LUCIA
Being on the circuit was like an extreme sport for someone who hadn’t traveled in three years. I had really leaned into the homebody lifestyle. Gianna loved the noise and excitement, but I also knew how overstimulating this was for her. Naps would be extremely necessary, and pulling her away from her Zio would be nearly impossible. But that was a problem for later me.
Gianna was happily bouncing in Matteo’s arms as he led us to the Moretti team lounge. Apparently today was a quiet day. But everywhere I looked was still busy. Luckily today, no cameras yet. I had my very own ID tag hanging around my neck, making me feel very official. I was jittery and anxious for qualifying and race day; it was the first taste of what life on the circuit would be like. I was thankful for the progression into chaos rather than being attacked headfirst by people and cameras and all the questions. I felt the pang of a headache starting.I could do this. Everything would be okay.
“Mama, they have nuggies!” Gianna announced as Matteo held her, pointing out the different food options behind a glass counter.
“Perfect, Bug!” I replied. The chef looked to me with a smile, I ordered the pair of us food as Matteo declined. The boys were on strict diets, when and what they could eat was all managed by a nutrition specialist. Matteo stayed with us for some time while we ate, until being called away for a meeting with some of his engineers.
We finished our meals and left the lounge. I was excited to be in the paddock. When Gia and I watched races from home, she would point out the people in the paddock and their “big headphones.” She couldn’t wait to wear her own pair during races. I looked for the red Morretti-branded things and followed the path toward the paddock.
“Mama! Puppy!” Gia’s hand slipped out of mine, leaving my heart rate to leap out of my chest. She was running full force toward a tall woman with a small dog on a leash.
“Gianna Rose!” I shouted after her, jogging to keep up.
“Hello, darling! This is Monty!” The woman leaned down to Gianna with a smile.
“I’m so sorry! She saw your sweet dog and just made a run for it!” I quickly apologized. “Amore, you have to ask first, okay?” Gianna paused and nodded up to me then looked to the woman.
“Go ahead, It’s no problem!” The woman looked over to me with a perfect smile. She was stunning. Long, dark brown hair, perfectly straight, wafted down her back. She was dressed like a royal, and if her beauty wasn’t shocking enough, she was actually glowing. The sunlight directly behind her made her seem aglow.
“I’m Nicola!” She stood and held out a hand. “And this is Monty.” She nodded toward the golden, shaggy-haired dog Gianna was petting. I stood in small shock for a moment, she was holding out perfectly manicured nails, golden rings adorning her fingers.
“H-hi,” I stuttered. “Lucia. This is my daughter, Gianna.”
“Are you with Belen?” she asked, nodding to our matching sweatshirts.
“Oh, actually, Moretti!” I said. “I’m Lucia, Matteo DeLuca’s sister. Gianna is his niece. He talked us into joining for the rest of the season.”
Nicola smiled warmly but eyed the sweatshirts.
“The sweatshirts, are, um—” I stuttered under her gaze.
“Alexander Wright?” she asked, seeing the number fourteen clearly displayed.
“Yeah, I?—”
“Matteo and Alexander are inseparable.” Nicola laughed. “If you know one, you know both.”
I beamed. That was my brother, all right—a pain in the ass but so damn lovable. “Yes!”
“Well, since you’re family, I’ll actually introduce myself,” she said, pushing her hair behind her ear. “Nicola Moretti.”
“As in?”
“Mm-hm, so we will be seeing a lot of each other! And thank God because I need another girl here who isn’t a wag.” She waved a hand. Then paused. “We do have some badass women on the Moretti team, but they’re all so damn busy.”
“No interest in being a wag then?” I laughed.
“Absolutely not! God forbid it.” She placed a hand on her chest dramatically. “But I do want to work in motorsports, so I’m here this year and hopefully from now on. I’ve been floating around helping whoever needs help!”
“That’s great! Have you met Anna?” I asked.
“The most beautiful, intimating person alive? I want to be her when I grow up.”
“She’s amazing.” I sighed. As if we conjured her, Anna appeared in my view and waved, walking over.
“Oh good, you girls have met!”
