A Fare To Remember_ Just Whistle_Driven - Vicki Lewis Thompson [2]
“We’re holding up the line.”
“I know. Don’t panic. If I lift the suitcase up flat, it’ll go in the trunk without spilling. When we get to where you’re going, I’ll throw some duct tape on it.”
She blew out a breath in obvious relief. “Thank you.” Still blushing, she stood back while he maneuvered the ripped suitcase into the trunk of the cab. He only lost one can.
Snatching it from the pavement, she threw it in the trunk before he closed it. “Okay, let’s go.” She wrenched open the back door and got herself into the cab in short order.
Mario hurried around to the driver’s side. Tuna? As he pulled into traffic, he wondered if his instincts had been off. He didn’t want to saddle Zach with a nutcase. “Where to?” he asked.
“The Pearson Hotel, please. It’s on—” She gasped as Mario cut across traffic.
“Hey, don’t worry.” Mario usually had to reassure first-timers. “I know what I’m doing.”
“I’m sure you do.” She took a deep breath. “They say that New York City cabdrivers are the best drivers in the world.”
“And they would be right. Anyway, I know where the Pearson is.” Her choice of hotel told him a little more about her. The Pearson was on the seedy side, but safe enough for a woman traveling alone. The combo of the Pearson and the tuna meant that his passenger was pinching pennies.
In the backseat, the redhead cleared her throat. “Uh, Mr. Capelli?”
That startled him, until he realized she’d taken the time to read his name on the license displayed on the dash. “I usually go by Mario.”
“Okay, Mario. You—”
“I know. I changed lanes kinda fast back there, but trust me, it’s how you have to do it if you want to make good time.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything about your driving. I thought you must be wondering about all those cans of tuna.”
“I’m sure you have a good reason for them.” He hoped to hell she wasn’t a skinflint. A skinflint wasn’t the right personality type for Zach.
“They’re for the homeless.”
“Oh.” Okay, so she had the generosity gene. That was good, although most of the street people he’d known would prefer a fifth of vodka to a can of tuna.
“See, I knew that I’d want to give them something, but if I gave them cash, they might use it to buy booze. At least the tuna’s nutritious.”
“Provided they can get it out of the can.”
She sighed. “I know. I thought of that, too, but I couldn’t afford to buy a can opener to go with every can of tuna, so I hope they can figure that one out.”
“It’s a nice idea, cans of tuna.” Mario wondered what Zach would think of such a thing. He’d probably say it was impractical to be hauling tuna cans all over creation, but Mario hoped the generous impulse behind it would impress Zach. Still, Mario decided that when he mentioned this woman, he wouldn’t lead with the tuna.
“They were having a big sale on it at the Safeway near my apartment in Phoenix.”
Phoenix. Mario made a mental note. Zach might be intrigued by somebody from Arizona. If Mario remembered his geography, Phoenix wasn’t too far from the Grand Canyon. Surely Zach had some interest in the Grand Canyon. Everyone did.
Time to trot out one of his stock questions. “What brings you to New York?”
“I’m interviewing for a job in publishing.”
Mario smiled. She wasn’t a tourist. She intended to get a job and stay, which meant his instincts were still working. “Who are you interviewing with?”
“I was able to get appointments at two of the houses, and the others I’ll try to set up while I’m here. I just got my English degree at ASU. I probably seem a little old to be graduating, but I had a few interruptions. Oh, look! The skyline!”
Mario’s heart squeezed at the reverence in her voice. He didn’t have to ask if this was her first trip. Or whether she had the faintest idea how competitive the job field was. He was no expert on publishing, but this time of year a hoard of Ivy League graduates descended on the city looking for jobs. And they all had connections.
“Do you know anybody here?” Mario hoped she knew somebody. Or maybe Zach had clients in the publishing world.
“Nope. I’ve lived in Arizona my whole