Page 31 of Retrograde
She had overheard Jasper and Gabriel freaking out over her mother’s retirement from acting a few years ago in the back of the garage, and thanked the heavens she’d never told them.
She was there to do a job she loved, not take the spotlight away from the drivers and the sport by journalists fishing for stories about her parents.
Rosa and Mateo had put so much money into their kids’ futures, and so much time into ensuring their family was supported and cared for, that their own careers had fallen by the wayside.
Opportunities dried up, their money dwindled and despite still getting attention from the media, they had to accept that Los Angeles wasn’t the place for them any more.
They loved Italy, and they were excited to spend their retirement relaxing, and watching their lineage continue the family legacy in new and exciting ways.
Lucie’s oldest sister was a neurosurgeon, her middle sister a trauma surgeon and the youngest a pastry chef. Lucie was closest to the spotlight, but even she was so focused on the IEC’s social media presence that she often let her own slip through the cracks.
There would be months when she stayed logged into the team accounts and barely even checked her own, leaving her own followers to know she was still alive by the content Faith tagged her in. Faith was the true influencer on the team, not her.
‘Now, don’t comment on the exterior. It still needs work,’ Mateo said to them as they pulled up to the farmhouse, through wrought-iron gates with a sign that read ‘Villa Clemente’ hanging above them.
He was right, it still needed a lot doing to it.
It had always reminded Lucie of the shambles of the hotel in Mamma Mia!
when Donna had first arrived, except this was Italian, not Greek.
Still, despite it being run-down and in need of some TLC, she knew this place would stay in the Carolan family for generations.
There was an orange tree in a large, round brick planter.
It sat in the middle of the driveway and was one of the many sources of the smoothies and juices her mum had been making for breakfast every morning.
The plan was to eventually have a proper orangery somewhere in the grounds.
The stone exterior, despite being damaged, was beautiful and Lucie didn’t doubt that her parents would seek out a local stonemason to do the repair work to restore it to its former glory.
The sage-green shutters over the windows were rotting, but they just needed to be replaced and they would help bring the outside of the property back to life.
One of the upstairs rooms, the master suite, had a small balcony, not big enough to step onto but so that the big, oak doors could be opened and let the light and the air in.
There were plants everywhere you looked.
Not just flowers, but hedges, trees and vines that filled the empty spaces.
The place was huge, and Lucie couldn’t wait to see the finished gardens and the terrace out the back.
‘Damn, that view,’ Brett commented, peering out the windscreen at the rolling Tuscan hills that stretched out ahead of them. The farmhouse was sat atop one of these hills, and every key room in the house had a perfect view of the landscape.
‘That was the main reason Mateo’s family bought it all those years ago. It’s just a shame we’ve got to pour so much time and money into renovations,’ Rosa smiled sadly. It was bittersweet, knowing they still had such a long road ahead before they could enjoy it to the fullest.
Rosa hadn’t had any big acting roles since their youngest, Isabella, had been in high school and she’d graduated seven and a half years ago.
Mateo’s last two films had flopped, too, despite having big names attached.
They were lucky they had been left their dream house in a will.
The sale of their LA home still wasn’t quite enough to cover all the work that needed doing, and they were relying on royalties to help them live.
‘I’m sorry about the state of everything.’
‘Mum, stop worrying. We’re here to help you, remember?’
‘Okay.’ Rosa took a deep breath. ‘I just want you to have a nice break.’
‘Mrs C, being here is exactly what I need to sort myself out. I could have a sleeping bag in the barn for all I care.’ Brett reached into the back of the car to squeeze her hand in appreciation.
Rosa looked at him with the kind of love his own mother looked at him with. It made Lucie’s heart melt. ‘I think this is the perfect environment to help you heal.’
‘I think your cooking alone could do the trick.’
‘Especially your focaccia,’ Mateo chimed in. Focaccia had been a staple food in their household growing up. It was one of the only ways Lucie would consume bread.
‘But seriously, thank you both for letting us come. I have a long way to go, but I know I’m in safe hands and I’m so glad I can help you out in the process.
I love you guys like you’re my own family.
’ Brett abandoned his signature cheeky grin for a genuine, heartfelt smile aimed at all three of them.
It caused Rosa to dab at her eyes with her handkerchief.
‘That’s because we are your family.’