CHAPTER SEVEN. ❦︎

"I am being productive. I'm spending time
with my favorite person."

The Austin heat hit Valeria as soon as she stepped off the plane, but she didn't mind it. She'd been to enough races by now to know that the chaos of arriving at a new city was always the same.

She didn't have time to think about the usual crowds and busy logistics. She was mentally preparing for the onslaught of media commitments, sponsor obligations, and, of course, managing Franco's schedule, which was always a delicate balance.

Valeria could already feel a slight shift in the air, a tension that had started building over the past week. Franco's texts during the break had been teasing and flirtatious, a dynamic that had her both on edge and, admittedly, a little nervous.

But now, standing in the American heat and staring at her phone as another message from him popped up, she couldn't help but sigh.

It was just playful nonsense once again, of course. Franco was always like that. But the words made her roll her eyes as she slid her phone into her bag and tried to focus on the work ahead.

By the time Media Day arrived, the COTA paddock was already alive with its usual radiance. Fans gathered outside the gates, the pit crews were scrambling to set up, and the drivers—who'd been holed up in meetings all morning—began to trickle out for their scheduled interviews and photos.

Valeria's day started early, coordinating schedules, handing out itineraries, and making sure everything ran smoothly.

Franco was in his element. The media loved him, and he loved the attention. But she had to be on standby every time to make sure he wasn't being an idiot. She had no doubt he would charm the press with that easy grin of his, the one that had won him fans far and wide.

And, as always, he seemed to enjoy pushing the boundaries of their professional relationship. Valeria, however, was focused on the task at hand. She had enough to juggle without letting Franco's playful flirtations sidetrack her. The texts over the past few weeks had been innocent enough—at least, that's what she kept telling herself.

But today was about the team, not about whatever he was trying to brew between them.

She moved quickly through the paddock, checking in with various staff members, when she caught sight of Franco. He was in the middle of laughing with a few reporters, and she could see that familiar mischievous glint in his eyes.

And he spotted her immediately, as if he had a sixth sense for her presence.

"Valeria!" He called out, waving.

She stiffened. Between the chaos of Media Day and the growing tension between them, she'd been doing a good for herself by staying out of his way whenever she could.

But, forcing a polite smile, Valeria made her way toward him, trying to ignore his stupid smirk. Keeping her tone professional, there was still a lingering edge she couldn't quite mask.

"I'm busy, what's up." She said lowly.

"Oh, I know," He said, stepping closer as if to make sure she was listening. "But don't I need you here? You know, to make sure I don't get too out of hand...?" He flashed that signature grin—half teasing, half serious.

"And don't worry..." Franco trailed off. "The cameras aren't om right now." He glanced up and looked over at the reporters waiting to interview him.

Valeria took a step back. He was too close, the heat of his body almost radiating toward her. She looked up at him, trying to keep her expression neutral.

"I'm aware." She scoffed, knowing she would never put herself in a scenario like this if the cameras were on. "But, I'm sure you can do me a favor and handle yourself."

Franco leaned in just a bit more, his voice dropping to a whisper. "We both know I can handle myself... but I prefer having you around to keep me in check."

Her pulse quickened, but she didn't let it show. "You're the worst, you know that?" She whispered.

"I know," He replied smoothly, his eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that was impossible to ignore. There was a moment of silence, thick and charged. The surrounding noise of cameras and reporters seemed to fade away, leaving only the hum of electricity between them.

Valeria quickly broke the tension. She cleared her throat, stepping back completely and pulling her phone from her pocket. "I have a meeting to get to." She said, her voice a little too steady. "You're good to go for this interview."

Franco didn't move, watching her as she backed away.

"I'll see you later."

She nodded, not trusting herself to say anything else. As she walked away, she could feel his eyes on her, and the tension in her chest only deepened. It was going to be a long race week.

And it was only the first day.

