Chapter 3, The Offer.
"I have an idea that I don't know if you are going to like or not but here goes. You can keep your car if you come work for me in my garage. I also want you to learn to drive like a pro cause you got talent. You have to sell your house and pay off your debts. You will have to come live with Team Torreto in our house. Your responsibilities would be to us, you would be part of our team. What do you think? I would pay you but not much cause you get free room and board and I still have to buy or build a car for Jesse." Dom waited to see what she would say.
Torrie did not know what to say. She could keep her car and live rent free. She was kind of sick of living alone in a big house anyway. But to live with team Torreto? She was an only child and she had never lived with sooo many other people. And to live with the object of her every girlhood fantasy, and some that were not so girlish... But she would get to keep her car and the legendary Dom Torreto wanted to teach her to drive better. She thought she would be insane to turn that down. But she did not know if she wanted to live in the same house as Dom. But she told herself what other choice do you have girl. You have to sell your house and if you don't take him up on his offer you will be homeless and car less cause the keeping your car clause involves working for Dom. She was worried about dealing with Letty too. Everyone knew about that girl's temper. And she didn't know them. The fact that they raced and had been friends for a long time did not make them normal. They could be drug dealers or anything. But then again she would see lots of that if she ended up living on the street. At least she would have a roof over her head and food to eat if she agreed. If Letty doesn't kill me when she figures out I like Dom, Torrie thought. But she didn't see where she had much choice.
"I'll do it" she said, "And thank you. Your offer is more then generous and more then I deserve. But won't your friends and your girl be upset that you brought home a stranger to add to the team without asking them first?"
"First off I have no girl anymore so don't worry about it. Second of all I am the head of the team. If I want to bring home 10 new members then I will. I don't really have to ask them. The only one with the right to be mad at me over it is Mia cause it is her house too but she won't be. She will be thrilled to have someone else to take care of. Not that you need it but don't try to tell that to Mia." Dom did not believe he asked her to move into his house. It is not like you asked her to move into your room man he told himself. Nothing wrong with picking up able help and a good driver for room and board and spending money. Something occurred to him just then.
"What store does your father own, or rather do you own?" Dom asked. "Would I know of it?"
"Oh I'm sure you would," Torrie said, "It is 'The Racers Edge'. I'm sure you've been there."
"Ya I've done some shopping there." Dom laughed, some shopping. He had a line of credit there for 30,000 dollars. "I heard that Harry died but I did not know that the store was mortgaged that bad. And your right that manager is an ass." But he doesn't dare fuck with me, Dom thought.
Torrie answered. "Unfortunately it is. My mom had issues and they got the money for her treatment that way and daddy liked to gamble. Seems petty now to say it but they both screwed up big. Daddy had issues with the law. It all cost money. They got the money by mortgaging the store. It could be years before I will ever see a penny. I wanted it like that at first so the damn mortgage will not be hanging over my head forever. I will never sell that store. It was dad's baby and someday it will be mine. I live for the day when I get to fire that asshole manager the bank appointed." She was perilously close to tears again. Dom figured if she wanted him gone that bad then he would just have him fired anyway.
"Chin up girl. You have no worries now. You are a member of team Torreto and I take care of mine. When you are ready to run your own store you should have paid me back in race winnings for the team and maybe you will even be a partner like Vince and Brian. Speaking of them, lets go introduce you to the team ok?" Dom started to lead her back over to where the rest of the team stood around their cars. Vince and Jesse were both fully recovered from their injuries. Vince still got ache in his leg every once and awhile though and it took Jesse awhile to get over being afraid of his own shadow. Of course the fact that Brian had killed Tran helped. The remaining Tran family still feuded with the Torreto's. It was something they had just learned to deal with. It was not as bad now because Johnny had been the ring leader in that feud.
"Why have I never met you before if you were always hanging around The Racer's Edge? I am in there so much, have been for years, that I can't believe I never saw you. I knew Harry had a daughter but never knew she was into cars cause I never saw her around."
"Oh I was there all the time." Wrong answer she realized. Now he was going to want to know why he had never seen her. And the answer was because when her dad saw him and his crew coming she had to go wait out back. Her dad had not wanted her to meet Dom because he had been scared she would get involved with him, involved with street racing.
"So why did I never see you there?"
"I, um, spent a lot of time out back so I was not up front to be seen very often. I worked the counter sometimes but not often." But I use to hide in the office and peek out the one way window at you while you were there, she thought.
"That doesn't seem likely, what would you do out back when your dad was up front?"
