Not My Type by Anna Zarlenga

Author:Anna Zarlenga [Zarlenga, Anna]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781838932947
Publisher: Head of Zeus

17

Teo

‘Do you want to tell me where we’re going?’

The Saturday night traffic is truly terrible, especially on the road that leads to the Capodimonte hill.

She has no idea what my intentions are and that’s fine by me. If this doesn’t surprise her, I don’t know what will.

‘A surprise is a surprise,’ I reply, mysteriously.

‘Is it that you’re going to take me to a dark place, tear me to pieces and throw me off a cliff?’

‘You watch too many murder mysteries.’

‘And you’re a dick!’

‘I’m using every trick in the book to win you over.’

I say it jokingly, but she has no idea how serious I am. I’m genuinely pulling out every trick I know to make her fall at my feet. I have never known such a hard nut to crack. You wouldn’t expect it, either, from someone with all the appeal of a fruit basket. In fact there are probably more interesting fruit baskets, from an aesthetic point of view.

And yet…

And yet, she may well be mousy, bespectacled and unremarkable, but I hardly noticed it tonight. There were times when it seemed to me that she wasn’t wearing glasses, wasn’t too short or unattractive.

When she was talking about the ballet, all I wanted to do was to listen. To understand her. To know her. Perhaps it’s a kind of survival instinct. Since I normally wouldn’t sleep with her, I’m trying to find her at least passable. That, or I’ve completely lost my mind. How long is it since I’ve been out on the pull?

I realise with horror that my sexual activity has been interrupted for almost ten days! My friend down there might stop working unless I remedy this as soon as possible!

‘Remember you promised me a brioche,’ she reminds me. Once a teacher, always a teacher.

‘Your brioche is waiting for us at our destination.’

‘Which is?’

I shake my head. ‘Wait and see.’

I hear her snort and curl up on the seat. Looking at her out of the corner of my eye, I notice she has had to roll up the sleeves of my jacket so that her hands can reach through the other side.

I’ll have to take that jacket to the laundry now; it will be infused with that scent of hers that confuses me so much, and is now also filling the car.

Laundry and car wash tomorrow. First thing when I wake up. But tomorrow is Sunday! First thing on Monday, then.

We arrive outside the gates at the place in question, and I quickly pull out my phone and send the prearranged message. A squat and sleepy figure hurries to let us in.

Parking in the semi-darkness, I motion to Sara to go outside.

‘Good evening, Teo,’ the caretaker welcomes me.

‘Hi, Gerardo, sorry if I only let you know at the last minute.’

‘There are no tours scheduled tonight and no phenomena to be observed. You are alone,’ he replies, winking at me and approaching my ear. ‘If I may say so, I think you’ve made a good choice’ he says, gesturing towards Sara with a sideways nod of his head.

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