#a very happy Lance Stroll week to all who celebrate

[racingliners]

F1 Moodboards

Lance Stroll + Green

[russellsppttemplates]

We'll figure out as we go (Lance Stroll)

A little peek into Lance's birthday celebrations

Note: english is not my first language. This is incredibly self indulgent, but the writer's block is still here and I have not been able to distract myself too much even though I have way too much free time (maybe another rant for another day), which means ruminating is a big part of my days. Also, let's pretend that the race calendar is a little different.

Thank you so much to everyone who likes and reblogs, your feedback is appreciated 🤍 and I'm taking requests so if you have any ideas or concepts you want to share, feel free to do so as I'll try to get to them the best I can!

my masterlist

Tw: f1 2023 season for AM, mentions wanting to start a family in the future, fertility issues, the tiniest suggestive smut

"Happy birthday, my love", you greeted Lance, your voice croaky from having just woken up. The bed was warm since you both planned to stay in for as long as you could before facing the outside world.

"Thank you, sweetheart", he mumbled back against your lips before kissing them, allowing himself to freely feel your skin against his palms as they travelled around your torso, "I love you".

Because of your schedules during the week, with you going to work pretty early and Lance's workout sessions also at the beggining of the day, these moments only really happened on the weekends he spent at home and whenever you travelled with him to watch him race from the paddock and not your usual spot on the sofa. So you decided to take it all in, even if you both had set an earlier alarm than usual and probably had the first room service request of the day.

"Part of me wants to go and race, but I'm also very, very tempted to stay here with you and celebrate", your boyfriend nudged, kissing your neck area before kissing all the way up to your lips, dissolving your smirk, "I don't think the team would be happy if you did that, and the fans, too, they're here to watch you, too", you reasoned, cupping his face and rubbing his cheeks with your thumbs.

"It seems keeping them happy has not been my strongest suit lately", he admitted, looking down slightly, "you're not responsible for anyone's happiness other than your own, Lance. Sure, you can help others feel happy, but it's not your responsibility", you smiled as he looked back up and into your eyes, "besides, it's your birthday, and after the race, we can go home and soak up eachother for a few days", you said, looking at the clock on the bedside table, "also, we have breakfast arriving any minute now", you kissed his cheek before you got up, heading to the bathroom to freshen up quickly.

When breakfast arrived at the door, you thanked the lovely employee and they set the plates and trays on the table, "we don't have a cake, but I'll make that one you really like when we're back home", you said, sitting in your boyfriend's lap as you enjoyed the plate of pancakes.

The race didn't go as planned, and with a double DNF, the whole team was feeling a little bit down, so after all of Lance's duties were taken care of, you went back to the hotel, packing the last few things into the suitcases and driving to the airport.

"I know you've had a way harder day than I've had, but I can't wait until I feel our bed", you cuddled closer to Lance once you were allowed to push the armrest between you upwards, "soon enough, you will", he kissed your forehead.

"I still can't believe I have you all to myself this week", he added, "I still have some things from work, they're just fine if I do them from home", you recalled, "but I couldn't agree more. I'm going to cling onto you like a limpet".

.

"Are you sure that we don't need anything else?", you asked again, "I have finished work for the day, I have time to bake something else", you added. "I know you like to cook, and that you wouldn't mind making dinner, but it's easier this way", Lance said, "you don't need to fuss around, and I get to have you for the rest of the day", he kissed your forehead, "right here with me".

The plan for the day was simple: after you finished your work assignments, you and Lance would spend the rest of the day basking in eachother's company and later Chloe and Scotty would join you for dinner provided by a caterer your boyfriend had arranged.

"How about we go on a walk? You said you wanted to do the trail the other day", you suggested, earning a nod as you both walked upstairs to grab what you needed. The previous rainy days called for stronger walking gear as the trail would be muddy, paired with a thick jumper and a puffy coat to protect you from the cold, "are you ready, darling?", Lance wondered seeing you walk to the door as you put your hood up, "didn't know I was going on a walk with the Michelin man", he teased you, kissing your cheek as he grabbed the keys from the bowl, opening the door for you.

Taking a walk had become one of your favourite outdoor activities with Lance since it was one of the fewer ones that didn't involve head protective gear or going at faster speeds than you liked, so you had grown acquainted to the trails and paths near where you lived, always wanting to explore them a little more and see what they had to offer. It quickly became your couple thing to do when you wanted a slow day, so whenever the weather allowed, you and Lance took that time to move your bodies as well as catching up, specially after double and triple headers.

"I really miss this quiet and calm whenever we're on the road", Lance began, "I love racing and travelling around the world to do it, but it's too loud sometimes". It was not a new confession or something you had never heard, and particularly with the season he and the team were having, you knew how much everything had gotten to him and how much he needed his safe place. For him, his safe place was somewhere he could be that was a little quieter, with friends and family and no other eyes prying around, and being with you, as he soon found out after you started dating. You had quickly become his safe person and he couldn't be more grateful.

