‘Do you think it’s too soon? Wylder asked Luella for what felt like the millionth time, packing for the weekend getaway she planned and was now freaking out about because she was doing something out of character. Or was it? Considering they’d been seeing each other about three months now. Between Sebastian’s race schedule and her work schedule, their time has been very finite but unreal all the same. She’d flown out to watch him on two Grand Prix weekends and he flew ten hours to spend eight hours with her before flying back out to make his practise sessions for the next race. It was a whirlwind with an undercurrent of something beyond skin deep. He had a two-week break coming up between races, and she impetuously booked them a weekend away without him knowing. She’d had to cajole Dexter, lead engineer and best friend, to allow her to have him for three nights and he only acquiesced only on the condition that he’d come back in better spirits than he’d been in recently. Bobbie, his assistant, was another person she had to get onboard; without her say so, this was not going to happen. Bobbie is fiercely protective of Sebastian, but she’d been game the minute Wylder told her about her secret plans.
They are hitting home straits in St. Tropez, their time together is going to be even more haphazard, so this really was the only window in this thing they are doing, although she’d squeeze in some work when they are away.
So here she was, packing and freaking out after the fact.
‘Wylder, I need you to listen to me.’ Luella’s tone was serious enough to make Wyler stop and look at her sister on the screen, there were on facetime.
‘Listening.’
‘You like him. He looks good on you. Stop freaking out. This will be a most perfect weekend.’
…
After his run, Sebastian took a long, hot shower, changed into comfy clothes, and packed for the meeting Dexter and Bobbie set up for him, for the weekend. He checked in with his team in the New York office, because besides being a race car driver, he is also head of a Fortune 500 conglomerate and hedge fund. He’d planned on going home for the week, but he was needed on the road for this meeting before joining them for training and whatever else they had planned, which, if he knew Dexter, would be hell on earth. They didn’t tell him why he had to take this meeting in Paris, or why afterwards he had to leave immediately to another location, but he was too tired to ask questions, and Dex seemed fine with it. The past few weeks have been the most gruelling so far, putting him and the team through their paces mentally and physically. Summer break cannot come soon enough.
Just as he wrapped his third call, there was a knock on the door. He didn’t answer because he’d asked not to be disturbed so it must be a mistake. His phone vibrates with a call from Bobbie.
‘Bobbie, I am still in my suite, I still have one hour before the meeting, I still don’t understand why-’
There was another knock on the door.
‘You might want to answer that.’ Bobbie said on the other end of the phone and Sebastian could hear the smile in her voice.
‘What the fuck is going on?’
‘Answer the door.’
Sebastian made his way to the door irritably and opens it. A smile instantly filled his face, replacing the frown that was just there. ‘What’s… going on?’
‘Surprise!’ Bobbie said, knowing Wylder was the knocker.
‘You’re the meeting.’ It all made sense now. Wylder, the woman he was wild about showed up at his hotel unannounced but in cahoots with his assistant and his best friend it would seem.
‘Hey, this might be weird but-’
‘This a nice surprise.’ He pulled her in for a kiss.
‘Hey.’
‘Hi.’ Sebastian held on close to her, he’d loved seeing her at his races, loved stealing moments away from the crowds with her and he missed her when she wasn’t there. He might have found someone as busy or even busier than he was. Wylder Rockson was a woman with drive and ambition, and he loved how passionate she was about everything she does.
‘So we don’t have long, we have a short window and we have to get going.’
‘Where?’
‘It’s a surprise!’ Bobbie can be heard on the other end of the phone.
‘Go away Bobbie.’ Sebastian had forgotten she was still on the phone.
‘Thank you, Bobbie!’ Wylder called out to his lovely assistant who’d cleared the path for this to happen. ‘We really ought to get going so please tell me you followed her instructions and-’
‘I’m packed, I just got off the phone with the office. I’m good to go.’
Wylder leaned in for a loud smacker this time, ‘perfect. Let’s.’
In an hour they touched down in Nice airport, the private jet hanger, and were met by her chauffeur. After a brief stop at the single manned immigration desk, they were driven down to her favourite place in France.
‘Are you finally going to tell me where we’re going?’ Sebastian asked his girl who refused to give away anything.
‘A brief getaway. Me, you, sun, sand and sea.’ She leaned into him, ‘and maybe a little work on my end.’
