Shelby had spotted the Javelin sandwiched between two rusted Camrys while she was lying on the roller creeper beneath a mostly scrapped Futura. Shocked she had never noticed it before she scooted out from under the oil pan and stared at it a moment.
She must have spent a time equivalent of weeks sifting though Tony's junk yard, and it had never peaked her notice before.
The engine block seemed relatively intact from being compressed under a stack ten cars high, and it seemed to poke out in a way that would be easy enough to access.
Picking up a crowbar, Shelby went over to the heap of metal and began assessing if the whole thing would topple over onto her if she began futzing with it. After being satisfied with its integrity, she pushed the crowbar under the hood and pried it open.
The hood was able to open halfway and Shelby could see it was in surprisingly good shape. Pieces had been stripped and the front where the missing dust cover sat was corroded. But underneath the spark plugs and the beaten in filter sat the valvetrain. The valves, rocker arms, pushrods, and lifters only had specks of pitting.
She hurried back to her tool bag and after a little effort and sweat she was able to pull the entire piece out. Satisfied she looked it over, holding it in her hand she thought back to what Nacho had said. Four grand.
That was some real money.
Wiping it clean from dirt it cleaned up easily. It was in remarkably great shape for its age and however long it had been sitting in the junkyard. She could probably flip it quick.
Then the greediness of her heart loosened. Nacho was giving her a real discount and he didn't have to. Maybe even breaking a rule for not charging materials. She put the piece in her car and resolved to pay back the favor.
When she was done pulling pieces for her own car, she returned to the management shack at the front and placed the pieces on the scrapper scale. With a smile she paid Tony what she owed for the weight and headed into town.
She paid the taxi and pulled the large paper sack from the trunk that held the valvetrain. She scanned the parking lot and her heart dropped a little when she didn't see the red Javelin parked along the back. But she kept her hopes up as it didn't solidify that he wasn't there.
She waited in the lobby of the upholstery shop, practically giddy to get her car back, and hoping she had come on a day Nacho was working.
He might have done the labor at a discounted rate, but he didn't necessarily need to be there for her to pick it up. She could come back another time to bring him the part, but she prayed she'd be spared the awkwardness of making up an excuse to come back.
The fatherly man behind the counter was there again, happily greeting customers and working his way through the line. When Shelby was next up her heart sunk a little. Maybe Nacho wasn't there. He had called her himself to come pick it up. And maybe their brief interaction before was just inflated from Shelby playing it over a few times in her head.
A movement in the back workshop caught her attention and it was Nacho. He stood up from a table, taking another bite of food before he quickly came over to the counter.
"I got it Papa." He said and gave the man a reassuring look.
The man shrugged and said something in Spanish under his breath as he walked away.
He pointed a finger at her. "Futura." He said, and began digging out keys from a drawer under the register.
"Javelin." Shelby pointed back with a smile.
He pulled the keys from the tangle and wordlessly walked out the side door.
Once they were outside he turned to her, "I have a surprise." the corners of his mouth lifted slightly. "I think you're going to like it."
"I have one for you too. But depending on how this goes, I might just keep it." She jested as she followed him out to her Futura.
He simply handed her the keys and stood back. Watching her silently.
Shelby opened the car and couldn't help but gasp. The interior looked like it had rolled off the factory line, but better than factory settings.
The leather of the front seats had been changed to a two toned with mid night blue and a just lighter shade down the center. It looked impeccable and purposeful and the lines of the stitching look clean and exact.
Nacho told her the work he had done in matter of fact words. No arrogance in his tone, and he described methodically how he did the process and restoration, matching the original vinyl piping to bring the two leathers together.
"It's amazing." Shelby beamed as she looked over the work, running her fingers over the perfect stitches in disbelief. "I honestly didn't believe it could look this good."
"Thank you." He said, his mouth turned up at the side, self satisfied, but unboasting. "Your total is $325."
