curry."
She began to eat, and was immediately glad they had come there for lunch. It was delicious. She made a mental note to return sooner rather than later.
They both finished every scrap on their plate, and both thought about going back for another potato, but in the end they both decided to have a dessert instead.
Jessie went up to the bar to order them to save Seb getting spotted by the dozen or so people that had arrived since they had.
She ordered herself the banoffee sponge and custard, and for Seb apple crumble and custard. She paid and went back to the table. Seb was looking at something on his phone and didn't speak for a few minutes, then he put his phone down and grinned at her.
"What are you grinning at?"
"Nothing in particular, just happy to be here with my best friend. I've really missed you Jessie."
"Yeah, I've missed you too." It was true. She'd never stopped missing him from the day she and Joel had finished at Red Bull and moved to Miami. "Do you ever hear from Joel?" she blurted out.
Seb shook his head. "Well, as you know, he and I had an altercation at Monza. He tried talking to me a couple of times over the course of that season, but I was done with him, still am. He got the message eventually."
"I feel so guilty. He was your best friend before you even met me."
"Jessie, what he did was low. When he married you he promised to be with you through better and worse. Now, sometimes one partner does something that is unforgivable, like he did, like Ava did. But his excuse...he wanted to be a dad...yeah, he might have, but only a total scum bag would do to his wife what he did. You were supposed to be in it together. He wasn't the man that I thought he was."
"I don't think I ever really knew him Seb. I thought he loved me, when really he just loved the idea of a wife and kids."
"He didn't deserve you," Seb snarled.
Surprised by Seb's expression Jessie leant across the table and took his hand in hers.
"Let's not talk about him, or Ava. They don't deserve any seconds of our time. We both get to start again. Tell me, are you serious about racing again?"
Seb squeezed her hand lightly. Her hand was so tiny. His weren't big, not by a long shot, but her tiny hand was lost in his. He briefly wondered if her fingers would even meet around his erection, before forcing himself to think of something else.
"Yeah I'm serious," he said. "Racing has been my life for so long. I gave it up for the promise of a new life, a life as a husband and as a father. That promise was broken, so I want to race again. I will race again."
"I'm so happy to hear that. You belong in a race car Seb."
"And you belong at the race track by my side, just like in the good old days."
"I don't know. I've moved on from those days Seb."
"Because of Joel?"
"I guess so."
"What about if I went to Indy? Or to endurance?"
"Seb, you've got to do what you want to do. Don't do something just because you want me there."
"I don't know what I want to do," he admitted. "I love Formula 1 but I only want to go back if it's with a competitive team. I'm not going back to trundle around at the back of the grid. Indy could be a great challenge though, or endurance..."
"Look, it's something you'll have to think about."
"Will you help me to put it out there that I'm looking to get racing again?"
Jessie smiled. She'd do just about anything for him, besides work in Formula 1 again that is.
"Of course I will."
"You angel. I really don't know what I'd do without you."
"You'd survive," she added.
A couple of minutes later a waitress brought their puddings over and they both tucked in enthusiastically, eating in a comfortable silence.
As she ate Jessie thoughts once again returned to that morning when she'd seen Seb shirtless. He was so sexy and toned, and his body was tattoo free, unlike Joel, who'd added to his body ink annually.
She grinned to herself as she remembered that her ex husband had had her name tattooed above his heart. She wondered if Larissa had made him have it lasered off or changed to something else.
"Something funny?" She looked up into Seb's eyes, they were twinkling with amusement.
"I was just thinking about Joel's tattoo, you know the one that says Jessie Forever? I was just wondering if Larissa had made him get rid of it?"
"She's not a patch on you, you know?"
"You've seen her?"
"She's been to a few races with him. She's pretty, but she looks cold, and your tits are way better. Hers look like two watermelons have been shoved up her top."
Jessie snorted with laughter at Seb's observation. Then she realised he'd commented on her tits. He'd been looking at her tits? She didn't know how to gel about that.
"I suppose we'd better head back soon," Seb said. "I need to call my parents."
"Yeah, I need to get that washing into the dryer and then decide what room I'm going to work on."
"Wouldn't it make sense for you to do your bedroom first, then we can put your bed together and you can sleep there instead of on a mattress on the floor?"
"Well in theory yes, but it's freezing up there. At least downstairs I can heat the room up all day."
"Hmmm."
Seb stood up and began to put his new black winter coat on. Jessie stood up too.