"I get what you mean", you said, squeezing his hand that was laced in yours, "I spent last weekend with you and I've felt my social battery run low a couple of times", you admitted, "I love to watch you race, so I get what you mean", you stopped as he helped you across a big puddle, afraid you'd lose balance and fall, "but I'm glad you're also taking care of yourself. I'm very proud of you, Lance, in every way possible", you noted, seeing his blush and taking advantage of the fact that he was pulling you in slightly to fully face him and kiss his lips.

When you arrived back home, you and Lance went upstairs for a quick shower together, your boyfriend helping you wash your body after you grabbed a claw clip to secure as you did with him, the warm water and soft touches only stopping because soon the catering people would arrive to deliver the food.

When they knocked on the door, they quickly set the containers on the counter like you asked them too, explaining which ones contained what and a few instructions if you needed to heat them up and how to store them if there were leftovers. Thanking them one last time, Lance walked them to the door, coming back to the living room and helping you set the table.

"Your sister just texted me saying that Scotty is driving them here, they just left", you smiled, hugging Lance from the back first before he then turned to look at you, kissing your forehead, "thank you, for this and everything else, and before you go all 'I didn't even do anything' on me", he tutted, "I'm saying it because it is true, I would've gone mad if I didn't have you, so thank you for always being there for me. Here's to many more birthdays with you by my side", he kissed you, being interrupted by the door.

"Now, where's my girl Y/N?", you heard Chloe say, hearing her heels click against the wooden floor, "hey, gorgeous girl", you greeted her with a hug, "how have you been?", you asked, "same old, and you?".

"I've been good, busy with work and travelling with this one, but it's good busy", you smiled, tapping your boyfriend's back lightly before nudging him so you could hug Scotty, "has the older Stroll sibling been bugging you too much?", you wondered, "please, Y/N, I got the easier sibling, I should be the one asking you that", the snowboarder said, getting a giggle out of everyone before you headed to the dining room.

While you ate dinner, you took the opportunity to catch up with eacother, laughing and sharing recent and older memories as you enjoyed the food. By the time dessert was on the table, Chloe and Scotty gave Lance their present for him, "There's another bag, which is not a present for you", Chloe pointed out, grabbing the black paperbag from the sofa, "I like to think this is a collective... enjoyment for the night", she smiled, taking out a big brown book that, by the pages you could peek while it was still closed, looked like an old photo album.

"Mom found it when she was arranging space for the wedding photo album and she said that they messed up when they printed this one, so she had two copies. She gave me this so I could show you, too.", your sister in law smiled, opening it to reveal a picture of young Lance and Chloe hugging eachother.

"Oh, look! It's baby Lance!", you cooed, tracing your finger on a picture of Lance when he was probably no older than twelve months, laying down on what looked like a sun lounger. You could see Claire-Anne sitting by the end of it, attempting to get him to look at the camera even though he still looked at her, "That's one cute baby".

"He was a troublemaker though", Chloe chipped in, "not loads of times, I must admit, but he knew which buttons to push whenever he wanted to cause a tantrum", she defended, hugging her younger brother, "Oh, look! There's that one of when my tooth fell!".

Lance helped you move the plates and trays back to the kitchen so Scotty would have time to run back to the car and get the cake, allowing you to sing Happy Birthday to him and enjoy another slice of sweet and fluffy cake over a cup of wine.

"Lance probably wants another type of birthday celebrations", Scotty smirked, "and training ended me today, too, so maybe we could get going", he said, earning a nod from his wife, "me too, I'm exhausted", she got up, "thanks for dinner, guys", they said as you walked them to the door, not before swatting Scotty's arm, "you thought I didn't notice the comment?".

After leaving the downstairs area was somewhat tidy, you and Lance went upstairs to get redy for bed, "You know, the pictures just made me think about having a family of our own, little babies that look like you", you smiled, sitting next to him on the bed and nestling yourself on his chest, "I know it's not right now, but it got me thinking", you drew small random shapes on his skin.

"Me too, although I must admit I've seen your baby pictures and I'd be lying if I said that I don't imagine out kids with you chubby cheeks", he said, softly kissing the top of your head, "when the time comes, we will figure it out, okay?", he asked, already knowing where your mind was taking you. The diagnosis was a turning point, that was for sure, not only because you could finally put a pin on what was happening and that your discomfort was indeed caused by something, but because it came with uncertainties. For all you knew, it could either be something that would interfere only a little or it could put a serious dent in your fertility and how you and Lance would proceed to start your own family when the time came.

"We'll figure it out as we go, like we always do", you smiled, pushing him down on his back as you began kissing his jaw, "now, can I love on my handsome and wonderful boyfriend?".

[crownedbyluke]

Long Road Ahead (Chapter Six)

Estelle Finley has been friends with Ashton Irwin and Luke Hemmings for three years. When the boys bring her along on a jam-packed road trip to Cape Cod with the rest of the band, their adventures are just beginning. Through long hours driving, exploring cities, and hidden secrets, something more is bound to happen on this journey. How will this road trip change Estelle’s friendship with the friends she’s come to love so dearly?

