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Working at the auto body made me feel accomplished. Being in the presence of Monika, even if it's just watching her from across the room, calms me in a way that nobody else can.
Maybe the combination of those things will make me as close to happy as I can get.
Chapter Thirty-six
MONIKA
I walk into Enrique's Auto Body determined to talk to Vic today. He's been hiding out in Isa's apartment while I've been downstairs, not able to concentrate knowing he's so close. Isa's been giving me bookkeeping jobs and has me cleaning the shop, but she hasn't trusted me to work on cars.
Today was supposed to be the day she'd start training me as a mechanic. The other guy who works here, Bernie, has been fired so many times I can't imagine why he keeps coming back.
But today Bernie isn't here.
Isa is leaning under the hood of a car with someone else--a guy. A burst of excitement rushes through me at the prospect of seeing Vic.
I hold my head up high and say in a confident voice, "I'm ready for my first day of training."
The guy looks up. It's not Vic. He's got dark hair that falls down his forehead and an air of confidence that reminds me of Vic.
"I need to talk to Vic first, if that's okay," I ask Isa.
"It's fine with me, but he's not here," she says.
"He's not?" Wow. From what Isa told me, he's been holed up in the upstairs apartment since the accident. "Where did he go?"
"Beats me." Isa gestures to the wall. "If you're ready to work, there's a coverall hangin' over there. Put it on so your clothes don't get dirty."
"Thanks." I grab the coveralls and step into them. The scent of men's cologne mixed with the familiar smell of a guy is prevalent on the coveralls...Vic's scent. After I zip it up, I look at the embroidered name tag on the front that reads VICTOR.
It's strange, but I feel empowered wearing them. It's like the minute I put them on, I inherited Vic's confidence. Knowing that I'm taking his place while he doubted me gives me a renewed sense of determination.
I walk over to Isa and the guy who's helping her work on the car. I'm trying not to think about Vic and his whereabouts, but he's all I can think about. Where would he go?
"I'm ready," I tell them. "Put me to work."
Both Isa and the guy look at me. "What do you know about cars?" the guy asks.
"Not much."
He raises a brow. "You know how to change oil? Tires?"
Time to give them the brutal truth. "I know how to pump gas and drive. That's pretty much the extent of my car knowledge. While I don't have any hands-on knowledge, I did watch a video on how to do an oil change. And a tire rotation, although I'm a little fuzzy on the details."
A chuckle escapes from the guy's mouth. "Isa, you hired a mechanic who doesn't know shit about cars."
"I'm aware of that. But she's free labor for now, so she'll work out just fine." Isa pats the guy's shoulder. "You can teach her stuff, Alex. I have faith in you. Hell, you taught me everythin' I know about cars."
I nod. "I'm a fast learner," I add excitedly. "And my dad taught me how to drive stick shift."
He doesn't seem impressed. "I guess I can teach her how to do an oil change, drain transmission fluid, and change brake pads."
"You're the best," Isa says. "I forgot to introduce you. Monika, this is my friend Alex. We grew up together. He's a genius when it comes to fixin' cars." She looks down and shifts her feet. "Truth is, this place would've gone under a long time ago if it weren't for him and his wife."
Alex shakes his head as if he doesn't deserve any credit. "No es gran cosa. Bernie has been helpin' you out, but you're just too stubborn to give him credit."
"Don't say it's not a big deal," Isa insists. "It is. And don't mention the B word again. When I talked to Brittany this morning about Vic and all the problems I'm having at the shop, I didn't expect her to send you here." She pretends to pick at a piece of lint on her coveralls. "You have your graduate work at the university to do, Alex. You and Brit don't need to rescue me. You've got your kid to worry about, and a pregnant wife."
I feel sorry for Isa. She looks and acts tough, but she just showed a glimpse that she's vulnerable and sad. I would hug her like Ashtyn and I hug when we're sad, but I'd be afraid that Isa would slug me if I did that. She intimidates me, but I kinda like that because she doesn't treat me like I'm some kind of fragile diva.
