Chapter 29: So Who Wants to Give Me a Ride?

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Before they could fully walked in, July grabbed one of Mike sleeves that were tied around his waist and stopped him. She could feel everyone's eyes on them.

"What?" Mike questioned with a frown.

July took a deep breath, trying to quell her nerves. "I just want to warn you. Both the girls inside are spoken for so don't go and do something stupid to piss off one of the guys," July said sternly.

"Like I would do anything to piss someone off?" Mike asked sarcastically. When he saw the expression on July's face he knew she was serious.

"Mike, I'm not kidding. I like these people and I don't want to lose them as friends. Once you leave, they might be all I have left," July finished quietly.

"All right, I promise to try to piss everyone off," Mike said.

"Mikey!" July whined, even though she knew he was joking. Mike just hugged her around the waist and they continued inside.

Inside, Vince could feel his blood start to boil as he took in the sight of July and some guy. True, he had no real reason to be upset since him and July weren't together but he still felt this overwhelming jealousy. He watched as they talking quietly among themselves, but soon they both turned and entered.

"Hey guys!" July greeted. Brian was sitting at the counter eating a sandwich, while Mia was behind it. Leon, Letty and Jesse were standing around munching on a bag of chips. Vince sat at the farther edge of the counter, a couple seats down from Brian. A chorus of hellos sounded out and everyone was eyeing Mike.

"Guys, this is Mike, my best friend from Texas. Mike this is Vince, Brian, Mia, Jesse, Leon, and Letty," July introduced, gesturing to each person. Almost everyone nodded, Mia chirping a hello as Brian shook his hand.

"Well, looks like you two were busy," Mia teased, leaning on the counter to look at them. July had grease and oil spots on her shirt while Mike had some on his coveralls.

"Yeah, we started to work on the Soarer," July explained, as they both sat down. Mike sat one seat over from Brian and then July, putting her next to Vince.

"Did you have any trouble getting the parts?" Dom asked coming out of the back.

July looked up and gave him a smile. "Nope. Harry had everything I needed."

"Good," Dom said and then shifted his glance towards Mike.

"Dom, this is my best friend Mike, Mike this is Dom."

The two nodded their heads at each other but neither offered to shake hands.

"So you guys hungry?" Mia asked handing them a menu.

"Starving, this chick is a slave driver," Mike answered, July scoffing and smacking him.

Mia chuckled at the two. "Well, what do you want?"

"I'll have a turkey sandwich," July replied and then turned to Mike.

"Me too," Mike said sliding the menu back to Mia.

"Okay." Mia turned around to make their food. "Drinks are in the back fridge."

"I'll get them," July said, hopping off her seat.

"What? You're not even going to ask what I want?" Mike protested.

July raised one eyebrow at him. "Like I don't know what you want. You never change. You want a Pepsi."

Mike grumbled at her. "You never know, I could have wanted something else."

"Yeah, sure," she said over her shoulder. July headed to the back and opened the big fridge doors. She stood there for a minute letting the cold air run over her.

"Hey, that's not an air conditioner. You gonna pay for the extra electricity?" Dom asked leaning against the doorframe to the office.

"You wish," July said as she grabbed two sodas and closed the door.

"So how's everything going?"

"Good. I went to the drive-in last night with my old best friend and her brother. Then Mike showed up. We got the parts and we're working on the cars, so it's all good. What about you?"

"I've been better," Dom answered, running a hand over his head.

"What's up?" July asked with a frown.

"Just got a lot of stuff to think about," Dom said sounding tired.

"I know how that goes."

"I've been meaning to tell you, if you need help on the Nova, let me know. I am pretty familiar with the older engines," Dom said looking more through July than at her. He was lost in memories of his dad and him building the Charger.

"Yeah, help would be great with it later. I probably won't work on it 'til I get the Soarer done," July said bring Dom back.

"All right, just let me know when," Dom said with a wink and started to turn back to the office.

"Hey Dom," July called, causing Dom to turn around.

"Yeah?"

"I was wondering when the next race was."

"Friday. Last one didn't scare you off did it?" he asked with a lazy smirk.

"No, I was actually wondering if Mike could come. I told him he might be able to go but I figured I'd have to talk to you first," July said chewing on her lip.

Dom paused for a moment. "Let me think about it."

July nodded her head and then walked back to the counter, sitting back down next to Mike, passing him a can of soda.

"Here you guys go," Mia said setting two plates down.

"Thanks," July and Mike said and then chomped down, everyone making small talk around them.

"Man, I didn't realize how hungry I was," Mike remarked, once he finished his sandwich.

"Me neither," July said polishing off the last of hers.

"So, what are you guys doing after this?" Mia asked picking up the plates.

"I don't know, it's up to Mike," July replied.

"Up to me?" Mike asked.

"Yup, so you figure out what you want to do."

"Fine. Let me think," Mike said and then tapped his chin with his fingers.

"We might be here a while then," July said making everyone laugh. Mike rolled his eyes at her and then turned to lean against the counter.

"Hey! Who's Skyline?"

"That's mine," Leon said coming over.

"Sweet. Would you let me take a look?"

Leon looked over at July and she gave him the slightest of nods.

"Sure," Leon agreed, figuring that Mike wouldn't be talking about his engine specifications to anyone anyways. They both headed outside. Brian retook up his conversation with Mia and Jesse and Letty appeared to be in deep conversation in the back corner. July looked over to find Vince watching her.

"Hey V."

"JJ."

"So, I've got to ask, why'd you race off yesterday?" July asked with a puzzled frown.

"Just wasn't in a good mood," Vince grumbled, not really wanting to talk about it.

"Oh."

"So who was the pretty boy with you yesterday?" he asked with a slight bitterness.

July looked at him and began to put two and two together and she began to laugh; Vince was jealous. Vince gave her a strange look and then anger set in his features thinking she was laughing at him. He began to get up and walk away when a small hand was on his arm, stopping him.

"Wait V, come on, sit down," she said and pulled him back down with more force then Vince thought she had. "That guy that you saw yesterday was my old best friend's brother. We were all friends when we were little and I hadn't seen them in ten years. So we stopped at my house to fix his car and then we went to the drive-in. Nothing happened. I don't think I could think of him like that."

"Oh, well, that's nice to know," V said feeling dumb for overreacting and could feel his face redden a bit, but before he could stop himself the next question was out of his mouth. "So what about Mike then?"

"Not Mike too! Mike has been my best friend since I was nine. We went out for a while," July noticed Vince tighten up, "But it didn't work out. We're friends now and he has a girlfriend, who I set him up with," July finished, raising an eyebrow at Vince.

"Oh."

"Yeah oh," July repeated with a shake of her head at him, her fists balling up in anger.

"July," Vince said, starting to apologize.

"No Vince," she snapped, cutting him off, "You don't just go and start assuming things because guess what? Ninety-nine percent of the time you're wrong. You know, I don't get you. First you ask if I'm a cop, then you apologize so I forgive you, then you kiss me, I tell you I'm not ready to be like that, and then you just go and assume that I'm with two guys that I would never ever be with like that. I just don't get you. You know what Vince? Let me know when you've grown a brain and maybe we can talk then." July got up and slammed some money on the counter. She marched right past Mike's questioning looks, hopped in her car, and drove off in a cloud of burnt rubber.

"So, who wants to give me a ride?" Mike asked with a wary smile.

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tbc…