Danielle Spellman is Juice Ortiz's older sister. She shows up at TM one day and quickly works her way into the family. One night, when she's out with a few of the old ladies, she meets the president of the Mayans, Marcus Alvarez. She's immediately i...
Dani stood in the middle of the loft space and giggled in excitement. Raven gave an answering chuckle from the small kitchen area.
"I take it from the laugh that you like it."
Dani nodded. "Are you kidding? I love it! A little paint, some new flooring, and this place will look great!"
Trixie stuck her head out of the bathroom. "I called Harmony. She's bringing Freddie to check it out." She walked out and leaned against the kitchen counter beside Raven as Dani looked around the space. "We should run to Lodi tonight and hit Ikea. You could get some ideas."
Before Dani could respond, Raven elbowed Trixie and smirked. "Oh, she can't tonight. She has a date."
Trixie lifted a brow as Dani shook her head. "What? You've been here like three weeks. Who are you going out with?"
Dani bit her lip to keep the nervous giggle in that she felt bubbling in her throat. She still wasn't sure why he wanted to take her out, but she wasn't fighting it. "Marcus came by the shop earlier to get a tattoo... he asked me out to dinner."
"Who's going out to dinner?"
Trixie grinned as Harmony and Freddie came through the door. "Dani has a date tonight with Marcus Alvarez."
Harmony stopped dead in her tracks and looked at Trixie with shock before a big grin came across her face. She shook her head and chuckled. "Good for you! He's a hottie." She rolled her eyes as the other women laughed. "Don't tell Opie I said that, but he is."
Freddie was busy looking around the space as Harmony talked. It was an open area with a kitchen blocked off with a counter and bar. The bathroom was off the kitchen and had a space for a washer and dryer. She came out of the bathroom nodding her head in approval. She smiled at Dani.
"I love it! This will be perfect for you... and Marcus." She winked when Dani rolled her eyes. "Seriously though, what colors are you thinking for the walls?"
Dani shrugged, looking around at the plain white walls. "I don't really know. I'm also unsure of what to do with the flooring."
Freddie shook her head as she stomped her foot down on the floor. "This is the original hardwood. You don't cover that up. I'll sand it down and polish it. It'll look great with a few area rugs. If you want, we can take a trip to Oakland tomorrow. There's a furniture warehouse that I like there."
Dani nodded before Harmony clapped her hands. "Ok, enough of that. What are you wearing on your date?"
Dani was standing outside of the shop when Marcus pulled up and stopped. He smiled, holding a hand out to help her get on the bike. Before she could get on behind him, he pulled her to him and kissed her on the cheek.
"You look lovely, pequeña. Jeans were a good choice."
Dani grinned as she used his shoulders as leverage and threw a leg over the seat behind him. "I do have a brother in a club, ya know. I'm not new to the whole motorcycle thing."
Marcus nodded and chuckled as he looked over his shoulder at her. "Hold on tight, Dani."
Dani felt like it was no time before they were riding into Oakland. She had indeed held on tight, wrapping her arms around his waist and letting her head rest on his shoulder as the powerful motorcycle ate up the road between Charming and Chinatown in Oakland. As Marcus slowed to a normal speed to maneuver the crowded city streets, Dani looked around them with a huge smile on her face.
Chinatown was alive and bustling, and Dani had never seen anything like it. She was too busy trying to look into shops as they drove by that she didn't notice when he found a parking spot and killed the engine. He turned his head and chuckled before nodding to the sidewalk. She blushed a little as she slid off the bike, giving him room to do the same. Marcus took her hand and they walked a block down before stopping at a restaurant and stepping inside.
Dani inhaled deeply before humming in appreciation as Marcus talked to the hostess. As she led them to a table in the corner of the busy eatery, Dani looked at the different dishes that people were eating as she passed the tables.
When they were seated across from each other, each looking at a menu, Dani chuckled. When Marcus looked at her in question, she shrugged. "I've never had Chinese before."
Marcus shook his head in disbelief, grinning slightly. "Never?" When she shook her head, his grin widened, the dimple she loved to see showing itself. "Do you trust me?"
Dani arched one brow and grinned. "I don't know if I should with that grin on your face, but sure, why not?"
She was glad that she did because when their food arrived and they dug in, she was instantly in love with the exotic cuisine. While they ate, they talked, about anything and everything, although Dani steered him around her personal history. She didn't mind sharing that with him, but she wanted to wait until they had known each other a little longer. Marcus told her about his wife and how she had passed years ago from cancer. He had one son, Esai, who was a prospect with the Mayans. Marcus seemed to be so proud of his boy that Dani couldn't help but smile along with him.
When they were finished eating, Dani went to the restroom while Marcus settled the bill. When she came out, he was standing with another man, and both seemed tense, talking in hushed voices as Dani joined them. Marcus put his arm around her waist and drew her to his side as the other man smiled at her.
"Aren't you going to introduce me to this lovely woman, Marcus?"
Dani felt Marcus tense beside her and his grip on her waist became a little tighter as he nodded at the man. "Dani, this is Henry Lin. Henry, this is Danielle Spellman."
Henry reached out a hand to shake and Dani took it, giving him a small smile. "It's a pleasure, Dani. Well, I've taken up enough of Marcus's time. Enjoy your evening."
As Henry disappeared into the crowd, Marcus turned to Dani. "I wanted to show you the rest of Chinatown, but something has come up and I need to speak to Clay immediately. Is it alright if I bring you back another time?"
Dani nodded then winked at him as they walked out onto the busy sidewalk. "I think you're just trying to guarantee another date."
Marcus laughed and nodded. "Perhaps, pequeña, but I have a feeling that we're not going to be far from each other from now on."
