Antonio's was abuzz with activity that night. Every last table, including the Burners' usual booth, was taken. So the five of them loitered around just inside the entrance as they waited for something to open up. As more and more Deluxians sought refuge in Motorcity and discovered the wonders of greasy garlic bread and pizza, Antonio's business was booming. But there were still some old faces amidst the new. A few of the Amazons had just risen from their seats at the smoothie bar and were making their way to the door.
"Hey, Foxy," Mike attempted to be cordial. They were close to being on fairly decent terms with the Amazons and it would be great to have another ally on the Burners' side. "Uh, see you around?"
Foxy regarded them coolly as she passed and acknowledged Mike and Julie with a terse "Hey". It wasn't exactly friendly but at least it wasn't hostile. That's when Texas stepped forward and the situation rocketed into a whole new level of awkward.
"Hey, Foxy. Check it out." His muscles bulged as he flexed his upper body in what was meant to be a flirtatious display.
Foxy observed in silence, hopelessly unimpressed, and passed him by without a break in her stride on her way out.
Dejected, Texas slumped back into his place on the bench. Beside him Julie was seated with her arms folded and looking pointedly away, though it seemed to escape his notice.
"Texas doesn't get it," he huffed. "It's like all the chicks in Motorcity are blind!"
He was momentarily startled when a hand connected sharply with his upper arm. "Ow, hey! What was that for, Stacy?"
No answer. Julie's back was already to him as she stood and headed away in the opposite direction.
Sensing tension among his Burners, Mike looked concerned. "Where you going, Jules?"
"Ladies room. I'll just be a minute," she answered with a forced smile before disappearing behind the door.
Dutch, Mike and Chuck watched as she passed, then all three turned in unison to look at Texas.
Texas sat rubbing his arm with a shrug. "What's her problem?"
"You're her problem." Dutch wasn't shy about saying what everyone else was thinking. "Man, why'd you have to go and be a jerk to the Amazons? You know we're trying to get on their good side, right?"
"I wasn't being a jerk, I was being friendly!" Texas leaned aggressively forward.
Chuck chimed in sheepishly, trying to be helpful. "Maybe try being a little less friendly next time?"
"Yeah, tone it down," agreed Dutch.
But Texas was quick to take offense at the unwarranted advice. "Oh, so you want less friendly, huh? I'll show ya less friendly!"
"Alright, guys, let's just relax." Mike, forever the voice of reason, tried to smooth the waves. "Our table's almost ready, see? Who's up for pepperoni?"
Later that evening, with their cars parked around HQ, the Burners split off to tend to their separate businesses. Chuck and Dutch headed up to the lounge while Julie disappeared into the storage closet. Texas was leaning over Stronghorn polishing its hood in a rare moment of silence when Mike's hand landed on his shoulder.
"Hey, Tex. Why don't you go talk to Julie? She looks like she could use some cheering up."
"I dunno, Mike," Texas sighed without looking up. "I might not be the best guy for it. I think she's mad at me or something."
"Any idea why that might be?" Mike inquired.
"I dunno but I guess it has something to do with that Amazon chick." Shoulders drooping, Texas stared down at his uncertain reflection in Stronghorn's paint.
Mike grinned and patted his friend's shoulder. "All the more reason why you should be the one to see what's up."
Texas was hesitant but Mike urged him in the direction of the storage closet offering a thumbs-up for encouragement. It was a little cheesy, he had to admit, but it seemed to have the right effect on Texas.
In the storage closet, Julie was absently rummaging through the shelves when she caught sight of movement in her peripheral vision. An old tire had been rolled to the edge of the doorway where it was being pushed back and forth by an unseen hand. From around the corner came a ghostly "OoOoOoOoOoOo", completing the charade in a way that was unmistakably Texas.
Her eyes rolled skyward as Julie paused her search, but no matter which way she twisted her lips, the hint of amusement just couldn't be hidden. The tire rolled back and forth again before it was released and sent crashing into a wall. Julie stood waiting, one hand on her hip and her head cocked at a sardonic angle. This was how Texas found her when he finally stepped into view under a pretense of innocence.
