Chapter 10-

Monday morning came and Laura spent the whole day waiting for the guy to turn up. Leon noticed her distraction and gave her concerned looks. She had been busting to tell Mia about the stranger on Saturday but kept her promise and didn't say anything.

The day passed, slowly, and by 4.30 he still hadn't turned up. Just as she started packing up the tools she had been using to fix an Evo's exhaust system, Dom came into the garage and said there was a late delivery on it's way. Laura looked around the group to see if they were surprised or not, Laura didn't really know what a late delivery meant. Tools, a car, some parts?

Outside the garage a tow truck pulled up and reversed into the shop. On the back of it was a very beat up Skyline. The bodywork and paint was terrible, in fact it was non-existent and all the windows were smashed in. It looked as if the car had exploded! The team rolled the Skyline down a ramp onto the garage floor as Laura watched with interest. Dom spent a few minutes talking with the truck driver and the rest of the group silently inspected the car, except for Mia, who was grinning strangely at her.

The truck driver got into the truck and drove off leaving the garage in silence.

"So Laura, this is gunna be some job! You up for it…you'll get help of course? It's a little side project I wanna do..." Dom smiled at her waiting for her reply.

"Uh yeah, it'll be cool to design it and all ourselves…who's it for?"

"Mia looked as if she was busting to say something but she kept quiet, looking at Dom, waiting for him to reply.

"You," he finally said.

Laura's mouth dropped open. Her own Skyline, there was no way she could afford the work!

"But Dom…I cant afford it all, and I don't have an American license!"

Dom just grinned again, "I can get you a license. And don't worry about the costs. When the car is done Leon will get you practising your driving and then we'll get you racing. Then I can make some money off your ass. That's how you'll repay me. Ok?"

"I...uh, yeah. Thanks, this is so cool…"

As Laura stared at the car and then at the team as they all smiled at her she couldn't help but feel so much affection towards them all. They took her in, gave her a job and a place to live and now they were giving her a car that she could do up exactly the way she wanted. It was all so unreal!

Leon drove her home while the rest of the team closed up shop. He kept going to say something and then holding back and it was beginning to annoy her. She knew what it was he wanted to talk about though. She just didn't know what to say to him…

"So babes…you Ok? You seem a little…off with me lately. Did I do sumthin' to annoy you?"

She looked over at him and saw how hurt he looked, as if he were bracing himself for something. He actually thought it was his fault! Laura immediately felt guilty,

"No Leon! You haven't done anythin' wrong. You're great…I just…I dunno…" she trailed off, not sure how to explain herself.

"You know you can tell me anythin'…" he looked at her and she could see how badly he wanted her to open up.

"Look, I'm just not good with relationships…they scare me and I really like you but I guess I just need to get used to the fact…the fact that…"

"That you're my girl?" He smiled reassuringly at her.

"Yeah, that I'm your girl."

"No problem baby, next time you're freakin' about somethin' just tell me. I'll always be Ok with anythin' you tell me…"

"Yeah…"

"So you're definitely my girl then?" Leon looked over, an excited expression lighting up his eyes.

"I guess I am."

He grinned, acting as if he had just won a gold medal, "I'm a lucky mother fu…"

"Don't even say it…" Laura laughed as he blushed a little. He knew she hated him using that expression.

Laura smiled as she watched him drive, a look of contentment on his face. She relaxed her shoulders, which she realised, had been tensed up. Mia was right, Leon was a great guy. It was then that Laura decided she would tell him everything,

"Leon, I think it's maybe time I told you about Jerry…"