*Many thanks to sendtherain for beta'ing.

Chapter 7 -

Barry wiped the sweat off his brow with a nearby rag and turned to look at the clock on the wall.

11 a.m.

Just another half hour until his lunch break.

"I'm gonna grab a drink," he said offhandedly in Oliver's direction.

"No way. In the middle of the workday?" Oliver asked, going for scandalized but failing.

Barry rolled his eyes and bent down at the water fountain by the bathrooms to take a gulp. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and returned to the car he'd been working on.

"Was it good?" Oliver asked on his return. "Like, was it really good? Worth your money?"

Barry blinked. "It was free."

"So, no, then."

Barry shook his head and got back to work.

"What's up with you?"

Oliver shrugged. "Just trying to get you to loosen up. You've been tense all morning. What's up with you?"

"Nothing," Barry said. "I'm just focused."

"On the four tire replacements you've had to do today? Oh, yeah, that must require a ton of focus."

Barry didn't say anything.

"It doesn't have anything to do with that girl who's staying at your parents' place by any chance, does it?"

Barry froze for a little too long.

"No, of course not."

"Wow, she must've really ruffled your feathers, huh?"

"She hasn't ruffled anything."

"Was it her legs? Her ass? That silky voice that just makes you wanna-" His voice went low, almost grunting.

Barry looked up and glared.

"That, that right there is a protective boyfriend glare."

Barry had never been so offended in his life.

"It's a decent human being glare, and don't you forget it."

Oliver chuckled.

"I don't get it, man. I've never seen you this bothered before. Not over a woman, at least. And since when do you go around holding grudges?"

"I'm not holding a grudge," he ground out.

"No? Then what do you call it?"

"I just don't like her, okay?"

"So, put her out of your mind. Do your damn job. Go out drinking with me tonight. We'll find you a girl that'll make you forget all about the sassy bitch you can't get out of your head."

Barry tensed up again, not liking the way he referred to Iris. He didn't know why. It made zero sense for him to be protective, even if he felt that way over women in general when it came to Oliver.

"I can't…go out with you, I mean. I promised my parents I'd pick Iris up and head over for dinner tonight."

"Wait, pick her up? Is she in town?"

"Well, she couldn't stay with my parents at that house all week, could she?"

He shook his head. "I guess not, if they're as bothered by her as you are."

Barry scoffed. "I wish."

Oliver watched him closely until Barry looked at him.

"What?"

"Well, don't stop there. What's up with your parents and this girl?"

"They…" Barry sighed. "They adore her. And she pretends to adore them."

"You don't think it's mutual? You don't really know her."

"I know her enough. There's no way what she feels for my parents is genuine or straightforward. I hate that they're being misled by this…good girl act she's got going."

"Ah, so that's what this is about. You're protective of your parents."

"Of course! Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, that's understandable…but I just have to wonder…"

"What?" he deadpanned.

He walked over to him.

"I mean, what's the worst she can do in a week? She's not sticking around. If the worst thing is her being nice to your parents…I don't see why you're so upset."

"I'm not upset!" He raised his voice, causing a few heads to turn. He cleared his throat and lowered his voice. "I'm not upset."

"I can see that."

He sighed and looked back at the clock.

11:30 a.m., on the dot.

He tossed the dirtied rag back onto the side of the car he'd been working on.

"I'll be back."

"What, you're actually going out for lunch? You always stay in the shop."

"Not today. I need a breather."

"From what?"

"You."

"What did I do?" he gawked, but Barry had started walking away and he kept on walking. "Barry!"

Barry hung up his work shirt on a hook in the back and grabbed a soda from the vending machine. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he felt around and found himself a $20 and headed across the street to Cisco's after waving to Felicity at the front desk.

"Hey, Cisco! Cisco, you in here?" He peeked inside the shop.

"Barry?" Cisco came out from in back. "Barry, hey, what's up?"

"You want to go for lunch? I have some snooping I'd like to be doing, and it's my lunch break."

"Anything that involves food, you know I'm in," he said, finishes the sucker on the stick in his mouth and tossing it into the trash by the door.

Barry smirked. "All right, let's go."

Cisco locked up, stuck the sign in the window that dictated the time he would be back, and joined Barry outside the shop.

"So," he began. "This snooping…"

"Yeah?" Barry indulged, thinking nothing of the edgy tone to Cisco's voice.

"It wouldn't happen to involve a certain young lady I drove out to your parents' place yesterday, would it?"

Barry slowed and turned to look at him.

"How'd you know?"

"Call it best friend's intuition."

Barry's eyes narrowed. "She gave you a hard time, didn't she? When you drove her up there."

"Welllll…" Cisco's voice squeaked. "I wouldn't say a hard time. There were a lot of speed bumps on the route I took." He winced.

Barry laughed.

"Serves her right anyway."

Cisco frowned.

"Why do you say that?"

Barry was about to answer, a confident grin on his face, when he looked across the street and saw none other than Iris West strolling down the block. But something wasn't right. She was laughing, giggling even, and talking with another woman that looked an awful lot like Linda Park.

"What the hell…"

"What is it?" Cisco asked.

"There…she…is." He scoffed.

Cisco followed his gaze across the street.

"She looks happy," he pointed out.

Barry snorted. "She looks happy with my ex-girlfriend."

"I thought you and Linda are friends now."

"We are. But how much you want to bet Miss Snobby West found out we used to be more than that?"

"Uhh…"

"Come on, let's go pay them a visit."

