Be All, End All

“You don’t like me much, do you?”

Gregg had been silent so far as she drove. It was the longest stretch of time she’d seen him go without talking.

He looked at her when she spoke, “I just wonder what’cher intentions are.”

What the fuck was with these people? Did everyone they meet have a secret agenda? Or did they just think everyone did?

“I’m intending to work as much as possible. What else would my intentions be?”

He shrugged, “You just got pretty friendly with everyone pretty fast.”

“Pretty friendly? You think just cuz me and Vince are talking now that I must be doing him?”

He didn’t say anything and when she finally looked at him he raised an eyebrow as if he didn’t expect her to deny it. Well, she’d nailed that one. Fucker was probably thinkin’ she was balling everyone in the shop *except* him.

Darynn just shook her head, “Guys thinking with their dicks. I haven’t done anyone. Wasn’t plannin’ on it either. Thanks for the confidence. A chick’s only worth somethin’ when she’s flat on her back, huh?”

“Or on her knees,” he added with a shameless grin.

She laughed and punched him causing the car to swerve.

“Woah! No beating the passengers while your drivin’!” he hollered and gripped the door.

Darynn just laughed. Working with these boys was gonna be harder than she’d thought. Not only did they take offense at some of the silliest shit, they could change moods with the flip of a coin. Toss in the continual teasing, high testosterone levels, and some alcohol and things could get explosive.

She made the last turn off the highway in the approach to Che’s shop. The feeling she got driving up to her *last* place of employment in her Mazda was unexplainably good. When she’d arrived in San Diego she’d immediately bought a fixer-upper. Her Mazda was like eye candy, and she didn’t want a job because of it. Ironically, she’d done just that.

She purposely revved the engine as she pulled the car to a stop in front of the bay doors. Seconds passed and the mechanics started to drift out, eyes glued to her silver bullet.

Gregg climbed out and they greeted him familiarly. She couldn’t hear them, but saw them gesturing to the car. He in return pointed at the driver’s seat and she could see Rodney squinting at the car again. Apparently they couldn’t see into the car with the glare on the windshield.

Heart pounding like she was getting ready to race, she opened her door and stepped out, turning to face the Mazda’s admiring crowd. Degrees of shock and anger met her appearance.

“Hey, boys. Gregg needed a ride. The Nissan done?”

Rodney, the biggest ass of them all, looked back to Gregg. “What’s she doin’ here?”

Gregg glanced at her before saying, “She’s workin’ for Dom.”

Their looks changed immediately to show only surprise, but the hostility was gone now. Darynn had to wonder at that. Dom had said that he and his team had a reputation. Was this an example of it? By working for him did she automatically assume that reputation as well? If so she was damn sure she could live with it.

“Che’ inside?”

Ian nodded and gestured toward the front door. Darynn smiled her thanks as she walked past him. He’d been the only one that hadn’t been outright rude to her, though he hadn’t actually done anything to stop the harassment either. She hit the remote alarm on her car before she entered the building.

Sharleen gave a high-pitched huff as Darynn entered the front lobby and walked right past her without a word. Whatever. She didn’t care what the hired help thought of her.

Che’ was just picking up the phone when she barged in. He laid down the receiver and gave her a rather smug smile. “Back already?”

“Nope. We’re here for the Nissan. And I wanted to tell you to keep my last check,” she told him, feeling rather pleased with herself.

“Rollin’ in the cash over there already, are you?” he sneered, giving her a once over like she’d been earning extra cash on the side.

“No, I just wanted you to use the money to buy some new equipment.” Was it possible to set him up anymore?

He gave her a satisfied smile and leaned back in his chair. “About that. I ordered new stuff for the paint room coupla months ago. Dunno where that box got off to.”

Darynn smiled as sweet as she could, “Yeah, good luck looking for that.” When she just continued to smile he frowned in dawning understanding.

His face was beginning to darken with rage. “Wha’d you do with it?” he accused her, his voice rising.

She shrugged nonchalantly, his anger not bothering her in the least. “Dunno. All those fumes. I got a little woozy. I think I threw away a few boxes that weren’t all the way empty.

“You will pay for that! I’ll press charges for that shit!” he yelled at her.

“Hello? Are you stupid? I just told you to keep my last check, numbnuts. And you can’t press charges. You have no proof. Just like you’ll never have any proof that I’m the least bit responsible for any of the equipment that fails after I leave. You really shouldn’t trust new employees with such expensive equipment. That nausea and those headaches mighta made me get the grease and the sanding powder mixed up.”

“You fucking didn’t!”

She smiled, “No, it wasn’t me, I swear.” When his face darkened a shade she just laughed and turned to leave, surprised that she was leaving without bodily harm. “Just add the paint job to Dom’s tab. Maybe I’ll drop by to pay that sometime and stay for a chat?”

“Get the fuck out.”

“Gladly, asshole.”

Gregg and the guys had brought the Nissan around. Damn nice paint job on that. She was suddenly glad she hadn’t taken her animosity towards her employer out against his customers. That would have come around to bite her in the ass one way or another, and she was looking at the first way.

“Ready?” she asked as she stepped up to her Mazda.

“You take care of everything in there?” Gregg asked, his tone low.

Darynn grinned, “Yeah, I’ll be all he can think of for a while.”

“I bet.”

Ian was now the only mechanic outside the bay doors. She nodded to him, “Nice workin’ with ya. See ya around sometime.”

“Hey!”

She stopped her descent into the driver’s seat as he jogged forward.

“Just wanted to say sorry for the shit you had to put up with here. If Toretto took you on you must be better than anyone gave you credit for, prolly a better mechanic than anyone here. Just wanted to say good luck and… and that I really like your car.” He smiled at the end and she grinned in return.

“Thanks, Ian. See ya around.”

He nodded and stepped back as she pulled the door closed. She waited for Gregg to drive the Nissan out of the lot before revving the engine and popping the clutch. Gravel spit and dust rose. She enjoyed flipping the place off one last time.