Word Count: 4,500 (she snapped)

{Chapter One} {Chapter Two} {Chapter Three} {Chapter Four} {Chapter Five}

The feeling of my phone buzzing woke me up. The caller ID caused a shiver to run through me. Lance Finley. I quickly got out of bed and ran down the stairs, opening the back door to sit on the porch.

“Hello,” I said cautiously.

“Hello sweet daughter,” he said happily.

“What can I help you with today father?” I asked, his tone alone making me nervous.

It was too happy, almost fake. I felt the slight discomfort and fear bubbling underneath my skin.

“Well, for starters, you can tell me why you’re in South Carolina,” he said, the anger coming through this time.

My pulse quickened, the fear taking over the discomfort in my veins.

“I’m with some friends. They wanted to see some sights,” I explained, purposely keeping the whole truth from him.

“And what sights would that be?” he continued.

“The skywheel, the state parks, the beach. The usual tourist stuff,” I said, again trying to remain vague.

“I presume that you’re all staying at the house I have there?” he asked, the anger rising in his voice.

“No. They found their own house to stay in,” I said, keeping the annoyance out of my voice.

“And how long do you plan on dragging my name around in South Carolina?” he asked, his real point coming out.

“Today’s our last day here,” I said, keeping my tone even.

“Good. Then you’ll be home in Los Angeles?” he persisted.

It felt like I was a teenager on curfew instead of an adult on the other side of the country where he couldn’t parent me.

“Well, we’re going to Cape Cod for a few weeks so, no,” I said, waiting for the yelling that would come.

“Ah, so you’re spending money instead of working? What else would I expect from my reckless daughter? Don’t drag my name down with your pathetic partying,” he said, hanging up before I could respond.

The tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as his words sunk in. I was supposed to be used to this by now. The cycle of being brought up just to be torn down again. It never ceased to break the walls that I had built up. My phone sat next to me, my hands covering my eyes as the tears spilled over. It hurt no matter how hard I fought for it not to, it always seemed to knock the wind out of me.

“Essie?” I heard Ashton from the doorway.

I tried to pull myself together before looking up, but Ashton’s arms were around me before I had to. I cried into his shoulder, finding comfort in the way he held me.

“What’s wrong?” he asked quietly, hand rubbing my back gently.

I shook my head into his shoulder, unable to speak just yet. I held onto him tightly, needing me to ground me to the person I’ve become and not the little girl that wanted to be everything her daddy wanted.

“Shh, it’s okay. I got you. I’m not going anywhere,” he whispered, a few of his fingers playing with the ends of my hair.

It was as if I was falling apart and Ashton was the only thing keeping me together.

“You don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to,” he reassured, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I clutched him, holding on like I would break if he let go. We sat there for at least ten minutes and when the tears stopped finally, I pulled away. Ashton wiped away some of the stray tears, brushing my cheek lightly.

“Do you want to talk about it?” he asked, taking my hand in his.

“My dad called me this morning. He knows that we’re here, said I was dragging his name around with me. H-h-he said that I was still his reckless daughter and I shouldn’t drag his name around with my pathetic partying,” I said, flicking away a few tears that had fallen during my explanation.

“Did he say how he knew?” he asked, squeezing my hand.

“No. I don’t know how he could have known,” I said, picking up my phone.

I typed in my name, thinking that it was a possibility that someone had seen me. There was a picture of me on some gossip website. It was from the trip to the mall. I was walking with Ashton, a giant carefree smile on my face.

“And the headline reads, Lance Finley’s daughter caught on vacation with mystery man,” I read, showing Ashton the article.

He laughed and gestured for me to continue.

“Estelle Finley was seen yesterday with an unknown man out in South Carolina. Lance Finley’s daughter carried multiple luxury shopping bags and flaunted her happiness with this man. Is love in the air for this brand new couple?” I read, rolling my eyes.

“Estelle, how do these people know your name?’ Ashton asked, adjusting how he was sitting so he wasn’t uncomfortable.

“My dad is the CEO of a production company that makes movies and TV shows. Once my parents had me and the press got wind of my education that was beginning, paparazzi started keeping tabs. Once I was of age, they started taking pictures and publishing articles. All eyes on what the great Lance Finley’s daughter would do. How would she act in the world her father so kindly gave her?” I explained, unable to hide my frustration.

“And?” he asked, head tilted to the side.

“And I went to Berkeley for teaching, partied the smallest bit with people I thought I could trust. Some people took pictures, sold them to the press. Once word got to them, it got to my dad. I was told that if I didn’t focus on my studies, he’d pull me from school and send me off somewhere that I wouldn’t cause trouble. I kept my head down, never went out, got my degree and then my master’s. I thought now that I had my own career and hadn’t been seen in a while, they’d leave me alone. I was apparently wrong,” I said, my eyes remaining focused on the water as I spoke.

