𝙁𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙁𝙞𝙚𝙡𝙙 - Charles Leclerc (CL16) [Book 1]

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚢-𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚎

"Liana, How long on the cannoli?"

"Give me five minutes Flora, then there's a fresh tray for everyone waiting."

It is a Saturday afternoon, Flora and I are working in the bakery whilst Raegan is in Qatar for the race this weekend and it is CRAZY. We haven't had a weekend like this in a very long time, we sold out of cannoli before 11am - so here I am now, piping extra for the rest of the day. We've already sold out.

I finish a tray and take it out to the front, Flora boxes up a few for customers waiting - they say their thank you's and leave. Flora and I take one look at each other and let out a loud breath.

"What a Saturday," I exclaim, Flora breathlessly agrees as we stand for a moment and watch the people from the principality walk past.

"Is that your phone ringing?" she asks, as we both fall silent and listen til I can hear the sound of my ringtone from the kitchen, I head out the back and pick it up.

"Ugh, it's my Mother. Come and get me for an emergency if I'm not back in 5?" I roll my eyes.

Flora laughs, and I head into the office and shut the door behind me.

"Hello Mum, how are you?"

"Liana, dear, it has been so long, you haven't called."

"Sorry Mum, I've been busy at work. How are you, how is Dad?" I let out a silent sigh as I settle in for this conversation.

"We are both well. How are you, how is the bakery? Is it still doing well?"

"Yes it's going very well Mum, we have even been featured in a magazine."

"Oh excellent news." There is a moment of silence between us, it is kind of awkward, I have never had the best relationship with my parents. They wanted me to stay in Italy, marry Davide, have children and start a family, but I loved baking. I'll never forget the look on their faces when I told them I was moving to France.

"I saw Flavia the other day, we met for coffee," Flavia is Davide's mother, my brain goes into overdrive wondering where this conversation will go.

"Oh really," I say with a hint of disinterest to my voice.

"Yes, she mentioned how Davide said you both caught up recently, in Milan, at the racetrack where your friend's boyfriend drives."

"It's Formula 1 and it was in Monza not Milan, and it wasn't really a catch-up Mum, I bumped into him a few times and then he tried to start an argument with..."

I pause for a second as I think about Charles, what do I call him, my Mum doesn't know about any of what has happened. If I just call him a friend, she'll want to know who he was arguing with, if I call him a boyfriend she'll ask so much more, but he wasn't really a boyfriend, it was only casual, like it is now.

"...someone in the club who was with my group, I don't really know them."

"Well, why did he do that?"

Told you she would ask questions.

"I don't know Mum, but anyway, it was just a hello here and there, nothing else."

"He told Flavia how good you looked, and how happy you was to be in Italy."

"Oh did he really, well I don't know how he would have known that anyway Mum."

"We was thinking anyway, me and your father, it would be really nice to have a Christmas like the old times, we have spoken with Flavia about getting together with her family as well. It has been a long time since we all celebrated together, and so long since we saw you dear."