Guess Again

twenty-nine.

Arthur pulled out his phone and texted Charles.

[Arthur] hey is Max dating Bianca?

[Charles] wtf no

[Arthur] bianca just walked into this gala I'm at and declared that she was here to watch max

[Charles] did anyone else hear that

[Arthur] there was this American woman next to me

[Charles] WHAT DID SHE LOOK LIKE

[Arthur] uhm she was kind of short, wearing a navy silk dress, golden brown hair and hazel eyes

[Charles] was she like... kind of snippy

[Arthur] yeah kind of

[Charles] how did she react when Bianca mentioned Max

[Arthur] she tensed up... y?

[Charles] ...that was Morgan Earling, american investor

[Arthur] WHAT

[Arthur] She seemed familiar but I didn't recognize her

[Charles] understandable, I'm almost to Vegas

[Arthur] Alright, see you soon

Arthur put his phone back in his pocket. He needed to find Morgan to tell her that Bianca was lying.

Max was standing on the balcony that overlooked the lobby. He was leaning on the railing, watching a large group of people talking loudly to each other. With a start, he realized that the woman in the silk navy dress was Morgan. She was stunning, even more so than usual.

Morgan's dress was simple, there were no diamonds or sparkles on it. She had put simple gold earrings that dangled delicately, and thin gold rings on her fingers that caught the light. She was smiling, but seemed tense. When she lifted her arm, Max noticed with surprise that she had a tattoo, and even at this distance he could tell it was new.

Max felt his phone buzz. He checked it to see a message from Charles.

[Charles] heads up, Bianca told Morgan that you and B are dating

[Max] wtf

[Max] why would she do that, she doesn't even know about Morgan

[Charles] it's a power play i think, but now Morgan thinks you're dating B

[Max] %$^*

[Max] I stg

[Max] Can i get her banned from races, Idc about her dad

[Charles] calm down

[Charles] we can figure this out

[Max] Morgan's gonna think I'm a manwhore

[Charles] well you're not just find her

[Max] I'm looking at her rn

[Max] and she's looking at me

Max looked up from his phone for a brief moment to see Morgan's hazel eyes had connected with his. Her face was neutral and she tilted her head slightly. Then Mason came up behind her, holding a jacket. Morgan took it and wrapped it around her shoulders, turning around. Max saw clearly the Red Bull across the back and felt surprised.

Morgan followed Mason out of the hotel, as they were going for a late night drive. She had finished all of her business deals, but after Bianca had so brazenly announced that she was dating Max, Morgan had snuck off to text Mason to bring her jacket and her car to the front.

Morgan climbed into the driver's seat of her Audi and started her car. Mason sat next to her, studying his sister's intense face.

"What's going on?" Mason asked quietly as Morgan started driving.

"Nothing, it's just... so stupid of me," Morgan said, shaking her as she merged onto the freeway. "This Bianca person walked up to me and Arthur LeClerc, who is a shameless flirt by the way, neither here nor there, but she just said outright that she's dating Max. And that she's here to watch him win the world championship. She was also wearing the most like... unflattering dress I think I've ever seen on a human. Just... tasteless. I don't usually criticize fashion, but that? That was a visual assault."

"I think she's lying," Mason replied with a sigh, "because I follow Max on instagram and there's been nothing from him about a relationship."

"He could be keeping it on the low, and I'm not supposed to be caring about him anyway," Morgan said, her voice giving away her frustration.

"Why don't you ask him?" Mason asked.

"Our last conversation consisted of me lying to him, Mason," Morgan said, adding her brother's name for emphasis, "I don't think he wants to talk to me anyway."

"No, Morgan, you need to talk to him. Ask him outright, and then tell him that you lied in Austria. He deserves to know the truth, and you know it."

Morgan huffed angrily. She hated when her younger brother was right.

"I'll get around to it," Morgan said finally.

Morgan and Mason ended up finding a 24-hour gas station, where they grabbed some sodas and candy.

"You know what," Morgan said, ripping open a package of sour patch kids, "I'm glad this worked out, with Mark and Allie and you."

"What about the grand prix? That ruins a lot of our plans," Mason said, twisting the top off his Mountain Dew Baja Blast.

"We're going to the Grand Prix," Morgan said, leaning her head against the window.

"We are? I thought you wouldn't be into F1 anymore?" Mason asked, then added, "this is so unbelievably good."

"I know right," Morgan replied, "but when I was in Idaho, I came to this realization. That I behaved at F1 races poorly because I felt guilty for enjoying the races without Dad, but then I realized he'd want me to enjoy them, not resent them. I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but you get my drift?"

"Of course," Mason replied, "and it makes sense. You were also just... going through a lot for the first half of the year."

"Facts," Morgan said, "back to the hotel?"

"I'm game," Mason replied.

I love mason sm he's such a good little bro

im sorry abt making bianca a villain but its better than j*s

dw arthur will redeem himself

sorry abt the miscommunication trope but its better than pregnancy ngl