Chapter 25 – Faces in the Crowd
After my horrible night with Brian my time seemed to fly by. The guys made me take Sunday off from the Acura. I protested but they said there was no way they were letting me work on the car 7 days a week.
Things were going well on the car anyway. The setbacks I'd been worried about hadn't happened.
Well, they hadn't so far. The car was gone to the body shop and the mammoth engine was bolted to a stand in the back of the shop. I was taking my time with it. I wanted every last part of it to be perfect.
I wanted it to be ready to go into the car as soon as it got back from its stay with Tej's friend. I knew it wasn't likely to be, but I have a week left of the time Tej gave me so unless I run into trouble with getting the engine back into the car.
Or I forget how to put the engine back together, or some of my parts I ordered don't show.
Dom always said I worried too much about the details. I guess it comes from being the only one to worry about the details. Dom worried about the money but he left the details to chance. I couldn't live that way so I was always planning and worrying.
If Dom promised a car would be ready in a certain amount of time he'd just order the parts, start the job and hope that it all came together. It mostly did, but what Dom never seemed to realize is it did because I was always following up with Harry to make sure the parts got ordered and were on the way, and to be sure we didn't over book the garage.
Like I said, Dom had lots of worries, but mostly about our cars and money. The simple day to day worries like stock for the store and running the garage fell to me. It was kind of nice to just be worrying about one car not ten for a change. Thank god for Mia.
This one time, well the day Brian showed up with the supra, Mia was trying, without success to get Dom to deal with the accounts payable for our parts and customer service bills. But like always when he was in 'mechanic' mode he didn't want to make time for dealing with it and told her to hold off on it.
But a lot more was riding on this car then the typical ten from DT. The people who owned the cars in our shop would be a bit annoyed if we took an extra day to fix their rides. If I took an extra day to fix this one I was out of a job.
And on that thought I striped the last piece off the second head of the engine and stood up with a smile and a groan for my poor back.
I was ready to send the heads out to be planed and then start to reassemble everything with the bigger and better parts I'd ordered for it last week.
At least the car was going my way. Everything else was going down the shitter but not the Acura.
Fiona hadn't spoken to me since race night. I think, strangely enough she was embarrassed about having said what she did while I could hear her. Of course, in a lot of ways she deserved to be embarrassed.
Brian was an adult. An adult who could make up his own mind about what he wanted to do and how. If he wanted to have me around then it was his business. And he's right. He messed up too.
Not as bad as we did, I know. But he still did. He loves Mia and that's not for his sister to like or not like. Or at least, not for her to decided for him. I suppose she can have as many opinions on it as she wants, but she doesn't have to share them.
She and Brian haven't really been talking and I think it's my fault. But when I told Brian that he told me to be quiet and that he and his sister would work things out like they always did. I think he was more then a little pissed off at her attitude himself.
But so I avoided Fiona, worked on a car and talked pretty much only to Brian and Rome for that whole week. It wasn't much fun, but it kept me busy. Rome took me out to dinner a few more times and once we saw another movie. Fiona didn't seem to like that much either. Makes me wonder if maybe she had a thing for Rome herself.
She sure gave me a dirty look from the couch when Rome walked me home from the car after the movie. He walked into the house with me and ruffled her hair. It was plain to me that he loved her like a sister. It was also becoming more apparent she wished he'd love her like more then that.
Oh joy, yet another reason she'll have to hate me. I don't even plan on staying with Rome for long and she likely knows that. So it'll look like I'm just using the man she wants. Not only that but he doesn't see her as a woman, but he clearly sees me that way. Maybe someday when he realizes that I'm not the girl for him he'll see Fiona the way she wishes he would.
But for now I get to put up with her being mad at me for so many reasons I've lost count.
"Night." I told Rome as he went to leave the house.
"Night Lett. You back to the car tomorrow?"
"You know it." I sighed.
"Maybe I'll give you a hand."
"Thanks. But I want to do this one alone. Next time."
"Ok." Rome smiled, ran a finger down my cheek and left the boat. I went to bed before I had to put up with miss broody. I spend a lot of time in my room that week too.
I snapped out of it and looked at the engine again. I cleaned the heads off in our parts washer and then sent them to the machine shop by courier. Again, Tej knew the guy who owned the machine shop so the heads would be back later that afternoon. Everything got rushed when it was for tej.
