In Which the Mechanics Enter Enemy Territory

Jupiter Auto Trader had those turnstile doors that you see in just about every hotel, sitcom, and hotel in a sitcom. Annabeth was surprised that Frank and Leo were able to man up and walk through the door, unlike their usual hooligan selves.

For a second, Annabeth wondered if she'd driven to the right place. The lobby could easily have been mistaken for one of a hotel if not for the vintage Mustang on display. Beneath and also above the lights, it looked like a car out of a dream—a good dream—not like a fever dream.

There was a water dispenser that patrons could use, except, unlike the one at Olympus Auto, the one at Jupiter offered fizzy water.

As much as she wanted to know how good the fizzy water would taste, she had to slap her own hand to keep herself from drinking the enemy's water.

A little bowl of mints sat atop the reception desk, along with a cluster of business cards. Annabeth recognized Jason Grace's face from the other week when he visited Olympus Auto with his colleague... Was his name Augustus? It was something unusual.

Next to Jason's business card was one for a woman named Reyna Avilla Ramirez-Arellano. Annabeth had to squint to read the font because her name was just so long, but according to the minuscule text, this Ramirez-Arellano woman was the "managing partner" at this Jupiter Auto Trader location. That was like being the Mr. D of this place, except she couldn't call herself the owner, Annabeth supposed. Then again, the owner of Jupiter Auto Trader would probably call themself the CEO.

"Excuse me." Leo rested his elbow on the reception desk and spoke to the woman with pink hair stemming from her brown roots. "My buddy here is looking to buy a car from your fine establishment." His acting was good, Annabeth granted him that, but she couldn't help but notice his eye twitching at the insinuation that Jupiter Auto Trader was a fine establishment.

"Sure," she said, typing something away on her keyboard. "Did you have any idea what you were looking for?"

"Something that'll impress the ladies," Leo answered for Frank.

So that her friend wouldn't seem like a total douche, Annabeth added, "But he'd also like something practical. He's not ready for a family vehicle yet, but it would be nice if there was space for a car seat."

"And it would be amazing if those seats could recline the whole way if you know what I mean," Leo said with an obnoxious wink.

"Uh, okay then," the woman behind the desk said, tucking her cotton candy pink hair over one shoulder. She took one of Reyna Avilla Ramirez-Arellano's business cards and placed it in a manila envelope. Maybe if Annabeth tried really, really hard, she could deflect her crush on Piper onto this Reyna person and maybe also walk out of Jupiter Auto Trader with a hot date.

Her staring must have been obvious because Frank gently tugged on her arm and pretended to show her a painting on the wall.

"My grandmother up in Canada used to have something kind of like that," he said, pointing to the art. "Except hers was probably authentic. Shoot, that wasn't a nice thing to say."

"It's okay, Frank," Annabeth said. "You're probably right, and besides, the hot managing partner probably didn't even pick this out herself."

"What did you say?"

"Well, it's a corporation, so some regional manager or hired interior decorator probably picked it. I'm sure the one in your grandmother's house is-"

Frank cut her off. "No, I meant what you said about-"

"Hey, Lavinia! Are these the customers?" said a new, small but commanding voice.

The girl wore a business suit that was probably worth the equivalent of what Annabeth paid in monthly rent, complete with heels and just the right bracelets stacked on top of one another. They didn't match, but they certainly weren't mismatched.

She was short, physically speaking. Maybe it was her high cheekbones or the confidence with which she carried herself, but she didn't exude short girl energy the way you might expect someone just hitting five feet to. Was she even five feet tall, Annabeth wondered, or were the high heels giving her that much height?

When her eyes met Annabeth's, they glowed with excitement, not to be confused with naivete. Annabeth knew all too well not to fall for a car salesperson's charm. It was nearing the end of September, which meant any salesperson or cop living in a rental would be working extra hard to make ends meet.

Her hair was in a puffy bun on top of her head, and damn, if Annabeth thought she had a lot of hair... Well, she mentally swore to never complain about her thick hair again.

Because of the lack of breathing on Frank's part, Annabeth made the bold assumption that this might be his crush, Hazel.

The receptionist—Lavinia—stood up and arched across the desk to whisper something to the saleswoman, taking care to cup her hand around her mouth. This might be a good sign. Best case scenario: Hazel not-so-secretly returned Frank's feelings and confided in her receptionist friend, who now was giving her a pep talk. Annabeth could mentally conjure the conversation:

Hazel: Oh, I'm so nervous! What do I say to such a handsome man?

Receptionist Friend Whose Name Annabeth Forgot: Go get 'em! You got this!

Hazel: Thanks so much, receptionist friend whose name Annabeth already forgot!

Receptionist Friend Whose Name Annabeth Forgot: No problem! Hey, while you're out there, see if you can get Annabeth's number; I'll give it to Reyna Avilla Ramirez-Arellano because they would be such an attractive and unfairly tall couple!