Once they were ready, they headed towards the exit, thanking the staff on the way out. They crossed the car park
and got into the car.
"Is it ok if we stop off somewhere to pick up some beer?" Seb asked. "I fancy a can."
"Yeah, sure. In fact I might get a bottle of wine for myself."
After a quick stop at a shop they headed back to Jessie's house.
Once there they carried everything inside. Seb had bought several pairs of joggers, several T-shirts, hoodies, socks and pants. He had enough to last for a while and Jessie realised he had no plans on going home any time soon. That was fine by her. She would enjoy his company, and she didn't want that bitch Ava getting her claws back into him.
She carried their beer and wine through to the kitchen and put them into the fridge. Then she opened the washing machine and began transferring the wet clothes into the tumble dryer.
"I'm just going to make a call," Seb said, popping his head around the open kitchen door.
"Ok, when I've got this on I'm going to clean the fireplace out and set a new fire."
"I can do that when I've made my call."
"No, don't worry. It's easy enough."
Seb disappeared and Jessie continued with what she was doing. She switched the dryer on and then went back into the lounge.
She'd just finished putting some logs into the cleaned fireplace when Seb reappeared.
"Everything ok?" she asked him, sinking onto the sofa.
"Fantastic," he replied, beaming at her.
"How are your parents? How did they take the news about what Ava did?"
"Oh, I didn't speak to them yet."
"Who were you talking to then?" She really hoped it wasn't Ava. He looked happy, and if it had been Ava he'd been talking to that might mean they'd sorted things out, and she didn't want him going back to that bitch.
"You're not doing anything Monday are you? Not that it matters as I'm here anyway..."
"Just working on a website. Why?"
"Your heating is being installed."
"What?" she exclaimed incredulously. "But I couldn't find anyone to do it."
"It's amazing how quickly you were fit in when I offered three times the going rate," he replied, grinning smugly.
"Seb! Oh God, you shouldn't have done that. I can't afford that much!!"
"It's a good job you're not paying then, isn't it?"
"Seb! I can't let you pay."
"Why can't you?"
"Because....it's my house!"
"I'm staying here. Just call it my contribution, my rent if you will."
"But Seb..."
"No buts. It's all arranged now. I won't take no for an answer. Then we can build your bed and you can get a proper nights sleep."
Jessie briefly wondered where he would be sleeping. Would he continue sharing with her? Would he sleep on the sofa? Would he get his own bed? Before she could ask him that her phone rang.
She looked at the screen and gave a nervous laugh.
"It's your wife," she announced.
"For fucks sake. When is she going to get the message? She's been texting me all day!"
"She has?" That was news to her.
"Yeah. At least eight times. And she tried calling just before I came back in here."
"I'm going to answer."
"Don't." Ignoring Seb, she accepted the call, putting the call onto speakerphone.
"Hello?"
"Jessie, is my husband there?" Ava snapped. Jessie clenched her left hand into a fist.
"He is."
"Put him on now." Jessie looked at Seb, who shook his head.
"He doesn't want to talk to you."
"You put him on now!"
"I said he doesn't want to talk to you. Are you surprised after what you did?"
"What I did? He told you?" She sounded shocked.
"He did."
"He had no right doing that. It's none of your fucking business."
"He's entitled to tell who he likes. He needed somewhere to go, someone to talk to. He found out his wife had been lying to him for years! I can't believe you Ava."
"He should be at home talking to me, his wife, not some desperate little slapper who probably wants him for herself because she couldn't hold on to her own husband!"
Jessie had heard enough. She ended the call and blocked Ava's number.
"Jessie, she shouldn't have said that. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have told her I was here."
"It's ok, she's just lucky she didn't say it to my face. She'd have needed a visit to the hospital to get her teeth out of her stomach!"
She was fuming. When had she ever done anything to Ava to deserve what the German woman had said? They'd been friends! Well, just as Seb had ended his friendship with Joel, she was through with Ava.
"I came to you because you're the only one I can trust, beside
my family I mean. I can't go there Jessie. My mother would smother me. I understand if you want me to leave."
"I don't want you to leave you stupid man! You are my friend and you are welcome here for as long as you want. I don't care what your stupid cow of a wife says."
Seb gave a small chuckle and sat down on the sofa next to her. "Thank you Jessie, for everything."
"You really don't have to thank me Seb."
He suddenly turned and Jessie found herself pulled into his arms. She slid her arms around him and hugged him back. Her body immediately came alive. Her heart was racing and for some reason she began to think of that day in Abu Dhabi, his lips on hers.