I started putting the new rings on the pistons that were ok. Some of them had to be replaced and the replacements aren't in yet. I really hope that the new pistons I had to order for it come in today like they're supposed to. Not to mention I don't have the head gaskets yet.
I mean, before I know it the car will be back and I won't have the engine ready to drop into it at this rate. But that's just me being paranoid. I am a worrier. I think, in some ways that's why I like Rome. He's the polar opposite to a worrier and it's almost like he cancels some of me out when we're just having fun together.
But no matter how fun he is he can't make me forget how much I miss my team. I really miss them. Things just aren't the same around here. I miss the team atmosphere, the camradiery that we had back home. The way we fought and teased and helped each other. It make work more like family social hour a lot of the time. Around here it's sort of just like any other 9 to 5 lately.
I got most of the engine cleaned, ground all the valves, polished the intake manifold, and then realized it was lunch time. I had just been planning to do what I'd been doing most days since I started the engine of the Acura for lunch: eating a sandwich at my work bench so that I wouldn't lose too much time. But since the pistons and gaskets had to come before I could go much further I figured I'd take a nice drive in Ray and maybe take a little walk on the boardwalk for something to do.
I grabbed my keys and my sweater, slid on my shades and headed out with a little wave to Tej and Jimmy so they'd know I went out. Tej didn't ever seem to mind when I took off without telling him where I was going or when I'd be back. He just let me do my own thing, and for once that was nice. I was in the mood to be alone for awhile. Plus it was nice to be treated like an adult who could decide when she could take lunch, when she could work late or go early. Tej was letting me do my project my way. He'd told me what to do and when to have it done. Now he was leaving it up to me to get it done on time. Not micromanaging me every second of the day.
I hit the freeway running and just drove for a while. The wind rushed in the open windows and I weaved in and out of the other cars on the road like they were pylons and I was running the slalom. I picked an exit and used it to turn around and head back to town. When I got back I got some lunch then I took off my sweater, tossed it in the car and went for a walk on the boardwalk.
It was a beautiful day. We hadn't had much but beautiful days since I got into Miami so I don't know why I'm acting like a nice sunny day is a big deal. A rainy day would be a bigger shock then the sun is right now. But still the sun felt good on my bare shoulders.
I stood looking over the water for a while, just thinking. Not really about much in particular. You ever do that? Just stand or sit somewhere and think, then stop and realize you haven't really thought about anything. You didn't plan anything, or figure anything out or come to any deep discoveries. You haven't been philosophical, or smart, or solved world hunger or granted world peace. You've just killed time thinking about not much at all.
Well, that's what I did on the boardwalk. I guess I likely thought about something, but I have no idea what it was. But then with a mental sigh I figured it was time to go back to the wonderful world of Tej's garage. It's not that I don't like it there. If I didn't then I wouldn't be killing myself to prove I can do the job. It's just that this car is fast becoming the bane of my existence. Things don't arrive, they don't come apart like they should, they don't go back together the way they should...But I'm making it look easy and so far I have been able to figure it all out on my own.
I merged myself into the ebbing flow of humanity that was also taking a stroll on the boardwalk that afternoon and headed back toward where I'd left my car. It was again strange to just be a person in the crowd. No one knew me and no one cared. I may as well have been invisible to all the people around. I felt pretty isolated in that moment. Just another Latina girl in a city full of them. Just another person in the crowd, just another face.
I happened to look up at the heads of the people in front of me and found myself doing a double take. There was a man in front of me a few feet, with a few people between us, who I would swear I knew. But I didn't know anyone in Miami other then Brian, Rome and the rest of the gang from Tej's, and this guy wasn't from Tej's.
But the build of the man screamed out 'you know me!', the way he walked said 'we've met'. He had shaggy light brown hair, and a fairly buff build. If I didn't know better I'd swear it was Vince. But Vince is home in L.A. right? He can't be in Miami. Can he?
I started to panic. What if it was Vince? What should I do? Should I hide? Should I try to get in front of him and see if it is him or just someone with the same shaggy hair cut? What's gonna happen to things if it is him?
Fuck it, if it's Vince then he's here. He's likely gonna find me anyway. He's just gotta go to any garage with an import out front and ask if there's a new s14 on the scene doing a lot of winning. Then he'll have me, and at Tej's to make it even better. I might be able to talk to him around here in neutral territory and send him home if I talk to him here. If it's even him.
