“That’s quite a clinical eye you have there. So much the better, that’ll make it easier.”
Paolo looks at me and raises his eyebrow. “Step, excuse me for this question, but do you see yourself as a sort of Prince Charming?”
“That depends on who’s Cinderella this time.”
Chapter 31
I’ve found my Cinderella. Step, what the fuck are you thinking? Mamma mia, you’re a wreck. Yet true enough, I like Gin. She’s cool, she’s likable, she’s a lot of fun, and she’s beautiful. And she’s late.
I’m downstairs from her apartment. I rang her on the cell phone, one ring, and she rang me back, one ring, in response. So she knows I’m down here.
Enough’s enough! I’m buzzing her on the intercom. I step over to the entrance, run down the list of names and findBiro.
“Step, what do you think you’re doing?” Gin asks as she approaches.
“What do you expect? I’m buzzing a late arrival.”
“I’m right on time! You rang my phone, and I came straight down. But I thought you’d be coming by in the Audi A4, and instead you’re on your motorcycle and I’m wearing a dress.”
“Worst case, everyone in the cars around us will be happy. Are you wearing panties under that skirt?”
“Idiot!” She punches me in the same shoulder as always. I probably have a bruise by now.
“I’m sorry, but I had a long negotiation with the car thief. I had to haggle on the price, then I delivered the car back to my brother who’s overjoyed.”
“Poor guy.”
“Poor guy, my ass. Leaving aside the fact that he has plenty of money, he was perfectly willing to spend up to forty-three hundred euros to get his car back. So actually, I saved him money.”
“How much?”
“A little over half.”
“So, in your opinion, he should be grateful to you?”
“Extremely grateful. Come on, climb aboard.”
“Well, he lucked out to have a brother like you.”
“You can say that again, loud and clear.”
Gin raises her voice. “He lucked out to have a brother like you.”
“It was just a manner of speech. I heard you fine the first time.”
She plants a kiss on my lips and climbs up behind me, careful to tuck her skirt safely under her legs. “You don’t really have much of a sense of humor, do you? It was meant as a joke.”
I hand her the helmet. “Oh, listen, I just had an idea. Your brother, how is he fixed for cash?”
“Oh, don’t start. Anyway, anyone who touches my family is out, understood?”
Gin gets off the motorcycle and stands brazenly in front of me. “Come on, let’s switch things around, immediately!”
“What do you mean by that?”
“That means, get off the motorcycle becauseI’mdriving now.”
“What?” Gin actually wants to drive my motorcycle?Mymotorcycle. Then I realize how absurd I’m being. “Yes, okay. I’ll be interested to see how you do with it.”