Page 14 of Retrograde

‘You did not seriously bring Versace slippers.’ Lucie removed them from Brett’s suitcase and held them up with a frown.

They were packing for Brett’s flight home to Sydney and her flight to London to visit the Girls Off Track HQ.

She was scared to be away from him at a time like this, but he was a fully grown adult.

She had to let him go. Even if she did want to install a tracker on his phone to be sure he was behaving.

‘They’re my babies, Luce.’

‘They’re slippers . Honestly, I don’t know which is worse. The fact you have designer slippers in the first place, or the fact you brought them to a hotel.’

‘Hey, I have to look my best to feel my best.’

‘In a hotel room where nobody can see you? Crying because you got a speck of dirt on your designer sneakers was bad enough.’

‘Sneakers,’ Brett snorted. ‘You and your Americanisms.’

‘Stop changing the subject.’ Lucie launched a balled-up pair of socks at him which he dodged, chuckling softly as he stuffed them in his case.

‘Okay, okay. Are all Italian women as scary as you? Do they all fling socks at their husbands when they’re not behaving?’

‘You’re lucky you’re not my husband, Anderson.’ Lucie walked off on the hunt for his aftershave and toothbrush, making sure she didn’t forget a single product from his skincare routine. She would never hear the end of it.

‘Don’t you wish we were driving to the airport together?’ he asked.

‘Not today. I’ll let your cab driver suffer alone.

’ Brett was a terrible traveller, no matter the distance.

He talked incessantly, as if he wasn’t enough of a chatterbox as it was.

He requested the radio station be changed the second a song came on that he didn’t absolutely love, never settled between having the window down or the air con on and insisted on stopping at ‘cool-looking diners’ throughout every journey.

Ninety-five per cent of the time, their exteriors were wildly misleading.

‘If we were travelling together while I am also recovering from a hangover, I would have purchased a muzzle.’

‘What is that supposed to mean?!’ He pressed a hand to his chest. ‘You don’t like it when I sing “Halo” at the top of my lungs?’

‘I don’t think Beyoncé herself likes that, and she can’t even hear you.’ Lucie stared at him with a blank expression.

‘Luce…’ Brett’s entire demeanour softened, and his voice lowered. ‘Are you sure you’re not offended that I haven’t asked you to come?’

‘Why would I be offended?’ Lucie frowned up at him.

‘We go everywhere together. Most of the time, anyway.’ He toyed with the string of the hoodie he was holding; one he’d been struggling to fold.

‘I’ve got plenty to keep me busy, Brett. I was already meant to be going back to London for work, we’ve got a bunch of podcast episodes to film along with a variety of other tasks for the business to tackle.’

‘Still, I’ll miss having you around,’ he mumbled.

‘You know as well as I do that you’ll be busy with your family and catching up with old friends. Let’s not forget the skating! I can’t skate to save my life.’

‘It just feels strange to be heading home alone. You always come to Sydney with me, you’re part of the family.’ Brett shrugged, and Lucie put down the T-shirt she’d just picked up to walk around the bed and stand in front of him.

‘Brett, you’ve got to do this yourself.’ She gazed up at him through thick lashes, craning her neck so she could study his face. He looked so confused.

‘What did I do to deserve you?’ A slight smile played on his lips.

‘It’s me and you against the world, remember?’

‘Always.’ Brett pulled her into one of his classic bear hugs, except this time there was no ruffling of her hair or a tight squeeze. He just held her, until she could feel him relaxing into some sort of realisation. Brett had to trust himself.

‘Right, you shower and finish packing while I run out to get you pre-flight snacks. Any special requests?’

‘Oysters to go?’

‘Not a chance.’

‘A BLT?’

‘That’s more like it.’

Brett winked at her. It was so like him, so carefree and charming. But it didn’t stop the horrible feeling in her stomach that this wasn’t the end of his troubles. Sydney wasn’t enough to fix whatever was going on inside his head, whatever had led to him being so reckless for so long.

But Lucie couldn’t give him all her focus.

The workload for Girls Off Track had more than doubled since their launch.

They’d cut back on so many travel plans for the upcoming year, and even after doing that they still had a packed schedule.

It was an exciting time for them, and Lucie felt a rush whenever she thought about how far they’d come.

She was happy to forgo the trips to build the business; after all, it was something that she could be proud of. It was her legacy.

As it stood, Jasper, their team principal, was fully aware that Brett needed some time to be with his family and get himself back in the game.

Julien and Lucie had highlighted to him that there was more than meets the eye here, that Brett’s mental health needed a reset.

They had reserve drivers for a reason. Drivers got sick, had family emergencies.

As far as Jasper knew, they were knocking the alcohol thing on the head before it became a real problem, but Lucie wasn’t sure how true that was.

If Brett didn’t feel ready to return for Monza, though?

He could be out for the rest of the season.

The team couldn’t afford to take the risk.

They needed a driver they could rely on.

Everyone at Revolution was adamant that was still him, but what if it wasn’t?

Lucie shook the thought away, she wouldn’t catastrophise, not yet.

She ambled back up to the room an hour later. Brett’s suitcase was packed and waiting by the door, his kangaroo luggage tag on the handle.

‘Do you think Mum will appreciate a lodger?’ Brett appeared in his towel, water dripping from his golden, toned abs. Lucie tried not to stare.

‘You’re not staying at your place?’ Lucie arched an eyebrow.

‘I left it in a mess…’

‘Well… clean it up?’

‘There’s alcohol bottles everywhere. And potentially some other substances left behind, which are one hundred per cent not mine,’ Brett quickly added as Lucie went to scold him, and he caught his bottom lip in his teeth, his face a picture of worry.

‘Not exactly the best welcome home gift at the minute.’

She glared at him but knew now wasn’t the time for a lecture.

‘You know she’d love to have you, Anderson, but it might do you good to clear your place out.

Start fresh. I got you some thriller novels to read, by the way.

I imagine you’ll have quite a lot of downtime even with your sisters hassling you non-stop. ’

‘Lucie Carolan, did you check my Goodreads account?’ He gasped as he pulled out a new release that he’d added to his wish list. ‘This came out literally two days ago.’ Lucie smirked.

She checked it every birthday and Christmas and played it off like she’d just randomly selected whatever was on the shelf, but now he knew her secret.

‘Damn it, Brett, now you know. I do the same for your sisters. Speaking of, Cleo is far too young to be reading the things I’ve seen on her list. I have half a mind to screenshot it and send it to your mum.’

‘Who do you think bought her half the books on her shelf?’ Brett grinned.

‘Oh my God . She’s fifteen!’ Lucie’s mouth hung open.

‘She’s got an older sister and nobody in my family has a filter.’

‘I’m surprised Piper hasn’t put a stop to that.’ Brett’s twin was too sensible for her own good. ‘Speaking of… have you spoken to her? Told her why you’re coming home?’

‘No, and I’m not going to.’

‘Brett.’ She gave him a disapproving look, suddenly aware it was the same look Piper would give him if she were in Lucie’s shoes.

‘I have to protect my family. This would devastate them, they don’t need to know.’

‘It would devastate them more if they knew you were struggling. Think about–’

‘Do not say my dad. This is different. I’m not dead.’

‘I-I–’ she stuttered when she saw the way he clenched his jaw.

‘Lucie.’ He used his warning tone. He may think he was the opposite of Piper, but he was just like her in more ways than one. They must have got their stubbornness from their dad, because Maggie could always see reason.

‘I just don’t want to lie to your family.’

‘I’m not asking you to, Luce.’ Brett gave her a tight hug, but it did nothing to settle the feeling of dread settling in her stomach.