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Jimmy stopped what he was doing and looked at him. "They sure straightened their acts up since you've been fooling with them, boss. Dad said what you're doin' for the neighborhood is a good thing. He said if more guys like you would take an interest his job would be a lot simpler. I've stayed late a couple of times and watched you work with them. You're damned good, as good as I ever seen. I think it's great. I mean they really like you, and they are a scruffy bunch. I just don't think you see the po-potent-ah-you know what I'm sayin'."
Nick smiled crookedly. "Yeah, I know what you're sayin'. Goodnight Jimmy. See ya tomorrow."
"I'd stay and help ya, but I gotta date with Gloria."
"No worries, I can handle it, mate," Nick answered in a strange Australian accent that made both of them laugh. "I didn't know you were dating Gloria. Wonder why Tina never mentioned it. How long has that been going on?"
"'Bout a month. She's a nice girl. Don't blame me; it was Tina that introduced us to the idea. Catch ya later, then."
"Okay, Jimmy." Nick went back to his position under the car. He made a couple of adjustments and sailed out from under the Chevy with a frown.
Did he have potential? He wondered. He enjoyed his time with the kids. He knew ev
ery one of them by their first name, and most of their parents. Good kids, looking for a way to stay out of trouble.
He glanced about the place, seeing it for the first time as a stranger might, as Kelsey might. The garage could stand on its own merit, if he wanted it to. Up till now, he had only used it as a diversion from his regular job, a getaway. He liked having his own little haven to go to. Still, he knew all along that if he really wanted to turn it into a profit making business he probably could. It had become his refuge. And refuge and business didn't mix.
He never considered himself a failure in life. He supposed being happy made a man less apt to aspire to greatness. He had more than some, and he was happy. Still, there was a growing urge in him to do better now. Maybe Goody-Two-Shoes had something to do with that.
He threw down the wrench and wiped at his face, he had to get that dame off his mind. Although calling her a dame, even to himself left an aftertaste in his mouth. She was no dame. She was class, all class.
He glanced in the mirror, giving himself a Karate chop for being so stupid. Why hadn't he been more ambitious? Did he want to rot in this hellhole forever? He ambled to the garage doorway, watching the silent rain, and staring out onto the older buildings, and the docks beyond, toward the Hudson. A rough neighborhood once was now turning into a metropolis. He hated the changes going on, but it was home, like Mama said so often.
Practicing his moves, his mind filtered to the boys who had one by one drifted into his shop late at night out of curiosity. As young as twelve, as old as nineteen, they had come to know and respect Nick.
Weekends of National Guard duty, and a drill Sergeant that liked to pick on him, had trained him well. He had been proud of that hitch, learned so much from it. So when a bunch of scraggly kids with a penchant for trouble wandered into Nick's garage one night Nick decided it was time to teach them some manners. So it wasn't surprising to him that he ended up teaching them Karate in his spare time, late at night. Every Tuesday night they gathered here.
He smiled and nodded his satisfaction, maybe he wasn't ambitious, but he liked his life. Yes sire, he liked it a lot. He liked being important to his family and those kids. He liked coming here at night and tinkering till all hours of the night.
He smiled to himself, and then walked back to the car that seemed determined to undermine his success. He sent it a mock Karate chop.
"You're pretty good," Her voice tied Nick in knots. He didn't have to turn around to know Kelsey was standing in the garage doorway, watching. He felt himself tense, and grow warm, and wished he could control his vacillating reaction.
"Thanks."
What was she doing here? He picked up a screwdriver and dove back under a car. Maybe if he ignored her, she'd go away. After all, she was just a mirage, wasn't she? Maybe.
Silence stretched forever.
Realizing she wasn't leaving, Nick sighed heavily and slid out from under the car minutes later, to find her at his heels. She stood there in a shiny yellow raincoat, with water dripping off the edges, staring at him. "So what brings you slumming?"
"That's below you Nick, you're not an insulting person," she returned, the only evidence that he hit a nerve in her darkening eyes. Eyes a man could get lost in. Eyes he needed to forget.
"Sorry, I guess I'm tired." He stood up, stretched and headed for the other side of the garage where he had a small hot plate of coffee simmering. Besides, distance helped. "Want some?"
"Sure." She smiled and proceeded to take the raincoat off.
"You didn't answer my question," he stirred four teaspoons of sugar into her coffee, then turned around and gaped. She was wearing a spaghetti strapped sundress, of bright blue and yellow. It resembled a thin cloud, covering her.
"I'm not pregnant, Nick," she finally blurted out, her eyes never leaving him as he handed her the coffee.
He almost dropped the cup. It was the last kind of thing he expected to hear. His mouth flew open and he stood staring.
She took the cup from his hand.
She looked so different tonight than he had ever seen her, so fragile, so vulnerable, so sexy.
He stared at her for a long moment, his jaw working overtime at a grind. He needed a toothpick, or a cigarette. He'd never get over her bluntness. A lady that came to the point. His shoulders stiffened, as he slowly turned away, placing his coffee on the hood of another car. "I'm sorry. Is this my problem?"
