“Baby G, how are you so big!” she said to Gianna, who was still enamored with Monty the dog. Gia looked up, looking unsure.
I crouched down. “You remember Anna, she helps Zio and Alexander with work.” Gianna only nodded and went back to petting the dog.
Anna smiled. “It’s a lot of new things.”
“Hoping it doesn’t overwhelm her too much, but I know it will only get busier.”
“True,” Anna said and reached out a hand, squeezing my arm gently. “But you are here.” Her sincerity took me aback. Her eyes are so genuine. I had assumed Alexander and Matteo had spoken about my decision to join them on the road, but this felt deeper.
“My Olivia is almost eight. She was super intimidated by everything here in the beginning but begs to visit me at work now.”
“I didn’t even know you had a daughter!” I beamed.
“She lives with her father.” There was a hint of sorrow in her eyes. “But she’s everything to me.”
I smiled, glancing to Gianna.
“Well, I need to meet Alex, but find me later. I’ll show you the secret entrance and introduce you to my favorite security guard here. You can completely avoid the main entrance and all the paparazzi,” she said, and I let out a relieved sigh.Thank God.
“Perfect,” I replied.
Anna left us and Nicola walked with us into the Moretti paddock just in time for practice to get started.
The racing was loud and exciting. We got to watch as Matteo got into his car. Gia got to wear the big headphones and we watched the screens from the garage as all the cars zipped around the track during free practice. Moretti was looking really strong this year, and Matteo just signed on for another two years. Despite being in the Moretti garage, I couldn’t help but keep an eye on the familiar blue and pink car with a14painted on it for the rest of the day.
By the end, Nicola had cemented herself as my new best friend, which she had announced after practice, linking arms with me and showing me some of her favorite quiet spaces around the club and lounges in case Gia or I needed a break at any time. Nicola and I clicked right away; it was like we had known each other for years. Making friends as an adult felt like this huge, impossible task. I was lucky to have such a supportive family, a semi-intrusive, albeit loving brother, and his very attractive best friend who had this unmatched ability to make me smile. We were a hodgepodge, mismatched bunch. While I loved my family and the boys, it was a breath of fresh air to have a girl friend to talk to.
“All right, give me your roses and thorns,” Nicola asked while we walked around, letting Gianna walk Monty in the most chaotic way.
“My what?” I asked.
“Roses and thorns, the good and bad of the day.”
“Oh,” I said, slightly stunned, and racked my head for them. “Well, a rose is being able to do this. I can work remotely, I just need my phone to do socials and marketing for my parents’ vineyard. That’s a huge privilege. Today was super exciting, but a thorn is that I am a little overwhelmed. I think once I get the hang of the schedule, it’ll feel less overwhelming, and maybe even start to feel like more of an escape. Another rose is how excited Gianna is about this whole trip.”
“And meeting me.” Nicola smirked.
“And obviously meeting you. What are yours for the day?”
“Rose, I just bought these boots and they’re so comfortable. I madetwonew girl besties.” She looked at Gianna with a smile as she laughed and Monty licked her face. “Honestly, no thorns today, today’s been really good.”
“No thorns, wow.” I sighed. When was a day that had no thorns?
“You’ll have them too.” She nudged my shoulder and looped our arms together. We had trauma dumped already over coffee earlier, just full force jumped into this friendship. She knew my baggage, and I knew about her on-and-off again relationship with a very problematic man. She added her phone number into my phone asyour F1 Baddie (Nicola). I loved her already.
The day was chaotic and new, but something about that felt endlessly exciting. So in contrast to my life at home. I was so nervous about it all, but meeting so many nice people today and knowing I had the boys and now a new friend in my corner gave me some fortitude to take on tomorrow.
By the time we made it back to the hotel, Gia was asleep in my arms, didn’t even stir as I set her down in her crib. Our bags were strewn among the large suite. I took a much-needed long shower, feeling myself reset, put on my comfiest oversized sweater and leggings, and curled up in bed with a book.
* * *
I woke up to my alarm, an instrumental version of “Mirrorball” by Taylor Swift. Gianna stirred but stayed asleep. She was a good sleeper—honestly would happily stay home and chill all day if we needed to. So I got ready while she slept in. I looked at myself in the mirror. My hair was so long now, the blonde highlights I had done before leaving home were fresh and bright. I looked like myself again, like thebeforeme. My cheeks had filled out, and I no longer had hallowed out, dark circles under my eyes. My eyes seemed brighter, my skin more olive from being in the sun over the summer. Freckles kissed my cheeks, making me not want to cover them with makeup. I had painstakingly picked outfits for the track. I loved clothes. Back when I had my own place, I had taken over the closet in my own room and the guest room. Slipping on a long-sleeved, brown, knit dress and boots, I reapplied my lip gloss and was about to get Gia up when a light knock was at the door.
Our room was a huge suite, an attached living room to the bedroom with a table and couches. This hotel was stunning. It was rich and luxurious, paintings hung in the hallways with these ornate golden frames. I wanted to remember to look at all of them before we left for the next race. I walked into the attached room, gently closing the bedroom door behind me after I glanced at my daughter, unfazed by the noise, and smiled to myself. I opened the door to our room to reveal a man with a tray of food.
“Miss DeLuca.” He nodded. “Your room service.”
“Oh!” I said, taken aback. “I’m sorry, I did not order anything!”