…

Iris was surprised by how much she'd taken to Linda. And how much Linda had taken to her. Barry had been terrible, and Cisco was just painful to be around. But Henry and Nora Allen were delightful, and Linda Park seemed very much to match her speed. They just jived really well, and Iris even found herself sad about losing touch with her as soon as the Cadillac was fixed.

"No way!" She laughed.

Linda nodded and giggled. "Yep."

"He brought you a single daisy?"

"Hey, it was one of those really big ones. And it was pink! I found it adorable."

"So, him not showing up with a bouquet of roses wasn't a turn-off for you?"

Linda looked amused. "I hate to break it to you, but no one's really rich in this town, Iris. A dozen roses for a first date is asking a lot."

"Still, if he really liked you…"

Linda was amused.

"What a life it must be in Central City being so rich and famous."

Iris felt heat rise in her face.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"It's okay. Really. If you weren't rich, I wouldn't have sold such pricey items today. I hardly ever get those clothes purchased, even though plenty of ladies swoon over them when they walk in the store."

Iris tried to laugh it off, but it still affected her. She'd never felt guilty about her lifestyle before, but being around Linda made her want to fit in this little town - even if just for the week.

"Come on," Linda said. "I'll show you the place we had our first date."

"Oh, you really don't have to…"

"Please. It's a café. My favorite, actually. I think that's why Barry picked it."

Of course he did. Iris inwardly rolled her eyes.

"Aren't you hungry anyway?"

She was.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Then, come on. It's in the center of the park. We can eat out on the patio with a view of the pond and the gazebo and the fountains. It's-"

"Where you and Barry sat on your first date?"

"You're catching on." She winked.

Iris stopped. "Listen, Linda, I appreciate what you're doing here, and I really like you. But don't you think it's a little weird for you to be going down memory lane of when you were dating Barry…with me?"

"You're the one who wanted to know about him."

"I never said that."

"You asked how he was in bed."

She scoffed, heat rushing into her face again. Linda was really amused now.

"I…I didn't-"

"Is that so?"

The sound of the masculine voice made Iris freeze and slowly turn around.

"Oh, shit," Linda muttered from behind her.

"Hi, Linda." Cisco waved. He looked at Iris to greet her as well, but her eyes were pinned on Barry's, and they were not happy.

"Hi, Cisco," Linda returned.

"What are you doing here?" Iris spat, tension fizzing through every cell in her body.

His eyes narrowed. "I could ask you the same question."

She gawked. "I'm sorry, but were you or were you not there when your parents' suggested I come into town today, so I didn't have to sit around the house all week with nothing to do?"

"How could I forget? The arrangement included taking your snobby ass back to the house to eat dinner after work."

"Speaking of work – shouldn't you be there right now?"

"It's called a lunch break. Or…maybe you haven't heard of those where you come from. You've probably never worked a day in your life."

"At least I have a life! What do you do besides wipe grease off your face and eat at your parents' place every night of the week? Oh, I know, you stalk your ex-girlfriend because you don't like the company she keeps."

"You're right, I don't," he spat. "What are you doing with her?"

"That's none of your business."

"The hell it is."

"I can hang out with whoever I damn well please, Barry too-good-for-this-world Allen, and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

Barry's hands formed into fists at his sides, and Linda saw her opening.

"Okay, guys, let's break it up." She laughed a little nervously, suddenly understanding just how bad it was between these two. She put her hands between them and created some distance so she could address Barry. "Iris walked into my shop to buy some things, and I offered to show her around town. That's all."

Barry turned to face her, his eyes still narrowed.

"Really? Because I could've sworn you were telling her personal details about our relationship."

Now her eyes narrowed.

"Past relationship. And I only did so because I couldn't believe you were as bad to her as she was painting you to be, but now here I see it in the flesh. What the hell is wrong with you, Allen?"

His jaw dropped. "You can't be serious. You're taking her side?"

Her eyes widened. "I'm taking the sane side. She's only here for a week, and you decide to change your entire demeanor to be an ass to her?"

"She started it!"

She crossed her arms. "What are we in, kindergarten? Better shape up, or I'll be the one taking her to the festival in a few days."

"Be my guest," he spat.

"Barry, maybe we should go…" Cisco tried. "I haven't eaten yet, and I'm hungry."

"Oh, but why not follow these two lovely ladies where they're going? To the café where we had our first date. Isn't that right, Linda?"

"Watch it, Allen."

Barry fumed for a few seconds more before seemingly concluding that he didn't want to be at odds with Linda. He wouldn't apologize in front of Iris, though.

"How about we go to that taco truck?" Cisco suggested cheerfully. "It's on the way back, and it's cheap."

Barry's gaze finally flitted back to his friend.

"Fine, yeah, okay." He looked over at Iris who was waiting for him to leave. "Be at the shop at 6 o'clock sharp, or I'm leaving without you."

Iris drew up a false giddy attitude. "Oh, I wouldn't miss it for the world."

Barry glared for a moment more then finally turned around at Cisco's tugging and headed back in the direction they'd come. Linda shook her head as she watched the two depart. Then she turned to Iris.

"I am so sorry about that, Iris. I had no idea it was so bad. That's so unlike him. I've never seen him act like that with anyone. Ever."

"Maybe you just didn't know the real him till now," Iris said, matter-of-factly, glaring at the back of Barry's head.

Linda didn't know what to say to that. She didn't want to judge Barry based off one interaction, but she didn't know quite what to make of how he'd acted either. It just didn't make sense. Unless…

Iris' stomach grumbled, interrupting her thoughts. Both girls suddenly burst out laughing.

"Come on," Linda said, looping her arm around Iris'. "Let's get some food. I'm hungry too."

Still smiling, Iris nodded in agreement, and they walked the rest of the way to the café in the park.