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Chapter Text

If only Eloise Bridgerton had known the Monaco Grand Prix was less about racing and more about the alcohol, egotistical fans, brand networking, and overpriced souvenirs, she would have ignored the spectacle altogether. 

However…

Her boss, Agatha Danbury, had rather important clientele in Monaco and way less time to care about the race altogether. So, of course, she assigned Eloise to find something partially entertaining for The Weekly to publish this week. 

And, of course, what is Monaco without a yacht? So here she finds herself, Eloise Bridgerton, swaying on The Commodore , regretfully wishing she were at her flat in London, hovering on the edge of annoyed and polite obligation. 

She looked down at the glass of half-full champagne, nice at the start of her day, but now just another thing for her to carry around, especially when she should be on the ground, weaving through the fans and at least attempting to speak with any crew from… well, any racing team.

Eloise signed and took another swig from her glass, then set it down on a bartender's tray as the man walked swiftly through the many conversational, rich, and PR representative employees on the yacht’s deck. She then set her sights on the dock and her actual job, getting material to write an article on Sustainability in Racing: Possible or Not? 

The only downside of that material is that nobody here cares about sustainability. It's gas-powered cars with concrete road track, and don’t forget about the thousands of fans who can’t dare to hunt for a viable trash can. 

Eloise sighed as she remembered the obscene prompt that Agatha wanted her to focus on as she collected her smaller-sized, clear bag and made her way to an exit from the expensive boat. It wasn’t until she reached the respective area that she wished she had stayed back.

“Ah, Eloise Bridgerton!” She heard her name and mentally rolled her eyes at the tone and immediate recognition.

Eloise sighed and cleared her throat, “Cressida Cowper, how can I appeal to you today?” 

Cressida scoffed, “Oh, no, you got that wrong. You don’t appeal to me at all, just your last name,” she finished with a smirk.

Eloise rolled her eyes, “I’m charmed, surely you have better things to do?” She crossed her arms and motioned with her hand exaggeratedly. 

“Well, Debling and I could catch the race together later, but I just had to know if there were any new developments in the chaos of Bridgertons,” Cressida stated in a curious tone.

Eloise seemed skeptical but answered anyway, “Not that I’m aware of, other than the usual ‘Daphne and the kids bla bla bla, Benedict painted something new about Sophie bla bla, and Gregory still insists on archery lessons.’” She shrugged. 

Cressida gave a crestfallen impression, clearly an act, and spoke again, “Ah, such a shame. Well then, until next time, Bridgerton!”  She walked away with a small, posh wave and left Eloise alone once again. 

Finally, to herself, Eloise was able to disembark the yacht and scour the scene. 

---------

Phillip Crane didn’t like being famous. Sure, he liked winning, he liked the science of speed and how the engines roared to life underneath balanced chassis, how downforce calculations could be adjusted by millimeters, and okay, maybe he liked the science of racing altogether. But he still didn’t like winning. 

He also liked his peace and quiet. And though he’ll never admit it publicly, he loved plants. He liked how they responded to his care and gentleness from within his greenhouse. He also liked reading the data and making sure each species of green and flower was healthy.

Phillip Crane also didn’t like parties. Especially at parties where sponsors tried to brand his quiet and serene as “mystery” and his detachment from the media as “charisma.” He’s kept his helmet on longer than necessary, more than once. He avoids red carpets like the plague, declines podcast interviews, and interviews altogether. 

So here he sits in his paddock with his History of Flora Greca book in his hands while dressed in his fireproof suit and helmet set on a table in front of him. 

His teammate, Will Mondrich, shook his head at him. “Come on, Crane, at least pretend you’re having a good time instead of imagining every fan in that crowd as a flower,” he said with a smirk as he unzipped his racing suit halfway.

Phillip looked to him with honesty, “I grow orchids, Will.”

Will laughed, “That’s not a personality, Phil.”

“It’s more honest than yours,” Phillip said with a smile.

He wasn’t wrong.

Will eventually walked away, leaving Phillip to himself, but not for long, as he was given a T-30 minute warning before he needed to be with his car. Phillip rolled his shoulders and stepped out for air, setting his book down next to his helmet before he left the paddock. 

He cut through a service corridor meant for logistics staff and engineers, pausing for a few moments before turning to his right and below an overhanging awning near the back edge of the compound. It was there that Phillip got his peace and quiet before the loud hums of engines would greet him on the track. 

But that’s when he saw her, standing alone near the edge of the shade, a small notepad in her hand.

Phillip thought that he was guaranteed no interviews, especially on race day, but while he observed the woman again, he could tell something didn't add up.

“Excuse me, miss?” he gently called out to her.

---------

Eloise was sure she sould have pulled up a map because she apparently forgot how fucking large the second of the smallest countries was. For only being a total of 0.78 square miles, Monaco was a trek. 

She had managed to get a few opinions from some spectators when she was weaving her way through common areas like the concessions area and merchandise. She was quite pleased when she managed to get a mother and her son to actually hear her out on the piece’s subject. 

They gave a relative outsider's perspective on consumption and how it's hard in an industry like racing to switch or bring in sustainable infrastructure and engineering. She was later informed in their brief conversation that the son worked for an industrial distribution center that mainly specializes in LED lighting, giving contractors and companies a better alternative to conserve power. 

Eloise mentally reminded herself to include his company in the article.

