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“Be careful with the cookies,” he said when I opened them. “I don’t want you to get crumbs in the car.”
He couldn’t see me roll my eyes behind my sunglasses.
We had to make a second stop for gas, which at this point was getting ridiculous. The problem was that he hadn’t filled the tank before we’d left, and by this time, we were both starving. Devin wasn’t making the time he’d promised and it was early afternoon and we were still two hours away.
“It was the traffic,” he said as we walked into the Autogrill rest stops.
“Sure it was,” I said. I wasn’t about to call his driving into question.
Devin ordered a couple of sandwiches. I saw a slush machine that reminded me of Montreal. When Elizabeth and I were studying, we’d go to the convenience store at the end of the street and get slushes. Of course, those convenience stores looked nothing like this lavish Autogrill. Looking at the slush machine gave me a craving, and I ordered a strawberry slush.
“Is that your Ferrari outside?” a little boy asked Devin as he paid for our sandwiches. I couldn’t help but stare at the wide-eyed little boy. He was the cutest thing and vibrating with nerves.
“Yes it is,” Devin said with an awkward smile. He wasn’t the most comfortable with kids and it showed. For some reason he couldn’t relate to little people.
“Can I go inside it?” he asked hopefully.
“Sure you can,” I said, knowing that if I let Devin answer, there was a possibility it would be a flat-out no.
“Oh, thank you, signora,” the little boy said as he jumped up and down. In the distance I could see the little boy’s parents watching with anticipation. They didn’t want to see their boy disappointed, so I made certain that wasn’t going to happen.
“Give me the keys,” I said to Devin in English. My tone was curt because the last thing Devin was going to do was disappoint this kid. He squirmed, but I wasn’t going to dash the hopes of a kid. He handed me the keys, and I took the little boy’s hand as we walked to the car.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Paolo,” he said with nervous excitement. He was almost vibrating.
“My name is Luna, and the man who owns this car is Devin.”
I unlocked the door, and Paolo climbed inside. He was in awe as he grasped on to the steering wheel pretending to drive. I watched Devin come toward the car, eating his sandwich and holding my slush in the other hand. He went up to the passenger side of the car and looked in the window. Paolo began to wave furiously, and Devin waved back, a pasted smile on his face.
Devin left the car and sat down in a patch of nearby grass and finished his sandwich. Paolo’s parents came to retrieve their son, but not before taking a million pictures. I summoned Devin over to take some with the family as well. They thanked me profusely, and the little boy hugged me tightly. They got into their own car, and Paolo waved goodbye to me until I could no longer see him.
I locked the car and walked to the grassy area where Devin had once more retreated.
“We just made that little boy’s day,” I said proudly, taking my sandwich from Devin and biting into it.
“I suppose so,” he said, leaning back and catching some sun.
“Where’s my drink?” I asked.
He pointed to his stomach.
“You jerk,” I said, climbing on top of him and pinching his sides. He laughed and tried to fight me off.
“We just finished eating, not too much activity,” he complained as I pinned him.
“You’re no challenge for my strength, Flynn,” I said, climbing up and off him. “Now, go inside and buy me another slush.”
“Fine,” he said, rolling to his feet.
“Strawberry,” I called after him.
I was in the car when he returned with the slush. I’d been scrolling through my phone and had a few messages from Jess and one from Blake. I considered deleting his, but I couldn’t help but check it.
Where are you? If you’re in London, maybe we can meet up.
I shot off a quick response.
