Still, this was different—Pedro was really putting the car through its paces now, hugging the bend, belting it down the straight, and the roar of the motor was, as it flew past him, a bit of a turn-on.
‘Whoa!’ one of the guys shouted as the car lost traction, but then Pedro skilfully righted it and Matteo watched as the car again sped down the straight and then slowed down as it came towards them.
‘Hey...’
Matteo turned as someone greeted him and blinked in vague surprise. ‘Pedro...’ Matteo shook his hand; he recognised the young man himself from his research. ‘Sorry for the double take. I thought that I was watching you out there. I didn’t realise there were two drivers.’
‘No, no...’ Pedro said. ‘Soon you’ll get to see me drive. That’s Abby—she’s just checking out some adjustments that she has made.’
Matteo looked back at the car and, sure enough, climbing out from it, dressed in tight leather, was no man, and the vague turn-on Matteo had felt before was rather less vague now.
He hadn’t known that he was in to leather either!
The racing world was looking up, he decided as she took off her helmet and the fire guard and then shook her long dark hair out.
She was tall enough to wear her curves well, and if she only smiled he would return it with the best of his. And Matteo’s smile could melt. But then he remembered he was not here to seduce and so he kept his business expression on.
‘So,’ Pedro said, ‘I hear that you have a meeting with Abby.’
‘I do.’
‘Good,’ Pedro responded and he could hear the slight edge to the man’s voice. ‘Then I guess it’s time for me to show you a little of what I can do.’ He looked over to Abby, who had reached them now. ‘How is she?’
‘Oh, she’s running like silk now.’
They spoke as if the car was a person!
‘I’ve warmed her up for you,’ Abby said and then, as Pedro headed off towards the car, she finally acknowledged Matteo. ‘Di Sione?’
‘Yes.’ He smiled. ‘But you can call me Matteo.’
Abby didn’t return the smile.
Instead she blanked him and turned her attention to Pedro, who was climbing into the car.
Was she always this polite with investors? Matteo pondered.
‘How long has Pedro been out here?’ Matteo enquired, wondering how long he’d had to acclimatise to the hot and humid conditions.
‘Long enough,’ Abby said and then carried on ignoring him as Pedro started to do some laps.
‘Why don’t we...?’ Matteo started but his voice was drowned out by the sound of the engine and he had to wait till Pedro had passed before continuing. ‘Why don’t we go somewhere we can talk?’
Still she ignored him and watched the track intently and then, when Pedro had finished a few laps, she turned and finally answered him.
‘I don’t think so.’
‘Sorry?’
‘I don’t need an investor who wants to pull me away.’
‘But Pedro’s finished.’
‘I’m watching the competition,’ she said.
‘And you do need an investor,’ Matteo said.
Not this one, Abby thought.