She continued down a smaller stretch of uneven pathways to reach a smaller shaded area covered by an awning. She took note of the location so she could find herself back to the opening for the race to start when the time was right. 

Eloise looked around the area. There were a few white chairs that leaned back to give the user a more relaxed posture. Behind, there were stony walls draped with growing vines and small blooming flowers. It was a cute detail for a small outside area.

She then turned to one of the other lengths of the shaded area and found that it was overhanging a part of the racetrack. Eloise smiled to herself as she took out her pad and pen to write down more things to review her previous interview, but quickly scrunched her eyebrows as she realized she didn't catch the son’s name.

It wasn’t until then that she realised she wasn’t alone…

“Excuse me, miss?”

She stopped herself from fidgeting with her pen any longer and tucked it back into its loop in the pad of paper.

Eloise tried to clear her throat quietly, “Uh. Yes?” she gently spoke to the husky voice that called out to her as she turned to face him.

---------

Phillip swore that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes on. She had the eyes of a freshly vanished hurricane, gray and serene, while her hair cascaded around her face to shape her jawline. 

Phillip took a second to clear his thoughts as he too cleared his throat, “Um, I’m deeply sorry to interrupt you, miss..?”

She caught on to his innuendo and gave her name, “Eloise.”

Phillip nodded and continued, “Right, I’m deeply sorry to interrupt you, Eloise, however, I can see that you are perplexed? If- uh, that's the right word for your attitude?” He gave a little chuckle as he made his way to the railing next to her, overlooking the track. 

She looked to him with a tilt of her head and sighed, “I guess so? I’m just trying to get this research done so I can get out of the hot sun and relax. I don’t know a thing about these races; all I know is my boss wants me to write something, so it's the opposite of gas and machines. Ugh, it's honestly so annoying, she literally could have asked anybody else!” 

Eloise blanched as she realised her thoughts had actually made it out of her mouth.

She let out an anxious huff. “Sorry, I’ve been at this for a while, I’m just ready to write the piece and publish it.”

Phillip looked at her and smiled. It had been a while since he had come across a person as genuine as her. She spoke so openly and didn’t let it bother her; it impressed him. He could never speak so plainly and receive the same answers and acknowledgements, hell, he’d get flagged by his media managers. 

“So, you are writing a piece of work that is the opposite of horsepower and engine revs?” Phillip pried Eloise as he leaned forward on the railing, looking out into the crowd of spectators and fans.

Eloise took a breath before she spoke again, “Yes, that's correct. I am an opinion and facts piece writer for The Weekly . I was tasked to write about sustainable actions that have been, or could be, placed into the racing scene.”

Phillip was quite intrigued. So, he continued the conversation, “Wow, that’s kind of tough considering the field of work racing is, y’know, with oil, gas, and other things.” 

Eloise let out a breathy laugh, “Exactly! That’s why it's frustrating; however, I did manage to get a really good interview with this nice mother and son, who were very realistic about consumption.” 

Phillip felt a weird pull to her; never in his racing career had he received this kind of attitude around him. Here, this woman was next to him, talking about some serious intellectual and environmental things about his industry, and she hadn’t even acknowledged him in his racing suit, let alone even asked for his name. 

“You know, Eloise, I would love to have a conversation about this. Would you mind?” Phillip genuinely asked as he motioned to the white seats against the stone wall.

---------

Eloise gave a thankful smile, “Thank you! I need some more brains behind this research, so if you have some great points to add, that would be fantastic, uhm…” She paused, seemingly forgetting an important part of meeting this man. Upon realizing what she forgot, she laughed at herself, “Do you- uh, what is your name?” 

Phillip gave a toothy smile as he sat down in one of the chairs, allowing Eloise to sit parallel to him, “Phillip. Phillip Crane. Lovely to formally meet you, Eloise..?”

“Bridgerton. Eloise Bridgerton.” She felt obligated to shake his hand.

It was about right now that her brain started working overtime. Had she heard his name somewhere? Is it possible that he just works for the crew? I mean- he is wearing a fireproof suit. Anyway, it doesn’t matter right now; now she needed to get a sustainable argument for her article from Phillip. 

“Well, let's get straight into it then, I’ll try not to take too much of your time, I assume you have a busy schedule with you in your fireproof suit and all?” Eloise spoke rhetorically. 

Despite her kind approach, Phillip still let out a small soulful chuckle, “It's alright, Eloise, all in good faith, ask away.”

And so, there they were, two strangers, now acquaintances, talking about real-life matters, creating a common connection to pave the way for future generations to care about the climate’s sustainability. The outcome of their now 30-minute conversation gave way to new advocacy opportunities for them and many other people once Eloise publishes the article in The Weekly . 

By the end of their talk, an exchange occurred: phone numbers and social media handles.

Eloise looked perplexed when she saw the notification on her phone, verifying Phillip’s follow, “Oh.” 

It struck Eloise as she connected the points through their conversation, “You know, I never would have picked up on the fact you are the Phillip Crane, honestly, I’m kind of embarrassed I didn’t know…” She gave a small huff.

Phillip smiled, “Honestly, I’m glad you didn’t know beforehand. Not to be presumptuous, but if you did, there is a possibility that people tend to be.. I don't know the right word, overzealous?” he let out a breath before he continued again, “I’m not a person that tends to be in media all that often, and because of it, if and when people see me in public i’m like this holy creature whose come down from the heavens to make an appearance. It’s stupid.”