"Ok. Ok. Way to harass me Dom. He made me hide out back when you or your team came in because he did not want me involved with any of you. He never wanted me to street race and when it came to guys he wanted me around you all were at the very bottom of his list."
"Sounds like Harry. I had quite a reputation back then for sure. I can see why he would worry having such a pretty daughter. I wouldn't want my daughter around a boy like I was then either." Dom laughed. Harry had made her hide in the back. And by the look on her face she wanted nothing more then to role with them and learn to race. She was like Letty but without the attitude problem. "Lets go, the guys are wondering what we're doing."
"Um Dom this is more then a little embarrassing for me you know?" she said as they walked toward the team.
"Why is that Torrie?"
"Because your friends and especially that Jesse guy are going to think that I tricked you or gave you some sob story to get my car back."
"Baby, why do you think I put the stipulation that you come live with us on the deal? You needed to be desperate to do it, go move in with strangers. If you just wanted your car back and you were not really as bad off as you say you would have just offered the money or let me keep the car. I am smart and my team will not second guess me. I can see where admitting to them all that you needed this kind of help will go against your pride but they are good people, Ok?" Dom felt a strange protective feeling to this waif of a girl. "Tell me you are ok with this. If you are not up to it I will just put you in my ride and let Jesse drive your car home."
Torrie was a bit taken aback by Dom's use of pet names for her already. She was half in love with him, well not him but what she had made him in her mind. He was likely nothing like what she imagined but she had this idealistic image of him and his calling her baby girl and stuff like that was not helping her keep the relationship they shared in a business light. He was likely use to talking to all the girls like that. He no doubt did not even mean anything by it. Or thought of her as a baby or a child.
"I want to meet them Dom. No sense putting it off and it would just be weird for everyone to know I am coming to live with you all but for them to not know my name. And by the way will I have my own room or will I have to share? I am an only child and I have never had to share a room. That would be strange for me. But I will make the sacrifice if I have to."
"I am glad you want to be introduced around now and no you can have your own room. Mia and Brian live in the attic. Vince and Leon and Jesse share the basement. There are three bedrooms on the second floor. Mine and now you have one too. We could still have one more person. So come on and meet the team."
Torrie was glad that she could have her own room but kind of wary of the fact that it was just her and Dom on the second floor. She was sure he would not be interested in her in that way anyway. He had been with Letty for so long and it could not be long that they were broken up. Plus they did this all the time. She heard from her father once that Dom and Letty split up again so Dom was racing better then ever. The split always made him a little crazy, which in their business was a good thing in that it made you go faster and live on the edge.
"OK Dom I am done being a silly scaredy girl, lets go meet the team." Dom could tell she was putting on a brave act for his sake and he felt the protective instinct grow a little more.
"Hey they're good people; you have nothing to be nervous about girl. Try not to look like you are facing a firing squad." Dom tried to reassure her. They walked over to the others and everyone looked at Dom like, "ok you beat her and then you hug her and talk for like 45 minutes, now you bring her over here with your arm around her what's up?"
Dom answered the unspoken question that he saw in everyone's eyes. "Guys this is Torrie. Instead of taking her car from her it has come to my attention that it makes more sense for us all to have her come live with us. She has recently lost both her parents and will have to sell her home. Instead of taking her car she is going to come live with us and work in the garage. She built her car with her dad so she more then has the skill to make it on the team. She is also going to be my star pupil to learn to drive like a pro so she can win for us at race wars. Ok Torrie, this is Vince, Leon, Mia, Brian, and Jesse."
Torrie was bright red with embarrassment but everyone shook her hand and told her it was good to have her aboard. Everyone could see she was genuinely upset about the whole situation and no one thought she would have put herself through this embarrassment if her predicament was not for real. She got 4 genuinely warm handshakes from the guys and an enthusiastic hug from Mia. That took her a bit aback; she was not use to touchy people at all. She hugged the other girl back though just because it was so nice of her to welcome this newcomer without a question in her head.
"Thank you all for being so nice to me." She said. "I know it must look really bad for me. I am happy to be part of your team and I hope we all become great friends. I have heard about you all for the last years that I have been following racing and I can't wait to be a part of it. Even if the way it came about has been hard for me." She finished.
Everyone smiled at her. She was trying to be brave but Dom could see the strain. It had been a hard day for her and an even harder few months. Dom wanted to get her home. He did not however want her driving right now in the state she was in. "Hey Jesse, you drive Torrie's car home man. But don't get attached cause she is keeping it. I just want her to ride this one with me.
"Hey no sweat Dom." Jesse replied. "Meet you at home." They all climbed into their own cars.
