Restored

Mitch flips the burgers on the grill as I hand him another beer. There’s a nice big area out behind the shop with some tables and chairs where we hang out on Fridays. It’s a good way to unwind while we cook out and catch up. Work is so busy sometimes that you can work all day next to someone and never get a chance to check in. This is my way of bringing us all back together and reminding everyone why we do this. Yeah, the money is good, but we really are more of a family than co-workers. In our line of work a lot of us come from shaky backgrounds or have been the outcasts. We’ve drifted together and we’re a band of misfits that somehow works like a well-oiled engine block.

“You going to burn these again?” I say as I raise my chin to the grill.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, but I see him scanning the crowd.

“She’ll be here soon enough. Roxy always comes. Just don’t burn my burger.”

“You’re just jealous.” He tosses his spatula up and catches it easily before he goes back to flipping.

I want to tell him that he’s right and of course I’m jealous he’s got a woman to love, but that would be admitting too damn much. We’re tight and I’m sure to a certain degree he may suspect how I feel about Gemma, but he’s not asking and I’m not telling.

“I’m starving is what I am. How much longer do I have to wait?”

Just then I hear the back door open and see Roxy step out onto the patio. She looks like she dressed up, and it’s nice. Normally she’s in coveralls and grease, but as she beams at Mitch and walks right to him I can’t help but think she just looks happy.

Then to my shock I see movement behind her and it’s Gemma. A couple of the guys and their girlfriends shout hellos because she never comes over and it’s been forever since some of them have seen her. I don’t make a move but stand there and drink my beer as I watch her give hugs and talk to people. The music gets turned up and Mitch starts pulling burgers off the grill.

She’s looking so damn good and I can’t help but think about how much she’s grown. I remember knobby knees and a chubby-faced little girl the first time I saw her. She was bright eyed and smiled at me like I was the best thing she’d ever seen. She was so cute when she’d sit on one of the stools in the shop and watch me working on cars. But the older she got, the less she hung around and I knew it was for the best. She was starting to turn into a woman right before my eyes and my feelings went from brotherly to something else entirely.

Once Mac died I knew that those feelings I once had needed to be buried deep. She deserves happiness and space to heal. I can figure out what to do with my own emotions and just be there for her in the best way I know how.

She laughs at something someone says to her and I have to rub my chest to ease the ache. I grab a plate and decide I’m just hungry and if I put some food on it this feeling will go away.

Chapter Three

Gemma

I peek over to see Bronx turning away from me as he goes back to working on the grill. I tell myself it’s because he thinks Mitch is going to burn the food. He’s got Roxy in his arms and they are kissing like long-lost lovers. I smile when Mitch openly squeezes Roxy’s ass. They’re so freaking adorable.

Mitch would have gotten a broken hand a few months ago, but now Roxy loves those hands and has gotten used to his open displays of affection. How many times have I thought of doing the same with Bronx? What if I could run up and jump into his arms? I know it would never happen, not only because he doesn’t want me but I don’t see Bronx as the type of guy to want to be public about anything. He’s still so much of a mystery to me.

“You hungry?” Joey asks as he takes a drink of his beer. I don’t know him as well as the other guys since he’s only been here a few months. He’s nice enough and welcomed me when I walked in. Everyone did except Bronx.

“I’ll get something in a minute.”

I’m not going over towards Bronx to make a plate. If he wants to ignore me I can ignore him too. I know it’s childish but I can’t help myself. I’m more hurt than anything. Why can’t he even give me the time of day anymore? I don’t understand it, and the only thing I can think is that I remind him of my dad. Maybe it’s just too painful for him to be around me. Maybe he’s only doing some of the nice things he’s been doing out of respect for him, but other than that he’s going to keep me at arm’s length. He’s probably afraid I’ll throw myself at him again, but that’s not happening.