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94. A Safe Place

They all walked together to the paddock "Hey! O'ward!" called out Toño as he spotted Pato farther ahead by the McLaren motor home. Liv hadn't seen him properly that week since the McLaren team was staying at a different hotel than Red Bull. 

Toño hurried up to meet him as Pato flashed his bright smile "Oh no, who let you in?" he joked.

They greeted each other with a hug and started talking right away, Olivia immediately felt Max's hand tense up as she held it. "Ouch" she turned to him quickly and let go of his hand. 

"Oh god, sorry" said Max immediately as he snapped out of it. He held her hand again and kissed the back of her hand. Olivia gave him a soft smile, letting him know it was all alright. 

As they passed by Pato, Checo stopped to talk to him and Toño but given Max's very recent reaction Olivia thought it was better if they kept walking "Good luck today Pato!" Olivia called out from afar as she kept walking hand in hand with Max. 

Pato turned to her "Thanks Liv! See you around" he said brightly.

Olivia smiled at him and then she turned to her boyfriend "Let's go get some coffee shall we?" she asked.

Max smiled at her, knowing what she was doing "You know coffee sounds fantastic right now, I think I will even have a cup". 

"Oh really?" Olivia teased him. 

"Quickly before I changed my mind" Max laughed as they kept walking towards the Red Bull motor home. 

They arrived to the coffee station and Max made two coffees for both of them. For a moment Olivia was reminded of the times before they were ever together, back when Ashley was still present and looming over Max, back when all they had were stolen moments, excuses they would come up with to talk to each other. Like this: like Max and the coffee. 

Max took a sip of his hot coffee "How is it?" asked Olivia with a smile as she thought about all of those times he would drink coffee he hated just to talk to her for a few minutes. 

"It's wonderful" he said with a tight lipped smile, looking straight at her.

"Liar" said Olivia as her smile grew wider "How did I never realize how much you hated it? For months" she giggled.

"Is it that obvious?" he laughed.

"Well now it is! I guess I must have been blind before" said Olivia.

"Or maybe you just wanted to spend time with me so much you refused to see it" said Max with a wink. 

"Oh shut up, you were the one who was dying to talk to me" said Olivia as she lightly pushed him back playfully.

"That I was" he said as he caught the arm she pushed him with and pulled her to him. Then he held her by the waist and gave her a soft kiss on the lips.

"Oh no, somebody call HR!" joked Paola, Liv's sister, as she entered the room with Checo and Toño. Checo and Toño laughed with her.

"Seriously guys? In the motor home?" said Checo.

"Are they like this all the time?" asked Toño jokingly.

"All. the. time." said Checo emphasizing every word. 

Olivia rolled her eyes as she separated from Max. Max laughed "Three against one hardly seems fair" he joked "It's usually just Olivia vs. Checo". 

"Who usually wins?" asked Paola.

"Definitely Olivia" nodded Max with his brow furrowed and a serious face.

"Hey!" laughed Checo "that's not true he just says that because Liv's his girlfriend".