Just Him ❤

18. Testing times. 2

Chloe paced up and down in Seb's lounge nervously. He'd gone to the airport to pick up his dad and brother. If she was just his PA she would have taken it all in her stride. But Seb was also introducing her to them as his girlfriend. Her mouth was dry, she went to the kitchen to get some water. Antti watched her walk in. He stopped typing on his iPad.
"Relax, you'll be fine."

"Easy for you to say." She replied, "You're not the new woman in his life after Hannah."

"You don't have to worry. They won't be comparing you to her, trust me."

"Antti, we'll all be on the same flight tomorrow." She put her hand in front her mouth as the thought had just popped in to her brain.

"Of course. We're all travelling together. You organised it!" He laughed, standing up to walk over to her and stop her pacing again. "Just calm down." He put his hands on her shoulders, "You'll be fine, they're great people." He heard voices and quickly stepped away. Chloe took a deep breath and fiddled with her hair. Seb walked in followed by his brother and then his father. He was speaking to them in German before quickly switching to English for Chloe. He stepped over to her, putting an arm around her shoulders, he kissed her cheek.

"Chloe." He ushered her forward with him a bit, still with his arm around her, "This is my father, Norbert, and my younger brother Fabian."  Chloe swallowed before plastering on a nervous smile.......

                                ~*~

Seb parked the car in the secure compound not far from the paddock. It was feeling much warmer back in Barcelona than Switzerland was, though it was still cool enough that Chloe needed her jacket. She'd been sat in the back, or relegated to the back as Antti liked to put it, with Antti and Fabian. They all got out. Seb grinned at her across the roof of the car. He was looking forward to getting back in to his race car again after a good day yesterday. Having his dad and brother here too improved his mood further. They all walked towards the paddock gates together. The usual photographers swarming around them. Chloe made sure to keep going, walking in between Fabian and Antti. Once inside the paddock, Chloe took Norbert and Fabian to hospitality for a coffee while Seb went with Antti to get changed.
"Chloe's getting on well with them isn't she." Antti put his rucksack down and got Seb a container filled with fruit and yogurt. Seb was starting to undress to get his race gear on.

"Yeah she is." Seb smiled, "I knew she would."

"She was very nervous on Sunday." Antti admitted, "I told her she'd be fine."

"Was she really? She hid it well then. They really like her." He couldn't stop his smile from getting bigger. "I'm thinking of asking her about telling the team about us. Think she'll agree?"

"I'm sure she will." Antti watched as Seb pulled on his fireproof clothing.

"This feels different Antti."

"Oh, do you want me to find out if they've changed them?" Replied Antti thinking Seb meant his clothing.

"No, I mean Chloe. Being with her, it feels different. It feels like she's always been there and I can't imagine being without her."

                              ~*~

The morning session was well underway. Seb was doing the morning stint and Charles was to do the afternoon. Chloe stood with Norbert and Fabian who were watching Seb on the monitor. She was leaning on the work bench, working on her lap top. She'd had to juggle around a few interviews booked for Australia to squeeze in one more and had just finished phoning the relevant people to arrange it all. She picked up her bottle of water and was about to take a drink when she heard a collective gasp around the garage. She looked at the monitor quickly. Seb had had an accident in the car. He'd gone straight on at a turn and in to the tyre barrier.
"I don't think he braked." Fabian said. Chloe said nothing, she watched the monitor like a hawk. Trembling. The session was red flagged and a medical car was seen heading to the scene. She could sense Norbert looking at her as if for some kind of reaction or reassurance. Suddenly he reached across Fabian and touched her arm.

"He will be ok." He said. He was trying to reassure her instead when she knew it should be the other way round. He'd seen her visibly shaking. Chloe watched the replay, sure enough he just didn't seem to brake and went in to the barrier at some speed. The clip quickly went off and Seb was seen getting out of the car, aided by the marshals.

"Get yourself to the medical centre." Antti patted her shoulder, he could see tears in her eyes now. She let out a small sob of relief as Seb got himself in to the medical car, "He'll go there just as a precaution but he's fine as you can see." She didn't need telling again and bolted from the garage. She ran frantically along the paddock, nearly running in to people as she went. She couldn't stop the tears from running down her cheeks. She passed Daniel Ricciardo on the way, the first time she'd seen him since she'd turned down the chance to work for him. He looked at her as she ran past. Her's was not a normal reaction for a PA. She only stopped running when she got to the doors of the medical centre. She'd run so fast she'd got there before Seb. She went inside, relieved that no cameras would be in there. She sat down, still trembling, and quickly wiped her eyes. A minute later and Seb walked in, followed by Antti who was carrying his helmet and hans device.

"Seb!" Her voice broke as she stepped closer.

"Hey, it's ok." He wrapped his arms around her, "I'm fine, I'm ok." He kissed the top of her head and held her tight as she cried. He rubbed her back soothingly.

"Sebastian, please, we need you to come through so we can check you over." A doctor appeared at their side. Seb reluctantly released Chloe, she was frantically trying to wipe her eyes. As fast as she wiped away the tears more came. Antti put his arm around her shoulders, hoping Seb wouldn't mind this gesture of comfort he was giving her.

"Come on Chloe, come and sit down. Let the doctors check him over." He led her back to the seats. Seb glanced back, glad Antti was there to look after her.

"God Antti." She gave a shaky sigh as she sat down.

"I promise you he'll be ok." He rubbed her back a couple of times, "You will have to go and get Norbert and Fabian soon."

"I know." She sniffed, "He didn't brake Antti." She whimpered.

"He did Chloe but something went wrong with the car. They'll find out what it was. They won't stop until they do." He noticed her starting to calm down, "The main thing now is that he's ok."

"I've got to go out and face people like this." She suddenly said. Antti grinned and out of seemingly nowhere produced her sunglasses.

"Go and get Norbert and Fabian."

"Thank you Antti." She gave him a weak smile and put them on and then left to go and collect Seb's father and brother.

                                  ~*~

That evening they arrived back in to their hotel suite, Seb had been given the all clear and would probably just have some stiff and sore muscles. Massages from Antti would be much needed. The team had decided to change the testing schedule. Charles would do a full day tomorrow and Seb on the final day, Friday. Seb's full crew would need all day tomorrow to repair the car and investigate the cause of his accident. He quickly undressed in his room and went to have a shower in the ensuite. Chloe did the same. She really wanted to wash this day away. Once she was done she went to the kitchen area in her bathrobe to get a glass of wine from the mini bar, she felt it was very well deserved after a stressful day. Seb came out of his room dressed in just a pair of sweatpants. She poured her wine and took a large sip from the glass whilst looking at him. He was stunningly beautiful to look at.
"Eye fucking me again are we?" He grinned as he walked over to her.

"Considering you were nearly killed earlier today I'd say that I was entitled to eye fuck you." She retorted, raising a brow at him.

"I was not nearly killed." He took her glass from her hand, put it on the counter and slipped his arms around her waist pulling her very close to him. "It was a small accident."

"Not going around a bend at nearly full speed in to a barrier is not......." She was stopped midspeech by Seb suddenly placing his lips on hers.