"Kiss me," I whispered in my boyfriend's ear as I stood behind him in his garage at work.
He quickly turned around; he was so close to me as he spoke. "We both know you shouldn't be here, Bo." His English accent was so beautiful compared to my strong Dutch accent.
I took a step back as I pouted, "We both know at some point we have to tell my brother."
Lando rolled his eyes before he smiled at me, "I'll see you later."
He wasn't being meant when he sent me away, I winked at him before I skipped off to find my brother who luckily for me was in another garage for another team. I couldn't risk him finding out about my secret relationship, not yet anyway. I wanted to be the one to tell my brother, knowing how much of a hot head he could sometimes be.
Entering his garage, he looked at me and raised his eyebrows, "Where have you been?"
I laughed, "Chill out, Max. I had to pee."
His face screwed up as I lied to him, he shook his head before he spoke again. "Mamma was looking for you, I don't actually care where you have been."
Walking towards him, I smiled as I pulled him close to me and hugged him. "Stay safe out there today," I kissed him on his right cheek before I let him go and looked at him as I stood in front of him. "I'll have some toast waiting for you," I nodded at him before I headed off to find my mother.
The toast thing was a private joke between myself and MAx, it had become a bit of a thing. Whenever he had a home race, I would attend, and after his race, I would make his some toast topped with chocolate sprinkles. If I attended a race that wasn't at home, I would just make him plain toast after his race, something simple and boring yet a tradition between us.
I found my mother, she was in her seat in the box Max had hired out for us, my father stayed to watch Max from the garage leaving my mother and me to do our own thing. After our parents broke up a few years ago, things had been strained, but they made it work for our sakes, although I was sure it was more for Max and his career. Of course, our mother wanted to watch Max at his races, with our father being an ex-driver he felt like he was needed, so they had to compromise, so it wasn't awkward on race days. Personally, I was past the point of caring, it wasn't like I loved them any less, I just had my own stuff to deal with. More and more, I found myself feeling like it was all for Max, not for me or my other sister, Victoria.
"I was looking for you, darling," she smiled as I sat down beside her near the window.
Relaxing in the seat I watched on the track as the cars started to leave the pit lane, "Sorry, Mamma, I was in the bathroom."
She chuckled, "Are the bathrooms in the McLaren garage much better then?" She never missed a trick really, she had obviously been watching me for a while.
"I-" I was going to lie to her, but I knew it was pointless. "You are not going to tell Max, are you?"
My mother placed a hand on mine, "I just want to make sure you know what you are doing. I know what they are like," she spoke in a broad term.
"He's not like that Mamma," I knew she feared that most drivers were the same after her own experiences. "Max isn't like that, neither is Lando."
She wrapped her fingers around my hand, "You need to tell Max, though, darling."
Nodding my head, I looked back at the track, "I will, I promise."
XOXOX
After the race, I watched for the box as Max celebrated on the podium, a second-place which he deserved. Mamma left to go and celebrate with him, I was alone in the box as I watched from the window. I didn't quite feel up to going out there with all those people, Max would see me later, then we could celebrate together.
As he lifted the champagne bottle to his lips, I thought he caught my eye for a second, but it was all fleeting. I looked away as I checked my phone, there was a couple of messages. Lando had messaged me telling me he would be free after seven this evening, the other message was from a friend telling me she saw the race and was happy for Max.
I replied to Lando, I told him to make sure he was free, tonight I was definitely telling my family about him. I didn't know how it was going to go down, but I wanted to get their blessings before it became any more serious.
XOXOX
Mamma and I got ready at home, I dressed in a floral dress that was just above the knee with a pair of black heels and a little black clutch bag. My hair was perfectly curled, and my makeup was on par as I checked my reflection in the mirror as I heard my mother calling me.
"Yeah, yeah," I shouted in reply to her as I left my bedroom and saw her waiting for me at the top of the stairs. "What's the hurry?"