Shelby pulled out her wallet but stopped. "Wait. That's even less than you said before."
"It's just the cost of labor since the materials were already in house." He shrugged.
She looked at him a moment, perplexed at his aloof generosity. "Thank you."
Nacho had done such an amazing job, and it wasn't as though he knew she'd show up today with the part he'd needed. He was expecting nothing in return, except the undervalued cost of his labor.
"So I don't see your Javelin." She fidgeted with the bag, not wanting to blow the surprise.
Nacho kicked the dirt lightly with the toe of his boot. "The aftermarket part failed again. She's undrivable till I can get the things I need.."
"Hmm. That's a bummer." She held out the bag but kept it closed. "Well, I don't know if this will work. But I saw it and thought of you." She gave him a smug grin as she put it in his hands.
He pulled the bag away from the metal engine piece and stood there motionless.
"Looks like you got the piece on this side of hell after all." She jested, unable to hide her wide grin.
He stared thoughtfully at the piece for a long moment. His eyebrows crinkled at the center as he looked touched yet puzzled.
"That's the one right?" Shelby said, almost giddy. "It's not the exact year, but it's so close I can't imagine it wouldn't fit!"
He set the clipboard on the hood of her car, "I should pay you for it," and he reached into his pocket pulling out his wallet.
"No," she swatted it away, "it didn't cost me hardly anything cause I scrapped it."
He furrowed his brow and tilted his head as he studied her. His dumbfounded tone was the only indication from his otherwise pensive face. "You got this in a scrap yard?"
Shelby chuckled. "Yeah actually. I couldn't possibly pay for all this at retail, or even second hand tow yards." She dug the toe of her boot into the ground. "If you want, you could come with me and we can look together? I haven't been keeping an eye out for it till now, but there is a section of classics I've been picking through. Maybe you can find something else you've been looking for?"
"I'm already on a list at every impound. If they get a Javelin they already know to call me." He shrugged, examining the piece in his hand as he turned it over and over again.
"Well, this isn't a tow yard. It's kind of… free range. And he charges fair." Shelby let out a nervous laugh. "I'm all for dates that don't cost any money." The words slipped out of her mouth so fast she couldn't even stop them.
"Hmm." Was the only noise Nacho made as he considered this.
Worrying she had pushed too hard; was she reading into his kindness, or worse, was she acting too obvious or desperate?
Her sister was the obvious one, throwing around her flirtations with a wide net. Shelby went still, wondering how fast she could make it into the car and speed away before he gave an answer that made things even worse.
Studying his face, his tanned skin and angled features made him handsome, not in the classical sense, but in a way it was still difficult not to stare. His sharp stubble marked jaw flexed slightly and his eyebrows furrowed slightly in the middle as he was processing through something. His thoughts masked behind his dark eyes which she realized too late were locked onto her. He had caught her staring.
Her cheeks flushed and she quickly looked at the ground. "I could also just give you the info for the place and you could just go whenever you like."
"It sounds like a great time." Nacho's features were relaxed as he cracked a smile at her. "You can show me around. And where you got this." He held up the engine piece.
Shelby let out a nervous laugh that sounded more crazy than flirtatious. "Great. Cool. Um- Just make sure you bring your tools."
"I'm free this Saturday." He offered, his tone cool and even. "I can meet as early as 2."
'Great! I'll send you the address." Stop saying great. Shelby was internally screaming. Unsure she had been capable of being this awkward.
Nacho pulled the invoice from the clipboard and tore a slip of paper from the bottom of the pink duplicate page. He handed her the white page from the top, "inside Marko will take your payment." He then took the pink slip and scribbled a string of numbers on it, "and this is for you."
"Grea–sounds good. Saturday. Two o'clock." Her heart was beating quickly. Internally admonishing her behavior, she'd talked to guys all the time, but she hadn't tried flirting in years.
His eyes softened as the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, "I look forward to seeing you again," and he walked back into the building.