"Oh, there you are, Tina. Hey, what's this thing doin' here?" He gestured at the tire. His acting was atrocious at best but Julie played along anyway.
"Must've been that ghost again," she quipped. Sometimes staying mad at Texas just wasn't that easy.
"Told you this old place was haunted. Aw, you knew it was me all along, didn't ya." Texas came to stand by her side wearing that overly-confident, slightly lopsided smile he wore whenever he knew something was wrong that was likely his fault even if he didn't understand how. "Whatchya doin'?"
Julie turned her attention back to the shelves where she continued her search. "9-Lives needs a new spark plug. Looking for a replacement."
"Need any help?" He offered, peeking into a steel can that she'd already checked.
"I got it, thanks." Julie went about her business trying to ignore him, but Texas stood by watching. She should have figured he wouldn't have taken the subtle hint to leave. Texas just didn't do "subtle".
"Sooo, what's up?" He inquired after an awkward pause. "Everything okay? I'm fine, by the way. Still stings a little where you hit me, thanks."
Julie sighed knowing full well she owed him an explanation but hoped he'd settle for an apology. "I know, Tex. Sorry about that. I just..."
"You what?" He pressed when she trailed off. "It's not my fault Foxy wouldn't know awesome if it looked her in the face and shot lasers out of its eyes. Why do you care so much about what she thinks all of a sudden?"
"I don't. It has nothing to do with what the Amazons think. I don't know." She sighed again in frustration, more so at herself than Texas. Why was this so hard? There simply was no logical way to explain it because it made no sense. He was Texas and Texas was, well, not the kind of guy she imagined to be her 'type', especially when he acted so leery of anyone who chose to live in Deluxe after experiencing Motorcity. So why should it matter to her if he might be someone else's type?
Of course, Texas took it to mean that she was angrier at him than he thought and his frown deepened. There was no way he was going to walk away until he got a smile out of her or at least some indication of what was wrong. "But you look so bummed out. Come on, I don't wanna be the reason why you look all down. So if it's me can you just tell me already so I can fix it?"
"Texas, it's not you. It's—" She paused, cringing slightly. "Well, it kind of is you."
Pitifully confused, Texas stared at her, head tilted and eyes blinking open and closed. It was clear he was trying very hard to understand what she meant but it was a lost cause.
Julie bit her lip and faced the shelves, hoping to hide the color she felt rising in her cheeks. "Alright, you know how whenever you see a pretty girl, you start doing that thing you do?"
"What thing?"
"You know, that thing. Where you..." She wasn't sure how to describe it but curling her arm and making a fist like a bodybuilder seemed to get the point across.
"Yeah, so? Texas is a creature of great power and beauty that can't be contained." He moved his arms in slow, circular motions while intoning a steady 'hoooooooo-waaaa' as if to mesmerize her, but Julie didn't look awed by his beauty or his power. She wasn't really looking at him at all. Texas shrugged. "What's the big deal? I'm always doing that."
"Yeah, I know." The displeasure in her voice was plainly obvious.
"And it really bothers you, huh."
"Well..." Julie folded her arms uncomfortably and shrank down into the high collar of her vest.
"Why? Because it embarrasses you to know me?" His temper was starting to flare. Since she refused to be upfront, Texas was left to infer his own conclusions and this one seemed most likely. Why else did Julie sometimes drag girls away from him while apologizing for what they'd seen? Because she was embarrassed by her dumb friend, that's why! Texas folded his arms tight and looked a bit hurt.
"That's not it! I said I don't know why, okay?" Julie turned away completely, focusing her attention on the adjacent wall. "I'm sorry. Just forget about it, alright Tex?"
She started digging through another box on the shelf and soon enough, the spark plug she was looking for was in her hand. However, she was so hyper-aware of Texas still standing behind her that she hardly noticed.