Then he suddenly released her.
"I have to ring my parents," he told her.
"Want me to give you some privacy?"
"No, please can you stay?" he pleaded.
"Of course." Seb threaded his fingers through hers and squeezed her hand tightly as he took his phone out of his pocket and dialled his parents number.
Jessie recognised some words as he conversed with his parents, but most of the conversation was impossible to follow as her German was limited. Seb's grip on her hand tightened and she could see he was getting upset as he explained everything to his parents.
Finally, after what felt like ages, he ended the call and put his phone onto the coffee table.
"Are you ok?" Jessie asked him.
"I'll live. That was horrible."
"How did they take it?"
"My father said he wasn't surprised, that he'd never thought Ava was the one for me."
Jessie remembered Norbert's words at Abu Dhabi, about how Seb had met his one and been unable to have her. Her heart broke for him. He deserved to be happy.
"And your mother?"
"She's heartbroken. She adores Ava. She asked if it wasn't all just a misunderstanding. She told me I should forgive Ava, that Ava is my wife and my place is with her. I'm just a disappointment to her. No one in the family has divorced in over a hundred years."
"Sebastian? You are not a disappointment to her. Your mother loves you. She will come around. It will just take some time to get used to."
Seb hung his head and his shoulders began to shake. Jessie realised that he was crying. She pulled her hand out of his and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh Seb."
She held him as he cried. Why had she thought that he was ok? He'd been fine all day, but it was all still so raw and painful. She'd been so naive. She should have known he was far from ok. He'd been with Ava for so long. He wouldn't be over her just in a day. He had to start all over again and it would be tough.
After several minutes Seb's sobs subsided. He pulled out of Jessie's arms and wiped his eyes on the sleeve of his hoodie.
"I'm sorry Jessie. I didn't want to put you in an awkward position."
"You didn't. Come on, did you want one of those beers? I'm going to get some wine."
"It's only four."
"So what? We need them. You to forget her, me to forget how cold I am!"
"Ok. I'll get the fire lit."
Jessie stood up and went into the kitchen. She took a can of beer out of the fridge for Seb and took her bottle of wine back out. It was only a cheap brand with a screw top. She opened it and then got a wine glass out of the cupboard. She poured herself almost a full glass. She put the rest of the bottle back into the fridge and then, with a drink in each hand, went back into the lounge.
Seb was knelt down in front of the fire trying to light it. Jessie briefly checked out his backside. He'd always had a nice arse.
She sat down on the sofa and put their drinks on the coffee table. Seb managed to get the fire burning. He placed the fireguard in front of it and rejoined her on the sofa.
"You'll be ok," Jessie reassured him. "It hurts, but it gets better with time. Look at me, I'm ok."
"I know, I just...I feel like a fool Jessie. Why didn't I see her for what she is? A manipulative bitch."
"Ok, so there's something I'd like to ask you, but feel free to tell me it's none of my business..."
"Spit it out."
"Did you and Ava have a pre nup? I just hope she can't get a penny from you."
"We do actually," he said, laughing slightly. "Funnily enough, at her father's insistence. As you know, he's a billionaire, he insisted we got one to protect her inheritance."
"He actually thought you needed her money?"
"Yeah."
"Stupid twat."
"Basically, in the event of a divorce we both leave the marriage with what we went into it with, with shared custody of any children."
"So basically she doesn't get a penny."
"Nope. I mean I could go back and legally throw her out of the house, but I don't want to go back Jessie. Not now, and I don't know when. I want to be here, with you."
Jessie smiled at him. She knew he really needed a friend, someone to help him to get through the tough days ahead. She was happy to be that friend. She'd always be there for him, no matter what.
"Well you can take your pick of the two spare rooms, although you'll have to share my bathroom for a while. And you're gonna have to work for your keep. Lots and lots of decorating and gardening."
"That actually sounds like fun."
"I'll work you hard," she told him, picking her wine glass up and taking a long swig out of it.
"You always did," he replied, picking up his can of beer. "And while I'm here you can help me to find a seat for next season."
"Sounds like a plan." She turned slightly to face him, ignoring the racing of her heart and the butterflies in her tummy, and raised her glass in the air. "To us champ. Fuck Joel. Fuck Ava. Who needs them?" Seb touched his can to her glass.
"Who needs them indeed? To us kleine maus, to racing next season, to making this place the best damn house we can. To starting over."
"To starting over!"