A few days later, the garage was buzzing with the usual energy of the crew, but there was a new undercurrent of excitement. It was Monday morning, and the sound of power tools, engine parts being hammered into place, and the hum of the shop's daily rhythm filled the air. The usual chatter was accompanied by something else, a subtle air of secrecy. Erin had been busy running errands and grabbing lunch for everyone, leaving Dax alone with the crew for a moment.

As Erin's footsteps echoed out the garage door, Dax leaned in closer to Rev and Jinx, his voice dropping slightly to keep the conversation between the three of them.

"I've booked us all a trip," Dax said, his tone full of excitement as he glanced at his phone one more time to confirm the details. "To the UK."

Rev's eyes widened in disbelief. "The UK?" he repeated, his voice laced with surprise. "You're serious?"

Jinx, always the one to joke around, raised an eyebrow with a smirk. "Are you planning to just take Erin for a surprise holiday or is this a... 'group' thing? Because I can't imagine us all crammed into a tiny British pub."

Dax chuckled, rolling his eyes. "It's a surprise for Erin, and a group thing," he clarified. "She's always talked about going back, and I think it'll be a good chance for her to reconnect with some old memories, you know? Plus, it's time for a change of scenery for all of us."

Rev looked genuinely impressed. "That's actually a solid idea. Erin deserves something nice, a break from all the car work. You're doing this right."

Dax nodded, a smile tugging at his lips. "It's been a lot of work lately, and she hasn't had much time to herself. Thought I'd make it something special." He paused for a second, rubbing the back of his neck as if nervous. "I want it to be a surprise though, so no telling Erin. Not yet," he warned, pointing his finger at each of them.

"Don't worry, we've got your back," Jinx said, his smirk softening into something more genuine. "But when's the big reveal?"

Dax glanced at the calendar on his phone. "Next weekend. I've already booked flights, and I got us a place near Birmingham, so it should be fun."

The guys were practically bouncing with excitement, the idea of a trip to the UK feeling like the adventure they'd all been waiting for. But just as Dax was about to explain more, Erin walked back into the garage, her arms full of takeout bags and her eyes narrowed with suspicion.

"What's all this then?" Erin asked, eyeing the three of them suspiciously. "You're all looking way too excited for a Monday morning. What's going on?"

Dax immediately put on a casual grin, pretending to be engrossed in organising the parts on the workbench. "Nothing," he replied smoothly. "Just talking shop. You know how it is."

Erin set the bags down on the counter, narrowing her eyes at the trio. "I don't buy it," she said. "What are you guys hiding from me? I swear if it's another set of valves..."

Jinx tried to act nonchalant, folding his arms across his chest. "What are you talking about? We're just... uh, discussing strategies for the next race, right, Rev?"

Rev, a little less subtle, shot a glance at Dax, then back at Erin. "Yeah, totally. Just car stuff."

Erin raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "Car stuff, huh? You're all acting like you've just won the lottery. Spill."

Dax stepped in quickly, trying to divert her attention. "Seriously, Ace, it's nothing big. We're just trying to figure out how we're going to tackle the next big build. You know, brainstorming."

Erin crossed her arms and eyed him closely. "Uh-huh. Right. I'm going to get this food unpacked. You guys are clearly hiding something."

She turned toward the counter, but Dax's quiet laugh made her pause.

"You know," he said, his voice teasing, "you're always so suspicious. It's like you're trying to read us."

She looked back at him, playfully narrowing her eyes. "It's kind of my job, isn't it?"

Rev cleared his throat, visibly trying to distract her. "So, what did you bring us for lunch? You know we can't make any decisions unless we've got food in us first."

"Right, right," Erin said, shaking her head with a small smile. "Well, I got everyone's usual, so you've got your burritos, tacos, and some chicken wings. And my usual wrap."

As she set everything down on the workbench, she couldn't help but feel a nagging sense that something was off. The guys were definitely hiding something. She had a pretty good idea what it was, but she wasn't about to spoil the surprise. Instead, she let it slide for the time being, choosing to play along with their little game.

Sitting down with the crew, Erin unwrapped her lunch and took a bite, glancing over at Dax, who was watching her closely, obviously fighting the urge to spill the beans. But Erin wasn't going to push him. She had a feeling she was going to find out soon enough.

