Mutual Friends | Lando Norris

Chapter 21 - Nice Guys Finish Last

Lando's POV

That Tuesday night, a bunch of us drivers, some who fly into Austin early on Max's private jet are partying at the Fairmont hotel in-house club.

Max, Checo, Pierre, Yuki, Daniel and myself are sitting at one of the vip tables that are on the third floor, overlooking the dj booth and dance floor. There is also an open bar and restrooms on this floor.

You'd think that because it's a Tuesday not a lot of people would be in a club but as it turns out, there are a lot of athletes, celebrities and models in attendance.

"This next one was requested at lease 33 times," announces Zedd over the speakers. "All the best to the formula one drivers competing this weekend." The 33 Max Verstappen song comes on and everybody on the dance floor starts going crazy.

Max and Daniel of course get hyped up on our floor and start having a dance off of their own. It's nice to blow off steam like this and hang out with everyone before we get into the hustle and bustle of the weekend.

Beautiful bottle service girls come out with fiery sparklers in hand, bringing buckets of champagne and red bull over to our table. I'm dancing and singing without a care in the world, embracing the moment when something catches the corner of my eye.

I sit down and do an instant double take on a group of girls ordering drinks at the bar under the big red and blue neon sign. My heart races a little but I'm distracted for a moment when Pierre comes to join me.

"Howdy mate," he says in an awkward French American accent.

"Hey Pierre, what's up?" I say, sipping my drink to play off any sense of uneasiness I might be showing.

"There's something I need to tell you," he says leaning into me so I can hear him better. "Well actually it's more of a heads up type of thing mate."

The Alpha Tauri driver is suddenly interrupted by a blond girl excitedly plopping herself onto his lap. He looks surprised at first but then wraps his arms around her while kissing her face multiple times. I want to throw up at the sight of them.

"Er, I don't know if you guys have formally met yet but -"

"We have," she says matter of factly cutting him off.

I don't remember officially meeting this girl but I recognise her from the couple of times she's been to the paddock.

"So there's no need to introduce us babe." She flashes me a cold smile before kissing him passionately on the lips and leaving us to join her friends at the bar.

Déjà-vu.

What's that saying about out of sight, out of mind? The last time I saw Liv must've been at the dinner. She'd stopped coming by altogether after that.

Not seeing her made things a little easier. Truthfully at the time, it seemed like a winning formula, that was until a few days ago when I saw a post on Instagram of her hanging out with Mick.

I crane my neck a little over Esteban to get a better look but I know her, even from her back alone, I know her.

"Is that who I think it is?" I ask Pierre. I'm staring so hard, it takes me a moment to look back at him.

Soon after, Mick joins their group at the bar and is met with pleasant smiles and hugs from the bunch.

Something about seeing them together in person is agonising. Every millisecond that goes by with his hand on her waist is like an eternity.

"Is that Olivia with Mick?" I ask, trying not to sound annoyed or too interested.

Pierre looks sheepishly away as if I've asked him to point out a murderer or something. He doesn't even look in their direction.