Page 22 of Three Times You

“Yes, sure. I was just thinking about something.”

“I’m sorry if it was something very important. We just can’t reschedule today’s appointment.”

“No, don’t worry. It was nothing important. An old project. I don’t think it’s any good.”

“Well, if you want, we can talk about it so I can give you my opinion. You know, I understand a thing or two about television, okay?”

“I know that very well. You’re a star. We should have picked you as a hostess. You were too pretty, though, and everyone would have been jealous.”

“What do you mean Iwastoo pretty?” And she punches me in the shoulder. “Listen, you little punk…”Just then the elevator door slides open, and the Parinis come in, an older couple from the third floor.

“Everything’s all right, don’t worry. We’re about to get married, and this was just a dress rehearsal to make sure we’re suited for it.”

“Ah…”he says, as if he actually believes it.

Gin strides quickly toward the car, and I follow her, but I tell myself that I probably won’t ever be talking to her about that other old project.

Chapter 18

Apologies!”

Gabriele, Gin’s father, smiles at me in the rearview mirror.

“Not a problem.”

Her mother greets me with a smile as well. We seem like a perfect family.

Gin gets in beside me. “He didn’t hear the phone. He was all caught up in a new project.”

Francesca turns to look at me for a moment. “So how’s it going? Will we be able to see anything good on TV?” Her mother always talks to me as if I’m single-handedly responsible for all the television programming in Italy. “Especially when you consider that we’re forced to pay the annual fee for state TV, you’d think they’d give us more options. They always put on the same old stuff.”

And then Gabriele weighs in. “And that’s not all. This time of year, they just show reruns. Don’t you think it’s time to be done with that? How much money has RAI taken from us Italians this year?”

“Well, two hundred and sixteen million euros.”

Francesca whips around. “Seriously, that much? And you work for RAI?”

“Yes, but also for the Network, Medinews, Mediaset, Sky, and all the digital channels and the other networks.”

“Ah…”And they lapse back into silence. Gin’s parents exchange an uncertain smile, as if they wanted to get a better idea about something that strikes them both as somewhat nebulous.

“I think they must believe I’m rich. That I was quite the eligible bachelor!” I whisper into Gin’s ear.

“You’re such a dope.” And she bites my ear.

“Ouch!”

As we turn down the Via Cassia Antica, the traffic has subsided, and Gabriele accelerates.

I can feel my cell phone vibrating in my jacket pocket. A text from an unknown number.

Did you like the gift? I hope so. I wrote something for you on the last page. Did you read it? Hey, don’t throw it away. And let me know. Thanks. B.

I feel myself blushing, my heart racing, and I try to calm down.

“Who’s it from? What’s going on?” Gin has noticed.

“Nothing. Just work.”

---