Later on, the team lounge was mostly empty, aside from a couple of Williams crew members gathered near the far end, quietly talking over coffee. Valeria sat on the plush leather couch, her laptop perched on her knees as she typed furiously, her brow furrowed.

She'd been buried in emails for the last hour, coordinating travel arrangements, media appearances, and about a dozen other things Franco had neglected to confirm.

The sound of the coffee machine whirring filled the space, blending with the faint hum of conversation. Valeria barely noticed when Franco entered the room, his casual stride soundless on the carpeted floor.

He spotted her immediately, her back slightly hunched as she worked, her focus so absolute she didn't even glance up.

Grinning to himself, Franco made his way toward her. He wasn't being particularly stealthy, but Valeria's ability to tune out everything around her when she worked made her an easy target. He stopped directly behind the couch, leaning down just enough to bring his face close to her ear.

"¿Qué haces, Vale?" He murmured softly, his voice brushing against her ear.

Valeria jumped, her fingers slipping off the keyboard as she gasped. Her head whipped around, her wide eyes meeting his far-too-close face.

"Franco!" She snapped, her voice sharper than intended as she instinctively pulled back, glancing around to see she had accidentally caught the attention of the other people in the room who soon went ahead and minded their business anyways.

"Don't sneak up on me like that!"

He didn't move away, his grin widening as if her reaction was exactly what he'd been hoping for. "I wasn't sneaking," He said innocently. "You're just too focused. I could've yelled your name and you wouldn't have noticed."

Valeria swallowed, suddenly hyper-aware of how close he was—his face only inches from hers, his cologne faint but unmistakable. She straightened her posture, refusing to let him see how flustered she felt as she backed away.

"I'm sure I would've heard you yell my name," She muttered, forcing herself to look back at the laptop screen, though her fingers hovered awkwardly over the keys.

Franco chuckled, finally moving around the couch to sit beside her. Too close, of course. His thigh brushed hers as he leaned back, draping his arm casually over the back of the couch as she scooted away by a little bit.

"So," He began, tilting his head to peek at her laptop screen, "What's got you so fired up?"

Valeria adjusted her laptop, subtly shifting it away from his view. "Nothing you need to worry about," She said briskly. "Just cleaning up another mess you made since you ignored half your emails."

He smirked, unfazed by her tone. "I don't ignore them. I just trust you to handle the important ones."

She shot him a withering look. "You trust me to handle everything."

"Which you always do," He said smoothly, his voice dropping just enough to make her want to rip her hair out.

Valeria cleared her throat, sitting a little straighter. "Shouldn't you be reviewing strategies or, I don't know, doing something productive?"

Franco shrugged, his gaze lingering on her a beat too long. "I am being productive. I'm spending time with my favorite person."

Her fingers faltered on the keyboard for half a second, but she quickly recovered, refusing to let him see how his words affected her. "You're such a pain in the ass," She muttered, eyes fixed on the screen.

"Yet, you're still here."

Valeria didn't reply, her lips pressing into a thin line as she focused determinedly on her laptop. But she couldn't ignore the heat radiating from where his arm rested behind her, or the way his presence seemed to take up the entire couch.

Franco leaned in slightly, his voice softening. "Do I make you nervous, Valeria?"

Her fingers stilled completely. She turned her head slowly, fixing him with a calm, practiced glare, though her heart was pounding. "The only thing you make me feel is enraged," She said evenly.

Franco's grin turned wicked, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "If you say so."

Before she could retort, he stood up, his hand brushing her shoulder lightly as he passed. "Don't work too hard, Vale," he said over his shoulder as he walked away.

Valeria exhaled slowly, her fingers gripping the edge of her laptop as she stared after him. She shook her head, willing her pulse to slow, before muttering under her breath, "Infuriating."

vera's voice 💌  ( 1.6k words )
Ok fuck Franco fine 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️  🫱( O )🫲

Hi Idk

why am i lowk having hit on me writing grind rn.
but let me not jinx it. Ok Bye.

Vera and Vera.
Love BelleElena.