I felt ashton squeeze my hand, making me look over at him,

“You aren’t just your name. Estelle, you are more than your father’s expectations and the gossip people have said about you. You’re whoever you want to be and I love the person you are. I know how much it hurts to see lies written about you and I know that you have to be stronger than what they say. You’re my best friend and there is nothing that you can do to change that. Screw what your dad says. He doesn’t matter. We all love you okay? Those people don’t know you, we do. Their thoughts and opinions about who you are and what you do don’t matter. Don’t let them bring you down when the person you are is absolutely spectacular,” he said with that thousand watt smile.

I returned it, feeling a bit of relief from his words. I needed to hear his words and as they sunk in, I knew he was right.

“Thank you Ash,” I said quietly, going back to look at the ocean.

“So, when we met and you wouldn’t go out with us the first year of our friendship?” he started, trailing off.

I attempted to stifle a laugh at the memory.

“I was fresh out of grad school when I met you and Luke. I was out with my best friend from college, Aida. We were celebrating my degree when you came over and offered to buy us drinks. You were hitting on her while Luke was apologizing for your behavior. I thought that we wouldn’t see you two after that night, but Luke asked for my number. Aida was far too hungover to join us for coffee which ended up being a good thing because you didn’t remember her in the morning,” I said, laughing again.

“Luke was dating his last girlfriend and I was just having fun. When we met up for coffee, I could tell that the three of us were going to be best friends. Luke and I walked you to your car and now here we are,” he said, gesturing towards the beach and sunrise.

“Here we are and there’s still so much we don’t know about each other after three years,” I said, tying my hair up.

“With a lifetime ahead of us to figure it out,” he said, stretching his arms out so they were on the back of the swing.

“With a lifetime ahead of us to figure it out,” I repeated with a nod of my head.

                                                       ➢➢➢

“And she returns from her beach stroll,” Calum called, his skin already showing signs of the sun’s effects.

“And he’s still annoying in the mornings!” Luke yelled back, making me laugh.

“My knight in shining armor,” I teased, kissing his cheek as I walked by.

I caught his smile brighten from the small action. I headed up the stairs to change. I pulled on a white tank and shorts.

“So, are you dressing up for someone?” Crystal asked after I pulled on a baby blue cardigan.

“Nope. I was coming to find you though,” I said, bending down to put my sandals on.

“Oh really?” she asked, smiling at me.

“Yeah. Do you still wanna come with me to get that piercing?” I asked, looping a necklace around my neck and grabbing my purse.

“Oh yes I do. Let me grab my purse and put on shoes,” she said, quickly running down the stairs.

I followed after her a moment later, laughing at her rushed nature. It was a new sight to see instead of Crystal’s usual composed temperament.

“Let’s go!” she said happily.

We went down the stairs together, smiling and laughing like we had been friends our whole lives.

“Es and I will be back in an hour! Don’t be stupid while we’re gone!” she called before closing the door behind us.

I caught the keys as she tossed them to me, jingling them in the air.

“Let’s be bad,” I joked, jumping into the driver’s seat.

I drove through the streets, the radio playing whatever hits were currently popular. I parked a bit away from the tattoo and piercing shop.

“You sure you wanna do it?” Crystal asked, taking my hand before we could go in.

“Yes. Absolutely positive,” I confirmed, giving her a smile.

We walked in, seeing a cheery receptionist with very little tattoos and piercings.

“How can I help you?” she asked, a giant smile on her face.

“Is there an opening to get an inner lobe piercing?” I asked, glancing around at the designs on the wall.

“Oh yeah! Let’s see here. E.J. is free until three. She specializes in piercings. Would you like me to bring her up?” she asked.

“I would love that,” I said, twirling the ring around my pointer finger.

“Give me one minute,” she said before walking off.

I waited a few minutes before a woman that looked somewhat my age with tattoos littering her arms walked over to me.

“Hey there. Ready to add some hardware?” she asked, her voice more husky than I imagined.

“Yes. I’m Estelle,” I said while we walked back to her chair.

“E.J. Do you have the earring you’d like to have in?” she asked, pulling out various needles.

“Yeah. Here,” I said, digging the small arrow earring out of my purse.

“It’s very nice. Mean anything to ya?” she asked while prepping everything.

“There’s always something good waiting for you to find,” I said quietly.

She smiled at me before loading the needle and bringing it to my ear. There was a slight pinch and then she was stepping away again.

“Take a look,” she said, holding up a mirror for me.

The gold arrow fit perfectly among the other earrings I had in. It felt almost like adding a piece of armor to my body.

“It looks great. Thank you so much,” I said, shaking her hand.

I paid for it, making sure to leave a nice tip for E.J. before Crystal and I started walking through the streets. We had no plans for the day besides relaxing on the beach so, we were free to wander about.

“Wanna head back?” she asked after a minute.

We were stopped in front of a photo printing shop. There was a golden frame in the window that caught my eye as well as the photobooth advertisement. The frame looked big enough to fit the collage I had been planning for Ashton’s birthday present in it.

“One sec. Can we go in?” I asked, giving her the puppy dog eyes.

“You don’t need to use those on me. Let’s go,” she agreed, gently pushing me towards the door.

“Good mornin’ ladies. How can I help y’all out today?” asked the man at the front desk.