And if it is him, I don't want to know what'll happen if he meets up with Brian. Vince never liked Brian. He liked him even less after the whole 'hey I was a cop' thing Brian pulled at the end of things.
Ok, well, no way around it, I need to know if it's him.
"Vee?" I called. Not too loud, but loud enough that I know the guy will hear me. It it's not him he won't look. If it is him then he'll turn around. Boy thinks Vee is his name for crying out loud. He's only called Vince by Dom and when we're mad at him.
After I called he stopped walking. Not good.
He turned around slowly and there I was looking into the baby blues of Vince.
He smiled and I ran at him. He caught me and picked me up around the waist spinning me around in a happy circle.
"Letty!" He called happily.
"Vee!" Ok, I should be mad. And I will be. But for now I'm just so happy to see him I don't care how he found me or what will happen. I haven't seen him in over two weeks and I missed him. I kissed his cheeks and threw my head back laughing. My Vee found me.
It should suck. And it will. Just not yet.
"You know, you are one hard girl to find."
"That was the point Vee. I didn't want you guys to find me."
"I know. But I had to check it out when some punk came into the garage saying he just had his ass beat down by a girl in a purple s14 in Miami."
"So you didn't dig?" I cocked one eyebrow, clearly not believing him.
"I swear I didn't. You didn't say I couldn't visit if I found you honestly." Vince tried to look sweet and innocent. It didn't work. Innocent is one look that Vince will never be able to pull off.
"Don't pull that angel crap with me Vincent. I know you're anything but."
"Yeah, yeah, ok. But I swear I didn't dig to find you. You covered your tracks pretty good Let. It was some punk in a Toyota MR-2 who came in after he busted his rear seal and happened to complain about a girl who'd won his car and sold it back to him that made me clue in it was you."
"I shoulda known I couldn't race and win and not have some info about it get back to L.A. How'd you keep if from Dom?"
"Who says I did."
"Vince, not even funny. If Dom is around here somewhere then I'm out."
"I didn't tell Dom. I value not being dead too much for you to find out I let Dom find you. I just told him that I had to go scout out something for the Maxima."
"And he bought that?"
"Seemed to. He hasn't been the same since you left."
"Is this gonna turn into an attempt to make me pity him again?"
"Only if it'll work and make you come home with me."
"How would I go home with you Vee? I have my car and you have yours."
"I flew."
"You what!?" Vince hates to fly anywhere. He hates airplanes. Of course, he's not scared. No, not big tough coyote. He just would rather drive is all.
"I flew out here. Well, I drove into Texas so Dom would think I drove and then I took a plane from Texas to Miami."
"When did you get smart?" I asked in a smart tone.
"I always been smart, just don't tell on me." Vince winked at me, put an arm around me and started me walking with him. "So, where you stayin and do I get to meet the mysterious 'B' that Dom hasn't been able to stop bitchin about since you and him had your big fight on the phone."
"I'm staying somewhere close to the water, no you don't get to meet B."
"Why not? He weird? You ashamed of where you live?"
No, I don't want you to kill my roomie, I thought. How am I gonna get rid of Vince in one day? He's not gonna want to shove off right away. He's gonna want to stay with me for a few I'd be willing to bet.
"No he's not weird. But well, we don't have a lot of room and I'm really busy at work. I don't have time to visit right now Vince. I mean, you knew I wanted my space."
"Yeah, but I wanted to know you were ok. And to check out where you're working and who you're staying with. You shoulda known that I wouldn't let you just stay with strangers and work for them too. I need to look out for you Let."
"Vince, I can look out for myself. Didn't you realize one of the reasons I needed a break from Dominic was because he always tried to 'look out for me' till I felt smothered?"
"I don't think wanting to check out the people your with to make sure they aren't gonna mistreat my girl is smothering you. Besides, I brought my guitar. Don't miss me playing songs for you?"
"Yeah, ok, but I'da come home sooner or later."
"Yeah, but now we can hang out in Miami for awhile and you don't have to miss me till you come back."
"Who says I ever missed you?"
"You told me you did, remember."
"Nope." I lied, not wanting to admit that I'd admitted I missed him in my moment of weakness.
We reached my car at that point. And there, standing against it was Rome. Oh fuck.
Here's Vince, with his arm around me smiling and occasionally playing with a piece of my hair in that friendly older brother way he has with me that looks friendlier then it is and there is Rome, looking at us from his position beside my car in a way that can only be described as territorial. This is not going to be good.