Shelby had worked a long morning doing repairs on the team car for the upcoming Dune Derby. Checking her watch it was well past lunchtime and she still hadn't eaten. It was cutting it close to 2, but she decided to run through the drive through on her way out of the city to Tony's tow yard. She added an extra order of cheesy blasts.
A short drive made longer with traffic and she finally arrived at the scrapyard.
The chain link fence fifteen feet high made the entire perimeter and a large gate was adjoined to the trailer home that made up the office.
Upon seeing her in the camera, a buzz was followed by the gate opening.
She pulled her car inside and stepped out. Rapping a knuckle on the window beside the large weight scale, Shelby called loud enough to be heard through the glass. "Sorry to bother you, Tony. I just wanted to let you know I have a friend coming. He has a classic car and he's in the market for parts."
The window slid open and Tony appeared, his massive frame taking up the entire window. He leaned forward with his forearms on the sill. "A friend huh? What kind of friend?"
"Pshh." Shebly shrugged. "The kind of friend you help get parts for a seventy Javelin."
Tony raised an eyebrow. "I gotta make a living. It takes a lot of time sifting this scrap. I gotta pay environmental dues for smelting. Mortgage. Processing fees. You want me to starve?"
"Of course not." Shelby gave a satisfied grin. "That's why I got you this." She pulled the cheesy blasts from the bag.
He looked at the fried spheres a moment before he picked them up, his large meaty hand made the large paper cup seem like a child size. "I'm not giving him your discount."
Shelby raised a finger, then fished in the bag and placed a container of the special pink sauce on the counter. "I'm not asking for that. Just to let him in and take a look through some old junk. You won't even know we're here."
Tony licked his lips and moved the sauce towards him. "He pays double the market price."
"Tony!" Shelby pulled the sauce back towards herself, leaving it on the edge of the counter and folded her arms. "Ignacio gave me a great deal on repairs for my Futura. He's not looking to steal your profits, he is a fellow enthusiast who's had some strikeouts with finding parts and some duds in the after market."
"Shelby, you're twisting my arm." He put the cheesy blasts back on the sill. "I let you in here as a favor. I even look the other way from that shed you built where you hide your other projects."
"You said I could keep the boat!" Shelby's heart began to beat a little faster. She was hoping for a favor but didn't want to jeopardize her own situation.
"I didn't think you'd store it here!"
"And I appreciate your generosity as a gracious host while I figure out what to do with it." Shelby swallowed hard, "but let's talk." She put a finger to her lips in thought. "I'm making the batting list for softball this year."
He stopped and unfolded his arms. "I'm listening."
"Well." Shelby raised her eyebrows and shrugged. "What if I put you last on the list?"
"All the games." He picked up a cheesy blast and popped it in his mouth.
"All of them?" Shelby looked at him incredulously.
Tony gestured to his large frame and flatly said. "Look at me Shelby. I am not a man built for speed."
"Deal." She pushed the sauce towards him but didn't let it go. "But he pays regular price."
Tony gave a grin so wide several of his gold teeth showed. "Deal."
A low rumble came up the street and stopped behind her.
"Now, please be nice." She whispered to Tony.
The red Javelin rolled to a stop next to her. The window rolled down and Nacho looked over the tops of his sunglasses at her and his mouth curved into a slight smile at the sight of her. "Hola."
"Hey." Shelby grinned back at him. "We're all set here. Just follow me and I'll take you to where I found the part." She turned back to the office window to thank Tony but the window snapped shut. "Thank you!" She called out to him as she got in her car.
She drove slowly through the winding maze of the scrap yard.
Mountains of metal piled high in semi organized sections in various states of rust. She drove to the back area where her makeshift shed was. It was really more of an awning with East and West walls to block the sun. The tarp protecting the boat flapped in the cross breese, its tie downs keeping it in place at the corners.
She hopped out of the car and began unpacking her tools from the trunk.
The old Javelin was sitting two cars up, between two smaller sedans.