“How much is that frame and what are your printing costs?” I asked, putting on a big smile for him.

“The frame is two hundred and printing cost varies in size. Fifty cents for every four-by-six, seventy-five for every five-by-seven, and they go up from there,” he said, his slight southern accent coming out.

“Do you do mobile print?” I asked, trying to think of the best way to execute my idea the way I had been picturing it in my head.

I had been planning this for months, but hadn’t been able to find a frame that screamed Ashton or a place that would print all the pictures I wanted without costing a fortune.

“No ma’am. We do take flash drives and SD cards though,” he said with a shrug.

I sighed, feeling a little defeated. Ashton’s birthday was in four days and I still hadn’t brought his birthday present to life.

“Thank you,” I said, taking Crystal’s arm and walking out the door.

“What was the master plan there?” she asked while we walked towards the car.

“I was gonna make the collage I’ve been planning for Ash’s birthday, but all of my pictures are on my phone or my computer,” I said, giving her the keys.

“Did you bring that hard drive you had?” she continued, starting up the car.

“No. Although, I should have. I’m filling up my storage with all the pictures I’ve been taking,” I replied, twirling my fingers in my lap.

“Well then, let’s go to the store. You can get a hard drive to free up your storage and I can get some makeup remover since I ran out this morning,” she said, handing me her phone so I could find the closest one.

“Sounds like the best plan,” I said, smiling over at her.

If this worked in my favor, Ashton would be getting the best birthday present ever from me.

                                                      ➢➢➢

Luke wrapped me up in a hug when we got back, claiming to have missed me in my absence.

“You’re a dork. Where’s Ash?” I asked, looking behind him.

I needed to make sure that Ashton didn’t see what I had and also needed the butterflies from Luke to stop distracting me.

“Kitchen. Why?” Luke asked, confused and a little hurt.

“I have something for his birthday and I need to hide it. Keep watch?” I asked, giving him a small smile.

He nodded and lead me to the stairs, watching every so often to make sure Ashton didn’t see me. I ran up the stairs, quickly going into our shared room and tucking away the hard drive. I stood up to see Luke in the doorway.

“You’re that paranoid that he’ll figure out what you’re doing?” he asked with a chuckle.

“Yes! You know Ashton and how he hates surprises,” I said, pulling out one of the swimsuits I packed.

I caught Luke’s eyes drift to the item in my hands. We had already seen each other in swimsuits, but it was definitely different this time. After nearly kissing twice and admitting our feelings to each other, I understood how seeing me in a swimsuit would make his eyes widen a little. Hell, I wanted to get a look at him in a swimsuit too.

“Yeah he really does love figuring out surprises,” he said, trailing off.

His mind was elsewhere while his eyes scanned over my body, a slight gleam in them as he did.

“I’m gonna change. Are you gonna come down to the beach with me?” I asked, feeling somewhat nervous as he looked at me.

“Yeah sure,” he said quietly.

I watched him close the door and felt the butterflies take over my stomach. The effect he had on me was insane. I changed into my swimsuit, pulling on my cardigan over top. I came down, grabbing my sunglasses before heading out the back door. The boys were playing a round of beach volleyball together when I saw them. Luke’s laugh rang in my ears as I walked down the porch steps. The sand between my toes was warm and the breeze that made my hair fly behind me eased the heat, a perfect balance happening between the two. I put my cardigan down by Ashton’s stuff, knowing he’d be okay with it.

“Incoming!” Michael yelled.

I turned around, seeing their volleyball flying at my face. I barely had enough time to get my hands up so it wouldn’t break my nose.

“Essie! Throw it back!” Ashton called, the ball now at my feet.

I rolled my eyes, not surprised that they didn’t notice how they almost hit me in the face before tossing them the ball. The sound of someone whistling at me caused me to turn around.

“Excuse me?” I asked, hands falling to my hips.

“How’d it feel to fall from heaven?” the guy asked, winking at me.

“Perfectly fine,” I deadpanned, not wanting to deal with him or his objectification.

“You’re a real hottie you know,” he continued, making me roll my eyes.

“Thank you, but I’m on vacation and I’m not interested,” I said, starting to turn around to head over to the boys.

The guy grabbed my wrist, the grip too tight.

“I’m not done talking here hottie,” he growled, pulling on me to make sure I didn’t go anywhere.

“And I’m not interested so let go!” I said, purposely raising my voice so one of the boys would hear me.

“Excuse me, she said to let go,” Ashton’s voice came over me.

I felt the immediate ease run through my body with his presence next to me. The guy was still holding onto my wrist and I was starting to worry that he was going to leave a mark.

“Hey man, you can wait your turn,” the douchebag said.

“If you don’t get your hands off my best friend, I’ll call the cops,” Ashton threatened, broadening his shoulders and standing up perfectly straight.

The guy let go immediately, practically running away from us. My heartbeat slowed a bit, feeling like I was dizzy for a moment after he left.

“Thank you Ash,” I said quietly, still a tad bit afraid that he would come back.

“No problem. Are you okay?” he asked, putting a protective arm around me.