Hazel: Great idea! Enemies-to-lovers sapphic romances featuring bisexual mechanics and women in positions of power are just so steamy!

Annabeth was pulled out of her closet drama when Frank yanked on her wrist. He looked at her with pleading eyes.

"Well," Annabeth said, shaking off her fantasy. "Let's not let Leo spend too much time out there without us. God forbid you actually buy a car today."

"Gods," he corrects.

"We're undercover," she hissed, "and off the clock."

Frank waved to the pink-haired receptionist before following Hazel out onto the car lot. "Thanks for your help!" he said.

It was hotter than balls outside. Leo's curly hair stuck to his forehead. Frank was holding his arms straight at his side in a way that indicated he might have been sweating through his shirt, a tight v-neck that Annabeth and Leo picked out for him.

Annabeth on the other hand, wore a thin tank top and shorts paired with her Doc Martins. She felt like her feet were going to fall off. Everything hurt. If Frank couldn't impress Hazel soon, he'd be mopping a puddle of Annabeth off the parking lot.

"My name is Hazel," Hazel said as if they didn't already know that. "It's, uh, nice to meet you guys. I think we can find something here you'll like!" She led them further down the lot towards the SUVs and minivans.

Leo elbowed Frank in the gut. "Small talk!"

Frank looked at Annabeth for a lifeline.

She only confirmed Leo's demand. "Ask her when she'll be at the soup kitchen next."

Frank cleared his throat. "So uh, will you be at the soup kitchen this weekend, Hazel?"

"Not this weekend," she said. "I have to drive out to the middle of nowhere to give some horseback riding lessons to inmates."

Frank's eyes widened. "Wow! I didn't know you rode horses."

"I do!" she said.

"Horses make me kind of nervous."

"I think they're so sweet, like perfect gentle giants!" she gushed. "You should come by the barn sometime; I could show you guys around!"

Leo cut in before anyone else could answer. "Annabeth and I have been super busy with that... that thing, right?" he asked, shooting a wink at Annabeth.

"That's right!" Annabeth agreed. "Leo and I have been swamped with... things."

"But you should go, Frank!" Leo said. "It would be a great opportunity to try something new."

"But I wouldn't want to leave you guys alone with that... thing," Frank said.

Annabeth dismissed his comment. "Don't worry, big guy. Leo and I are all over it."

Hazel cleared her throat. "I'll uh, text you then about that. Would you guys be interested in vehicles with three front seats? We have a couple of vans like that, and there's a GMC truck you might like too."

"Three seats in the front seems excessive," Leo said.

"Would you rather have three seats in the back?" Hazel asked. "I'm sure we can find just the right thing to accommodate your needs."

"I'm not so sure it's the number of seats that matters," Frank said. "I mostly just drive myself to and from work. Leo and Annabeth are kind of the extent of my passengers."

"But we don't have to be!" Leo said helpfully.

Hazel unlocked a truck and opened the door. "So this used GMC truck is a model from 2003, but it's barely been used. It has a CD player and a cassette player, but no Bluetooth. The bed of the truck is small but perfect for snuggling up at the drive-in."

Leo elbowed Frank, whose cheeks turned red at the idea of snuggling.

Hazel continued to explain the different features of the pickup truck, and Annabeth began to regret this plan. Of course, pretending to buy a car would involve listening to someone brag about a mediocre GMC. There were no hard feelings against Hazel; it was her job to brag about a mediocre GMC.

But damn, the things Annabeth would like to do to that truck...

"Do you guys want to sit in the truck?" Hazel asked. Her tone was more genuine than any car salesperson Annabeth had ever encountered. It was like if they didn't get in the truck and at least pretend they were thinking about buying it, she'd be devastated.

Annabeth needed to say no. If Hazel's hopes grew any higher than they were, the disappointment she'd feel when Frank did not buy a car would be even worse.

"Oh, that's-"

"We'd love to!" Frank said. "Come on, everyone!" He grabbed Leo by the waist and hoisted him into the driver's seat. Then, Frank climbed into the middle seat and offered his hand to help Annabeth into the other passenger seat.

"Do you like it?" Hazel asked. "I like how squishy the seats are!"

"I bet they're a pain in the ass to clean," Annabeth muttered.

Leo rolled down the window and passed his phone to Hazel. "Will you take our picture?"

Hazel aimed the camera at them and counted down from three. Frank threw an arm around Annabeth; she gagged on the stench of his nervous sweat, which she was sure looked lovely in the photo that Leo would no doubt print and hang up somewhere in the garage.

"Here you go!" Hazel giggled and passed the phone back.

Annabeth climbed out of the car; it was time to wrap this up. There was only so much she could do to help Frank before their lunch break was up.

"Well," she said. "Thanks so much for helping us out today, but-"

"I love it!" Frank said. "We'll take it!"

Leo gasped and looked at Annabeth. They shared the same look of fear. What did Frank think he was doing?

"I left my wallet in your car, Annabeth," Frank said. "Could I have the key, please?"