Eloise tilted her head in thought, trying to come up with the right words. 

“Well… From that point of view, it makes sense. And trust me, being a nepo baby, I totally get the industry side of things-” Eloise paused and quickly cut in again, “Not that I understand your industry at all, I meant the media side of the industry- in general. You know?” 

Phillip chuckled, low and humble, “Yes, I get it. And no offense taken.” 

Eloise visibly relaxed as she took a breath.

---------

It was odd.

Phillip had never had a pre-race conversation that centered him in such a way. He felt zero nerves by the time he had gotten the all clear to hop in his Formula 1 car.

Maybe the talk with Eloise was that much of an impact on him that he doesn't need to even think about his insecurities or his complications personally, and professionally. 

Maybe it was all subconscious how he unbenongstly relaxed around her, or how he felt like an actual human being.

Or maybe his body knew that he was attached to her, and he just needed his brain to finally catch on. 

Phillip shook his head and rolled his wrists as he was waiting for the race to start. 

Suddenly, he heard a radio voice through his helmet, “Phillip! All good? Do the monitors and gauges look set for you?”

Phillip smiled as he radioed back to the controlman, “Gunning! Yep, both look right and set well. How's the tire pressure on your screen? I’m ready to turn out some horsepower.”

He heard a small laugh on the other end of the radio, “All clear for those horses! Race well, if all is good, next time you will hear from me is when you or Mondrich need to pit.”

Phillip gave a light nod. “Sounds good.”

And just like that, Phillip was underway in Monaco.

---------

“Phillip! Over here!”

He kept walking past the mob of people and cameras.

“Phillip! How does it feel to be the Monaco champ?!”

He gave a smile to keep up his image and gave a mild response, “It feels great!”

He kept walking, the cameras, microphones, and small recording devices pushed into his face. 

“Mr. Crane! How did you have the mindset for the race today?!”

He stopped, caught off guard by a simple question that is asked almost every time anyone wins a race.

The mob of reporters and media personnel was eagerly awaiting his response. They would prowl and pounce on him anytime he was in the focus; he was too private of a person otherwise.

Phillip turned to the outstretched microphones, “Well.. I guess you can say I had a wonderful conversation before I hopped into my car. It was unexpected and completely unrelated to me at all.” He gave a smile to the cameras.

“Phillip, before the race, you exchanged follows with Eloise Bridgerton on Instagram. What do you have to say about that?”

Phillips eyes widened, he knew that his fans where quick, but damn. 

He cleared his throat and sighed, “Uhm, well- It is related to my conversation I had before the race. Miss Bridgerton will have a published piece via The Weekly later this week, you can see for yourselves once it is released.” He felt a little flushed as he rubbed the back of his neck before motioning to the crowd.

He started to walk back to his paddock

“Phillip!”

“Mr. Crane!”

The voices slowly faded as he vanished into the shaded pad.

---------

Environmental Sustainability & Consumption in Large Power Generating Industries

By:  Eloise Bridgerton

 

When thinking in depth about the many industries in our world, we come to realise that even in the entertainment and professional careers of many, we forget about the power and drive behind the machines.

So, while I had the lovely opportunity to go to the Monaco Grand Prix , I was tasked with the head-on subject of sustainability in an environment such as this. One with the oil, gas, and highly powered tech in the vehicles and the gear that supports the highly horsepowered cars. 

In my search through the seemingly millions of fans and spectators, I managed to come across a lovely woman, Dana Fitzpatrick, and her son, Miles Fitzpatrick, near the concessions of the race.

At first, it was hard to ask anyone about sustainability within the racing scene, so I switched tactics, asking broadly across any industries. I was lucky enough to run into the pair, as Dana explained that her son was a lighting contractor for a large distributor in the States, Empowerment Electric Co.

Miles explained how his company and many of his company’s partners share the insight to produce, install, and ship electrical products in a more efficient and environmentally friendly way: LEDs , or for a better understanding, Light Emitting Diodes . 

With this form of light, contractors and any common hardware stores have available products that are cheaper per unit over their usage time, while also allowing for the preservation and management of energy across devices and items. 

---

So, while I did manage to find a common item any reader can switch to personally, I still had yet to find my proper objective, Sustainability in Racing .

That’s where I found myself in a closed-off, stony, and shaded area, somewhere along the streets with a small notepad in hand and a self-deprecating attitude, when all of a sudden, I heard a voice call out to me.

And, completely unbeknownst to me, I had met Phillip Crane, the F1 driver - Phillip Crane . Without even realising it, nonetheless!

After a brief exchange in formalities, my complaining about such a topic assigned to me for this very article, we were comfortable with one another to delve into our very environment. 

He explained how he studied botany in his university days at Cambridge before fully turning into the elusive racing prodigy. Phillip completely shared and expressed his view for the proper power and energy behind a singular F1 team and vehicle. 

“It takes a lot of power for these cars to move as fast as they do. For decades, we [humans] have all but reduced our carbon footprint, only adding to it. It's a shame, the bigger, more honest picture is that there are too many people in this world to truly have an effect if we did reduce our emissions.” 

 

So, in a world like racing, which is your profession, what can we do right now to start a larger process of reducing emissions?

 

“Well… It's a complicated subject, especially for racing, not just Formula 1. The systems and machines that are built and used in the vehicle itself were all constructed to rely on gas and oil. You know, the fundamental components for early automobiles. It all just evolved from there.”

 

So, how would we go from there?