He sat back knowing she was not going to give away any more than that, though he had an inkling where they might be headed. ‘Was Dexter in on this too?’
Wylder nods, ‘he was the tough sell.’
Bash knew just how much she’d have had to grovel for Dexter to release him for one night, let alone three.
‘I thought he was being generous when he sent me to Paris with some bullshit story about picking me up on Monday instead of Sunday after this phantom meeting.’
‘I had to promise you would come back in one piece, and relaxed so he can inflict whatever pain he is likely to put you through.’ She turned to look at him, ‘think of this as a weekend of desserts.’
A dirty smile played on his lips and Wylder shook her head.
‘Thank you.‘ Bash kissed her head, pulling her close.
‘You’re welcome.’ She leaned into him, and he brought his arm around her as they traipsed along the waterfront away from the city.
Villefranche Sur Mer… her happy place.
They checked in at the Hotel Welcome; two suites on the 6th floor facing the sea, next to each other.
‘Why did you get us two suites?’ Sebastian asked after the bellhop left them to it.
‘Yeah… I didn’t know… I didn’t know if you’d be comfortable with just one so-’
‘Why wouldn’t I be?’
‘Because…’ Wylder shrugged tongue tied.
‘Because what?’
‘You might want a room to yourself.’
‘Wylder…’ he was smiling at her, that charming smile of his that revealed his one deep set dimple. His twin brother had the other. Swoon. ‘Did you think being away with you would be awkward for me? For us?’
‘Yes, I did.’ She answers truthfully. She is bad at relationships, doesn’t know how to navigate them. She’d been in an abusive relationship for longer than it needed to be and a series of short stints here and there, before a three year one where half the time, they coasted before eventually drifting apart. Did she even remember to tell him they were over or was that simply the implied understanding? Goodness knows. But one thing she knows is that she is no great shakes at relationships.
‘It’s not.’ Sebastian affirms, ‘I love that I am here with you.’ He pulled her down to sit on his lap. ‘I know our schedules are the worst right now, but none of that negates how I feel about you or how happy I am that I get to spend a whole weekend with you. Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome and I love that you are here with me as well.’ She loops her arms around his neck and burrowed in, resting her head in the nook between his head and heart. The words her sister said floating back to her. It will be a perfect weekend.
And then the rain started.
It rained so hard the sea took purchase over its bank but did not flood the town thankfully. Wylder had heard a rumour about a once in a millennia rain fall that besets the village and it looked like she walked right into it. Bloody typical mother nature.
‘We have a dinner reservation at seven thirty.’ She informed Sebastian.
‘Where?’
‘About a ten-minute walk from here.’
By the time they tore themselves away from each other, to make it to dinner, the rain had subsided, and they were only a half hour late. They were also the only diners in the restaurant; the rain had chased the others away. And it was perfect. The small dining room was light with dim lights and candles, whilst Edith Piaf serenaded the night softly from the speakers.
‘Can I ask you a question?’ Sebastian asked as they settled into their table by the window looking out into the sea as the wind threw her tantrum, splashing the banks fiercely.
‘Sure.’
‘Were you avoiding me?’ In the last two weeks he hadn’t heard from her, matter of fact his last message to her was still waiting for a response. On occasion, she would avoid his calls. He got it, they started out hot and heavy for each other. They had sex on the first night, something he gathered was new to her, but these last three months have been magical for him. With her.
Wylder shrugged, ‘I wouldn’t say that… I know, I know, I came down for two weekends to watch you drive, we talked so much on the phone and then I did that thing I do.’
Sebastian takes her hand, ‘Is that why you’re here? Doing this thing?’
‘I missed you.’ She had to say it, to put in words her feelings, there was more inside but she at least had to say some words out loud.
‘I missed you too Wylder. I miss you.’
Just then his phone buzzes with a facetime from his mother as they are served their food.
‘Oh crap my pods are at the hotel. Its my mum. Do you mind?’
‘Not at all.’ Wylder expected that he’d walk away from the table to answer the phone call, but he stayed there and answered the phone on speaker.
‘Hi mom.’
‘Hi darling how are you?’
‘Good. You?’
‘Same. How’s the break? Am I going to get to see you at some point?’
‘No, you’re not, not for a while, and it’s all Dexter’s fault not mine.’
‘I should ground you on account of never making time for your mother.’ She tsks with a tease.
‘I promise I will make it up to you at Christmas.’
‘Where are you? At dinner?’
