Page 3 of Bratva Past

She loved both of these people. They made her feel like she was part of their family. Although Marge and Harry’s kids barely visited. They didn’t even make time for a phone call. Lucy made sure to take care of them.

“I know you would, Harry.”

“But, you’re not twenty years younger, Harry, and besides, you’d need to be closer to forty years younger to have a chance. Now, come on, we all know that mechanic fella is a pretty good guy. He fixed our bus up really good and didn’t charge us a fortune for it.”

Harry grumbled, then went back to reading his book. Marge did not look entertained.

But what Lucy also saw was that her friend looked tired. “I think it is time for you to rest.”

Marge didn’t argue with her. She unclicked the lock from the wheelchair and started to take her toward her bedroom. Once she had Marge settled, she did a quick spot of cleaning, then began to do additional work. She moved from room to room, picking up the laundry, stopping to chat with each resident, and then carrying on.

Her job was to work, but to also be friendly, to keep everyone happy. When she arrived here at eighteen, she didn’t have the first clue what to do, and Marge had taken her under her wing and helped her out.

The woman that had the job before her and been there over ten years, but left after someone had passed, and it became too much to bear. Lucy got it. She had lost a lot of people, but she kept coming back, because it was important.

“You know Marge is getting tired quickly,” Harry said when she arrived at the main living area and started to clean it up.

“I know.”

“She just wants to see you happy, kid. We all do.” He groaned as he got to his feet. “We all see that you have a good heart, and none of us want to leave without knowing you’re going to be okay.”

He moved toward her, placed a hand on her cheek, gave her a smile, and then he left. They were her family, in their own way. She knew they wanted her to settle down, and she got it.

Lucy thought about Isaac Flynn. She started calling him by his last name because he had called her Rue once, and it kind of stuck. She’d been in a bad mood, and he’d shouted “Rue,” making her stop. At which point, she called him Flynn, and that was that.

Now, she made sure she walked past the mechanic shop every chance she got. He was often working on cars, or bikes, or the occasional truck. She was the one who asked him if he’d take a look at the bus for their rare trips.

Everyone here loved him. He fixed their bus, and all the trips that had been put on hold came back in full force. He only took minimal payment as well, which was a shock. When they first got the quote for the bus, it had been more than they could have afforded.

She knew he was a good guy, and the way he took care of them all melted her heart. He was a true gentleman, and the truth was, for nearly six years and maybe even a bit longer, she’d had a crush on him. He arrived in town when she was fourteen, and she knew a lot of women were curious about him. Sure, people had their doubts, but slowly and surely he earned his place. Lucy would walk home from school, keeping a careful distance away so he never saw her, but she’d look at him, and yes, her crush had been cemented in her young heart. Now, it was at a fever pitch, and Marge had been encouraging her to ask him out for years.

She just couldn’t believe she had finally done it.

Chapter Two

Isaac never got nervous. Not when it came to women. He had enjoyed his share of willing women in the past. Since becoming the town mechanic, although there were offers, he never succumbed to anyone.

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