 

He takes a breath and uses the brief pause as a small break to think on his next words.

“I do know of some motor companies that are pushing the electric agenda, as well as luxury car brands that have futuristic concept cars. Electric is great and all, but look at the bigger picture: where do companies get the energy to charge the electric vehicles? If anything, those companies are using more coal power to gather that energy for those EVs (Electric Vehicles) than to fill up regular gas-powered cars. Now, I went to school for flora, not mechanical engineering so-” 

Phillip chuckles before continuing.

“But in all seriousness, I believe the best possible start would be looking at what the car needs. The gas, the oil, the coolant [etc..]. Let's start there and see what real engineers can do to change what those are made of. The process of making these necessities for the cars involves earthly components and chemical reactions. If we found a cleaner alternative to these, then maybe we can evolve the car and machines themselves.”

 

And finally, is there anything that your team does, specifically, to reduce output and help in becoming more sustainable?

 

Phillip grabs his jaw, leaning back a bit further in his chair.

“Well, I can’t say for 100%, regardless, our team tries to use the most reliable and fastest connection when communicating, so we need a lot of electrical outlets for charging radios, internet extenders, and other items. I believe that we use power-holding and conserving transformers and solar energy for our computers with diagnostics.”

---

We had just enough time to exchange points of contact, and that's the point when I finally did I realise I was talking to the Phillip Crane. 

Yep. Crazy right?

I thought so too, but maybe it wasn’t so crazy after all?

I knew that the race was going to start soon, but before we parted our ways, I had to admit I felt a little stupid for not recognizing him. 

He smiled and then, in turn, admitted that he was glad that I was clueless (of course, not using that exact word) for if I had known who he was, he wouldn’t feel as open and comfortable just being a human being in that moment.

Now, did that mean I helped him calm his nerves before the race, ultimately leading up to him winning the Monaco Grand Prix? 

I don’t know, you would have to ask him.

But, it does mean that if a Formula 1 driver can see the downsides of our failing act on this planet, then you can too.

Chapter Text

Eloise knew that, coming from a notorious family, it was a custom to be involved in at least a little bit of media attention regarding each Bridgerton sibling. Of course, knowing her family, she generally isn't one to cause a stir like her eldest sister, Daphne.

It was well known that she took her aspirations for clothing design to heart and found her way into the fashion world by storm, and of course, she only got more famous from her scandalous roundabouts with ex-boxer, her now husband, Simon Basset. 

So when Eloise opened her phone to see the official Media News account share her run-in with Philip and the link to her article, she didn't really know how to feel.

She picked up her phone to click on the post, at least to get a feel for what the public is saying and if they are actually viewing her work for its worth, not because she is the daughter of a man who has a seat in parliament. 

Media News @MediaNews

Eloise Bridgerton has gotten an exclusive Interview with F1 Racer, Phillip Crane in recent magazine publisher "The Weekly" article.

Crane is notorious for avoiding any media attention and outlets.

Media News @MediaNews Replying to Media News @MediaNews

Read the full article here: Enviromental Sustainability & Consumption in Large Power Generating Industries via "The Weekly"

Eloise was quite fond of the idea of being one of the very rare few Phillip Crane follows on social media. 

In fact, she would almost brag about it if it weren’t for the thousands of notifications she has received in the past few days following his race win and her article being published. 

Media outlets on Instagram, Twitter, Entertainment Tonight… You name it, her and his names have been thrown around, together.

Notorious media avoider is drawn out by a loud-mouthed, opinionated, famous family’s daughter. 

Who would have thought?

Apparently, not a lot of people. Which is why Eloise hasn’t set even a foot out of her flat in the Southside of London, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist side of London.

She swears that if the public got one look at her… She can already picture it, walking to the office to meet with Agatha, strangers questioning her tactics to pull an elusive racer to the front of media outlets.

What a way to be welcomed to the office…

Eloise sighs into the air of her common space. She hasn’t felt the need to get up off her couch, blankets still strewn around her, a half-empty, probably cold, cup of coffee sitting on the side table.

She should go and have a meeting with Lady Danbury, just to see how bad the Formula 1 community is coming after her; instead, she has sent a very ill business-like email titled “Crash and Burn of My Career.”

In all of her time moping on the couch, Eloise has had more than one thought of sending a proper apology for the newfound attention directed at Mr. Crane. Except, all her thumbs have managed to do instead of typing a direct message to his Instagram is circle one another.

She grumbles as her phone dings with a new notification, one from an app that she hasn't put on temporary silence. She finally manages to pick up the device and all but stumbles off the edge of the couch when she sees the one person she never would have thought to reach out to her.

Phillip fucking Crane.

It's a simple message that shows itself when Eloise breaches her phone’s passcode, an Instagram DM.

formula_Phillip Joined Feb 2022 - 1.2M followers - 97 posts

You follow each other on Instagram

Hello, I'm not really sure I could have found your email, but regardless, I wanted to let you know that your article was very well written. I am quite glad we met, even though by accident.

I Looked into some more research surrounding clean energy and racing programs. Let me know if you are interested in the details.

With kind regards, Phillip

Eloise read his message to herself, and then read it again, and, well, re-read it once more before finally allowing herself to respond and not leave her online presence to his message “on read”. She started typing on her phone’s keyboard, quickly typing her response before questioning her tone and the context. Eventually, she manages to garner a well-thought-out reply.

realEBridgerton

Hi Phillip, Thank you for the kind words! Hopefully I did you justice in the article, I tried my best to highlight your points and professionalism.

