The Driving Force to Love (MXM) ✔

Chapter 23

Antonio Angel Hernandez Sanchez

Dean: I'm here.

I couldn't contain the jump in my chest when I saw his text. I immediately shut down my work computer. I grabbed my overnight bag from under my desk and stepped out of the office. I spotted Dean towards the front of the store. He was hard to miss with his good looks and natural magnetism. He wore the leather jacket he had bought from this store, his black riding gloves and his black riding boots. I didn't like the fact that Jose was talking with him.

Before I could make my way towards them, River cut me off.

"Hey, boss," she said. "I don't want to bother you, but we have a customer that is refuting his bill." Her mechanic's overalls had little splotches of oil and grease after the end of the day.

"Have Jeff look at it," I said.

"He left for the day," she said. "The customer is being quite stubborn."

Dean didn't seem bothered by Jose speaking with him, but it bothered me that I had no idea and no control over what they were saying. "Alright," I said. I followed her into the back where the repair portion of the shop was. A man in his thirties tapped his fingers impatiently on the counter.

"Hello," I greeted him cordially. "Is there something on the bill you want to dispute?"

River had the bill pulled up on the computer so it was easy for me to see the layout. The customer also had a paper copy of the bill in front of him.

"Yeah," the man said. His tone was immediately dismissive and defensive. "The brakes cost too much. I found used brakes online for half this price."

River's jaw was clenched tight when I turned to her. "Was he not informed of the cost of the brakes before the repairs were made?" I asked, but I already knew the answer. My mechanics were very good at following protocol.

"He was," she said. Her tone didn't show the anger she was hiding, but I knew it was there.

"She did call," the man said quickly and angrily, "but now that I know I can get them cheaper, I know I've been cheated."

"I'm sorry, sir," I said, "but you agreed to the price and the repairs. We went forward with your agreement and now you need to pay for your services."

"That was before I knew I could get them cheaper elsewhere."

"With all due respect, sir," I said, "you really shouldn't be using used brakes. There are too many things that could go wrong and I in good conscience would not lie to you about that and install poor quality parts. Especially with a part as important as the brakes."

He muttered derogatory terms for lesbians and Mexican-Americans. I wasn't sure if he meant for us to hear it or not. I was obviously Mexican-American, but River was not a lesbian. Just because she was a mechanic didn't automatically mean she was a lesbian. She was pan. Like my Dean.

River's fists tightened at the same time a rush of angry heat flooded through me.

"I'll just take my bike and go," he said louder.

"Sir, you need to pay us for the repairs," I said.

"I don't pay cheaters," he said.

"Then my mechanic can remove your brakes and you are free to take your bike then. But you'll still need to pay for the labor."

He rolled his eyes and dug his wallet out of his pocket. He slammed a credit card on the counter. "I'll pay," he said, "but know that I will let everyone know what a horrible place this is."