Lifeline (Sebastian Vettel)

Chapter 17: The Intruder

Two days later, on Monday morning, Tully jogged down her front path towards the Infiniti waiting for her in the driveway.

"Hey!" she said breathlessly as she climbed into the passenger's seat.

"Good morning!" Seb replied brightly, looking over his shoulder before reversing out onto the road again.

"How'd it go?"

"She wasn't even there." he shrugged, "Must have gone to stay with family."

"Everything intact? No pile of cut up clothing?" Tully joked.

Seb smirked and shook his head, "Everything looked untouched. Except one of my sweatshirts was on her side of the bed."

"Nice touch."

"Except it's not there anymore." a small smile threatened to flicker across his lips.

"Seb! Harsh..." Tully gasped in amusement.

They were headed towards the airport, where Seb would be catching a plane to Jerez for the first testing of the season. Tully was there simply to drive the car home again.

Seb had stayed in the town house over the entire weekend, but had had to duck home earlier that morning to get a few things he needed to take with him and swap out some clothes. He'd been avoiding it all weekend, not wanting to face Hayley again just yet. Thankfully, she hadn't been there anyway.

"So, remember how I told you about Hayley's problem with me contracting you..." Seb began.

Over the weekend, Seb had told Tully from the beginning how Hayley had taken issue with him having a female personal trainer. Not that any of it came as much of a surprise.

"Yes..." Tully replied slowly.

"Well, I'm just gonna' say this in-case... if she comes around while I'm away, I'd prefer you not to answer the door..." Seb said, glancing across at Tully.

"I will pretend she's a big, ruthless gangster." Tully replied, nodding confidently, "And not a small, pissed-off twenty three year old girl who I could definitely take."

"See, this is why you're not allowed to answer the door." Seb laughed, "If she threatened you, I suspect she'd find herself on the floor and she's still on my insurance policy so... Let's refrain from making that a reality."

Tully laughed and shook her head, "I wouldn't hurt a fly."

"If the fly took a swipe at you though..." Seb teased.

"Then the fly would be in big fucking trouble, obviously." Tully replied casually.

"Exactly why the door stays closed."

"Yes, yes, yes. Door stays closed." Tully said, rolling her eyes playfully.

"And call me if she does show up."

"Do you realise I never even got to speak to her aside from that one very first meeting at your house?" Tully asked as she rested her head back and watched his hands on the wheel.

"I know." Seb grimaced.

"I feel so... rejected."

"As I've said before, don't take it personally."

Half an hour later, they reached the airport and got out of the car. Seb retrieved his luggage from the boot and rested it on the pavement before standing next to Tully and checking he had all of his travel documents.

"Alright. See you in a week. Be good." Seb said, biting the corner of his lip subconsciously.

"You be good more like! Newly single Formula 1 driver all on his own in Spain. Who knows what you'll come back with hanging off your arm." Tully retorted.