I would definitely be open to new insights! I'm not sure what your schedule is like, but I'm just a dm away. If not, you can reach me more formaly at [email protected]

Eloise hopes that her response wasn’t too pushy. Giving someone your email when they never explicitly asked for it wasn’t a bad thing… Right?

Regardless, she didn’t dwell on the conversation too long; having closed out of the app, she finally did decide to live her life and at least become a functioning person in society.

---------

Phillip Crane knew that his message to Eloise Bridgerton was risky.

Not risky in the way that it would damage him, no, never that.

It was risky in that way because it would ruin him.

All his life, throughout his outings with his older brother George, his unfortunate meetings with his father, and his isolation through building his career into its success today, Phillip had never been drawn to a person like Eloise.

Sure, he had George and Marina, their twins, Oliver and Amanda (who were the light of his lonesome life), but he never had someone who truly matched him for, well, him.

It was always just him, Phillip alone, all in his courses in university, his engineering classes, and his racing extracurriculars. There were people who were in good spirits with him, but he never felt adequate with them; if anything, just an extension.

In his growth to his stardom in Formula 1, he had Will by his side, and Gunning too, but those were professional relationships. Formal setting and career relevance, they were never personal.

And don’t even get him started on the media…

But now, he's thrown for a loop.

For that first time in his life, he is struck with an anomaly, a factor he didn’t account for.

Eloise Bridgerton.

All in the timespan of thirty minutes, he was transfixed, even in her eyes. Not given the fact that she didn’t know who he was, no, but solely because of that.

She completely respected his boundaries as a human being, not a racer, not a celebrity, not a teammate, but a person–someone who mattered.

He finally allowed himself to read her article when his management sent him the link to her The Weekly publication. 

Phillip did anything but skim her work; he read every detail, picking out bits and pieces from the text that sounded every bit of the Eloise he met. He found her inclusion of clean energy alternatives, especially regarding lights, to be something close to authoritative.

Her words were not quite rendering as a strict push to the audience, but more so a draw to implementations the common reader can include in their lives. 

He read over her words, mentioning mother and son in the industry, gently smiling as he admired her way to include an outside viewpoint, a standard everyday life.

Finally, Phillip reached the turning point in the article, the introduction to the rhetorical side of Eloise Bridgerton, the text turned into a more realistic side of her, too, words starting to read as if she were having a conversation about her adventures in Monaco.

And then he was introduced.

A wave of giddiness washed over him, to which he paused. 

Never in his life was Phillip Crane ever giddy over a piece of media surrounding him. 

He sighed, indeed ruined.

---------

Throughout the next few weeks, Ms. Danbury had Eloise cover local events and fundraisers being held by local businesses. She praised Eloise’s work, assuring that after her popular reach in the media with her trip from Monaco, she would be fine.

Eloise wasn’t sure if she could trust her words, but felt grateful nonetheless. But no, it wasn’t directly related to her work; it was because she didn’t know if she would be fine.

After exchanging emails with Phillip and gaining further details from his research, after countless direct messages through Instagram, Phillip pasted his phone number, allowing her to contact him in a more personal way.

It was, undoubtedly, something she was unsure of how to interpret.

She needed to get some advice, needed to seek some clarity, open up to someone about something so hidden. 

In all her action-packed, rambunctious life growing up, Eloise never sought out… relationship help?

In her early teenage years, she always rebuked the idea of a relationship. The thought of being held to another standard, tied to another person’s name, and pulled away from personal growth…

Yeah, no thanks, she'd rather die.

But now?

It felt unworldly, a prospect she finally reached after she’d surpassed a month of exchanging messages with Phillip.

He is an abrupt intervention in her life’s plans, some of which she’d already listed years in advance. But no, now she’s thrown for a loop, one that is constantly replaying.

Eloise

Pen, don't freak out, but I'm having a crisis

SOS

am I reading to much into something

???

!Please text me back

...Istg if Colin is keepng you busy

Eloise sighed, hoping her best friend would respond sooner or later.

Penelope

El! I'm sorry! Yes, I was with Colin BUT, I saw your SOS

What's the problem!?

Now came the hard part, admitting something she knew to be true, especially something such as this, where not only her best friend knew, but her entire family knew that Eloise had never involved herself in personal relations.

Eloise

Say hypothetically that there was someone who gives you their number when you didn't assume that they would

Penelope

Oh?

Eloise

And, hypothetically of course, that you aren't against the idea of it

Penelope

Eloise...

Are you insinuating what I think you are Insinuating??

Eloise

...Pen

?I think

!I don't know

It's weird

Penelope

And that's okay!

But ELOISE, are you saying that someone gave you their number, and YOU aren't against it?

Eloise

...Yes

Penelope

jkdhcloiuswgrefjh

You have never been like this!

To say that Penelope was ecstatic is an understatement. She practically sprang through the phone and immediately called her, which was not on Eloise's plan for the day. Having just captured enough courage to text her was one thing, but immediately launching into a conversation about it was another hurdle she didn’t feel like jumping just yet.

Penelope did manage to pry a few details out of her, though.

“Okay, so how long have you known this person, El?” 

Eloise sighed in defeat, having to talk about it now, “Uhm, I’d say about a month and a half?” she answered her best friend through the speaker.