They climbed up, standing on the hood of the pancaked Camry in order to reach where they needed. Shelby held the hood up while he inspected the engine.
His jaw was set in thought as his eyes moved slowly over the engine block. If he was excited he barely showed it, but he pointed to a piece deep to the back and his voice raised slightly as he spoke about pieces he had been looking for.
Shelby pried the lid up with a crowbar and provided assistance as he began to dismantle the engine.
Nacho worked silently and methodically. He was quiet, thoughtful, and lacked the bravado she was used to with guys in her neighborhood.
They worked in the tight quarters that the footing on the hood beneath provided.
Thankful she had worn shorts as the heat from the afternoon sun had turned and sweat started to mix with the dust in the air. A light breeze came in and though she welcomed the cool air, even if it made the sand stick to her skin.
Over here, she points to a section just under the block. "This doesn't have any rust."
He scooted towards her to get a better look and their bodies brushed against each other.
"Sorry," he leaned over with a grunt, struggling to get his arm into a position where he could pull out the piece.
She laughed nervously, "its fine. I never said this was easy."
"I can't believe you did this for a whole car's worth of parts." He put his head down and reached deep in the engine. He pushed forward and now his body was pressed up right against her. Her eyes briefly glanced over him again, but she forced herself to look away.
She couldn't move back any further, already squished against the bumper from the stack of cars right beside them.
"Can you hold this out of the way?" Nacho pointed to a hose beside his hand.
Shelby tentatively propped the hood up with the crowbar and leaned forward to where he was pointing. Now shoulder to shoulder with him, she pulled the hose out of the way.
She enjoyed watching him work. His strong hands worked smoothly, the self assured grace that comes from habit.
After being sufficiently sweaty and covered in a thin layer of grime, he seemed satisfied and began to hop down. He had retrieved all he could reach that wasn't rusted together and it lay in a scattered pile below them.
"Here." He held out his hand to help her down.
She took it, using it to stabilize her descent. Not that she needed it, but she liked the gesture- and the excuse to hold it briefly.
She dusted herself off and admired the pile of parts around them.
"I wonder if I can get-" he trailed off and reached up under the car. He was tall enough that he could reach a portion under the wheel base. He twisted around and leaned his back against the Camry, reaching his arms above his head into the undercarriage of the Javelin. As he did, his shirt lifted exposing the lower part of his abdomen.
Now Shelby couldn't help but stare.
Bronzed abs peeked out of his shirt and flexed in a pleasant way when he strained to pull something from the car.
"Ahh!" He exclaimed and whipped himself forward.
Blackish fluid had dripped down his arms and across the front of him.
Shelby couldn't help but laugh. "Oh bummer!"
He looked across the spill on himself and back up to the car which was now gurgling its fluid all across where he had stood. He looked up at the car incredulously.
"I think I have a clean rag. Just a sec." She said through chuckles.
He made a spitting motion as he wiped his lips across a clean part of his forearm. He wordlessly stalked to his car and popped the hood to the trunk.
Shelby dug through her tool bag and pulled a section of an old t-shirt she had cut into rags.
Nacho had pulled a container of baby wipes from his trunk and began wiping himself down.
A small pile of used wipes had formed in the dirt by his boots. "I'm glad it didn't get my eyes."
"Oof, yeah. Tastes bad enough without further insult." She started slowly walking around to the back of the car. She watched as he removed his shirt.
"Do you have any water?" He didn't look up at her as he wiped down his chest. The tattoos across his pecs and biceps were distorted from his hardy muscles.
Shelby closed her mouth, "mm-hmm." She let her eyes linger for a hair longer.
She walked over to her car and leaned in, a knee on the seat for balance. She glanced over the back seat, no water bottles. But the cup of remaining ice from her soda sat in the cup holder. She gave it a shake and most of the ice had melted. "It won't be very good, but it's better than the taste of brake fluid." She pulled out of her car and turned around.
