27. Believe
Believe
Elio
That gutsy pajama move was the last straw. I’m now positive I’m falling in love with Lucy Williams. What other girl would be that brave? She’s blowing my mind, and I love it.
It’s not like she was wearing lounge apparel, either. It’s a bona fide pajama set that really looks like one—teddy bear and all. Yet, as she walks out of the hotel in her hotel slippers, she looks like a queen.
As always, fans are crowding by the entrance, so I take a few selfies with them as we wait for the Vespa. Lucy stands a few feet behind me, not bothering to hide herself or her bold outfit.
The valet brings the Vespa around , and as Lucy slides on behind me, her arms wrapping around my waist, the whole city fades into the background.
It feels like we’re one body, the rhythm of the engine syncing with the warmth of her breath on my cheek.
The wind whips around us as we climb the winding streets of Monaco, heading toward The Rock.
As we zip over the cobblestones, it’s hard to deny the electricity between us.
The familiar streets of Monaco seem brighter with her so close.
Each turn, each curve, becomes a little more exhilarating.
I park on a small street not far from the gelato shop, and we walk the rest of the way, since it’s nestled in the city center.
Everyone we cross stares at Lucy’s clothes, but she holds her head high.
“Who knows? Maybe I’m going to start a new trend,” she jokes after another obvious stare from a middle-aged woman.
“I wouldn’t be surprised.” I chuckle. “But I’m liking this diversion. No one has recognized me yet.”
“True.” She puffs out a laugh. “To be fair, they don’t expect a hotshot F1 driver to be walking down the street with a girl in her teddy-bear pajamas.”
“Or they just admire her boldness.” I wink as we arrive at the parlor. “You’re going to love this gelato. Hands down the best I’ve ever had.”
Her eyes sparkle. “Ohh, I’m more excited than I should be.”
We each go for a two-scoop cone. Mine with vanilla and hazelnut, and Lucy’s with pistachio and chocolate.
“Mmm,” she says after her fir st lick. “Wow, you weren’t kidding.”
“I know, right? I love my house, but I’ve been thinking about moving to Monaco, just for this gelato,” I joke.
She lifts her eyebrows. “That’s some commitment.”
“What about you? Ever thought of living anywhere else?” I ask as I spot a free bench overlooking the Riviera.
“Wow, it’s gorgeous here,” she says, shaking her head as she takes in the view of the harbor below, framed by hundreds of twinkling streetlights. “There’s the circuit, right?”
“Yep. We’re on top of The Rock right now. Did you know that’s what Monaco is called?”
Her lips pull up at the corners, her smile brighter than the ethereal lights shining below.
“It’s pretty amazing. I can see why anyone would want to live here.
” Her gaze returns to the harbor. “And to answer your question, not really. I guess I never had to ask myself that. My entire life is in Chicago, you know?”
“Right.” I nod, although my heart falls a little.
“But I do have family here, so I’m probably going to visit soon. Actually, I might extend my stay for another week. I was supposed to go to France, but now, I don’t know.”
My heart bounces in my chest. Any extra time with Lucy is a win, giving me just a little more hope. “Really?”
She smoothes a hand over her thighs. “Yeah. I want to get to know them better, and I haven’t had much of a chance yet. It might be my only shot.”
“Definitely. And besides, you d on’t need to go to France. You already went to Nice.” I wink. “It’s wonderful that you got to connect. It would be a shame to leave so soon. I, for one, would love to have you around longer.”
She turns her head away, seemingly to rearrange her hair because of the wind, but I know she’s hiding her blush. “Yeah. Me too. Okay, I’ll stay.”
We lock eyes, and my heart accelerates faster than at the start of a race.
I think I’m going to go for it. Actually, I know I am.
It doesn’t matter that she lives thousands of miles away.
If I don’t kiss her now, I know I’ll regret it for the rest of my life.
I lean forward, taking her hand, and her eyes widen slightly.
“Elio!” someone calls, and I freeze, glancing off to the side. A little boy wearing an RM cap is jumping up and down, pulling on his mom’s hand, clueless to her embarrassed expression. “It’s really him, Mom, look.”
I smile, pressing my lips, and Lucy chuckles.
I want to be annoyed at the kid for ruining my moment, but I can’t. He’s way too cute and enthusiastic, so I hustle over to him before he alerts everyone in the plaza and creates a scene.
The little boy’s eyes widen as I approach, his hands trembling slightly. “You’re Elio! You’re my hero! I watch all your races, and one day, I’m going to be a race car driver just like you!” His voice shakes with excitement, and I can see the sheer hope in his eyes.
“Thanks, buddy,” I say with a grin, crouching down so I’m eye-level with him. “That means a lot. ”
His face lights up, and it’s the kind of raw, unfiltered admiration I remember from when I was his age, before the sport became a job.
After his mom takes a picture of us, I ruffle his hair, my heart warming. “If you can dream it, you can live it. You just have to believe in yourself with all your strength.”
He nods seriously, the weight of my words clearly making an impact. “I will, Elio. I swear!”
Before I can say anything else, his mom pulls him back gently, though she’s smiling now too, clearly tickled by her son’s enthusiasm. I wave to them as they walk away.
“Do you really believe that?” Lucy asks, surprising me. I didn’t see her follow me, but she has her phone out, probably having taken some pictures of the encounter for the website. “What you said, I mean. That if they believe in themselves enough, they can make it?”
“I do.” I nod. “With all my heart, or I wouldn’t say it. How do you think I ended up here? I was once a kid with a dream, and it happened for me.”
She grins. “You make it sound easy.”
“It wasn’t. It really wasn’t.” I wasn’t even supposed to make it past ten years old, but here I am.
For the first time, I don’t instantly shoot down the idea of telling someone about my past. Something I’ve made a point of keeping quiet my entire life, my entire career.
But I want Lucy to know me—everything there is to know—and not just because of the feature.
“That’s a beautiful message, ” she says before I can gather the courage to tell her. “I hope you can inspire a kid or two.”
I clear my throat. “Yeah, me too. They’re the future, the next generation. And even if there’s only twenty seats in F1, they should still dream about it. And if that’s what they truly want, they have to know they can achieve it.”
She nods approvingly. “I’m going to quote you on that, for the feature. That’s good stuff.”
“At your service. But I thought we were on a date, Bella . Not a business gelato outing?” I ask, pushing my luck.
“Nuh-uh.” She glances down at her outfit. “Like I said before, I’m wearing my PJs. This is not a date.”
I narrow my eyes. “Um, I think it is.”
“Really?” She arches an eyebrow.
I take a step closer, placing my hands on her waist. “ Sì. Però , if it wasn’t a date, I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
I lean forward, my lips brushing hers in a soft, teasing kiss.
Her breath hitches, but she doesn’t pull away.
Instead, she leans into me, deepening the kiss.
And for a moment, we’re the only two people in Monaco.
The hum of the plaza and the tourists strolling past fades away, replaced by my fast but steady heartbeat, as if everything is finally falling into place.
The warmth of her body pressing lightly against mine, and the way she fits so perfectly, like a piece of myself I didn’t know was missing, is dizzying.
I want to take my time, savor every second, but there’s this urgency building inside me—something unspoken, a pull that’s deeper than I expected.
Her fingers brush against my chest before her ar ms lock around my neck, and I can’t stop the smile tugging at my lips.
This—having Lucy here with me—is exactly what I want, and I know I’ll never forget how I feel in this instant. Happy. At peace. Invincible.