NINETEEN

"So, are you guys... dating now?"

Esteban Ocon and Lewis Hamilton questioned with intrigue, their faces heavily amused since they knew the answer, they just wanted them to admit to their faces.

"No, we can't stand each other."

Daniel Ricciardo laughed as he spoke, wrinkles forming around his honey brown eyes from how bright his smile was as it lit up his face, his skin positively glowing not only from the sun, but also because how just how happy he was in his life.

"Yeah, honestly, how can anybody like this guy?"

Josephine Rankin giggled softly, her cheeks tinged a soft shade of pink from the sun that had burnt her skin, her crystal blue eyes sparkling like a diamond in the sunlight.

"Like, ew!" Daniel grimaced slightly as he looked his fellow Australian up and down, his voice high both in pitch and volume.

"You both know that you just sound ridiculous, right? Aunt Josie can't lie to brick wall!"

Charles Leclerc bellowed as he watched his aunt and her new partner crumble, crouching on the floor as they wheezed loudly, their hands clutching at one another arms.

"We won't be winning the academy award any time soon, my love." Josephine grinned, pressing a soft kiss to the cheek of the Ricciardo man that was standing beside her.

"We'll try for a BAFTA." The Renault Formula One driver laughed, quickly leaning forwards to press a soft kiss to his girlfriends lips.

It had been a couple of weeks since they had told each other their feelings and yet nobody had actually asked the question as to whether they were actually dating or not, until now.

But now they had, and they had been told the answer that they had known for a while, the answer that was always gonna happen.

After all, it was pretty fucking obvious.

"Well, we're all very happy for you both, you deserve to be happy." Lewis stepped forward in order to hug his friends, pressing a soft kiss against the forehead of his best friend, hearing her giggle in response.

"You do, but just saying, I will punch you if you hurt my best friend." Esteban warned the Ricciardo man as he raised one of his fingers threateningly, his eyebrows furrowed, his eyes narrowing in to slits.

"Punch him? Arthur and I already have our alibi covered for the time of the murder!"

Charles glared even more intensely at the racing driver, his arms crossed in front of his chest, his face unamused.

Daniel Ricciardo took a step forward to lightly nudge the cheek of the Leclerc boy, blowing him a kiss and shooting him a wink.

Daniel knew that he would never hurt her.

He wouldn't do that to her or to Jules, because he'd be breaking promises to the both of them and he had never done it before, it was something that he never wanted to do, ever.

All that he wanted to do in his life was to make Josie happy and love her endlessly. All that he wanted to do was to have a home with Josie, and a dog or maybe two, maybe even a little mini me running around. He just wanted to be with Josie for twenty four hours a day, seven days a week. She was his everything.

She was his past, present, and future.

And by God, did he love her.

__________________________________________

"Hello there."

Josephine Rankin smiled softly at the young boy before her who was staring up at her with wild, almost scared eyes, his hands lightly shaking from both surprise and fear.

"Uh, hi Miss Rankin."

Lando Norris waved awkwardly at the Australian woman, having seen her throughout the paddock for a while, yet never actually meeting her.

"I hear that you're going to be Danny's new team mate, next year, right?" Josie questioned the British boy, seeing him nod his head up and down a couple of times.

Lando nodded, a smile starting to slowly fill his face before overtaking it completely, his eyes sparkling with happiness at knowing that the famous model knew who he was.

"Yeah, I can't wait to drive with him! I grew up watching him!" Lando grinned, bouncing on the tips of his toes in excitement, happiness spilling in to him as he watched her smile grow too.

"Well, that'll make him feel old." Josie laughed wholeheartedly, her hand having to clutch qt her ribs as they ached, wrinkles around her eyes, her cheeks aching.

"O-oh, should I not say that to him?" The Norris boy hesitated, his face filling with concern and worry at possibly insulting his future team mate.

Josie lifted her hand up to pat the boys shoulder, a comforting smile being shot in his direction.

"Be yourself, kid. It's Danny, I'm sure that he'll like you, no matter what." The Rankin woman reassured the young boy, who after finding out that his best friend was moving teams, seemed to be upset at the thought of upsetting his future team mate.

"You really think so?"

"I know so. That man loves everybody. You'll get along great with him, and if I'm wrong... I'll pay for your drinks at the end of Season party next year." The Australian model raised her eyebrows with a satisfied grin as she noticed him considering it, his hand shooting out to shake her outstretched hand in a handshake.

"Okay, deal." Lando grinned, his smile almost reaching his ears from its size. "My name is Lando, by the way. I don't think I told you my name."

"It's very nice to meet you, Lando. My name is Josephine, but you can call me Josie."

As the duo walked away from one another, the woman found herself walking back to the Renault garage in order to rejoin her partner, seeing him standing outside of his garage, waiting for her.

Her body naturally fell in to his arms as he wrapped them around her waist, their lips pressing together softly for a mere moment or two, the pair of them grinning like Cheshire cats.

"Hey there, beautiful."

Daniel Ricciardo breathed out as he stared at her in awe, his heart frantically beating, trying to get out of his chest in order to reach her.

"Hello, my love."

"Did you scare my future team mate?" Daniel grinned, having watched from afar as his soulmate spoke to his future team mate for when he would be driving for Mclaren next season.

"No I didn't! The poor boy was scared that you won't like him, so I did my job and calmed him down, and now we're besties."

"God I love you." Daniel laughed, pressing a soft kiss to his partners forehead, causing her to smile, a small haply sigh leaving her lips as she did so.

"And I love you too, my love."

A/N

We are so close to the end, so hang on guys, I'm nearly there, I promise!!

What do you think?

Anyway, I hope that you all enjoy this chapter and I'll see you all soon for the next one,

I'm so proud of all of you, my loves

Love you all,

-RUBY 🇵🇸🇨🇩🇸🇩🇸🇸🇺🇦🇾🇪🇱🇧