“Oh, okay, we’re getting somewhere! Tell me, would I know them?” Penelope spoke once more. 

The thing about having a best friend is that by default, since the day you become best friends, you each are obligated to share juicy details and gossip from around town. 

The thing about having a best friend who is a notorious celebrity blogger and well-known podcaster, well… she will always get the details one way or another.

Eloise wasn’t sure how to answer that exactly. 

“Well, that depends.”

“Depends on what, El?" Penelope kept trying to draw the information out of her.

Eloise hesitated, deciding if she should just share it all with her or if she should keep it light. 

“C’mon, Eloise. I know this is new for you, but I can’t help decipher your feelings about it if I don’t have the details.”

Eloise sighed, “I know, Pen. It’s just… You know, ever since we were young, I have always felt reluctant about dating and relationships.” She paused, trying to find the next words. “And for the first time, I feel like I could see myself in a position with him where I would still prosper and grow. I see myself enjoying our conversations, our company, even with days apart.”

There was a pause over the phone.

“Aw, Eloise, if that is how you truly feel about him, and about how you could see yourself with him, I think that explanation is better than any answer I could give you.” Penelope smiled through the phone, Eloise could tell.

She let out a steady exhale, “Okay.”

“Okay? Okay, what?” Penelope questioned.

“Okay, I’ll meet him again.”

There was another pause on the phone, “What!? You only met once? Eloise!”

“We- Well it- You see- Uhm… What do you want from me?! He’s a busy guy and I’m a busy woman!”

“Eloise Bridgerton, just where did you meet this guy if he is so busy?”

Eloise whispered to herself, “Monaco..”

“What?”

“Monaco! We met in Monaco, Penelope.” Eloise was admittedly a little flushed at her sudden admission.

“Oh.” 

Eloise could tell Penelope was thinking.

“ Oh .”

“...Yeah.”

“Eloise, do you mean to tell me that Phillip Crane gave you his number?”

“Yes..?”

“Eloise!”

“Whaaaat?” She exaggerated.

“You'd better go meet him again, set up a proper date! I promise I won’t say anything on my blog or podcast about it, I swear!” Penelope promised.

“Fine, but you better not tell Colin! He is a fib and will involve my whole family. I’d actually die, Pen!”

“I promise El! He won’t know a thing.” 

“Okay.”

“Good.”

---------

Phillip was surprised to see her text him. Not because he didn’t believe that she would text him in the first place, but because she texted him so casually, the same day.

He had just sent it in a simple, “Oh, and if you want a quicker response, you can reach me at 01452-xxx-xxx. Only if you want to, no pressure or anything.”

He didn’t quite know how to go from there, not his messages specifically, but his whole relationship with Eloise.

He knew he liked her; hell, he knew he wanted to make something of their communication. 

But how?

A man such as he, a celebrity racer, who travels the world to compete and fulfill his contract obligations… He doesn’t know how he’ll manage.

In all his life, after 7 years of age, he has not felt one ounce of familiarity. Since the day his brother left for the military, Phillip was left to himself and his plants, the only things in his life that wouldn’t yell at him for his flaws.

Each and every one of his days since George’s deployment was rough, all of them consisting of an overbearing father who pushed him towards engineering, to get a stable career, to make money, to take his place.

It was never enough for Thomas Crane.

So Phillip left, took his forced engineering knowledge to the race track, to weekend karting, anything to keep his mind off of his father.

It was a chance encounter with Gunning that solidified him in a league, giving him an outlet to completely shout out his father. 

Gunning saw how Phillip raced with a hard stare, the edge to prove himself to an empty spot in the stands. He raced angry and determined, fierce but calm, decisive yet involuntary.

Now here he was, Phillip Crane, the famous F1 racer who can’t even bother with the media but has time for all the messages and words between himself and Eloise Bridgerton.

Well, he still has time for George and Marina, and by extension, Oliver and Amanda too. He could never ignore his niece and nephews.

Oh.

That’s right.

He has a literal example in front of him.

George and Marina Crane.

A lovely couple, if you asked him. They fit each other's every need, filling in the gaps with their twins, a household of love, unlike the one they grew up in.

Just close to the end of his 4-year deployment, he met Marina in a small town just outside the Irish metro. Their secret meetups between his training hours and the barracks gave way to a quick romance, sparking a quick engagement and a withdrawal from the military.

However, it gave way to the best life Phillip imagined for his brother, one that he admired. 

Having someone who complements your personality so well in the light of his stardom was something he always wished for. Sure, he was known as a recluse, but maybe a part of him deep down knew that he was desperate for a love to match him and his mind.

And he knew that the answer was Eloise Bridgerton.

Phillip

?Hey Eloise, not sure if you're busy at The Weekly, but I'm in London for 75 Live. Look, I'd love to grab lunch or at least a coffee with you. Let me know

Eloise

Oh

I'm sure I could pull away for an hour or two..

Phillip

!Okay great

Eloise

Where were you thinking?

Phillip

...Uh

I didn't think that far ahead to be honest

Eloise

Phil..

Lol

Phillip

!Look, I honestly didn't think you were going to say yes

Eloise

Why?

Phillip

Well, let's start with I'm famous, and we would get attention

Eloise

Phillip, you do realize that I'm pretty well known too, right?

Phillip

Oh

?Then how about I pick you up from your office and you can pick your favorite spot

Eloise

Sounds like a date!