She smiled at me, "The cab is here." She sighed happily as she looked at me, "You look beautiful tonight, Bo."
"Thanks, Mamma," I followed her down the stairs as I thought about how awkward nights like this must be for her.
After Max raced at our hometown, we always went out as a family for a meal. This year was no different, this year though our mother would be coming alone having broken up with her partner just a few months back. Our father would be bringing his new wife, Julia. Mamma told me that Max was bringing his new girlfriend, Olive and Victoria was bringing her husband, Gerry.
Once we arrived at the restaurant, my father greeted me, his usually kisses on my cheeks before he nodded at my mother and returned to his seat. Walking closer to the table, I noticed that there seemed to be an extra spot. Internally I was panicking, there was not supposed to be a space for Lando, not until he arrived.
"Bo," Max smiled as he kissed my cheeks, something which I returned as I smiled at him.
"Hey, Champ," I teased him as I ruffled his hair slightly. Leaning close to him, I whispered in his ear so only the two of us could hear, "This better not blow like last year."
He chuckled at my statement before he winked at me, "Well, since Mamma ordered an extra space." He kept his voice low as he spoke to me, "It looked like things might get a little interesting." He left me standing there like an idiot as he went to greet our mother.
As I sat at the table, I was greeted by Julia and Gerry while my family continued to greet each other. "So, who is your Mamma bringing tonight?" Olive asked me as she leaned across the table.
"Oh," I shrugged my shoulders. "She hasn't mentioned anything."
As she spoke again, my phone vibrated in my pocket. Pulling it out, I looked at the called ID seeing Lando's name on the screen before I felt a presence on my shoulder. Panicking, I locked my phone screen before looking around at the person, "Mumma?" I put my hand over my chest.
She nodded her head towards the door, I looked over and saw Lando who was waiting by the bar. Standing up, I spoke loudly, "Can we all sit down already?" I looked at Max, who rolled his eyes before sitting in the chair next to myself, opposite Olive.
"Sit down yourself," my father said as he sat the opposite side of Max.
I looked at Victoria, who sat next to me, "Where's Gerry?"
She waved her hand, "He's busy at work this evening."
"Sit down, Bo." My father's voice was strict as he looked over at me.
My eyes looked at my father before I stepped away from the table, "I have to go to the loo." I made an excuse before I moved away and around to the bar away from prying eyes.
Pulling Lando along with me, I looked up at him as I stopped by a wall, "I think this is a mistake. I am not ready to tell them."
He put his hands on my shoulders and smiled at me, "You are going to go in there, they are going to be happy for you. That is just something family does. I promise it will be fine."
I leaned forward and placed a kiss on his lips, just as I heard footsteps that seemed to stop abruptly.
Pulling away from Lando, I turned my head quickly and saw Max standing there. "Max?"
He looked between myself and Lando as I took a step back from my boyfriend and looked at the look on my brother's face. It was almost unreadable as I tried to work him out. "So, the spare place wasn't for mum after all."
Shaking my head, I waited for more, I didn't know if he was going to be okay with all of this.
Max walked towards us, "You should have told me, Bo." He looked at Lando, "And you too. She's my baby sister, man." Lando opened his mouth to speak, but Max reached forward and pulled him into an awkward man hug. "Don't break her heart."
I smiled as I realised he wasn't mad, he was maybe a little disappointed that we didn't tell him sooner. "You're okay?" I asked as Max hugged me next.
"If you are happy," he pulled away from me and looked at me with a genuine smile on his face. "If Lando makes you happy then I don't mind." He sighed, "You have to tell our father, though."
Of course, my father would be the hardest person to tell.
Max headed back to the table; first, I followed with Lando at my side. He took my hand in his as he spoke quietly to me as we made our way to the family table. "I'm not going anywhere," he assured me, I looked at him, a smile on his lips.
"Well, it's too late to back out now." I noticed my father's eyes watching us as Max returned to his seat. Here goes nothing.