"Then tell him that and don't let him slip through your fingers."

~•~

Freya stood leaning against her car in the parking lot located at Stockholm Airport. She was waiting for Max, who had texted her that he was already waiting for his suitcase. Just a few days ago, she had been avoiding him and didn't want anything to do with his name. Today, she was waiting at the airport for him to come to her so he could go home with her and spend a few days together.

Her mother didn't know about any of this yet. Greta, who knew where Freya was, was fortunately a good liar and always told her mother that she had no idea where her younger sister was. Even her father covered for her, preferring not to answer his ex-wife's calls. The girl felt awful hiding not only from the public but also from her own mother, but she knew her mother would drag her back to Monaco, and she would have to train, even though it seemed like her career had ended for now.

Just as she was contemplating when would be the right moment to call her mother, she spotted him. With a large bag in his hand, wearing a Red Bull jacket, and the biggest smile on his face when he saw the girl with blond hair.

Freya had clearly told him not to draw attention to himself, so why the hell did he wear a Red Bull jacket? Couldn't he wear something else? It was a little after two in the afternoon, so the airport was bustling with people, and anyone could recognize him in the light.

"I know you've been here already, but I'm greeting you to Sweden with this," Freya smiled at him and opened her arms in greeting. Max probably thought he was doing something else because he dropped his bag and embraced the girl tightly.

The blonde was surprised, but she hugged him back with a laugh. In his arms, she felt safe.

"Thank you so much for the messages," he whispered in her ear, "they really helped me."

"You looked so happy standing on that podium," she told him and pulled away from him so they could put his bag into the trunk of the car because the parking lot was starting to fill up with people, and she was afraid someone might recognize them. She didn't need a social media explosion because a badminton player with a bad reputation was seen with a Formula One pilot, who also had a bad reputation.

"I may look happy on the outside, but what I have inside is a completely different story," he told her as he put the bag into the trunk of her car. It wasn't a sports car like Max was used to, but Freya loved this car. It was a Jeep, her favorite car brand.

"I'll do everything I can," she smiled and started handing him the keys.

"You still remember?" he chuckled, but he took the keys from her.

"I don't know if it'll go as fast as you'd like, but I believe famous Max Verstappen can work wonders," Freya laughed, patted him on the back, and walked around the car to sit in the passenger seat.

"I'll think of something," Max smiled.

"You have the address in GPS, so show me your magic, Max Verstappen," the girl said, and buckled her seatbelt. The boy followed her.

"Before we leave Stockholm, can you tell me what your dad is like, whom I'm supposed to meet in less than two hours and literally sleep under his roof?" Max laughed and finally drove off the parking lot.

"His name is Frederik, and he works as an IT technician, but at the moment, he's more focused on all the rural animals in the town, so he's like a vet for Ystad," the girl began to tell, "as far as I can remember, he's been a big Formula One fan. He used to be a big Alonso fan, but suddenly he came up with the idea that Max Verstappen is the best."

"Because he is," Max looked at her and smiled. Freya laughed, even though she thought the same. He's definitely the best.

"My mom divorced him when I was five. Mom won custody of us. We lived in Lyon before she decided Monaco would be better. A few years ago, he married Alma, with whom he has twins, who are now thirteen," the girl continued.

"And what are their names?" Max asked curiously.

"Nils and Hugo," the girl replied.

"And are they my fans too?" Max asked hopefully.

"They probably watch with Dad occasionally, but I don't think they're really interested. They ride horses competitively, so I think they're more interested in that than in fast cars," she laughed.

"We'll change that in the few days I'll be there," he told the girl.

"They'll definitely brag about it, trust me," Freya laughed, "especially Dad at the pub."

"I have a gift for him," Max told her.

"You didn't have to," Max suddenly stopped the car and looked at the girl.