She reluctantly gave the key to Frank, and when he was out of earshot, she spoke to Hazel. "You and Frank really have a lot in common," she said.

Leo nodded his head so fast that Annabeth thought it was going to fall off. "That's right!" he said. "You guys should go catch a movie or something. I think they're showing The Goonies at the drive-in this weekend."

"You think I should go see The Goonies with Frank?" Hazel asked.

Annabeth nodded. "For sure! Unless you don't like that sort of movie. Aren't they showing Titanic next weekend, Leo?"

"I think so! That's super romantic, and the theater is BYOB, so you could drink while Frank serenades you with the sweet sounds of Celine Dion's 'My Heart Will Go On.' He's a fantastic designated driver!"

"And you guys would be okay with that?" Hazel asked.

They nodded in unison.

"Please," Annabeth said, "show our Frank a good time."

Hazel raised an eyebrow as if considering it and said, "Sorry, I'm just not sure I'm comfortable with this situation." She waved her arms between Leo and Annabeth as if that cleared anything up.

"Huh?" Leo asked. "We just want him to be happy, you know?"

"Yeah, I get that," Hazel said. "Well, no, I don't get that... But I respect it! That's great that you guys have that much trust in your relationship, but I'm not really looking for this kind of thing."

Annabeth choked on some saliva. "I'm sorry... What do you think this is?"

"Well, you know..."

"No," Annabeth said. "I need you to say it out loud. What do you think is going on here?"

"Oh my gods!" Leo shouted. "Ew! Ew, ew, ew!"

"I take it that you're not a throuple?" Hazel asked.

It sounded even worse out loud. The idea of Annabeth, a bisexual mechanic who has recently been showing a strong preference for women, Leo, an aroace man with a tendency to flirt, and Frank, their token straight guy, in a relationship together? The three of them, in an open, polyamorous relationship?

"No, we're not," Annabeth said.

"We're his wingmen," Leo clarified. "Wing-people?"

"I'm so sorry for assuming," Hazel said. "Actually, it was Lavinia who assumed, but I still went along with it."

"It's fine," Annabeth said quickly. "But uh... Let's not tell Frank about that."

"Oh, gods, he would be scandalized!" Leo laughed. "Frank's a one-woman kind of guy. He wants to go to the drive-in movie theater and buy overpriced snacks that he'll carry for you just to be a gentleman, but then drop those snacks on the floor and... And then, he won't kiss you until the couple in the movie does."

"He sounds like a sweet guy," Hazel said. "He never talks to me when we volunteer at the soup kitchen together. I think he's embarrassed because he burnt his tongue on my soup and spit it out on my shoes."

"That's... embarrassing," Annabeth said. She wasn't one to believe in soulmates, but these two were made for each other.

Hazel nodded in agreement. "I would love to get to know him better, though."

"Cool," said Leo. "So we've concluded that he'll never make the first move, so we need you to ask him out."

"Me?"

Annabeth nodded. "Come on, Leo."

"Hey," Hazel said. "One more thing?"

Leo and Annabeth turned around to listen.

"Don't be saying gods plural if you don't want people to know you're coming from Olympus Auto."

"Shit," Leo swore.

"I won't tell!" she said.

Annabeth smacked Leo over the back of the head on their way back to the car. "Dumbass."

"Hey!" He opened the passenger side door and climbed into the backseat of the Mini Cooper.

Frank mouthed a quick I'm sorry to Annabeth before jogging back to Hazel, wallet in hand.

"I hope he doesn't buy that truck," Leo said. "It's such a piece of work."

"I know, right?" Annabeth agreed. "Those seats were tacky as fuck." She reached for the air conditioning knob, cranking it on high for a few minutes while Frank secured his date.

"Do you think we messed things up too bad?" Leo asked. "I'm not exactly the best at reading people."

"Well, based on the fact that none of us realized Hazel thought we were a throuple, I can't say I'm the best at reading people either," she said, leaning back in her seat.

Leo shuffled around in the back; Annabeth heard his plastic water bottle crinkle as he drained it.

Out the window, Annabeth watched Frank tuck his wallet away in his back pocket. He extended his hand, and Annabeth groaned internally at the business-like gesture. Frank Zhang quite literally just spent thousands of dollars on a date, where he'll no doubt spend more money on overpriced popcorn and candy for this girl.

"Look!" Leo said.

Instead of accepting the handshake, Hazel wrapped her arms around Frank's shoulders and pulled him in for a hug.

"We did it," said Annabeth. "We got Frank a date with his crush."

Leo didn't say anything for a minute.

Then, he reached over the front seat, close enough to Annabeth that she could feel his hot breath on her cheek.

"Now," he said, a devilish grin creeping its way through his face. "How about Piper? We could stop by the grocery store on the way back, and you could bring her some flowers. Or! Oh! That cookie place opened up down the street. You could buy her cookies! Or maybe-"

"Dream on, Leo," Annabeth said, starting the engine.