‘I am.’ Sebastian spared Wylder a smile.
‘I’m sorry honey. How rude of me.’
‘You didn’t know and its okay my date doesn’t mind.’
‘You’re on a date?’ Her tone is now full-on tease. ‘With Wylder!?
‘Mom! You’re on speaker.’
‘Can I say hello?’
‘Absolutely not.’ Sebastian rolled his eyes at his mother, she completely ignored what he said about her being on speakerphone. ‘No.’
‘Oh, darling come on. You’ve-’
‘Don’t say another word.’ He knew she was about to spill his secrets he told her about the woman sitting opposite him, dazzling smile on her dazzling face. Goodness he was whipped. ‘I have to go.’
‘I only want to say hello.’
Sebastian gave in, ‘do you mind?’ he asked Wylder.
‘No. Not at all.’ But inside she was freaking out, her heart was about to burst through her chest. She took the phone from him to speak to his mother.
‘Hello. How are you?’ Goodness Wylder? How are you? Well, what else am I supposed to say? Hiya!?
‘It’s so good to meet you.’
‘It’s lovely to meet you too.’
‘You guys are away for the weekend?’
‘We are.’
‘That’s so sweet. I hope we get to meet soon.’
‘I’d love that.’
‘Okay that’s enough.’ Sebastian reaches for the phone and Wylder hands it back with a little smile. ‘Bye mom, I love you.’
‘She’s gorgeous-’
Sebastian hangs up the phone on what was sure to be a Wylder gush fest from his mother and she was bound to spill all the things he confided in her with. He knew she was gorgeous; he knew a lot about a lot of things between them in the short time they have been together. Dinner ended up lasting four hours, while the storm roiled on outside, they were cocooned in their own world inside, and the staff at the restaurant did not seem to mind them at all, rather they enjoyed watching the beginnings of this love story.
Finally, at 1am, they bid their hosts farewell, but not before leaving a very generous tip that covered the night’s takings. Sebastian and Wylder made their way in the pouring rain to their hotel. In no apparent hurry it would seem, they ambled along without a care for the weather and her tantrums. Halfway to their abode for the weekend, just as thunder clapped and the sea rebelled against the howling wind that made the wind vane creek, Sebastian turned Wylder to face him, dipped his head for a kiss and said afterwards,
‘I love you.’
‘I love you.’ Only, she said it too. At the same time. Wylder reached for another kiss in the rain, ‘I love you.’
Sebastian pulled her close and there was a sudden hurry to get back to their hotel.
The morning… it came with sunshine and blue skies, one would never have thought there was an end of days storm the night before, the birds chirped, the sea was calm and blue and pretty, the colours of the village came alive once more and inside the suite of the hotel Sebastian lay awake watching his girl sleep. He loved looking at her when she wasn’t aware of it, because Wylder was so painfully shy sometimes. He learned the contours of her body last night the dip of her waist, the strength of her long and toned legs, the softness of her lips, the firmness of her back, his favourite part of her body he declared, her arse of course her arse, yes the breasts too. But in these moments, when she is unaware, he loved looking at her face, the angles, the slight frown when she furrowed her brows and the ease into which it rested when she was at peace, her freckles spread out like a butterfly across her face, trailing down her nose and fanning across her cheeks as if spreading its wings about to take flight. She told him last night, in their post coital haze, how she’d spent her most of her life being self-conscious about them, it made people stare a little longer at her when she was a child, schoolmates teased her about it in boarding school, even in adulthood, some would make comment about her freckled face and so she spent the early parts of her adult years caked in foundation to cover it up until her skin rebelled against her depriving it of air. That was another cause for her to retreat into herself; the breakouts. Thankfully it is all behind her now; she is still painfully self-conscious of her freckles, but it wasn’t to crippling degrees of self-consciousness as she had growing up.
It was the first thing about her that made him weak in the knees, her butterfly.
‘I love you.’ He said it again to her sleeping face because he needed to say it out loud in the change of over from night to day. In the vividness of the day unfolding before them, his witnesses to this moment; the sun already high up in the bluest of skies, the moon bidding farewell from across the way, the deep blue water bobbing gently, and the clanging church bell in the near distance.
Wylder’s eyes fluttered open when she heard those words loud and clear.
‘I’m in love with you.’ Sebastian said it again.
‘I love you too.’ Wylder replied, her little smile blossoming. ‘I’m in love with you.’