Even as lost as he was, Texas still wasn't about to walk away. For a long moment, he stood looking perplexed, his brow furrowed in thought, until another possibility occurred to him. It was a long shot but Texas was determined to sort this out one way or another. "Wait a minute. Are you sure you're not just jealous because you want Texas to show off in front of you? Well, Julie, I tried that but you were always rolling your eyes and junk!"
Julie winced. While he wasn't exactly right, this was the direction she was hoping the discussion wouldn't go. She whirled around to face him. "Texas, you don't need to show off in front of me. I just wish you wouldn't do it in front of them."
The thought had escaped as words before she could properly filter it and her hands instantly leapt to cover her mouth.
Texas stared, baffled at first, but then his eyes grew wide as realization slowly dawned on him. "Julie. Are you trying to say—"
"Uh..." Her eyes flitted back and forth, nervously anticipating his next words.
"—that you have a thing for Texas and that's why you get mad when he shows off for the ladies?"
"Whoa, hold on there, ha ha, I never said—" She raked a hand through her hair in a sad attempt to pull it over her face like a silk curtain. When that didn't work she held up her hands as if to ward off any indication that he might be right. But it was too late. His face was already lit up with a full blown smile and his eyes shone with so much hope that when she met his gaze, the power to deceive him completely evaporated.
With so many lies surrounding her already, she couldn't bear to carry another one on her shoulders. Julie had to be honest with herself and with him. Watching him flirt with other girls made her heart ache. Even though she'd watched him get dismissed by every last one, the day would come when one of them would look past his goofy bravado and she would see Texas for what he truly was—a warm and vibrant guy who was full of life and cared deeply about his friends.
She drew in a deep breath and let it out. "Alright, maybe in some way, I... kinda sorta do."
This was enough for Texas whose large hands completely enveloped Julie's smaller one, squeezing it around the spark plug she still held in her palm. "For real? THAT'S AWESOME! Because Texas is totally into you, too!"
Julie glanced away, a half-smile on her face. "Come on, Tex. You probably like every girl you see, right?"
"Not true. Okay, maybe a little true," Texas quickly corrected himself. He was going to be completely honest with her here. "But you're the girl I like best. I mean, look at you. You're awesome. And you're a Burner. You can't get any more awesome than that! Plus you're super smart and pretty and you're a badass driver who drives a badass car. And have I mentioned you kick serious butt? That's my kinda lady!"
"You really feel that way about me? Gosh, I really had no idea. I kinda figured since you forget who I am half the time..." She grinned uneasily trying not to sound too facetious.
"Yeah, I didn't want you catchin' on. Thought it might make things weird, ya know. Texas would never forget who you are."
"Thanks, Tex." Julie smiled, surprised at how much lighter she felt now that she'd spoken the truth.
"No problem, Betsy." He teased. But Texas had to admit, he had no idea where to go from here. "So now what?"
Hands folded behind her back, Julie rocked on her heels. "Maybe we could, I don't know, start with no more hitting on other girls?"
"Can we make 'no more hitting Texas' part of the deal?" He rubbed his upper arm for emphasis.
She laughed and rested a hand lightly over the sore spot on his arm. "You got it, Tex."
Texas beamed right back at her, positively delighted (and still a bit shocked) to discover what her true feelings were. And while they were both finally being honest with each other, there was one more awkward question on his mind. "Soooo. If you liked me, how come you always act like you're all grossed-out by me?"
Julie tapped a finger to her chin with a playful cant of her lips, "Mmmmm, probably the same reason you can't ever seem to get my name right."
It took him a moment but then it clicked and Texas shared with her a knowing grin.
"Gotchya. Hey, Julie." He quirked an eyebrow, wearing a cocky smirk. "Check it out."
On cue, his clothing strained against the bulge of muscles beneath. Pecs, lats, biceps — you name it, every muscle he had from the waist up was in full flex. "Ka-chaa. Aw, there you go rollin' your eyes again but it doesn't matter because Texas can still see you smiling!"
Julie grabbed the bill of his cap and pulled it over his eyes with a smirk of her own. "Not anymore."