“Yeah. I’m just gonna go back to the house,” I said, pulling my cardigan over my shoulders.

“Estelle, you can’t let that ass ruin your day,” he said, concern evident in his eyes.

“I’m not. I just don’t feel comfortable right now,” I explained, wrapping my arms around myself.

“Do you want me to come with you?” he asked, reaching out to rub my arm.

“No, stay and have fun. I’ll be fine,” I said, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek.

I went back to the house, pulling on my clothes from earlier. The bay window felt comfortable, safe as I picked up my ratty copy of The Great Gatsby. I knew it was stupid to feel ashamed of my body, but no matter how much I tried to think about that encounter in a different way, I couldn’t. If I hadn’t been so stupid, it wouldn’t have happened.

“I can see the wheels turning in your head. What’s going on up there little dove?” Luke asked, bringing me out of my head.

“Nothing. Why aren’t you on the beach?” I asked, noticing the zip up hoodie he pulled on.

“Because you’re not on the beach with me. Why are you in here?” he asked, sitting next to me and pulling my legs into his lap.

I smiled, remembering how we had sat like this last night.

“Just didn’t feel like it anymore,” I lied, not wanting to talk about the guy on the beach.

“You know that your eyes veer left when you lie?” he asked, a lightness to his tone that I hadn’t expected.

“Fine. That guy on the beach just made me feel uneasy and I just didn’t want him staring at me anymore,” I admitted, clutching my book a little tighter.

“That guy comes anywhere near you and I’ll punch him in the face myself,” he said, genuine anger in his eyes.

“Lu, it’s fine. I can just hang in here,” I argued, reaching out and taking his hand in mine.

The touch was electric and sent shivers through my body.

“No. You’re on vacation. You have a right to enjoy it in the sun and on the beach,” he defended, squeezing my hand.

“Lu-”

“Please come back out with me,” he said, biting his lip.

I stared at him, seeing the love in his eyes for the first time. It was a bit of a surprise to see, but after last night, hearing him say those three little words, I was more than happy to notice it.

“Okay.”

                                                        ➢➢➢

I squealed as Luke spun me around in the water, splashing the other boys in the process. He took extra care to not get my piercing wet. The sun was starting to set, but there was something about being in the water with my best friends that made me never want to leave.

“It’s getting colder. We should head in,” Calum said, starting to head towards the house.

“He’s right,” Luke said, still holding me in his arms.

“Boo,” I whined, but not letting go of him.

“Come on now little dove. This means we can eat and relax the rest of the night,” he said, giving me a smile.

“Ugh fine,” I said, tilting my head back in defeat.

“If you two don’t stop flirting, I’m going to drown myself in the ocean,” Calum said, making me laugh.

Luke set me down, allowing me to run over to Calum. He effortlessly picked me up for a piggyback ride.

“Cheer up Cal. I’ll get you laid in New York,” I teased, his laugh ringing out.

“I’ll believe it when I see it,” he laughed, putting me on my feet in front of the back porch steps.

“I’ll be the best wing woman you’ve ever had,” I said, wrapping an arm around him the best way I could.

“Oh really Elle?” he asked, tossing me a towel.

“Just you wait and see,” I said, winking at him.

“Alright, alright. Cozy up and let’s have some s’mores,” Ashton said, grabbing a towel.

“Aye aye Captain,” I teased, nudging him a little.

He rolled his eyes before nudging me back.

“Grab your guitar too Luke,” he said before Luke could walk inside.

“Why of course my good Sir,” Luke said, bowing in front of Ashton.

I laughed and followed after him into the house.

“Essie, want a hoodie?” Ashton asked while we climbed the stairs together.

“No. I’ll just put leggings on or something,” I said with a shrug.

“Or are you hoping that Luke will give you one?” he asked, arching an eyebrow at me.

“Ashton,” I warned, taking out a pair of pajama shorts and a navy blue long sleeve.

“What? You both admitted your feelings I don’t get why you aren’t together,” he said, tugging on a hoodie.

“We haven’t talked about that yet,” I said, walking past him to the bathroom.

“And why not?” he asked through the door.

“Because a certain someone interrupted us,” I said flatly.

I opened the door, pulling my hair into a bun.

“I didn’t know that you two were finally talking about your feelings,” he defended, holding his hands up.

“Yeah well, the next time it looks like two people are about to kiss, don’t interrupt,” I said, pulling on a pair of socks.

“Note taken,” he said with a laugh.

When we went back down, everyone was already outside again. I heard the sound of Luke’s guitar and everyone’s laughter. This vacation was already a dream, but seeing all of my friends around a fire with music being played made it even more surreal. It was almost like something out of storybook.

“There they are,” Crystal said, making all of them look at me and Ashton.

I smiled before sitting next to Luke, resting my head on his shoulder.

“Luke, can you play us that song you wrote last night?” Michael asked, his own guitar in hand.

I lifted my head to look at Luke, surprised that he hadn’t told me.

“Yeah, play it for us,” I agreed, smiling softly at him.

