Why would it be a laughing matter?
“That’s the second time today you’ve been teased about being single. First by Tonia at the market, and then by the shopkeeper,” Sabrina mused.
“I’ve been out of the relationship game for a while. It’s complicated.” Quickly, he changed the topic of conversation. “Shall we pick up your luggage? We can be in Riomaggiore for the sunset if we leave now.” He helped himself to the remaining two pieces of anchovy.
Sabrina let the subject drop. “Lead on.”
What are you hiding, Lorenzo? To me, it sounded as if you were warning Gio not to mention something to me. I may not understand Italian, but I am no stranger to reading body language. Is that all that passed between you and Gio?
Five
Go With the Flow
Back in the car park, Lorenzo appeared more at ease. He sat tall in the driver’s seat and whistled while backing the car up. During the drive up the compacted strip of roadway, Sabrina breathed shallowly.
He pointed to the radio. “Music will help take your mind off the drive. What type do you prefer?”
“My tastes change depending on my mood. Lately, it’s been an off-mix of classic rock and Broadway tunes. What you had on earlier will be just fine.”
“Classic rock as in?.?.?.?”
“ACDC, The Who, the Bee Gees, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones—the list is endless.”
A motorbike drove at a high speed around the blind curve toward them. Sabrina gasped and splayed her hand on her chest. Lorenzo guided the car to the edge of the road. Droplets of perspiration rolled down the side of her brow.
“Take a few deep breaths.” Lorenzo stopped the car and glanced over to her. “If you close your eyes, I can tell you the moment we’re back up at the top of the mountain.”
“I’ll be fine in a minute.” She reached into her day pack and took a few sips from her water bottle. “I was in a minor car accident on a narrow road just like this in college, and since then, it’s always been hard to be a passenger on roads like these. The bad memories come rushing back to me.”
“I can return to the train station if it is too much for you. Or if you want to drive—”
“No to both of those. The car is the most direct mode of transport, and I don’t know anything about stick shifts,” Sabrina insisted. “Besides, my fears have haunted me for too long. My mom always says that I will have to get over them eventually.”
“That’s harsh.”
Not for my mom.
Sabrina bit her lip. “My mom is a no-nonsense, tough-love type of person. As much as it pains me to admit she’s right, there are so many places I’m missing out on visiting because of my fear of narrow roads.”
“Still, you should never be ashamed to be afraid. It’s one of the many attributes that make us human. My youngest sister Lucia is twenty-one and is still petrified of spiders. She has no qualms about asking me to go into her room and kill them for her.” Lorenzo clicked the radio on and turned the volume down low. “Look at me. I am constantly worried I will prove to be a big disappointment to my family.”
I highly doubt that’s true. From the short time we’ve been acquainted, you’ve been anything but a disappointment. You’ve been a dream.
She took a swig of water. “You can start driving again. The sooner we are off this road, the better it will be.”
Lorenzo checked to ensure there was no traffic and pulled the car back onto the road. “How did you come to be a fan of old-school rock?”
“My dad. He worked as a DJ in college and, over the years, amassed a large vinyl record collection. Growing up, every weekend, we’d have a Saturday night living room ‘dance club’ after our family dinner. It’s one of my most cherished childhood memories.”
“A man with excellent taste.” Lorenzo nodded.
She started to laugh. “I wish I had a video to share, but there were times when Dad would dress in his whiteSaturday Night Fever-style suit à la John Travolta, complete with platform shoes, and would go crazy disco dancing to the music. All we needed was a shimmering disco ball.”
They both laughed.
“I hope he still owns the suit and shoes. Fashion trends always come back into style.”
Sabrina had been enjoying herself so much that she hadn’t realized they’d reached the main road again. “To be honest, I have no idea if he still has it. We haven’t had a dance party since I was in high school. When my parents divorced, we sort of drifted apart.”