Nacho was standing beside his car, he was looking over at her, stopped mid-wipe from his arm.
When she had caught him looking he quickly recovered and tossed the wet wipe to the ground with the others.
She tried to hide a satisfied smirk as she handed him the cup.
"Thanks." He said, his eyes cast to the sand underfoot.
"Don't mention it." She shrugged.
He took a sip, swished it around his mouth and spat it out. "That's disgusting."
"Better than brake fluid?" She chided.
"Marginally." A faint smile crossed his lips.
Their eyes locked and it was though something was churning inside him.
Shelby couldn't quite place it but it looked as though he still had more to say, as if his mind was sifting through dozens of thoughts.
But then his face returned to the same unreadable expression and he walked back to his car. He pulled a work shirt from his back seat and put it on.
They loaded the parts into the trunk, picked up the trash, and Shelby lead him back to the office trailer.
She rapped on the window before walking over to the small vending machine and purchased two drinks.
Heavy footsteps came from inside and soon the door opened. Tony's eyes narrowed as he took in Nacho, sizing him up as he exited the trailer.
Nacho placed all his pieces on the weight scale and wordlessly stepped back as Tony examined them.
Glancing over them quickly, he seemed more interested in putting a value on his guest than the scrapped parts.
Nacho must have noticed this and calmly folded his hands behind his back. Meeting Tony's scrutinizing gaze with his chin held high.
Tony didn't bother going to his computer and gave his inflated price, studying Nacho's reaction.
Shelby glowered at Tony and cleared her throat more than a few times.
Tony ignored her and folded his arms, squaring up to Nacho.
Despite Tony having sheer mass on his side, Nacho's confidence was unwavering as he pulled out his wallet. He slowly flipped through a wad of cash and handed the stack to Tony.
Tony smiled, one of his gold teeth glinted in the sun. "Alright then." He looked at Shelby with a fake sheepish shrug and counted the bills. He handed back a few of the larger ones and turned back towards his office. "See you at practice."
Shelby rolled her eyes and stalked back to her car in a huff. She got in her car and pulled out of the scrap yard and parked outside the gate on the desolate main road.
A buzz sounded and the gate closed behind them.
She got out of her car as Nacho rolled to a stop behind her.
Nacho walked over to her, his eyebrows raised slightly in curiosity. "Your friend seems nice." His tone indicated he thought nothing of the sort. Tony's friendship, or his manners.
"I'm sorry." Shelby handed him the extra water bottle. "Since my dad's been… gone. All his friends think they need to fill in."
"Thanks." He took the bottle and cracked the lid. "When will he be back?"
"Ten to fifteen, pending good behavior." Shelby answered leaning back against her car. Now it was her turn to study him.
He seemed unphased by this revelation and took a sip. "Sorry to hear that." A little chime came from his pocket, he pulled out his phone, glanced at it, then put it back. "I have to go." He looked back at her and raised his bottle in a little cheers motion. "Today was fun. Thanks."
"Yeah it was." Shelby looked at her feet and noticed her bare legs were absolutely covered in grime, dirt and sweat mixed all along her skin. She looked at her arms to see they were covered too. She could only speculate in horror as to what her face looked like.
Nacho turned and placed the empty bottle back in the car.
In that second Shelby pulled her shirt up, wiping her face quickly with the fabric. She then lifted her ball cap, pushing any stray hairs back under the strap across her forehead.
"So." She wiped her palms on her shorts. "When do you think you'll get started on your new toys?"
Nacho walked over and leaned up against the car beside her, folding his arms in thought. "I worked through every lunch break since I saw you last in order to get this time off. So, not for a while."
Shelby raised her eye brows, and leaned back on her palms behind her. "Yeah, I have a race in two weeks, so this was kinda my last free time till then."
She kicked the dirt with the toe of her boot. This side project had already taken too much of her time and a twinge of guilt crept up. She should be back at her work shop. Helping prepare the car and her team.