"I have an idea that I don't know if you are going to like or not but here goes. You can keep your car if you come work for me in my garage. I also want you to learn to drive like a pro cause you got talent. You have to sell your house and pay off your debts. You will have to come live with Team Torreto in our house. Your responsibilities would be to us, you would be part of our team. What do you think? I would pay you but not much cause you get free room and board and I still have to buy or build a car for Jesse." Dom waited to see what she would say.
Torrie did not know what to say. She could keep her car and live rent free. She was kind of sick of living alone in a big house anyway. But to live with team Torreto? She was an only child and she had never lived with sooo many other people. And to live with the object of her every girlhood fantasy, and some that were not so girlish... But she would get to keep her car and the legendary Dom Torreto wanted to teach her to drive better. She thought she would be insane to turn that down. But she did not know if she wanted to live in the same house as Dom. But she told herself what other choice do you have girl. You have to sell your house and if you don't take him up on his offer you will be homeless and car less cause the keeping your car clause involves working for Dom. She was worried about dealing with Letty too. Everyone knew about that girl's temper. And she didn't know them. The fact that they raced and had been friends for a long time did not make them normal. They could be drug dealers or anything. But then again she would see lots of that if she ended up living on the street. At least she would have a roof over her head and food to eat if she agreed. If Letty doesn't kill me when she figures out I like Dom, Torrie thought. But she didn't see where she had much choice.
"I'll do it" she said, "And thank you. Your offer is more then generous and more then I deserve. But won't your friends and your girl be upset that you brought home a stranger to add to the team without asking them first?"
"First off I have no girl anymore so don't worry about it. Second of all I am the head of the team. If I want to bring home 10 new members then I will. I don't really have to ask them. The only one with the right to be mad at me over it is Mia cause it is her house too but she won't be. She will be thrilled to have someone else to take care of. Not that you need it but don't try to tell that to Mia." Dom did not believe he asked her to move into his house. It is not like you asked her to move into your room man he told himself. Nothing wrong with picking up able help and a good driver for room and board and spending money. Something occurred to him just then.
"What store does your father own, or rather do you own?" Dom asked. "Would I know of it?"
"Oh I'm sure you would," Torrie said, "It is 'The Racers Edge'. I'm sure you've been there."
"Ya I've done some shopping there." Dom laughed, some shopping. He had a line of credit there for 30,000 dollars. "I heard that Harry died but I did not know that the store was mortgaged that bad. And your right that manager is an ass." But he doesn't dare fuck with me, Dom thought.
Torrie answered. "Unfortunately it is. My mom had issues and they got the money for her treatment that way and daddy liked to gamble. Seems petty now to say it but they both screwed up big. Daddy had issues with the law. It all cost money. They got the money by mortgaging the store. It could be years before I will ever see a penny. I wanted it like that at first so the damn mortgage will not be hanging over my head forever. I will never sell that store. It was dad's baby and someday it will be mine. I live for the day when I get to fire that asshole manager the bank appointed." She was perilously close to tears again. Dom figured if she wanted him gone that bad then he would just have him fired anyway.
"Chin up girl. You have no worries now. You are a member of team Torreto and I take care of mine. When you are ready to run your own store you should have paid me back in race winnings for the team and maybe you will even be a partner like Vince and Brian. Speaking of them, lets go introduce you to the team ok?" Dom started to lead her back over to where the rest of the team stood around their cars. Vince and Jesse were both fully recovered from their injuries. Vince still got ache in his leg every once and awhile though and it took Jesse awhile to get over being afraid of his own shadow. Of course the fact that Brian had killed Tran helped. The remaining Tran family still feuded with the Torreto's. It was something they had just learned to deal with. It was not as bad now because Johnny had been the ring leader in that feud.
"Why have I never met you before if you were always hanging around The Racer's Edge? I am in there so much, have been for years, that I can't believe I never saw you. I knew Harry had a daughter but never knew she was into cars cause I never saw her around."
"Oh I was there all the time." Wrong answer she realized. Now he was going to want to know why he had never seen her. And the answer was because when her dad saw him and his crew coming she had to go wait out back. Her dad had not wanted her to meet Dom because he had been scared she would get involved with him, involved with street racing.
"So why did I never see you there?"
"I, um, spent a lot of time out back so I was not up front to be seen very often. I worked the counter sometimes but not often." But I use to hide in the office and peek out the one way window at you while you were there, she thought.
"That doesn't seem likely, what would you do out back when your dad was up front?"
