Song for this chapter: I do by Astrid S (what a fucking tune by the way it's so Charlie and Luce coded 🪐)
A bit of a short chapter but I personally found it so cute to write
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TMZ: Lucinda Stone seen arriving at the same restaurant as Charles Leclerc in Miami
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"You do realise the press are all over us right?"
As planned me and Charles had decided to meet at a restaurant downtown after his meetings. I'd spent the majority of the day FaceTiming the girls and surprisingly not one of them had caught onto my off putting mood. Though Leigh was more interested in what Lewis was doing then me. When I arrived at the restaurant the papz were onto me instantly and when Charles had arrived five minutes later they had started to connect the dots online.
Charles glanced around the restaurant, noticing a few people discreetly taking pictures and videos from tables in the distance. He sighed softly and took another sip of his whiskey "I know just try and act normal"
"So no playing footsies with me under the table?" I quickly asked with a grin. He glared at me from across the table and nodded his head towards the menu I had opened in my hands "shut up and look at what you want"
I pushed my lips together fighting back the biggest giggle. I was relieved to see me and Charles could still act like the friends we'd always had been. It was refreshing for both of us. Even if at times it were slightly awkward.
"Whatever you say"
"I'm serious Luce behave" he said with a smile.
My eyes widened in disbelief as I scoffed at him "that's rich coming from you" He gently kicked my leg under the table causing me to jump sending me into a fit of giggles "okay okay fine I'll stop"
Charles smirked at me causing my fit of laughter to abruptly stop, his eyes twinkled with amusement "I'm just warning you it'll be in your best interest to stop"
I rolled my eyes as the waitress approached the table taking our foods and drinks order. She was stunning, blonde, tall and had taken too much of an interest in Charles who seemingly was flirting right back with her. A small smile was dancing across his lips as she complimented him on his outfit. Which can I point out was just a basic day to day outfit. Talk about desperate. Anger was boiling in the pit of my stomach or was it jealous. Same thing right?
When she'd left Charles turned back to me as if it'd never happened "you done gawking?" I spat out as I ran my tongue over my teeth. He raised an eyebrow at me instantly clocking onto my sour mood "I'm not gawking" He spoke innocently "She was only giving me a compliment Luce"
"You need your head testing if you think that was just a compliment"
"Okay so what if it was more then a compliment, why you so irritated about it?"
I leant back in my chair fighting the urge to down my glass of wine that I'd hardly touched since sitting down "I'm not irritated"
"You're jealous it's okay I understand" He playfully smiled. I nearly bolted up out my seat to hit him instead I bit the inside of my cheek muffling the screams i was about to let out "Hang on I am not jealous"
"I wasn't trying to make you jealous Luce" He said, leaning back in his seat "But if it'll help I'll start flirting with you some more?" He was loving this a little too much, Charles had a way of forgetting the mess we was already in and acting far too normal.
"Oh yeah because that would go down well, was you even in the room last night?" I spoke out sarcastically.
"Oh I was there, who else would've been making you scream like that?"
Fuck. I'd completely walked into that one. My foot found his shin quickly as I gave him a hard kick "Not funny"
He laughed loudly, reaching down to rub his shin where my foot had connected with it "Sorry but that was way to easy" he cocked his head to the side looking me up and down "Besides if anyone should be upset about last night it's me"
I narrowed my eyes at him genuinely curious "Why's that?"
His tone was serious and it made me nervous, he was no longer laughing and I had a feeling a serious long overdue conversation was about to be had "well I think maybe I felt..something there last night. More then just a physical connection. And that scares me" I could see him hesitate for a second his gaze fixed on me looking a for a response, maybe a bit of understanding too.
"It scares you?" It was like approaching a startled deer with headlights. It was one of the few times I was getting proper answers from him and I wasn't about to piss the opportunity down the drain.
"It does scare me..all of this scares me" He took a deep breath trying to gather his thoughts before speaking again "You know my whole life has been built around this sport. It's all I've ever known and wanted. And when I'm behind the wheel it feels like nothing else exists to me. But last night.." His voice trailed off, I didn't want to pressure him to speak further so instead I took a sip from my glass keeping my eyes peeled on him letting him know I was listening. I was there. I wasn't going anywhere.
"Last night i realised that now something else..someone else will exist with me behind that wheel"
I felt tears prick the corners of my eye lids, his words had touched me that deeply I didn't know what to do with myself "Oh Charles.." I whispered unsure of what to say.
He reached across the table, his large hand engulfing mine. He didn't care if anyone saw at the point and neither did I. It just us. Our little bubble. Just like my parents back in Cannes that I had longed for "Luce I'm not sure what's going on between us, but I know I need you in my life I need you behind that wheel with me"
I smiled sweetly at him my eyes filled with adoration "Me too Charlie..I'll always need you"
"I don't want to force us to come to a decision about anything..but we can't deny there's something there anymore"
My heart could've exploded it was feeling that many emotions at once. Finally I didn't have to fight with myself every time I was around him. Finally we was realising what had been in front of us since Bahrain and I was fighting the temptation to jump straight in.
"No forcing it would be the worst thing we could"
"I'm glad we agree"
We both sat in silence for a moment, each lost in thought. The air between us vibrated with the promise of something more, something deep and meaningful. It was a slow journey we was going to take together, and I couldn't wait. I'd be waiting for this for what felt like forever.
Once we finished dinner we grabbed our coats and decided to walk back to the hotel. It was a beautiful clear night for a stroll so we headed out side by side. The only sound that could be heard was our footsteps against the pavement and the odd car that would pass by. I suddenly felt his hand slip into mine pulling me closer to him. It felt natural. Not forced. And instead of it making me feel sick with anxiety like it would've done this morning i instead felt at peace with him.
The rain had come out of no where though and neither of us was dressed appropriately for it.
"Shit rain in Miami?" I asked looking up at the large drops falling around us soaking us through. Then a crackle of lightning could be heard followed by a rumble of thunder in the distance.
"Its a thunderstorm. Here follow me" Charles led me down a short street that had an almost like canopy roof. No streets lights could've been found down there so instead it was relatively pitch black with the odd light coming from the bolts in the sky. The rain was pelting down around us making it harder to see more then a few feet ahead. His strong arms had abruptly wrapped around me from behind pulling me further out of the rain and into his dampened shirt.
I felt my hand instinctively rest against his around me as I leant my head back against his chest "it should pass soon don't worry" he yelled over the rain into my ear. My heart was racing in tandem with his causing me to turn around to face him. His hair was soaked as it dripped down his cheeks. He truly was beautiful. His eyes were searching mine for something I was still uncertain of.
"Are you sure about this Charles?"
"Yeah it's only a thunder-"
"No about us Charles"
His expression softened a flicker of every emotion could be seen from him. He hesitated for a moment before speaking "I'm not sure about anything right now..but you..yeah I'm certain"
He leaned down and pressed his soft wet lips against mine, tentatively at first then with growing intensity. The rain pounded around us, but it was as if in that moment we was the only two people standing on earth. We was going to be okay at last.
Or so I thought...
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TMZ: Charles Leclerc and Lucinda Stone reportedly getting cosy in Miami. Could there be a new wag in the paddock?
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