After my horrible night with Brian my time seemed to fly by. The guys made me take Sunday off from the Acura. I protested but they said there was no way they were letting me work on the car 7 days a week.
Things were going well on the car anyway. The setbacks I'd been worried about hadn't happened.
Well, they hadn't so far. The car was gone to the body shop and the mammoth engine was bolted to a stand in the back of the shop. I was taking my time with it. I wanted every last part of it to be perfect.
I wanted it to be ready to go into the car as soon as it got back from its stay with Tej's friend. I knew it wasn't likely to be, but I have a week left of the time Tej gave me so unless I run into trouble with getting the engine back into the car.
Or I forget how to put the engine back together, or some of my parts I ordered don't show.
Dom always said I worried too much about the details. I guess it comes from being the only one to worry about the details. Dom worried about the money but he left the details to chance. I couldn't live that way so I was always planning and worrying.
If Dom promised a car would be ready in a certain amount of time he'd just order the parts, start the job and hope that it all came together. It mostly did, but what Dom never seemed to realize is it did because I was always following up with Harry to make sure the parts got ordered and were on the way, and to be sure we didn't over book the garage.
Like I said, Dom had lots of worries, but mostly about our cars and money. The simple day to day worries like stock for the store and running the garage fell to me. It was kind of nice to just be worrying about one car not ten for a change. Thank god for Mia.
This one time, well the day Brian showed up with the supra, Mia was trying, without success to get Dom to deal with the accounts payable for our parts and customer service bills. But like always when he was in 'mechanic' mode he didn't want to make time for dealing with it and told her to hold off on it.
But a lot more was riding on this car then the typical ten from DT. The people who owned the cars in our shop would be a bit annoyed if we took an extra day to fix their rides. If I took an extra day to fix this one I was out of a job.
And on that thought I striped the last piece off the second head of the engine and stood up with a smile and a groan for my poor back.
I was ready to send the heads out to be planed and then start to reassemble everything with the bigger and better parts I'd ordered for it last week.
At least the car was going my way. Everything else was going down the shitter but not the Acura.
Fiona hadn't spoken to me since race night. I think, strangely enough she was embarrassed about having said what she did while I could hear her. Of course, in a lot of ways she deserved to be embarrassed.
Brian was an adult. An adult who could make up his own mind about what he wanted to do and how. If he wanted to have me around then it was his business. And he's right. He messed up too.
Not as bad as we did, I know. But he still did. He loves Mia and that's not for his sister to like or not like. Or at least, not for her to decided for him. I suppose she can have as many opinions on it as she wants, but she doesn't have to share them.
She and Brian haven't really been talking and I think it's my fault. But when I told Brian that he told me to be quiet and that he and his sister would work things out like they always did. I think he was more then a little pissed off at her attitude himself.
But so I avoided Fiona, worked on a car and talked pretty much only to Brian and Rome for that whole week. It wasn't much fun, but it kept me busy. Rome took me out to dinner a few more times and once we saw another movie. Fiona didn't seem to like that much either. Makes me wonder if maybe she had a thing for Rome herself.
She sure gave me a dirty look from the couch when Rome walked me home from the car after the movie. He walked into the house with me and ruffled her hair. It was plain to me that he loved her like a sister. It was also becoming more apparent she wished he'd love her like more then that.
Oh joy, yet another reason she'll have to hate me. I don't even plan on staying with Rome for long and she likely knows that. So it'll look like I'm just using the man she wants. Not only that but he doesn't see her as a woman, but he clearly sees me that way. Maybe someday when he realizes that I'm not the girl for him he'll see Fiona the way she wishes he would.
But for now I get to put up with her being mad at me for so many reasons I've lost count.
"Night." I told Rome as he went to leave the house.
"Night Lett. You back to the car tomorrow?"
"You know it." I sighed.
"Maybe I'll give you a hand."
"Thanks. But I want to do this one alone. Next time."
"Ok." Rome smiled, ran a finger down my cheek and left the boat. I went to bed before I had to put up with miss broody. I spend a lot of time in my room that week too.
I snapped out of it and looked at the engine again. I cleaned the heads off in our parts washer and then sent them to the machine shop by courier. Again, Tej knew the guy who owned the machine shop so the heads would be back later that afternoon. Everything got rushed when it was for tej.
