Crossroads

Chapter 3

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Due to a bungled run for one of the club's business partners and the MC being down a guy because of it, Angel had let the next few days slip by him before he realized he hadn't set up a date with Daniela. By the time he had realized it, he was four drinks in and in no state to call her, so he had to settle for the next day when he knew she could be swinging by the yard to pick up her car. No one else would notice his jumpy behavior or the fact he had gotten a haircut before arriving for his shift, that is, no one outside of his brother. "Rico Suave, what's with all the aftershave?" EZ smacked his brother on the arm as he walked by, effectively shaking Angel from his haze. Scowling, Angel brushed off his brother's inquisition, and announced to no one in particular, "when the Mini owner comes in, grab me. I need to go over the invoice with her." The rest of the guys shared a few glances and smirks, but nodded.

Angel was just shooting a text to an associate when Chucky poked his head into the office and said, "Mini owner is here and may I say, she looks quite lovely." Shoving Chucky out of the way, Angel bounded out of the office and down the stairs just as Daniela was approaching. Shit. She looks beautiful. Any ounce of confidence Angel had in that moment disappeared the minute he locked eyes with Daniela. More dressed up than he had seen her prior, her long dark hair was down and bouncing around her shoulders, and the sundress she wore under her jacket was just sheer enough he could see the outline of her legs. "Hi Angel," Daniela greeted him with a small wave, her stomach doing backflips as she approached him.

"Hey Daniela. Wow, you look great!"

What in the hell are you saying Reyes? Are you trying to look like a dweeb?

"Oh...Thank you! I'm on my way to my sister's recital."

Why are you giving him these details. He doesn't care! He hasn't called you in 5 days!

Standing under the oppressive Santo Padre sun, they meandered through small talk before Angel was forced to bring her into the office and settle up her tab. "So I moved a couple things off the bill since we last spoke, so your new total is only $123.09." Angel handed her the bill without making eye contact as Daniela's jaw dropped open. "Angel, that makes no sense. That doesn't even cover your labor, let alone the parts. This can't be right." Daniela began going down the columns and doing the math in her head. "Consider it an apology for not calling you this week. I'm really sorry about that." Angel looked sheepish as he fiddled with his rings. "Don't worry about that. We have all been drunk and said stuff we didn't mean!" Daniela attempted to give him an easy out as she pulled her credit card from her wallet to pay for the repairs.

In the five days since Angel had asked her out, Daniela had all but given up hope that the handsome biker would call her, chalking it up to him being drunk and caught up in the moment. "What are you talking about? I absolutely meant to ask you out that night. This week has just been...long, and by the time I realized I needed to call you, it was so late, and –" Angel stopped himself once he realized his rambling wasn't reaching a point. "Well... tonight I have my sister's recital, and after that I think we are taking her out to celebrate. Do you maybe want to meet for a drink once I'm done? There's a place near the high school that normally is pretty dead midweek." Daniela couldn't stop herself as she blurted out the proposition to Angel. "Sure, that sounds great!" Angel felt the breath he'd been holding leave his body as she paid the bill, gave him instructions on where to meet her, and got into her car. Flashing that megawatt smile at him once more, Daniela thanked Angel before driving off.

With that famous swagger now returning to his body, Angel walked back into the office to put the address Daniela gave him into his phone when Coco pulled him aside. "We gotta go. Now." Coco looked out the window for Gilly as he grabbed his car keys. "What the fuck Coco. I just made plans." Angel brushed Coco off and made his way towards the mini-fridge. "It's Adelita. She said it's urgent."