Chapter 39: His Birthday

                                    

                                          
Casey and Seb spent the majority of the next four days lazing around the huge villa, swimming in the crystal infinity pool and taking the Veyron out to see the surrounding sights. He still had to go to the occasional appointment with Britta, but she'd kept his schedule mostly clear. Seb was also training everyday with Heikki out in the grounds, making use of the sweeping lawns and tennis court. Casey would usually watch their sessions, probably a little too enthusiastically.
                          
Seb's parents had been away on holiday for the summer and would be returning to Germany the next day. Casey wasn't sure when she'd be meeting them, but assumed they would be at the garage some time that week. Then, her parents would arrive on Friday morning in time for the first day of on-track action. It was finally getting easier to disguise the bruise across her cheek, and thankfully her lip had healed up too. She hadn't fancied the prospect of explaining that one to either set of parents.
                          
On Sunday night, Casey found herself sitting in what had become 'her' chair in the lavishly furnished lounge room. Heikki was on the couch next to her and Seb sat below her on the floor, leaning back against her knees as she ran her fingers through his hair. Somewhere in one of the many offices in the villa, Britta was working, undoubtedly glued to her phone.
                          
The now-familiar bang of the front door closing met her ears and she glanced over at Heikki and frowned.
                          
They were all already inside.
                          
"You heard that right?" she asked, raising an eyebrow at him.
                          
"Heard what?" Heikki asked, giving her a 'look'. Casey squinted at him and looked down at Seb, shaking his shoulders gently.
                          
"Did you hear the front door just now?"
                          
He shrugged in response and kept looking ahead at the TV. Casey couldn't see the knowing smirk spreading across his face.
                          
"Are you all suddenly deaf or what?" Casey exclaimed, climbing past Seb and standing up. She padded over to the hallway and looked down. Nothing.
                          
"What the hell?" she muttered to herself. Maybe she was going mad.
                          
Seb watched her disappear down the hallway as she went to investigate. Any second now...
                          
Suddenly a male voice yelled out and Casey screamed before breaking into a tirade of insults.
                          
"What is wrong with you! Fuck!" Seb heard Casey's shaky voice exclaim. He glanced up at Heikki and they laughed together.
                          
Down the other end of the hallway, Casey was wrapped tightly in Evan's arms as he laughed gleefully at her reaction.
                          
"SEBASTIAN!" Casey cursed down the hallway loudly, now aware that he must have planned it all. He and Evan were as bad as each other.
                          
Britta walked past them into the kitchen to put away the keys to the Range Rover. She'd just returned from the airport to pick up Jacob and Evan which Seb had arranged the week before. She was grinning at the sight of Evan's delighted expression, clearly pleased with himself over scaring Casey half to death.
                          
"Why has terrifying me turned into some kind of sport around here?" Casey whimpered against Evan's chest as she tried to calm down. Evan had jumped out from behind a door way and grabbed her around the shoulders while Jacob was standing in the kitchen rolling his eyes in amusement.
                          
"Thanks for the ride Britta." Jacob said as he watched her switch on the coffee maker.
                          
"You're very welcome." she smiled back at him as Evan and Casey entered the room.
                          
Casey let out an exasperated sigh as she slumped onto a stool next to Jake.
                          
"I'm going to die at an early age at this rate." she groaned, finally feeling her heart rate go back to normal.