Furia(24)

Diego laughed and got in the passenger seat. He turned the music off. “So you can focus.”

As if his presence wasn’t the biggest distraction of them all.

I rolled down the window so the breeze would help me stay cool.

“First, put your seat belt on.” He waited for me to comply, and I could tell he enjoyed being in charge. “Next, press the brake and shift to drive. The D.” He put his hand over mine as I fumbled with the gear shift. “Let go of the brake, and give the car a little bit of juice. Yes, accelerate like that. Softly and slowly. You’re doing perfect. Go straight. Confident.”

I was trying to focus, but my mind twisted around every single double meaning of his words.

He sat back, looking as relaxed as if he were sunning at La Florida beach. “Eyes on the road.”

My hands were sweaty, but I didn’t dare let go of the steering wheel to wipe them on my jeans. But after a few seconds, my heartbeat went back to normal, and my thoughts cleared. I took a few deep breaths. I wanted to show Diego I was strong and could do anything he challenged me to do.

“Now, ease up on the gas and brake with your right foot. Like that.”

The car lurched forward when I slammed on the pedal. “Ay! Sorry.”

So much for impressing him.

“Your seat’s too far out, shorty,” he said calmly, and reached across me to adjust the seat with the controls on the driver’s side door.

Every one of my nerve endings became hyperaware of his whole body pressing against mine.

“Stop it! I’ll do it,” I said, gently pushing him off me.

He laughed as I moved my seat forward and up until I could reach the pedals comfortably.

My armpits prickled, and I hoped I smelled okay.

“What do I do with my left foot?” I asked, trying to get control of the situation.

“Just relax it on the footrest. Give it a break. The car’s automatic.”

That explained a lot. Last year, Roxana had tried to drive her dad’s truck to practice, but our adventure had almost ended in disaster when she hadn’t known how to reverse out of the carport.

If Roxana saw me now, she’d chew me out.

“Let’s go around the block. Careful with the kids,” Diego said, pointing at a group of tweens riding rented electric scooters.

My every sense focusing on not running over anyone, ruining this car, the price of which I couldn’t even fathom, or hurting Diego, who had just renewed his contract with Juventus, I drove around the block.

“Again,” he said.

Now that I knew how to steer and control the speed, I became aware of how sensitive the controls were. The car felt like an extension of my body, like it knew what I was about to do a millisecond before I did it. A part of me wanted to see how fast I could go, but I kept my foot steady, turning carefully at the corners. I finally smiled.

“Now I’m ruined for life,” I said, heading toward the parking lot where we’d started.

“What do you mean?”

“After driving this car, anything else will be a letdown.”

He laughed.

I stopped behind the supermarket. “Ta-da!” I said, beaming at him.

The sun shone behind him so I couldn’t see his features. “You’re a natural,” he said with a smile in his voice. “Before we know it, you’ll be zooming down the streets of Turín in my Jeep.”

“You have a Jeep?”

“Yes. Jeep’s one of the team’s sponsors, so the players drive the newest model to show it off. Mine’s white with the darkest windows I was allowed to get.”

My mind buzzed, trying to make sense of him owning not one but two luxury cars, and this one would just sit in a garage in Buenos Aires most of the year. This was easier to think about than what he’d said about me driving in Turín.

“We’re not finished yet.” Diego took my hand from the steering wheel and placed it on the gear shift again. “Now switch it to park. This button turns off the engine.”

The car stopped rumbling, but at his touch, my heart started galloping again.

“This was fun,” I said, avoiding his eyes. My hand was still on the ignition. “Thank you.”

“Anything for you,” he said, sweeping his hair back from his face. “Now let’s go get some sunshine.”





We headed toward the river, walking so close our hands brushed every few seconds.

“I hope the car’s still here when we come back,” I said, looking at it over my shoulder. It was the only luxury car in the parking lot. It might as well have had a neon sign on it that said take me.

“Nothing will go wrong today,” he promised, like he’d peeked into the future and seen nothing but good fortune.

It was so easy to believe him.

Maybe it was relief that I hadn’t hurt anyone or embarrassed myself with my driving. Maybe it was the adrenaline. But in that moment, everything around us looked beautiful. The sun shone bright and warm for August, the sky a vivid blue that seemed straight out of a postcard. Ahead of us, the river glinted a golden brown, lapping against the concrete causeway. My heart soared as I looked at the expanse of sky and water, Diego by my side.

Before we crossed Avenida Belgrano, he grabbed my hand.

I looked at him.

He shrugged. “I don’t want to lose you.”