Forever and always

Chapter twenty-nine

Olivia's pov:
September 2021

"Finally, home!" Charles said with a groan as he unlocked the front door to his apartment, and we stepped inside.

"I know" I breathed, dropping my bag next to the kitchen island. "God I've missed being here"

We had just gotten back after being away for weeks—The Netherlands, Italy, Russia. Each place blurred into the next, the calendar racing ahead of us faster than the cars we followed. First, we stayed a few days in Zandvoort after the Dutch Grand Prix. Then we left for Monza, where things took a dramatic turn.

Charles finished P4 there, which was great. But Max... well, he had a huge crash with Lewis. The stewards ruled it his fault—gave him a three-place grid penalty for the next race and two penalty points on his super license. I knew he was frustrated. So was I. The media was brutal.

We were supposed to fly back home after Italy, but Charles had a few extra things with the team. So we turned it into a spontaneous mini-vacation. A few quiet days in the Italian countryside. Just us. No cameras. No chaos. It felt like breathing again.

Then came Sochi.

Max finished P2, which helped ease the sting of Monza a little. But Charles... Charles had a rough weekend. He started at the back after an engine change, and qualifying didn't go well. He fought, but it just wasn't his race. P15. He was quiet on the flight home.

But in Monza—despite everything—two amazing things happened.

Lando finished P2, and did his famous champagne smash on the podium. He was so damn happy. But what really sent me over the edge?

Daniel. My best friend.

He freaking won. He finished P1. I was screaming when he crossed the line. Absolutely over the moon. We celebrated together like kids at Christmas. He did a shoey—of course—and Lando joined him for his first one. Even Zak got dragged into it. The entire McLaren garage was electric. It was their first win since Brazil, 2012. And their first one-two finish since Canada, 2010.

That's crazy.

So yeah. The last few weeks were a rollercoaster. But now, finally, we were home.

We'd have a few quiet days in Monaco before heading to Turkey mid-next week for the next race. But before that—our birthday. Max's and mine. In just three days.

I still had no idea what we were going to do.
__
*a few days later*

The room was still dark when I blinked awake, the linen curtains swaying softly with the morning breeze. For a second, I wasn't sure where I was—but then I felt his arm wrapped around my waist, his chest warm against my back, and everything settled again.

Charles.

His breath was slow and steady, the rhythm of someone still deep in sleep. I stayed still, not wanting to disturb the moment. The sheets were tangled around us, and the scent of his skin, warm and familiar, grounded me more than anything ever could.

Then my phone buzzed.

I groaned quickly, reaching blindly toward the nightstand. The screen lit up, harsh against the early light.

Max: "Happy Birthday, old lady!"

A smile tugged at my lips as I typed back.

Olivia: "Merci! Happy birthday to you too, don't call me old, you're older than I am"

The reply came back almost immediately.

Max: "Yeah like a couple minutes, it doesn't count"