"Ok. Ok. Way to harass me Dom. He made me hide out back when you or your team came in because he did not want me involved with any of you. He never wanted me to street race and when it came to guys he wanted me around you all were at the very bottom of his list."
"Sounds like Harry. I had quite a reputation back then for sure. I can see why he would worry having such a pretty daughter. I wouldn't want my daughter around a boy like I was then either." Dom laughed. Harry had made her hide in the back. And by the look on her face she wanted nothing more then to role with them and learn to race. She was like Letty but without the attitude problem. "Lets go, the guys are wondering what we're doing."
"Um Dom this is more then a little embarrassing for me you know?" she said as they walked toward the team.
"Why is that Torrie?"
"Because your friends and especially that Jesse guy are going to think that I tricked you or gave you some sob story to get my car back."
"Baby, why do you think I put the stipulation that you come live with us on the deal? You needed to be desperate to do it, go move in with strangers. If you just wanted your car back and you were not really as bad off as you say you would have just offered the money or let me keep the car. I am smart and my team will not second guess me. I can see where admitting to them all that you needed this kind of help will go against your pride but they are good people, Ok?" Dom felt a strange protective feeling to this waif of a girl. "Tell me you are ok with this. If you are not up to it I will just put you in my ride and let Jesse drive your car home."
Torrie was a bit taken aback by Dom's use of pet names for her already. She was half in love with him, well not him but what she had made him in her mind. He was likely nothing like what she imagined but she had this idealistic image of him and his calling her baby girl and stuff like that was not helping her keep the relationship they shared in a business light. He was likely use to talking to all the girls like that. He no doubt did not even mean anything by it. Or thought of her as a baby or a child.
"I want to meet them Dom. No sense putting it off and it would just be weird for everyone to know I am coming to live with you all but for them to not know my name. And by the way will I have my own room or will I have to share? I am an only child and I have never had to share a room. That would be strange for me. But I will make the sacrifice if I have to."
"I am glad you want to be introduced around now and no you can have your own room. Mia and Brian live in the attic. Vince and Leon and Jesse share the basement. There are three bedrooms on the second floor. Mine and now you have one too. We could still have one more person. So come on and meet the team."
Torrie was glad that she could have her own room but kind of wary of the fact that it was just her and Dom on the second floor. She was sure he would not be interested in her in that way anyway. He had been with Letty for so long and it could not be long that they were broken up. Plus they did this all the time. She heard from her father once that Dom and Letty split up again so Dom was racing better then ever. The split always made him a little crazy, which in their business was a good thing in that it made you go faster and live on the edge.
"OK Dom I am done being a silly scaredy girl, lets go meet the team." Dom could tell she was putting on a brave act for his sake and he felt the protective instinct grow a little more.
"Hey they're good people; you have nothing to be nervous about girl. Try not to look like you are facing a firing squad." Dom tried to reassure her. They walked over to the others and everyone looked at Dom like, "ok you beat her and then you hug her and talk for like 45 minutes, now you bring her over here with your arm around her what's up?"
Dom answered the unspoken question that he saw in everyone's eyes. "Guys this is Torrie. Instead of taking her car from her it has come to my attention that it makes more sense for us all to have her come live with us. She has recently lost both her parents and will have to sell her home. Instead of taking her car she is going to come live with us and work in the garage. She built her car with her dad so she more then has the skill to make it on the team. She is also going to be my star pupil to learn to drive like a pro so she can win for us at race wars. Ok Torrie, this is Vince, Leon, Mia, Brian, and Jesse."
Torrie was bright red with embarrassment but everyone shook her hand and told her it was good to have her aboard. Everyone could see she was genuinely upset about the whole situation and no one thought she would have put herself through this embarrassment if her predicament was not for real. She got 4 genuinely warm handshakes from the guys and an enthusiastic hug from Mia. That took her a bit aback; she was not use to touchy people at all. She hugged the other girl back though just because it was so nice of her to welcome this newcomer without a question in her head.
"Thank you all for being so nice to me." She said. "I know it must look really bad for me. I am happy to be part of your team and I hope we all become great friends. I have heard about you all for the last years that I have been following racing and I can't wait to be a part of it. Even if the way it came about has been hard for me." She finished.
Everyone smiled at her. She was trying to be brave but Dom could see the strain. It had been a hard day for her and an even harder few months. Dom wanted to get her home. He did not however want her driving right now in the state she was in. "Hey Jesse, you drive Torrie's car home man. But don't get attached cause she is keeping it. I just want her to ride this one with me.
"Hey no sweat Dom." Jesse replied. "Meet you at home." They all climbed into their own cars.