I saw him blush before nodding. He adjusted so his fingers were over the frets better. He started playing a riff that Michael copied over time.

“Find me at quarter to three, cigarette in hand,” he sang, a little unsure of his words.

I listened intently, taking in the words as he sang them.

“Darling all of my wrongs, they lead me right to you, wrapped in your arms, I swear I’d die for your love, your love, I’m a better, better man,” he sang, eyes meeting mine with the final words of the song.

It all connected in that moment. He had written the song about me. The words rang through my mind again, analyzing them over again. The love I felt for him became heightened, wishing we were alone so I could tell him.

“It’s great Luke,” Michael said, snapping me out of my Luke trance.

“Thanks,” he said, turning away from me.

There was a bright blush across his cheeks. Without thinking, I kissed his cheek quickly, not caring if everyone saw or if there were pictures taken of the moment. The blush deepened causing me to smile. Luke chuckled, trying to shake off the dumb look of happiness on his face. He started playing the opening of “Gone, Gone, Gone” by Phillip Phillips. I hummed along quietly while he sang, loving the moment we were in. Before long, I joined him, our voices melting into a beautiful harmony. We had never sang together until now, but as our voices hit my ears, I wondered why we hadn’t.

“I love you long after you’re gone, gone, gone,” we sang, our eyes meeting once again.

I felt the mutual love between us blossoming in front of our eyes. It took everything to not kiss him again, but I knew that I didn’t have to. Luke knew, as did I, and it was all I needed in that moment. No words were needed because I was already his and he was already mine.

OH SHIT I HAVE TAKEN IT THERE! ARE THEY GONNA KISS SOON? Who knows? Well I do, but you can’t have that knowledge yet. Also, I know Better Man wasn’t written about Estelle but I thought it would be a good origin for it that held meaning. 

tag loves. @24kcalum @thruheavenandhighwater @bbycal @notoriouslyhood @slimthicccal @tommossoccer @cashton-queen @a-little-international @thebookamongmen @jetblackyoungblood @kiss-the-kat @no-guilt-in-living

[universeinform-blog]

Inside Kirsten Dunst’s Glamorous Oscars Beauty Photo Diary

New Post has been published on https://universeinform.com/2017/03/20/inside-kirsten-dunsts-glamorous-oscars-beauty-photo-diary/

Inside Kirsten Dunst’s Glamorous Oscars Beauty Photo Diary

How does one choose the right pink carpet hairstyle—making sure a foolproof appearance which could stand up to the flurry of cameras on the Oscars, even as concurrently retaining its personal against a hanging Christian Dior Haute couture robe hailing from 1952? For the answer, Kirsten Dunst, who costarred in the award-nominated film Hidden Figures, turned to movie star hairstylist Adir Abergel, who long-established her blonde lengths right into a romantic low bun with a deep aspect element. “My vision becomes an easy French-inspired updo,” stated Abergel. “I started out off developing the proper extent and texture by means of adding waves to the hair all over.” Then, he started working, pinning and spraying the look at the place for last-all-night tiers of keep and shine. As for Dunst’s makeup? Her soft hair turned into complemented by means of a softly shaded smoky eye and a red lip, courtesy of makeup artist Jillian Dempsey. Before heading out the door. The actress reached for one crowning glory: a fave pair of Christian Lacroix heels, which she has worn for past red carpets, consisting of the Met Gala and the Cannes film Competition. Here, see how Dunst prepped her splendor search for the Academy Awards.

Business to Business – Look For the Less Glamorous Accounts

As a former franchisor and service zone operator, I have a crucial piece of recommendation to talk about with you these days. You notice, in recent times I do a bit of consulting and for this reason, am continuously studying enterprise plans for small business start-ups. One aspect I continually locate is smaller corporations usually appear to want to right away go after excessive-give up customers, purchasers, and clients – and, if they plan on doing business-to-enterprise contracting, the younger and frequently naïve marketers tend to head after big brand name corporate clients. Still, I suggest a one of a kind tactic on this realm, permit’s speak.glamorous fergie

Sure, it makes the experience to move the excessive-cease clients and call brands, however, do not brush aside the less glamorous businesses to do commercial enterprise with. Have you ever heard the saying; “Sell to the hundreds and live with the instructions?” Makes feel proper. In fact, whilst running my groups we by no means forgot this method. I discover many entrepreneurs need to get their product into Home Depot, Target, Wal-Mart, Sears, and so on. Or they want to partner with Starbucks, Apple, Nike or Google, however, be cautious, the one’s companies have the pick of the litter, each person desires to do business with them, so that they always get the exceptional fee, meaning you will make much less money and ought to work on quantity to make a profit, and you may make investments massive to improve simply to handle the account – so, in essence, you are buying the account, no longer just getting the account.

In my preceding organization, we did on website online contract cleansing and had income groups and worked off of a Bonzai-Blitz Challenge advertising strategy, one that works for any organization doing B2B offerings. What we discovered was the less glamorous type debts; cleansing rubbish vehicles as an instance genuinely paid the most cash because no person else ever bid at the account.