But she was here.
The side of the road in close to nowhere. Watching the afternoon sun hide behind the pillars of the highrises of downtown.
"Hmm." Nacho unfolded his arms and rested back on his palms.
Their fingers touched but neither one of them pulled away.
Shelby turned her head as she felt one of his fingers slowly stroke the top of her hand, moving over her skin and pressing over it.
Nacho was perfectly still, gazing out towards the buildings of down town. His eyes staring thoughtfully into the middle distance.
She raised her palm and curled her fingers under, grasping his hand in her own. His touch was warm and the skin of his hands was worn in a way that can only come from hard work.
"I'd really like to see you again." He had turned his attention to her and his gaze practically glued her to the spot. Piercing intensity as he locked eyes with her.
She could see now as they were closer, they weren't so dark as she'd thought. At the centers were little caramel flecks in the deep rich chocolate brown.
He studied her face, waiting for her to respond.
"I'd like that too." She took a shallow breath as her heart picked up a beat. She didn't move away, allowing him to close the distance.
His face was closer to hers now, slowly inching until it was just a breath away. His eyes traveled down to her mouth. But he stopped, just before their noses were almost touching.
Despite the physical toll of the day, he smelled like leather and sandalwood and something else. A musk distinctly masculine. It was divine.
Shelby breathed him in and wondered if his supple lips would taste just as good.
She moved towards him. It felt like they were two magnets, just waiting to be released so they could snap together.
Lightly pressing her mouth into his, she breathed in his delicious smell. She couldn't help but close her eyes as the feeling of him overwhelmed her. His lips were soft but the stubble around them gave a pleasant friction. She moved her hand up, wanting to feel the rugged features under her fingers.
She guided her touch along his sharp jaw, back over his ear and let it settle in his hair.
He met her lips with gentle reservation.
He was holding back, but she wanted more.
He had made the move to kiss her but hadn't followed through without waiting for her to finish the motion. She suspected he was waiting again. Taking her lead on exactly how far to bring things between them.
Like any good theory, it was one that needed testing.
She swept her tongue into his mouth and the gate was opened.
Their mouths pressed into each other and it felt like a surge of power through an engine.
His hand moved up her arm pressing firmly into her shoulder and to her back. His rough hands touching the place between her shoulder blades. With the other he slowly brought it up from the car, his touch moving from her waist, around to her lower back. Pulling her closer. But not enough to actually move her.
She arched into his touch, and took a step forward, giving his arms what they wanted. Pressing into his body as their kiss deepened.
His breathing picked up and his lips moved more vigorously. His grip around her tightening as his hunger for her increased.
She met his passion equally, wanting to flatten his body against hers.
His body was firm and she loved the feeling of his chest rise with each breath.
Practically melting in the power of his grip, but Shelby felt secure in his arms.
She moved her other arm around his neck, feeling down the strength of his back, her hands wanting to learn and feel every muscle, every ridge.
The hand on her lower back pressed into her, but the other loosened. His fingertips began a delicate exploration up around her shoulder and across her collar bone. The rough texture of his fingertips traced faint lines up her neck and to the base of her head. They began weaving through her curly hair as he gently pressed her face closer to his own.
A small chime came from his pocket and she felt him shift in her arms.
His body gently released her and she could feel the reluctance as his mouth parted from hers.
Her eyes fluttered open and she caught her breath.
He pulled his phone from his pocket, his face quickly turned to stone again as he read the screen. "I really have to go."
Shelby took a step back, and felt a strange detachment from her body as she did. Her heart was still racing and she wanted nothing more than for Nacho to put his phone back and let them pick up where they left off.
"I'll see you again." Nacho quickly got in his car and drove away with a plume of dust and sand behind him.
He hadn't said it like they had just made plans, but he did say it like a promise.
Shelby sighed and slumped into her car. She took a second to catch her breath but her head was practically spinning the whole drive home.