Loving Maverick

An Apology In Order

The day was slow and Stefano was grateful for it. It was usually a backed up day at Vidal & Son's Auto Mechanics and there quite a few cars that needed to be worked on. Unfortunately, while Tracey and Carlo were grade a mechanics and they did work at Stefano's shop, they still had other endeavors that they had to tend to so they were unavailable to assist their older brother.

Fortunately, Stef did have a few other mechanics that he could count on; they were a little slower in their work than Carlo and Tracey but they were just as precise with their passion. 

Stefano was underneath the hood of a 2020 Nautilus when he felt a nudge at his boot. He pulled himself from underneath the vehicle and saw one of his workers standing there.

"What's up Jack?" 

"Mr. Kahn is here for the 250. I see on the paperwork that it's finished but the keys aren't in the slot with it."

"Ah, yeah it's on my desk," Stefano told him. "I performed a last-minute diagnostic to make sure that everything was straight." He started to pull himself up when Jack stopped. 

"Don't worry about it!" Jack headed off. "If the door's unlocked I can grab it!" 

"Thanks!"  

Stefano started to roll back underneath the SUV, "Oh, I think your cute cousin's friend is outside. She said she's looking for her," 

As Jack walked off, Stefano sat upon his creeper, slightly confused as to why Kacey would even think that her best friend was there. Surely, she would know that Stevie wouldn't be here. He stood up and grabbed a rag to wipe his hands down. It was only as Stefano reached the exit that he realized what the mix-up could have been.

"Never did apologize, did I?" He muttered amusingly to himself. It was starting to make sense at that point. He pulled his phone out to text his little cousin when a message appeared on his phone.

  'I told you that we could do this your way or my way....guess it had to be done my way....love yuh!' 

Stefano chuckled and shook his head. He pushed past the door and went outside. There is where he saw Kacey, standing there leaned against her car, looking around curiously while seeming to check her phone.

"Hey!" Stefano approached, still trying to wipe a little of the motor oil and grime from his hands. 

When he spoke, he noticed how Kacey flinched. Immediately she seemed alarmed and abashed as Stefano approached. He could tell that she was becoming nervous.

"Hey-hi!" She nervously replied. "I'm only here because-because...well-is Stevie here? She's not answering my calls or texts and she said-"

"She's not here," Stefano replied.

"Oh," Was all that she seemed to be able to respond with. "I-I swear that I didn't-I wouldn't have come if I knew that she wasn't..."

He watched her anxiously ramble on and he couldn't help but admit to himself how...cute she was doing it. Kacey was always really cute to him. She'd become even more attractive as she grew up. Kacey was considered heavier than some and she was quite curvy as well. Everything that she ever wore accentuated her beauty but was classy and casual. She had a way of seeming innocent in her fashion until it was night and the clubs were open. That day was no different as she had on a pair of high-waist jeans and a plaid shirt that she had tied up just above the button of her jeans and a pair of high-top sneakers. 

Her face was round and youthful. She always wore her hair in some sort of design braids that compliment her features. This time in particular she had box braids. They were braided down into two very long tails, each side with a long stray braid next to her ear. Strands of her curls had begun peak through which only made her even cuter to Stefano. She had the body curvier than an hourglass and the face of an innocent young woman.

"It's fine, Kace," Stefano finally cut her off when he pulled himself out of his own thoughts. He approached her closer and sighed. "Stevie isn't here. I don't think she ever planned to come to be honest," He chuckled.

"Why would she lie?" 

"To get you here of course," Stefano replied. He averted his gaze as he thought about his conniving little cousin. 

"Why would she do that?" She asked.

"Because," Stefano said with a large sigh, "I owe you an apology," He finally looked into Kacey's large hazel eyes. 

"What?" Kacey seemed confused. "You don't owe me anything-"

"Yes, I do, Kacey," Stefano replied. "The way that I talked to you that night...at my place," He shook his head. "It was out of pocket and out of line. I shouldn't have spoken to you that way,"

Kacey put her hand up to stop him. "I deserve it," She solemnly dropped her head. "I forced my best friend to go out with me on the eve of the biggest opportunity of her short life only to leave her for some di..." She cut herself off. "Tmi..." She muttered, "What am I trying to say is...if your hot friend hadn't have saved her that night, I-" She took a deep breath, her eyes looking toward the sky. She couldn't seem to handle even looking at Stefano at this point. "That night could have been so much worse and I always think about that every single time I see Stevie. I hate myself for what happened that night. I know Stevie doesn't like people. I know that Stevie has these terrible headaches. I know that she's not good in...in clubs and...." Her eyes began to heat with tears. "I shouldn't have left her. I should have just-" Her words cut off when she felt her hand being touched. She looked down and saw Stefano's hand grabbing hers.

"Hey, stop it." He said to her. As he stood there watching her beat herself up for what happened, Stefano suddenly felt an extreme amount of guilt. He felt bad for how guilty Kacey truly felt in the position that she placed her best friend in. When she looked at him, his head fell to the side slightly and he just sympathetically smiled at her. "Don't keep punishing yourself," He said. "You made a mistake and if Stevie isn't holding it against you any more than I have no right to either. People make mistakes, Kace-"

"Not mistakes like that-"

"Hey! What did I say?" Stefano cut her off. 

Kacey was so caught off guard by Stefano's sudden aggression, she didn't know how to respond initially, "I-well I...you said a lot, I don't-"

"Stop beating yourself up Kace." Stefano frustratedly pointed out, "Look, Maverick was there to step in before anything bad happened. Stop blaming yourself. Move on," He said. "Stevie is alright, Mav is alright and you're alright," He stepped closer to her. "I shouldn't have spoken to you the way that I did. I...had no idea that you were suffering with that much guilt and I unknowingly added on to it...so please accept my apology. Please don't...don't weigh your conscience down with this. Stevie doesn't want that for you and neither do I." He said.

Kacey couldn't help blushing at his words. "Thanks," She timidly said.

Stefano found her timid nature amusing. "You're so timid today," He jokingly pointed out. "Kacey Jones is never like that."

She scoffed and chuckled uneasily, "What can I say? You're intimidating, Stefano Vidal," She said. 

She turned to open her car door and Stefano's gaze could not resist the eye full that she unwittingly offered to him as she started to get into her car. His eyes focused on her face again just as she turned around.

"Thank you for the talk," She said with a small smile. "Wasn't expecting it but I appreciate it,"

"No problem," He said. "I would end this conversation with a hug but..." He gestured to his dirty clothes.

"I don't think I'm ready for a hug from Stefano Vidal anyway," She teased.

"What is that supposed to mean?" He chuckled.

Kacey shrugged, "Raincheck...is what it means." She got into her car and drove off.

Stefano watched her car take off and could not stifle the grin on his face, "Raincheck it is...Kacey Jones,"