Unbroken Hopes|| Charles Leclerc X Max Verstappen(Lestappen)Wildest Dreams Book2 Turbulence in Paradise

As the plane touched down on the sun-soaked tarmac of their honeymoon destination, Max and Charles exchanged excited glances. The last few hours had been a blissful blur of first-class luxury, hand-holding, and shared anticipation. Now, as they stepped off the plane and into the warm, tropical air, it felt like the start of a perfect adventure.

“Ready for paradise?” Max asked with a grin, sliding his sunglasses down onto his nose as they walked toward the terminal.

“More than ready,” Charles replied, his own grin mirroring Max’s. “This is going to be amazing.”

The airport was small and charming, with open-air walkways and a thatched roof that immediately made them feel like they were in a postcard. A cheerful sign greeted them: “Welcome to Isla del Amor!” Max chuckled at the name, nudging Charles playfully. “They know what we’re here for.”

Charles laughed, already picturing the idyllic beaches, crystal-clear water, and romantic dinners that awaited them. “I’m not sure I’ve ever been this relaxed.”

As they approached the customs area, Max leaned over to whisper, “You packed the passports, right?”

Charles froze for a split second before patting his pocket, feeling the familiar shape of the passports safely tucked inside. He exhaled in relief. “Got them. You scared me for a second.”

Max smirked. “Just keeping you on your toes.”

They breezed through customs without any issues, quickly retrieving their luggage. Everything was going smoothly—almost too smoothly, as Charles thought. It was like the universe was giving them a perfect honeymoon experience, right from the start.

“Let’s find our driver,” Max suggested, looking around for the person holding a sign with their names on it. They walked toward the exit, where a line of drivers waited, each holding signs for different guests.

“There!” Charles pointed, spotting a sign that read, “Verstappen-Leclerc.”

They approached the driver, a tall man in a crisp white shirt and a wide-brimmed hat. He smiled warmly at them. “Welcome to Isla del Amor! I’m Felipe, your driver. Congratulations on your wedding!”

“Thank you,” they both replied, exchanging a happy glance.

Felipe led them to a sleek black SUV parked just outside the terminal. As they got in, the cool air conditioning was a welcome relief from the tropical heat. Charles sighed contentedly as he settled into the plush seat.

“Your resort is about an hour’s drive from here,” Felipe informed them as he started the engine. “You’ll love it—private beaches, luxury villas, everything you need for a perfect honeymoon.”

Max and Charles exchanged another grin. Everything was still going perfectly. They relaxed into the ride, watching the lush scenery go by. Palm trees swayed gently in the breeze, and the ocean sparkled in the distance. It was everything they had hoped for.

But about 30 minutes into the drive, the SUV began to make a strange noise—a low, sputtering sound that gradually grew louder.

“Uh, is that normal?” Max asked, glancing at Felipe.

Felipe frowned, his hands tightening on the wheel. “No… no, it’s not.”

Just as he said that, the SUV gave one last sputter and then abruptly stopped. The engine went dead, and the car rolled to a halt on the side of the road.

Max and Charles exchanged looks of disbelief.

Felipe sighed, taking off his hat and scratching his head. “I’m so sorry, gentlemen. It looks like the car has broken down. I’ll call for assistance.”

“Of course,” Charles said, trying to stay positive. “No problem.”

Felipe stepped out of the car, pulling out his phone to make the call. Max and Charles sat in the back, the tropical heat starting to seep in now that the air conditioning was off.

“Well, this is… unexpected,” Max said, trying to laugh it off.

“Just a little hiccup,” Charles agreed, though he could already feel the sweat beginning to bead on his forehead. “It’ll be fine.”

Felipe returned a few minutes later, looking sheepish. “It seems there’s a bit of a delay in getting someone out here. It could take a couple of hours.”

Max and Charles stared at him. “A couple of hours?” Max repeated, his voice rising slightly in disbelief.

“I’m really sorry,” Felipe said. “I can recommend a nice spot to wait by the beach—there’s a little shack nearby that serves drinks.”

Charles looked at Max, who shrugged, clearly trying to stay calm. “Why not? We’re on vacation, right?”

Max nodded, though his smile was a bit strained. “Sure. Let’s make the best of it.”

They grabbed their bags from the back and followed Felipe down a narrow path that led to the beach. The sand was warm under their feet, and the sound of the waves was soothing. Despite the setback, Charles felt a little of the tension ease from his shoulders.

As they approached the shack, it became clear that “shack” was a generous description. It was more of a rickety wooden structure, leaning slightly to one side, with a faded sign that read “Tiki’s.”

“Well, this is… rustic,” Charles said, trying to stay optimistic.

“Hey, at least there’s shade,” Max pointed out, nodding to the patch of palm trees nearby.

They ordered a couple of drinks—simple mojitos, as that was all Tiki’s seemed to offer—and sat down on the makeshift stools that creaked ominously under their weight. The drinks were strong, at least, and the view of the ocean was stunning.

They were just starting to relax again when they heard a loud squawking noise. They turned in unison to see a large, colorful bird perched on the roof of the shack, staring at them intently.

“Is that a parrot?” Max asked, squinting at the bird.

“It looks like it,” Charles replied, eyeing the bird warily as it hopped closer.

Before they could react, the parrot swooped down, landing directly on Max’s shoulder. Max froze, his eyes wide.

“Uh, Charles…?”

Charles tried to stifle a laugh as he saw the look on Max’s face. “Just stay still.”

The parrot squawked again, flapping its wings, but didn’t move. Max carefully reached for his drink, trying to act as if this was completely normal.

“Maybe it likes you,” Charles suggested, taking a sip of his own drink.

“Great,” Max muttered, glancing sideways at the bird. “Just what I needed—a new friend.”

As they waited for the car to be fixed, the parrot made itself comfortable on Max’s shoulder, occasionally nibbling at his ear or squawking loudly. Despite the bizarre situation, they couldn’t help but laugh.

“This is definitely not how I pictured our honeymoon starting,” Charles said, grinning at Max, who now had a slightly ruffled parrot as a companion. Snapping a picture that would definitely go in his photo dump after their honeymoon and find a nice place on their wall at home.

“Same,” Max agreed, chuckling. “But hey, at least it’s memorable.”

Eventually, Felipe returned with the news that a new car was on its way, and they’d be back on track soon. As they stood up to leave, the parrot finally took off, flying back to its perch on the shack’s roof.

“Goodbye, my feathered friend,” Max said with mock seriousness, waving at the bird as they walked away.

By the time they finally arrived at their resort, it was early evening. The sun was beginning to set, casting a golden glow over the pristine beach. Their villa was everything they had imagined—secluded, luxurious, with a private pool and a breathtaking view of the ocean.

Despite the hiccups, the moment they stepped inside, everything felt perfect again.

“Now this is more like it,” Charles said, dropping his bags and walking out onto the terrace.

Max joined him, slipping an arm around his waist. “Yeah, this is what we came for.”

They stood there for a while, watching the sun dip below the horizon, the frustrations of the day melting away. Whatever challenges came their way, they knew they could handle them together—with a little humor and a lot of love.

As the stars began to twinkle in the sky, Charles turned to Max, a playful smile on his lips. “So, what do you think? Ready to start this honeymoon properly?”

Max grinned, leaning in to kiss him. “I thought you’d never ask.”