Page 39 of Breaking the Annulment

Aurelia lingered just outside the open garage door, her gaze drawn to the car. It wasn’t just any car—it was a drag racer, its wide tires and aggressive lines practically screaming speed. The sight of it stirred something familiar in her, a spark of nostalgia that cut through the haze of her thoughts.

The men didn’t notice her at first, too engrossed in their conversation.

“Bigger scoop, bigger carburetor, and it’s still running same as before?” one of them said, his tone incredulous.

Another man frowned, wiping his hands on a rag. “The ignition timing’s fine. Maybe it’s the fuel mix?”

“It’s not the fuel mix,” the first man shot back. “We checked it already.”

Aurelia watched them for a few moments, their animated debate pulling her focus away from the storm in her mind. She stepped closer, her hesitation replaced by curiosity.

“Uh, excuse me,” she said softly, her voice tentative but clear.

The men turned toward her, surprise flashing across their faces. She offered a small smile, her hands tucked into the pockets of her cardigan.

“What’s up, Mrs. Giannopoulos?” one of them asked, his tone polite but cautious.

“I couldn’t help overhearing,” she said, nodding toward the car. “You’re trying to make it faster?”

“Yeah,” the man replied, his brows furrowed. “We already had a guy install a bigger carburetor and modify the hood to get extra air, but we’re not seeing much difference.”

Aurelia took a step closer, her gaze flicking to the engine. “So, you’ve got more air coming in with the scoop, but your carburetor isn’t flowing enough fuel to match it? Got it.” she said. “Even if the carb is bigger, the factory settings still won’t be enough. Not with the amount of air you’re pulling.”

The men exchanged wary looks. “None of us are mechanics, ma’am. We just went in equal shares on the car and haven’t entered any races yet. We’ve been taking turns out on the track to see who’s the best driver.”

“I see,” she nodded, her smile genuine. “Well, I think you need to change the jets,” she explained, stepping closer. “Should solve one of your problems, anyway. Right now, sounds like you’re running lean. You might also consider conversion to EFI.”

The blank looks on their faces made her chuckle softly. “Here,” she said, reaching for a nearby wrench. “Let me help. EFI would require a full tear down and rebuild, a lot of work and a major shift in thinking, so let’s look at the jets for now.”

“Uh, maybe you should put something on over those fancy clothes, Mrs. G.”

Before she could ask, one of them grabbed a pair of fresh coveralls and handed them to her. “They’re too big for you, but better that than ruining your clothes. I’m Theo. That’s George, Luke, and Jayce.” He pointed to his left. “And over there’s Chris and Leon.”

“Thanks. You can call me Auri.”

“Sorry, Mrs. G. Boss would shoot us dead, we get too familiar, disrespect his wife.”

Aurelia blushed. “Well, then Mrs. G. sounds pretty good. Looks like you boys have a good engine.” She took the coveralls and pulled them on.Mrs. G? Is it bad that I’m starting to get used to being referred to as Michalis’s wife? Is it even worse that I kind of really like the short version? Like maybe I earned it?

She worked quickly to drain the fuel from the carburetor and disconnect the fuel line, then opened up the carburetor. “These are the jets,” she said, pointing to the small parts inside as they all leaned closer. “They control how much fuel gets mixed with the air. If you put in bigger ones, you’ll get a richer mix and more power. I can adjust these, make sure they’re not dirty, so maybe you get a little better mix. Won’t solve your problem until you get the bigger ones, though. Still, a little help is better than none, right? You’ll also want to get a mobile weather station if you’re really serious about racing. Depending on the temperature outside and time of year, you’ll want to adjust your jets.”

The men watched in silence, their earlier skepticism melting into genuine interest as she worked. The hours slipped bywithout her noticing, the men getting more comfortable having her around as they started to joke and ask more and more questions. When she finished putting everything back together, she stepped back and wiped her hands clean. “Try it now,” she said, grinning.

One of the men climbed into the driver’s seat and turned the key. The engine roared to life, the sound stronger and more aggressive than before, without any surging or stalling. He revved it a few times, and the men broke into grins.

“You don’t look like a gearhead. How do you know so much about cars?” Jayce asked, looking at her with newfound respect.

She shrugged, a faint smile tugging at her lips. “My mom was a mechanic,” she said simply. “She taught me a few things.”

“Don’t suppose you’d want to come down here again, sometime? We could use a real mechanic.”

She grinned happily. “I’d love that.”

The sound of approaching footsteps made her turn. Michalis stepped into the garage, scanning the scene. He was wearing a dark gray shirt, the top buttons undone, his sleeves rolled up to reveal his forearms. His hair was damp.

“Did you just get out of the shower?” she asked, a teasing note in her voice.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he strode toward her, cupping her face with both hands and kissing her hard. The world seemed to fall away, leaving only the heat of his lips against hers and the firm pressure of his hands on her skin.

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