I started putting the new rings on the pistons that were ok. Some of them had to be replaced and the replacements aren't in yet. I really hope that the new pistons I had to order for it come in today like they're supposed to. Not to mention I don't have the head gaskets yet.
I mean, before I know it the car will be back and I won't have the engine ready to drop into it at this rate. But that's just me being paranoid. I am a worrier. I think, in some ways that's why I like Rome. He's the polar opposite to a worrier and it's almost like he cancels some of me out when we're just having fun together.
But no matter how fun he is he can't make me forget how much I miss my team. I really miss them. Things just aren't the same around here. I miss the team atmosphere, the camradiery that we had back home. The way we fought and teased and helped each other. It make work more like family social hour a lot of the time. Around here it's sort of just like any other 9 to 5 lately.
I got most of the engine cleaned, ground all the valves, polished the intake manifold, and then realized it was lunch time. I had just been planning to do what I'd been doing most days since I started the engine of the Acura for lunch: eating a sandwich at my work bench so that I wouldn't lose too much time. But since the pistons and gaskets had to come before I could go much further I figured I'd take a nice drive in Ray and maybe take a little walk on the boardwalk for something to do.
I grabbed my keys and my sweater, slid on my shades and headed out with a little wave to Tej and Jimmy so they'd know I went out. Tej didn't ever seem to mind when I took off without telling him where I was going or when I'd be back. He just let me do my own thing, and for once that was nice. I was in the mood to be alone for awhile. Plus it was nice to be treated like an adult who could decide when she could take lunch, when she could work late or go early. Tej was letting me do my project my way. He'd told me what to do and when to have it done. Now he was leaving it up to me to get it done on time. Not micromanaging me every second of the day.
I hit the freeway running and just drove for a while. The wind rushed in the open windows and I weaved in and out of the other cars on the road like they were pylons and I was running the slalom. I picked an exit and used it to turn around and head back to town. When I got back I got some lunch then I took off my sweater, tossed it in the car and went for a walk on the boardwalk.
It was a beautiful day. We hadn't had much but beautiful days since I got into Miami so I don't know why I'm acting like a nice sunny day is a big deal. A rainy day would be a bigger shock then the sun is right now. But still the sun felt good on my bare shoulders.
I stood looking over the water for a while, just thinking. Not really about much in particular. You ever do that? Just stand or sit somewhere and think, then stop and realize you haven't really thought about anything. You didn't plan anything, or figure anything out or come to any deep discoveries. You haven't been philosophical, or smart, or solved world hunger or granted world peace. You've just killed time thinking about not much at all.
Well, that's what I did on the boardwalk. I guess I likely thought about something, but I have no idea what it was. But then with a mental sigh I figured it was time to go back to the wonderful world of Tej's garage. It's not that I don't like it there. If I didn't then I wouldn't be killing myself to prove I can do the job. It's just that this car is fast becoming the bane of my existence. Things don't arrive, they don't come apart like they should, they don't go back together the way they should...But I'm making it look easy and so far I have been able to figure it all out on my own.
I merged myself into the ebbing flow of humanity that was also taking a stroll on the boardwalk that afternoon and headed back toward where I'd left my car. It was again strange to just be a person in the crowd. No one knew me and no one cared. I may as well have been invisible to all the people around. I felt pretty isolated in that moment. Just another Latina girl in a city full of them. Just another person in the crowd, just another face.
I happened to look up at the heads of the people in front of me and found myself doing a double take. There was a man in front of me a few feet, with a few people between us, who I would swear I knew. But I didn't know anyone in Miami other then Brian, Rome and the rest of the gang from Tej's, and this guy wasn't from Tej's.
But the build of the man screamed out 'you know me!', the way he walked said 'we've met'. He had shaggy light brown hair, and a fairly buff build. If I didn't know better I'd swear it was Vince. But Vince is home in L.A. right? He can't be in Miami. Can he?
I started to panic. What if it was Vince? What should I do? Should I hide? Should I try to get in front of him and see if it is him or just someone with the same shaggy hair cut? What's gonna happen to things if it is him?
Fuck it, if it's Vince then he's here. He's likely gonna find me anyway. He's just gotta go to any garage with an import out front and ask if there's a new s14 on the scene doing a lot of winning. Then he'll have me, and at Tej's to make it even better. I might be able to talk to him around here in neutral territory and send him home if I talk to him here. If it's even him.