Indeed, we ended up cleaning all styles of matters that no one else turned into competing for including cleaning off Solar Panels, Eating place Patios, Storage Doors, Awnings, Rain Gutters, Driveways, Gazebos, Artificial Drought Resistant Grass, Jacuzzi’s at Lodges, Hurricane Drains, Locomotives and Rail Automobiles. It changed into absolutely awesome how clean it become too cozy a sturdy coins go with the flow without ever having to lower our bid to get the paintings. It really is now not to say that turning into a dealer for a large agency will not be beneficial, it, in reality, can be, however additionally realize how many agencies have long past broke seeking to perform with razor skinny margins as a seller of Sears or Wal-Mart.

Lance Winslow has launched a brand new collection of eBooks at the Mobile Vehicle offerings commercial enterprise. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a The Oil

How Can Bridal Makeup Transform You Into Stunning Beauty

The marriage is genuinely a completely critical life occasion. In the maximum of the international locations, that is taken into consideration because of the most events of pomp and pleasure. Humans love to take part in the celebration as the collection is complete of entertainment and satisfaction. The marriage includes guidance of plenty of factors like shopping for outfits, handling visitors, arranging photographers, booking of feast halls, dresses, and numerous different things.makeup amazon

The association of the bridal make-up artist is likewise very crucial. It’s far the preference of every single man or woman living on earth to have impressively appeared. It offers enormous pride when Human beings surrounding, experiment you in praise and pay attention to you attentively. The maximum essential personality of The wedding dinner party is the bride. It’s far the dream of every lady to look lovely on this unique day. The reason at the back of this is that she is the showstopper and each eye might be watching her.

Why hire a make-up artist? that is truly a completely pertinent query. The answer to this question is quite simple. Our pores and skin wish to care and pampering. this is the most important organ of a human body. There are several factors which adversely affect our pores and skin. A number of the maximum not unusual elements are solar rays, UV radiation, pollution, dust, harsh climate circumstance, and so forth. These factors offer the unfavorable impact on the skin texture. The impact of UV rays on my own at the pores and skin is very intense. These rays without delay have an effect on the collagen and warp its molecular structure. This ultimate outcome in degradation inside the coloration of the skin.

The makeup artists use cosmetics so as to hide the imperfections of the pores and skin. They do provide pores and skin treatment so one can carry again the lost attraction of the skin. There are numerous splendor products and techniques available in the marketplace that could easily fight the outcomes of the skin.

The makeup classes of the bride start pretty early. in the first actual consultation, the artists appearance after your skin and prepare the chart about the matters what ought to be finished to present you the most captivating appears for the auspicious occasion.

Throughout the very last session, the artist uses unique objects like foundation, face percent, moisturizer, and many others. These items help in improving your splendor and charm. It’s miles very vital to hire a professional artist as this occasion is absolutely vital. You can not take danger by means of making a bet on the novice artist.

How to locate the expert make-up artist? There are several artists rendering this service. You must discover the one who has significant experience in this area. At instances, whilst searching the offerings you stumble upon experts who sell you the products in preference to offerings.

Dad Diary: Completing Our First Trimester

Hormones! Now not a pregnant lady’s excellent pal I’d say. I pay attention it regularly from my family, buddies, and co-workers. This is a ‘regarded’ occurrence however even understanding that did No longer put together me for the actual thing. Most of the literature that I’ve to examine thru usually has a section at the various modifications that a pregnant girl goes through, each physically and hormonally. For this reason, I notion I would help my spouse through this satisfied however attempting time. Some extra love and care commonly does the trick.free online diary

However, that does not work while my wife’s hormones are at work. The books have honestly undersold the whole idea. Pointless to mention, hormones are the ones guilty for these heightened emotions in my wife. There’s a small bushy location near my house and where a dead frame may want to potentially move undiscovered for some time. I clearly did No longer want A few fitness nerd in some months’ time stumbling on to my skeleton.

Approximately six weeks into the first trimester I learned to stroll faraway from a controversy. Arguing again, albeit with heaps of good judgment isn’t always a choice for expectant dads like me at this point in time. I universal the truth that my days as a quite worldly, opinionated man had been over at the least for the following six months.

Here’s an instance of one of the arguments that I had with my spouse for the duration of the first trimester. We were looking tv together, very happy, excellent and nonviolent. I simply popped over to the kitchen to seize her a drink that she wanted me to get. On my return, I see her sitting at the threshold of the sofa, arms clenched into fists and with eyes that are sending me the message that I would higher begin strolling. You’d be thinking what had occurred in literally a minute that definitely modified her temper. Apparently, she had seen a commercial on tv that reminded her Approximately what a horrible individual I was.

And bang! The hormones start doing their activity.

It isn’t always my purpose to paint my wife as A few loopy person. however what I’m trying to convey is that, yes, they may go crazy at some point in time. So all I try to do is don’t forget how tons I like her and that this wasn’t the time to convey out that recognize-it-all patriarchal masculinity character. simply assume, if pregnancy turned into sincerely that easy anybody might be doing it. No, wait. Scratch that one.