As she sat down and started chatting with the guys, she let herself enjoy the break. For the first time in a while, things felt simple, easy. But deep down, she had a nagging feeling she wouldn't be able to ignore for long. What were they really planning, and how was it going to change everything for her?

A few days later, the garage was quieter than usual. Dax and Jinx were out delivering a car they had just finished tuning, leaving Erin and Rev behind to handle the shop. Erin had been mulling over the mystery of Dax's secret for days, and her curiosity was beginning to get the better of her.

Rev was at the workbench, meticulously polishing some parts, while Erin paced nearby, clearly agitated. She had tried to act normal, but the nagging question kept circling in her mind. What was Dax up to? What was this surprise that he and the guys were hiding from her?

Finally, she couldn't take it anymore. With a deep sigh, Erin approached Rev, who was still lost in his work. "Ryan," she began, trying to sound casual but knowing she wasn't fooling anyone, "I need you to tell me what's going on with Dax. You've been acting all weird, too. I can tell something's up."

Rev glanced at her, taken aback by her using his real name, then turned back to his work, a slight smirk pulling at the corner of his lips. "What are you talking about?" he replied, clearly pretending not to understand.

"Come on, Rev," Erin pressed, crossing her arms. "I know something's going on. You guys are all acting weird, and Dax has been keeping things from me. You've gotta know what it is."

Rev let out a quiet chuckle and shook his head. "Nice try, Ace. You know I don't spill secrets."

Erin leaned against the workbench, narrowing her eyes at him. "You're not fooling me. I can tell you know exactly what's going on. Because I know there's more to it than something simple. You guys are planning something, and I'm getting sick of being kept in the dark."

Rev raised an eyebrow, looking at her for a moment before continuing his task. "You really think I'm going to spill the beans? Come on, Ace, I've got my loyalties." He shot her a teasing smile, though it was clear he was enjoying the fact that she was so worked up.

"I'm serious, Rev," Erin said, frustration starting to creep into her voice. "You're just going to let Dax keep this from me?"

Rev paused, setting down the part he'd been polishing and turned to face her. His expression softened, and there was a hint of understanding in his eyes. "Look, Erin," he said, his voice a little quieter, "it's not that we're trying to hide anything bad from you. But Dax has something planned, and I'm not going to be the one to ruin that for him. Trust me, it's nothing you should worry about. He just wants to keep it a surprise."

Erin's eyes narrowed, but she could see the sincerity in Rev's face. He wasn't giving anything away, but he also wasn't being dismissive. That made her pause. She knew Rev wasn't the type to keep something from her if it weren't important.

"You're really not going to tell me anything, huh?" Erin asked, exhaling dramatically as she crossed her arms. She felt a little frustrated, but at the same time, she knew it wasn't the end of the world. Whatever it was, it was clear it meant something to Dax.

Rev gave her an apologetic look. "You know I can't. But trust me when I say that when the time comes, you'll understand. And Dax? He's just trying to do something nice for you."

Erin sighed and leaned back against the counter, staring at the ceiling for a moment. "I'm not mad at him," she muttered under her breath. "I just don't like being left out of the loop."

Rev chuckled softly, picking up his tools and returning to his task. "You should know by now that surprises are part of life. Sometimes, you just have to roll with it."

Erin sat there for a while, her thoughts racing. Whatever this was, it seemed like Dax was doing it out of love, and that realisation made her feel a little better. Still, that nagging curiosity stayed with her. As much as she wanted to push Rev for more information, she knew there wasn't much else she could do for now. She'd just have to trust Dax and wait.

The sound of the garage door opening interrupted her thoughts, and she turned to see Dax and Jinx pulling up a now-empty trailer.

"Hey, Erin," Dax called out, grinning as he walked over to her. "What's going on? You look like you've been deep in thought."

Erin gave him a smile, trying to mask the curiosity bubbling inside her. "Just thinking about the shop," she said casually, not wanting to give away that she was still wondering about his secret.

Dax raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying it. "Right. Well, we're done with the delivery, and the crew's back. Ready to get some work done?"

Erin nodded, but as he stepped closer, she couldn't help but let her mind wander back to the mystery surrounding Dax's plans. Whatever it was, she knew it was going to be big. And part of her couldn't wait to find out what it was.

As the day continued, Erin focused on the work at hand, but the secret lingered in the back of her mind, a constant reminder that things weren't as simple as they seemed. It was only a matter of time before the truth came out. And she had a feeling it would change everything.