And if it is him, I don't want to know what'll happen if he meets up with Brian. Vince never liked Brian. He liked him even less after the whole 'hey I was a cop' thing Brian pulled at the end of things.
Ok, well, no way around it, I need to know if it's him.
"Vee?" I called. Not too loud, but loud enough that I know the guy will hear me. It it's not him he won't look. If it is him then he'll turn around. Boy thinks Vee is his name for crying out loud. He's only called Vince by Dom and when we're mad at him.
After I called he stopped walking. Not good.
He turned around slowly and there I was looking into the baby blues of Vince.
He smiled and I ran at him. He caught me and picked me up around the waist spinning me around in a happy circle.
"Letty!" He called happily.
"Vee!" Ok, I should be mad. And I will be. But for now I'm just so happy to see him I don't care how he found me or what will happen. I haven't seen him in over two weeks and I missed him. I kissed his cheeks and threw my head back laughing. My Vee found me.
It should suck. And it will. Just not yet.
"You know, you are one hard girl to find."
"That was the point Vee. I didn't want you guys to find me."
"I know. But I had to check it out when some punk came into the garage saying he just had his ass beat down by a girl in a purple s14 in Miami."
"So you didn't dig?" I cocked one eyebrow, clearly not believing him.
"I swear I didn't. You didn't say I couldn't visit if I found you honestly." Vince tried to look sweet and innocent. It didn't work. Innocent is one look that Vince will never be able to pull off.
"Don't pull that angel crap with me Vincent. I know you're anything but."
"Yeah, yeah, ok. But I swear I didn't dig to find you. You covered your tracks pretty good Let. It was some punk in a Toyota MR-2 who came in after he busted his rear seal and happened to complain about a girl who'd won his car and sold it back to him that made me clue in it was you."
"I shoulda known I couldn't race and win and not have some info about it get back to L.A. How'd you keep if from Dom?"
"Who says I did."
"Vince, not even funny. If Dom is around here somewhere then I'm out."
"I didn't tell Dom. I value not being dead too much for you to find out I let Dom find you. I just told him that I had to go scout out something for the Maxima."
"And he bought that?"
"Seemed to. He hasn't been the same since you left."
"Is this gonna turn into an attempt to make me pity him again?"
"Only if it'll work and make you come home with me."
"How would I go home with you Vee? I have my car and you have yours."
"I flew."
"You what!?" Vince hates to fly anywhere. He hates airplanes. Of course, he's not scared. No, not big tough coyote. He just would rather drive is all.
"I flew out here. Well, I drove into Texas so Dom would think I drove and then I took a plane from Texas to Miami."
"When did you get smart?" I asked in a smart tone.
"I always been smart, just don't tell on me." Vince winked at me, put an arm around me and started me walking with him. "So, where you stayin and do I get to meet the mysterious 'B' that Dom hasn't been able to stop bitchin about since you and him had your big fight on the phone."
"I'm staying somewhere close to the water, no you don't get to meet B."
"Why not? He weird? You ashamed of where you live?"
No, I don't want you to kill my roomie, I thought. How am I gonna get rid of Vince in one day? He's not gonna want to shove off right away. He's gonna want to stay with me for a few I'd be willing to bet.
"No he's not weird. But well, we don't have a lot of room and I'm really busy at work. I don't have time to visit right now Vince. I mean, you knew I wanted my space."
"Yeah, but I wanted to know you were ok. And to check out where you're working and who you're staying with. You shoulda known that I wouldn't let you just stay with strangers and work for them too. I need to look out for you Let."
"Vince, I can look out for myself. Didn't you realize one of the reasons I needed a break from Dominic was because he always tried to 'look out for me' till I felt smothered?"
"I don't think wanting to check out the people your with to make sure they aren't gonna mistreat my girl is smothering you. Besides, I brought my guitar. Don't miss me playing songs for you?"
"Yeah, ok, but I'da come home sooner or later."
"Yeah, but now we can hang out in Miami for awhile and you don't have to miss me till you come back."
"Who says I ever missed you?"
"You told me you did, remember."
"Nope." I lied, not wanting to admit that I'd admitted I missed him in my moment of weakness.
We reached my car at that point. And there, standing against it was Rome. Oh fuck.
Here's Vince, with his arm around me smiling and occasionally playing with a piece of my hair in that friendly older brother way he has with me that looks friendlier then it is and there is Rome, looking at us from his position beside my car in a way that can only be described as territorial. This is not going to be good.