Lynch's auto repairs

Kian

I needed a job. A real one. Something steady. Something that wasn't just making a few quid here and there from dealing. Something that could actually get me out of this mess for good.

I sat in the back of a café, scrolling through job listings on my phone. Most of them wanted experience, references, or a CV that didn't have massive gaps I couldn't explain. I sighed, tapping my fingers against the table.

Then I saw it.

Molloy's Motors- soon to be Lynch's Auto Repairs – Now HiringNo experience necessary. Training provided. Inquire in person.

I stared at the ad for a second, my stomach twisting. Of all places, it had to be the Lynches'.

Mallory's family.

Joey Lynch owned the place, ran it with his brothers, and AJ—Mallory's older brother—worked there too. None of them particularly liked me. Not that I could blame them. I wasn't exactly the kind of guy they wanted around.

I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the screen. This was a bad idea. If I walked in there, I'd probably get turned away before I even got a word out. But what other choice did I have?

No one else was hiring without experience. No one else was going to give me a chance.

I finished off my now-cold coffee, pulled my hood up, and grabbed my jacket.

Screw it.

I had nothing to lose.

I stood outside Molloy's Motors it whatever it was called, my hands shoved deep into my pockets. The place was busy—cars lined up outside, the sound of drills and clanking metal coming from inside the garage. I could see a few of the mechanics working, covered in grease and sweat, completely in their element.

I hesitated.

Walking in there felt like walking straight into enemy territory.

The Lynches didn't trust me, and I knew why. People like me—kids with reputations, bad family names, no real future—didn't mix with people like them. Joey Lynch wasn't just any garage owner. He was a man with a name that meant something, a man who actually had the respect of people in this town. And AJ? He might go to BCS like me, but he was a Lynch through and through. He'd rather eat glass than work alongside someone like me.

Still, I needed the job.

I took a breath and pushed open the door to the small front office.

A woman sat behind the desk, clicking through something on a computer. She barely glanced up.

"Be with you in a sec," she said, tapping at the keyboard.

I nodded, shifting on my feet. My stomach was twisting itself into knots, but I kept my expression neutral. I couldn't afford to look nervous.

After a moment, she finally looked up.

"Alright. What can I do for you?"

I cleared my throat. "I saw the ad. For the job."

Her eyebrows lifted slightly, like she hadn't expected that.

Before she could say anything, a deep voice spoke from behind me.

"You're joking."

I turned, already knowing who it was.

AJ Lynch stood in the doorway, arms crossed, grease-stained but still somehow looking put together. His expression was pure disbelief, mixed with the kind of irritation that told me he wanted me gone before I could waste another second of his time.

"What the hell are you doing here, Holland?"

I didn't flinch. Didn't look away.

"I'm looking for a job."

AJ let out a sharp laugh, shaking his head. "You? Here? You're taking the piss."

The woman behind the desk—who I was now realizing was his mam—sighed. "AJ, enough."

AJ ignored her, stepping forward, his voice dropping slightly. "You think my da's gonna hire you? Do you even know how to hold a wrench?"

I clenched my jaw. "I can learn."

AJ scoffed. "Right. And when's that gonna happen? In between whatever dodgy shite you're up to?"

I exhaled slowly, forcing myself to stay calm. "I need a real job."

His expression didn't change. "Not my problem."

Before I could say anything else, another voice cut through the tension.

"What's going on?"

Joey Lynch.

He came through the door from the garage, wiping his hands on a rag, his sharp eyes flicking between me and AJ. The weight of his presence settled over the room.

AJ was the first to speak. "He wants a job."

Joey's gaze landed on me. He didn't look surprised. Just... thoughtful.

For a second, he didn't say anything. Then, he tilted his head slightly. "That true?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

Another pause. Then—

"You ever worked in a garage before?"

"No," I admitted. "But I can learn. Fast."

Joey studied me for a long moment, and I could feel AJ glaring at me like he wanted to set me on fire with his mind.

Finally, Joey sighed. "Come back tomorrow. We'll see what you're made of."

AJ's head snapped toward him. "You're not serious."

Joey shot him a look. "I am."

AJ scoffed, shaking his head in disbelief. "Whatever. Just don't expect me to babysit." He turned and stormed back toward the garage.

Joey turned back to me. "Seven o'clock. Don't be late."

I nodded. "I won't."

Then, without another word, he walked away, leaving me standing there, feeling like I'd just stepped into something way bigger than I realized.