"You're letting me stay with you, this is the least I can do," he said, "and now I'll ask just one thing. Are you ready for a fast ride?" he asked. Freya immediately understood where they were. At the entrance to a long straight road, about twenty kilometers long, and it was the only road that led from Stockholm to Ystad.

"I'm ready," the girl nodded.

She wasn't prepared for what came next. Maybe they were just driving on a straight road and the car didn't exceed 160 kilometers per hour, but for Freya, it was enough. Max was a maniac behind the wheel and he could squeeze such a speed out of the Jeep that the girl had no idea. She would never have thought of driving so fast.

But, despite all the fear she felt, she enjoyed the fast ride. The adrenaline that emerged in her was priceless. Maybe they weren't going as fast as Max in his Formula One car, but it was still fast enough for Freya to understand his love for fast driving.

Thanks to Max's carefree driving, they arrived in Ystad in record time. A little past three, the Jeep was already parked in front of her house.

"His car is here too, so he's home," Freya pointed to the black Mercedes, which was in the open garage. She knew he was home, but she didn't know if he was in the stables, in the garden, with the rabbits, or just at home.

"I'll go see where Dad is and then come back for you, okay?" Freya asked him.

"Okay," Max nodded, "I'll sit here and wait for your signal."

As Freya said, so she did. She went outside and first went to the house. It was quiet there, which immediately indicated to her that no one was in the house because it would otherwise be noisy.

She went out into the garden and was surprised by what she saw. The whole family was sitting at a big table preparing meat for the grill—Freya completely forgot they had a barbecue planned.

"Freya's home!" Hugo cheered, who had grown very fond of his stepsister during the days she had been with them.

"Join us; we'll be grilling in a while," Alma smiled and pointed to the empty seat beside her.

"I'll join you in a moment, but first, I have a big surprise for Dad," Freya smiled and looked at her dad, who looked surprised at his daughter, "I'll go get it."

With these words, she dashed back into the house and ran out with a smile on her face in front of the house, where Max was still sitting in the driver's seat. She waved at him, which was a sign for him, and he got out.

"We have a barbecue waiting; I completely forgot about it," Freya explained to him. She took his hand and walked inside.

"Are they really not going to be angry?" he asked as they entered the first room. Max carefully examined all the rooms because he wanted to remember everything about Freya and her family.

"They'll be over the moon," Freya smiled and stopped in front of the garden door, "are you ready?"

"I'm more nervous than when I have to race," he chuckled, and Freya with him. Who would have thought that the famous Max Verstappen would be more afraid to meet a girl's family than to race in Formula One.

"You'll manage, hero," Freya laughed and opened the door. The whole group sitting at the table looked at the girl because they were expecting her to hold a gift.

However, what they didn't expect was that behind Freya stood the three-time Formula One World Champion, Max Verstappen.

"Freya!" her father looked at her in disbelief.

"Surprise, Dad," Freya laughed and stepped aside so Max could come out too.

"Hello," the brunette greeted them with a smile. Hugo and Nils watched the boy with amazement on their faces, unable to believe that someone like Max was in their garden. Alma just watched her husband in amazement, who seemed to be speechless.

"Freya! H-how?" her father asked, still looking at Max.

"We met in town before my race in China," Max answered instead of Freya, "I asked her if I could come after the race, and she said I could."

"You're always welcome here, lad," Alma told him, "our household ignores everything said about you."

"Here, you're a god," Hugo said, and Freya laughed because he was right. In this household, Max was treated like a deity.

"May I hug you?" her father asked Max.

"Anytime, sir," Max nodded and opened his arms for her father. Freya couldn't resist and had to record their interaction because it was a moment her father would cherish.

"What's with the 'sir' for you, Frederik?" he laughed and hugged the boy.

"As you wish, Frederik," Max nodded.

"And you'll be dead, young lady," her father looked at the blonde, who was now standing next to her stepmother with a smile on her face, filming everything.

"Because I fulfilled your dream?" she asked.

"Because you didn't warn me that I'd meet a hero today. If I knew, I would have dressed up," he scolded her, and Max just laughed.

