Chapter 21

Dom wandered aimlessly around the garage, searching for something to do. Things had been slow around the garage lately, almost to the point where he was starting to worry about money, something he hadn't had to do in a long time. He'd thought that after Letty quit, that they would have been bombarded and shorthanded, but it was the complete opposite. A few guys had even stopped coming in all together when they'd found out she'd quit. Dom shrugged it off at first, but then realized that for the short time that she'd been back, she'd established a pretty regular clientele. He wasn't all that surprised. She was a damn good mechanic. And not to mention hot as...

"Ugh," Dom groaned in frustration, running a hand over his freshly shaven head.

"Yo Dom, what's your problem?" Vince called from the other side of the garage.

"Nothin," he replied, pacing around the desk.

"You're gonna wear out that floor," Vince laughed. "What's your fuckin problem?"

Dom stopped pacing, and took a seat at the counter. He picked up the clip board and looked over the days appointments. There were only three. All day.

"You heard from Letty at all?" Dom asked nonchalantly, not taking his eyes off the clip board.

"Yeah," Vince replied. He smiled, knowing his short answer would drive his best friend crazy.

"Yeah?" Dom asked, looking up. "And you haven't said anything to me?"

"You told me you didn't want to talk about her. Why would I tell you?" he replied.

"When'd you talk to her last?" Dom inquired.

"Yesterday. Went to her doctor appointment with her and then took her to lunch."

"You did what?! Why the fuck didn't you tell me?" Dom yelled, standing up from behind the desk, pushing the chair aside in anger.

"Because you told me you didn't want to talk about her," Vince reiterated.

Dom's heart raced. He was livid.

"You went to a doctor appointment with her?!" he yelled.

"Yeah. I've been to all of them with her, bro. She's my friend too in case you forgot," Vince said sternly.

Wait, what the hell was he doing? Why was he so angry? He had agreed to respect her wishes, and leave her alone. Why was this driving him so insane? Fuck.

"She alright? And the baby?" Dom asked, his demeanor softening a bit.

"Yeah," Vince replied, turning his attention back to the Viper he'd been working on. Another short answer. Another well though out, short answer.

"That's your fuckin answer? Yeah?" Dom snapped.

Vince smiled. Bait taken.

"What do you wanna know bro?" he asked.

"I dunno," Dom replied as he began pacing around again. "She's what, three months now? Is she feelin okay? And money? How is she making money?" the questions were coming out one after another.

"She's feelin okay yeah," Vince replied, "starting to show a bit. She's wearin those flowy shirts now, the girly ones like Mia wears. It's weird."

"What?" Dom laughed. "No more see through snakeskin shirts?" he half joked, unable to get the thought of Letty's body out of his head...

"Her boobs are huge too," Vince added, with a sly smirk.

"Vince!" Dom yelled, outraged at the thought of anyone else even attempting to look at Letty.

Wait, what the fuck was he thinking??

"So how's Debbie?" Vince asked with a smile.

"What?"

"Debbie...your girlfriend?"

"I know, I heard you," Dom replied, annoyed. "My minds just..."

"On Letty?"

"Fuck you."

"Why don't you call her?" Vince asked as he sat down for a smoke break.

"Cause there's nothing to talk about," Dom replied flatly. "This conversations over. I gotta get going."

"Where you goin?"

"Gotta meet Debbie in the city. Some business dinner. She wanted me to come," Dom gathered his keys and headed toward the lot.

"Business dinner huh?" Vince laughed. "Yeah, have fun bro," he added, rolling his eyes.

.................

"Sir, may I get you something to drink?" the waiter asked politely, fixing the tie on his uniform.

"Yeah, uh, grab me a Corona," Dom replied, leaning back in his chair.

"Sure sir, a Corona," the waiter replied before retreating to get their drinks.

"Dom!" Debbie whispered, poking him in the arm, "that was rude!"

"What? How was that rude?" Dom asked, confused.

"You don't tell someone to grab you a drink at a place like this," she snapped.

"What?" he laughed. "Then what am I supposed to say?"

"I don't know Dom. Just try and be a little more..."

"A little more what?" Dom snapped back, not liking at all how the evening was starting out.

Just then, Debbie's clients arrived, and Dom was glad because his attitude was starting to flare up. What the fuck did she want him to be like?

After some formal introductions and pointless small talk, they ordered dinner.

"So Dom, what do you do?" one of the clients asked.

Dom was taken aback, not too happy that the conversation had turned to him, but proceeded to tell him about the DT's and the market that he owned in Echo Park.

"Echo Park?" the other asked, wide eyed. "Isn't there a high crime rate there?"

"What?" Dom laughed. "I've lived there all my life. It's no worse than anywhere else in LA."

"I thought you said you lived in a condo on 5th street?" The other client asked Debbie.

"We do," she replied, slightly flustered.

"I own a house in Echo Park," Dom stated loudly, and not quite sure why. Debbie shot him a look.

"My sister Mia lives there. It's a nice house. Right down the street from the garage and the market that I own," he added confidently.

"So," Debbie said, cutting him off and turning toward her clients, "I was thinking that if you invested in a few mutual funds, then you could..."

Normally, Dom would have been furious at having been cut off, but for some reason he just didn't care. He sipped on his Corona as his thoughts drifted elsewhere...a little place called Baja...

***

"You sure I'm not hurting you?" Dom panted, digging his face into the crook of her neck, balancing his heavy body on his forearms. It had been almost a month since the accident, it was the first time they'd made love since.

"No." Letty replied. He was hurting her a little, she just didn't have the heart to tell him. Besides, she didn't care, it felt good to have him close again...

It didn't take him long. When they were done he sparked up a cigarette and opened the window to their bedroom, letting the salty ocean air blow in.

"Hey Dom?" Letty called from the bed.

"Hmm?" Dom asked, staring out the window.

"You wanna hit the beach in a bit? Maybe do some swimming?" she asked, smiling, pulling the covers up around her as she turned onto her side.

Dom shook his head. "Naw. I got some shit I need to do."

"What kind of shit?" Letty asked, tired of trying to get him to do something other than beg her for sex.

"Just...shit. Don't worry about it," he snapped, grabbing a towel and heading into the bathroom.

.......................

Oh my god, I was suck a fucking asshole! How the fuck could I have treated her like that? he thought, rubbing at his temples. It wasn't her fault. None of it. He pushed her away. They were in the position they are in now because of him.

His mind raced as he looked around the table at his life.

Business dinners, limo's, accounts, business trips, condo's, briefcases, clients... That was his life... now.

Running late, cursing, racing, yelling, oil stained clothes, barbeque's, watching movies, parties, guitars, Corona, tequila, techno music, running from cops, fighting, massages...Letty.... That was his life...then.

THAT was his life. That was his fucking life and he wanted it back. That was his fucking life and he was going to get it back.