Page 43 of Retrograde
After lunch, Lucie made her excuses and left Davide to wander round alone. It felt different today, the more she stewed over their kiss, and she had regrets. She needed to get back into the comfort of her own company and her own space.
She hadn’t spoken to Brett for two days and she was starting to feel something in the pit of her stomach. A sense of emptiness. Longing. She had attachment issues, but who wouldn’t in her shoes? If it hadn’t been for the fact he was battling an alcohol dependency problem and resolving his trauma without her help, maybe she would be able to go about her day in peace. But the unfortunate truth was, Lucie would never stop worrying about him. Or missing him.
Back at the apartment, she made herself a herbal tea and curled up in a tattered old armchair, ready for a catch-up. What would she say? Would she tell him about Davide?Shouldshe? Not necessarily the kiss part, but just his general existence and the fact she’d spent the last couple of days with her own personal tour guide, and she’d had a great time exploring with a Rome native.
She didn’t know why she was so nervous about it when Brett knew she made friends everywhere she went. It was the guilt of that kiss talking. Guilt that wasn’t even warranted. Her head was a mess.
It became even more of a mess when his phone went straight to voicemail. The feeling in the pit of her stomach somehow shifted into something else. A fear that somehow he knew. Or worse, he’d screwed up.
‘Maggie?’ Lucie’s voice came out panicked when his mum answered on the third ring.
She heard chatter in the background, heard Brett and Piper cheering, and suddenly all was right in her world. ‘Hi, Lucie! How’s Rome?’
‘Hey, Sunny!’ Brett yelled out. ‘We miss you! I’m thrashing Cleo at pool!’
‘Pool?’ Lucie asked.
‘Yes,’ she muttered. ‘Brett got us a pool table for the house. They had it purchased and set up by this time last night, and today, they got a diving board fitted in the swimming pool. Honestly, Lucie. They’re a nightmare.’
‘I bet. Rome isn’t exactly relaxing, but I’m pretty sure it’s more peaceful than your house right now.’ Lucie laughed as another cheer erupted, this time from Piper.
‘Hang on, I’m taking this call outside,’ Maggie sighed, and after a few moments of shuffling, heaved a sigh of relief. ‘That’s better. I can hear properly now. So I’ll ask again, how is Rome?’
‘It’s great. I made friends!’ She decided to mention it, because she realised she wanted to share the photos and Davide was in some of them. As well as the group from the bar, of course.
‘Oh, I’m so glad you did! I bet it was so freeing just being able to do whatever you wanted for a couple of days.’
‘Absolutely. And yet here I am worrying about your son.’
‘Oh, don’t worry about him! I’m keeping an eye on him. You have to focus on your own mental well-being,Lucie. You’ve done so much for Brett, but you also can’t support him if you’re not putting yourself first. I strongly suggest you stay in Italy for another week. Go see Marco or something. You have that charity event in Monaco next week anyway, right? Brett can just fly out and meet you there, you don’t need to come all the way back to Sydney for him.’
‘Yeah… you’re right. But promise me something, Maggie.’
‘Get in touch the second I think he’s up to no good? Consider it a deal. If you keep me updated with your travels so I can live vicariously through you. I think I’ll have to visit your parents in Tuscany this year, Australia is feeling claustrophobic!’
‘They’d love to have you, Maggs. Right, I’m going to call Mars, see if he wants a house guest. Tell Brett I’ll text him tomorrow or something.’
Lucie hung up, and felt a strange sense of peace wash over her. It was like she was starting to find her feet again after all her recent stress. Brett was fine. He didn’t need her around all the time, which meant she could travel and work and not feel guilty about leaving him behind. But she knew it was still a rocky path he was on, and he might not be okay forever.
18
Revolution Racing were at an event in Monaco for their sponsors, and they were all dressed up to the nines. It was a fashion show for a luxury formalwear brand, and they had provided everyone’s outfits. Lucie had chosen a strapless satin maxi dress in red which clung to her curves in all the right places, and the slit in the thigh was giving her an air of confidence that she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Or maybe that was down to the way Brett had slipped his arm around her waist, leaned in close and told her she looked phenomenal before they left the hotel room. It had sent a shiver down her spine in a way that almost made her pull him back towards the king-sized bed by his tie. Which was also red, because that was their team colour, but it made her heart flutter that they matched.
This dress, and her hormones, had her acting out of control. They hadn’t kissed again since their second night in Sydney, hadn’t even talked about it, but Lucie had been physically turning her head or her body so neither of them were tempted. She had even started wearing an eye mask to bed and claiming she was exhausted, so they didn’t lay awake talking. A pillow wall between them had been briefly discussed.
Lucie was one more intense moment of chemistryaway from giving in to his suggestion of a friends-with-benefits situation. She was craving another taste of him regardless of the consequences.
Tonight was a big night for the team, and it was up to Lucie and Faith to hype it up across socials. The sponsors wanted them to film everything they got up to and the team were thoroughly enjoying a chance to play fashion influencer for the evening. The drivers had gone up on stage and modelled their suits themselves, much to Julien’s disgust. He hated attention unless it was for his efforts on the track. Faith was yapping in Lucie’s ear about Jasmine’s school project and how she had created an exact replica of Jupiter with paint and papier mâché.
‘That sounds cool,’ Lucie mumbled absentmindedly, pretending to be paying attention to every word she said. Brett eyed her from his table, and she thanked the heavens she was standing at the bar at the opposite end of the room. She turned away quickly, looking back at her friend.
Faith narrowed her eyes suspiciously. ‘Something’s changed between you two.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. We’re the same as we’ve always been.’
‘No, you keep looking at each other like you’re the only two people in the room. The energy feels different. Have you slept together or something?’