"You look good," he chuckled, "but I think you'll look even better with this."

Freya doesn't know when he managed to put it on or why she didn't notice, but suddenly the brunette pulled out a folded Red Bull t-shirt from his pocket. When her father unfolded it, it was signed with a dedication to Frederik.

"This will be framed and hung above the TV," her father looked at Alma as he said it.

"How long will you stay, Max?" she asked, completely ignoring her husband, who looked like a little child in a candy store who just got free candies. She wanted to know so she could prepare a guest room if needed because she was already sure that Max wouldn't just leave their house. However, she was glad because she hadn't seen her husband this happy since their wedding.

"Less than a week, then I'll have to go to Miami," he replied, "Freya told me I could sleep here, but believe me, I won't take advantage of it. I'll definitely help around the house. Or at least I'll try."

"Not a chance," her father exclaimed, "you're our guest, so you won't do anything here except relax."

"He won't manage that, Dad," Freya laughed, "let him do whatever he wants."

"As you wish," he shrugged in the end.

Max finally turned his gaze to the two blond boys standing in the corner of the table, and throughout the time, they didn't take their eyes off the three-time Formula One World Champion in front of them. They watched him as if their favorite actor or their greatest hero stood before them. Freya found it incredibly funny.

"You'll be Nils and Hugo," Max smiled at them, "I have something for you too," he told them and pulled out two Red Bull caps from the other pocket. Freya was truly amazed at how the Red Bull jacket was built because if he could hide a shirt and two caps in it, she also wanted that jacket. She was glad when she managed to hide her phone with the house keys in hers.

"Thank you," they both exclaimed at once and immediately put on the caps.

"Red Bull suits our family," Frederik smiled when he saw his sons with the caps. Freya just laughed and stood next to Max, who immediately hugged her around the waist. It surprised her a little, but she let it be. She felt comfortable with Max and knew he would never hurt her.

"Yeah," Max whispered to her with a hint of humor. Freya laughed, nudged him in the ribs, and went to Alma to help her chop all the vegetables, which she started with the twins when she ran to get Max.

"Your friend?" Freya asked quietly so only the blonde beside her could hear.

"We met a week ago," Freya told her.

"That doesn't mean you can't date. Your dad and I got together the second day we met," the redhead smiled at her while chopping the red pepper.

"Do you think I can consider him a friend?" Freya smiled at Alma and looked at Max, who was now standing with the twins behind the fence at the four brooms their family owned, laughing at something the blonde duo was telling him.

Ivar and Björn were the family's German Shepherds. They were both great dogs, although they were getting older. Both were eight years old, and one was beginning to slowly lose sight in one eye, while the other was starting to go deaf. Mads was the Doberman named after her family's second year. They never cropped his tail or straightened his ears, so he was one of those cute Dobermans you wouldn't even think belonged to this breed. And then there was Timy, their five-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, which the family only got so they could have at least one of the dogs at home - they were often all four there anyway because her father couldn't stand the sight of the others outside when it rained or snowed.

The brunette looked happy among the dogs, even though he was a cat lover. Max was even a cat dad with his two cats, but he also knew how to handle dogs. Nils and Hugo were giving him treats and showing him various tricks their dogs could do and letting him try them out - it was more challenging for him because all the commands were in Swedish, but Max was excellent with languages, and Freya was surprised not to hear any accent when he spoke.

"You like him, don't you?" Alma interrupted her thoughts, unable to ignore the love in the blonde's eyes as she watched the boy. Freya didn't even realize she was watching Max so much.

"It's hard to say like this," Freya shook her head and returned to chopping.

"It's easier than you think," Alma laughed.

"Really?" she looked at her stepmother, whom she never called mom, and despite that, she considered her more of a mom than her biological mother, "I like him. He's physically attractive, and his character is amazing too."

"Then tell him that and don't let him slip through your fingers."

~•~