ma chérie | cl16

chapter ten

"So, how are you feeling?" Pierre asked Adeline after he had tasted his lemonade. It was noon; Adeline had arrived in Monte Carlo two hours ago.

She had been able to unpack at least some of the things in her suitcase, take a shower, admire her own huge hotel room (which was way bigger than her apartment in London), jump into the clean sheets, and also go to a lunch with Pierre.

She had never visited Monaco before, so she let Pierre pick the restaurant. Her only request was that it wouldn't be some fancy Michelin restaurant, which wasn't her style—she just wanted to eat. Pierre picked an Italian restaurant which was Adeline's favorite cuisine. She chose lasagna and wine, and Pierre ordered pasta carbonara and a sugar-free (quite tasteless) lemonade because of his diet. Adeline could never suffer like that.

"I'm actually doing better than I thought I would," Adeline replied, taking a glass of red wine to her right hand. "I just had to process it, that's all. Hunter has no chance at the court, he's a delusional asshole without a sense of logic," she shook her head.

Adeline was the most logical person Pierre had ever met. She wasn't letting her emotions control her life; for example, the last time Pierre had seen Adeline cry was eight years ago, and he hadn't seen her shed a single tear since then. Adeline dealt with problems quite simply—she logically explained the problem to herself and she thought of reasonable solutions. Right now, the solution to this problem was clear; relax in other countries, spend time with Pierre, and trust Janice. There was no way Hunter could get away with his request. His criminal record wasn't exactly clear.

"Are you sure? The anxiety attack had to be a shock for you, you haven't experienced it in a very long time," Pierre frowned a little, observing Adeline's mannerisms and facial expressions. However, she seemed truly okay.

"I'm fine, Pierre. If I wasn't, you'd be the first person I'd tell. Just like I did yesterday," Adeline gave Pierre a comforting smile, taking him by his hand. "Trust me."

"Okay. After all, you're the only person who can be as logical as you. I wouldn't be able to handle it so calmly," Pierre shrugged his shoulders as the waiter came to the table with a check. Pierre reached out for the bill, but Adeline was quicker.

"You should work on those reflexes before the race," Adeline teasingly smirked at her best friend. "It's on me. You already paid for the plane tickets and didn't let me pay them back. Plus, I'm gonna live in expensive hotels for a few weeks."

"You're so stubborn," Pierre sighed in annoyance. He had already explained to Adeline that the VIP tickets and accommodation were part of AlphaTauri's hospitality, but she wouldn't listen.

"After you, Mr. Pedro Gaseoso," Adeline giggled. She really missed making fun of him and overall spending quality time with him—she thought that the whole Hunter situation happened as a sign.

"Oh, the newspaper joke again," Pierre laughed. His name had been misspelled in the Spanish press after the Grand Prix. Adeline had already changed Pierre's nickname from Pierre the Great to Pedro Gaseoso on her phone.

"Yeah, you're never gonna get rid of that nickname, Pedro," Adeline joked, making Pierre chuckle.

Adeline put on her black sunglasses after paying for the check. It was quite sunny, but not too much; it was Adeline's habit to put on sunglasses whenever she was around Pierre. She was used to the attention Pierre was getting, she was always ready for photographers and fans, and it didn't bother her at all. She admired Pierre for what he had achieved; from a little kid to a famous Formula One driver.

As Adeline expected, a few fans stopped her and Pierre on their way back to the hotel to take a picture. She was surprised that the fans not only wanted to take pictures with Pierre but also with her. The F1 world had grown bigger—the fans were interested in the drivers' personal lives, their relationships, and friendships. Adeline didn't get any hate from the fans; her friendship with Pierre was known for a very long time, and the fans actually loved the iconic duo. After all, she wasn't anyone's girlfriend, only a friend.