"It's cool," Alex says. "Brit and I want to help, so go work and I'll teach Monika some stuff so she's not standin' around doin' nada."
Isa leaves me in Alex's care after announcing that she has to run an errand. I'm jittery, because it's obvious I'm not the least bit qualified to fix cars. It's comforting that Alex is going to help me, though. He doesn't look put out or upset about it, either.
I look at the name tag on my chest once again--Victor. He did everything in his power to discourage Isa from hiring me. Trey didn't have faith in me getting my hands dirty, either. I'm not going to let that bother me, though. Their lack of confidence in me isn't stopping me from proving to everyone, including myself, that I can do this.
"Follow me," Alex says, leading me to a huge toolbox in the middle of the shop. "I need to teach you the basics of an oil change."
As he leads me under one of the cars, I put a hand over my head as if that'll help if the car drops. "What if the car falls off and crashes onto us?" I ask.
"It won't," he says. "The lift is solid."
I glance at the lift holding up the car. I'm not convinced it's safe, but Alex acts like it's no big deal if he gets smashed by a falling three-thousand-pound hunk of metal.
"Here," he says, shining a flashlight under the car. "You have to find the drain plug. See it right there?"
I put my hand on my back to support it so I can twist my body without too much stress on my spine. "No."
He groans the slightest bit. "Give me your hand," he says, then places my fingers on the plug. "Feel that?" he asks.
"Yeah. I feel it."
"All right, Fuentes. I'll take it from here," echoes a familiar voice from the front of the shop. It's Vic, wearing a scowl on his face. "If anyone's gonna show Monika what to do around here, it's gonna be me from now on."
Chapter Thirty-seven
VICTOR
When I walk in the shop, this dude named Alex Fuentes who Isa went to high school with was standing under a Buick showing Monika how to do an oil change. It wouldn't be so bad if Fuentes looked like an ogre or that nerd Bernie, but he doesn't.
Not by a long shot.
The pendejo resembles a model or actor, and he's showing off his ripped muscles in a black tank. When his hand touches Monika's as he instructs her how to change the oil on the car, my hands ball into fists.
I haven't seen Alex in forever. His cousin was Enrique. Supposedly Fuentes is at Northwestern studying medicine or something like that. He used to come by more often, but that was before I started working for Isa.
"Oh, really?" Alex says. "'Cause from what Isa told me, you've been upstairs sittin' on your ass. I'm here to help Isa because you've slacked off," Alex grumbles as he leaves Monika under the car to fetch an oil collector.
"Fuck you, man," I say. He has no clue what the hell I've been through. I'm not about to be judged by him, or anyone else.
Alex stops in his tracks and turns to me. "What'd you say?"
"Fuck. You."
"Vic, stop acting like a jerk," Monika chimes in. "He's right."
"It's cool, Monika." Alex seems amused that someone would challenge a guy like him. "Listen, amigo," he says, stepping closer. "You can either help or get the hell out of here. Which is it?"
He holds out the oil collector as we stare each other down.
"Victor," Monika says in a warning tone.
I keep my eyes on Fuentes, but Monika's voice echoes in my ear. My instinct is to throw the first punch, especially with a guy like Fuentes who won't back down. My veins are fired up and my blood is pumping hard. I don't give a shit if he's
tough. I'm not afraid. We can battle it out right here.
Trey isn't here to protect Monika from everyone and everything--so I convince myself that as of now it's my job.
I can't be her protector when she's pissed at me, so I back down.
My eyes focus on the oil collector still in Alex's hand.
I grab it away from him and roll my eyes when he gives me a satisfied nod.
"You remind me of myself when I was a punk," Fuentes says. "All piss and vinegar. Wait until a girl comes along who'll bring you to your knees. Dudes like you aren't immune, guey."
"Yeah, whatever," I mumble, glad he has a wife and kid to keep him occupied so he's not hanging around here all day and night. "I'm nothin' like you."
"You have no clue."
I step under the car next to Monika, who's wearing my coveralls. They're too big on her, but damn, she could be the centerfold for any magazine.