When Eloise told her co-workers she was going out for lunch soon and would be back in an hour or two, she thought nothing of it.

But when she was pulled from her focus on her computer by one of them, stating that there was a man asking for her… Well, let's just say that she will get stares from the office. 

Because Eloise Bridgerton going to lunch with a friend is one thing, but Eloise Bridgerton going to lunch with a guy? Now that’s another.

“Uh, Eloise?” Jennifer peered her head around the open door to Eloise’s office, “There’s a guy here asking for you.”

Eloise lifted her head up at her, “Huh?”

Jennifer gave a sly smile and stepped fully into her office. “There’s a gentleman asking for you at the front desk, Eloise.”

Eloise finally registered her words, “Oh! It’s just Phillip.” She started tidying her desk, straightening her papers and grouping her computer tabs. 

“Just Phillip? Eloise, going out to lunch is one thing, but saying that instead of ‘Oh, I have a date for lunch’ is another.” Jennifer crossed her arms as she leaned against the wall space next to the door.

“What?! Eloise, you’re going on a date?” Taylor, another one of her co-workers, stepped into the office from the hallway.

Eloise was silent, caught trying to pick the best words, “Well, it’s-” She paused and flushed.

She can’t deny it; she did say that it was a date when she last texted Phillip.

“Uhm. I guess it is.”

Taylor and Jennifer exchanged a look before Taylor spoke, turning back to Eloise, who had shut off her computer. “Then go! But please, for the life of us, tell us who he is.”

Jennifer nodded, agreeing with the other woman, finding that if Eloise was going to take an extra hour off for lunch, it was fair to know who the man was.

Eloise straightened, unsure if she could tell them, “It would be disrespectful to him if I did, and if too many people found out, it has the potential to be bad.”

“Why?” Jennifer adjusted her expression to worry.

“Well…” Eloise dragged on.

“What? Is it bad?” Taylor joined in with the questioning.

“I haven’t told anybody but Penelope!” Eloise blurted out.

Both the other two women stood in silence, registering her words.

Eloise took their spot to add on, “It's new and scary, and I haven’t told anyone because I know how my family would be. They’ll mock me for finally opening my horizons, and then it would be a whole thing of ‘Oh, Eloise! I for sure thought that you would be single forever!’ or, ‘Oh Eloise, I thought for sure you’d bring home a woman since you lack the proprieties for a man.’”

She took a breath, almost shocked that she stumbled out all those words.

“Oh, Eloise…” Taylor launched forward to hug her. Eloise slumped forward, resting her chin on the other woman’s shoulder.

Jennifer allowed the moment to pass before the two separated to give her input. “And that is okay, Eloise. You know your family that way, yes, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t say that out of love, right?”

Eloise took a breath, “I know they mean well, but it doesn’t discount the way that their loving teasing does impact me.”

Jennifer nodded, “Maybe that’s something you should bring up with them? I know siblings tease and joke, but at the end of the day, they also would do anything for each other. Trust me, I know as well as you.” She gave a small chuckle before continuing, “If you are serious about it, they will listen.”

Eloise nodded, relieved. “Thank you.”

“Anytime. Now, go get your man! In fact, just take the rest of the day off! I’ll get the rest of that research to you by the end of the day, yeah?” Taylor happily asserted.

Eloise shook her head and gave a chuckle, “Yeah, okay.”

---------

When Phillip pulled in front of The Weekly office, he wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.

Before he left, he made sure to tell Gunning where he was going, “Oh, just for your information, I’m meeting a friend for lunch. So, if the team or any contractually binding person needs me, I’m unavailable for the afternoon.”

“Okay, just be aware of any photographers. Not sure what area you’re going to, but it's still nice to be on the lookout.” Gunning said simply.

“Okay.”

And that was that.

The drive wasn’t too far from where his team was staying, only about 25 minutes. He had dressed casually, not formal, but not leisure wear. He figured that was well enough, paired with a watch, a couple of rings, and his favorite coat.

He tucked in his side mirrors and turned off his car. It wasn’t anything luxurious; Phillip was above flaunting his money. Sure, his BMW was on the nicer side of cars, but the everyday businessman could own his model or a nicer one if they so desired.

Phillip took a steadying breath. Neither he nor Eloise defined their meeting as a date, and yes, Eloise had texted him that, but like every good-hearted human, he took it as its intended meaning.

That still doesn’t mean Phillip didn’t have the intention of having this lunch be an official date. He’d be sure to clarify his intentions with Eloise once she tells them where they are going.

Phillip finally gathered the courage to get out of his car. Locking it, he started to walk to the door of the office. Once through the door, he found it in his best interest to head to the front desk.

“Hi there, how can I help you?” A nice woman spoke to him.

“Uh, yes, right, I’m looking for Eloise Bridgerton?” He spoke in an unsure tone.

The woman nodded, “Okay, do you have an appointment scheduled?” She started typing on the desktop computer in front of her.

“Oh, no, I’m sorry, I wasn’t clear enough.” Phillip nervously chuckled before continuing, “I’m a friend. We were going to grab lunch, she told me to meet at her office.”

“Oh, okay! No worries then, feel free to take a seat if you want, I’ll let her know.” The woman smiled sincerely.

“Okay, thank you.” Phillip gave a small smile.

He watched as she was about to get up, but another woman walked from the hallway office to the front. 

“Oh! Hey, Jen?” the woman called out for the other.

“Yeah, what’s up?” She asked casually.

