Stay A While | DR3 | BOOK 2

06 - Spain Testing

I could do anything as long as I had him, and Daniel, and my brothers by my side to always remind me to never doubt myself.

--

- February 22, 2022 📍 Montmeló, Catalonia, Spain -

"Nervous?"

Daniels lips parted in the same moment he turned his gaze away from the window. Teeth-marks were visible just inside his mouth. His headphones were blasting calm indie music, one cushion set on his ear furthest from me, the other planted on the side of his head. Daniel began frantically reaching into his pocket to turn down the volume. He was trying to make it seem like he had been attentive this whole time.

He was in his head. I could tell by the look in his eyes.

"You don't have to be," I continued in a whisper, letting go of his hand and rubbing his thigh up and down, trying subtly to help him relax a little. The furrow in his brow, present since we got off the plane and into the car to the hotel, relaxed with some effort on Daniels part.

"It's just pre-season testing. The team needs the data. This isn't for points, not just yet."

Daniels eyes darted down, his fingers linking with mine again. The lip gnawing continued, this time as he considered my words. While Daniel was physically here beside me, his mind was clearly elsewhere. Maybe he was feeling nervous after last season. The pressure mounting on with Dad and Zak resigning Lando to McLaren for another four years. Pressure for Daniel to perform. More of Monza.

Or maybe it had more to do with the classic pre-season jitters. Having to reluctantly switch from home-life, to being on the road until December— and spending most of this season apart from each other.

Either way, Daniel clearly wasn't all there, sitting next to me. I had noticed it on the plane, though I thought by now he would've snapped back to normal.

Michaels eyes were watching us from the back seat, his worried ears unable to contain themselves from eavesdropping. I didn't mind, he just wanted to make sure Daniel was one hundred percent. Daniel on the other hand, didn't seem too ready to admit to the picture painted on his face.

"Daniel?" I urged gently. I just needed some sort of confirmation he was hearing me.

"It's alright," he sighed finally. "I'm just tired."

"Okay," I mouthed, rubbing his cheek with my hand before meeting his trying lips with mine. Daniel relented, seemingly melting into me, his breath matching mine. It was a sweet kiss. One that brought him back down to center.

As busy as January had been, with the launch of a new company doing all it could to drag me in as many directions as physically possible— I tried to keep in mind that they were the last moments Daniel and I had before life got even crazier.

While Carson was right; that work is important and I shouldn't make sacrifices... one month putting it all on the back-burner for Daniel couldn't hurt in the long run, and I didn't care what my big brother had to say about it.

So he became the center of it all. We were the center of my universe.

I made a conscious effort to not take work home with me. To get off at a reasonable time, and be home before Daniel was from whatever McLaren Racing had in store for him that day. It was work, but it became easy. I knew after forgetting Michael and Olivia's dinner, it was simply the work I had to put in to show Daniel that we could do this, seriously.