“Can you let Eloise know that there’s a guy waiting for her?”

Jen, he made out, looked a little appalled, she guided her eyes to where he was sitting, and gave a small smile. Phillip gave a small wave in return.

“Sure, I was just about to walk that direction anyway. Thanks, Claire!”

“Thanks, and no problem!”

So here Phillip sat, on this lobby sofa, waiting for a woman whom he’s only met in person once, and messaged hundreds of times over various platforms.

He was there for a little over five minutes, not that he was in a rush; he knew that she was just working, and he had no issues waiting for her to collect her things. It was the respectable thing to do.

But he swore it was the same feeling he had when she rounded the corner.

Phillip swore that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever laid his eyes on. She had the eyes of a freshly vanished hurricane, gray and serene, while her hair cascaded around her face to shape her jawline.

He smiled as he lifted himself from the sofa to meet her, “Eloise, so glad we have the chance to catch up.”

She smiled as she switched a tote bag to her left shoulder, “Same, it's so good to see you again, Phillip.”

For a second, neither of them knew what to do; they were almost lost in a trance until Phillip realized that they were still in fact in the lobby, with at least two of her co-workers. He flushed in embarrassment.

“Oh, uh, have you made a choice on where to go? I’m not too familiar with this area, but I do have my car if it's a little far to walk. Unless you do want to walk? It's not too bad outside, at least when I walked in.” He rambled a bit, a bit nervous, but still wanting to get his question across.

Eloise took a step closer to him, grabbing his left arm with her right hand and tucking it in his elbow. “If it's okay with you, we can walk, which gives us more time to talk. The place is just ten minutes from here.”

Phillip nodded, “Yeah, alright. Lead us away then!” He motioned to the door, and they walked out of The Weekly . 

---------

The two of them stayed arm in arm through the walk, pleased that neither of them felt uncomfortable enough to let go.

At first, they exchanged simple pleasantries. Phillip had asked what type of work she was picking up now, what stories and events she was covering in her articles.

Eloise asked about the 75 Live, not fully knowing what the event was about. Phillip happily explained what it was and his involvement.

They reached a crossing, waiting for the sign to change, and Phillip found that he should bring his intentions forward.

However, at the same time, Eloise, not wanting to be stuck in silence, wanted to clear up any confusion in her texts.

They each leaned into one another, wanting to let each other hear what they were going to say. 

“Listen, I-”

“So, just-”

They each paused, then let out a laugh.

“Okay, okay, you go first.” Eloise let Phillip have the floor.

He gave her a thankful smile, “Listen, I just wanted to set my intentions straight. I think that we really could make something between the two of us, and I wanted to establish this as our first official date.”

Eloise was in awe of how honest and open he was. She gave herself a few moments to think on his words.

Phillip, on the other hand, wasn’t sure what to think of her few moments of silence. Starting to get embarrassed by his admission, he started talking again, “Well, I just wanted to tell you that and have you know so that I know you know and so then it's not weird, is it weird?” He placed his right hand into his jacket pocket, fidgeting with the inner lining.

Eloise moved her right hand from his left arm down to his hand, interlocking their fingers. She turned to face him directly, looking up ever so slightly to meet his blue eyes. “No, it's not weird. Phillip, I am so glad that you said that, because then I don’t have to sound crazy when I bring up the text I sent.” She gently shook her head at herself.

“Oh.”

“God, we are so stupid,” Eloise said to nobody in particular, ending with a disbelieving laugh.

Phillip looked at her features, the way her nose scrunched just the smallest amount when she laughed, the way her eyes caught the light, giving them an almost unreal grey-blue hue, and even her smile, how that one tooth is angled too much to be straight, but it looks like it was meant to be that way.

Eloise noticed his quiet demeanor, throwing a concerned gaze at him, “You okay?”

Phillip nodded once more, “Yeah, I’m just admiring you.”

She blushed, not used to being complimented so honestly, outright before.

“Can I kiss you, Eloise?” He asked her sincerely.

She gave a small nod and met his eyes, trying to gauge his approach. She was caught off guard by his hands cupping her jaw, allowing him to pull her to meet him. Her eyes fluttered closed, and she was met with Phillip’s lips on hers.

She welcomed the new sensation; she noted how his lips were soft, how his shadow of facial hair gently tickled her, and especially how Phillip didn’t force for anything more.

They each pulled apart, breaking for air but still not breaking their gazes from one another. 

Eloise smiled, cupping her hands on the sides of his face, “I think I could stand to do that a little more frequently, don’t you think, Phil?”

He gave her a full smile, nodding as they met for another kiss, not giving a care for the other Londoners who were walking past them, crossing the street.

Eloise broke their kiss as she then realized they missed the opportunity to walk, “We missed our turn to cross,” she spoke softly. 

Phillip shook his head lovingly, “It was for a good reason, love.”

Eloise whipped her head around at the sound of him, startling Phillip, who was now nervously panicking.

“Can I call you that? It’s not too much?” 

“Say it again.”

“Love?” Phillip questioned.

Eloise smirked, “You are going to hate me so much when I need you to use my actual name for all other purposes.”

Phillip visibly relaxed, “Then I'll make the most of our time, love.” He smiled as he reached for her hand again to start walking, as they actually intended in the first place.

“Oh, that reminds me, I have the rest of the day off, so really we have all the time we want, not just two hours.” Eloise squeezed his hand. 

“Even better.”