Sophia started laughing.
Not polite laughter.
Real.
Helpless.
Jake stared another second, then laughed too.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Sophia covered her mouth.
"Claire."
"My sister."
"They set this up."
Jake shook his head.
"No."
"This is impossible."
Sophia looked at him.
"You're Jake Morrison?"
"Yes."
"Mechanic?"
"Usually."
"Single father?"
His smile faded slightly at wording.
"Yes."
Sophia softened.
"Sorry."
"No."
"It's fine."
He looked at her.
"Sophia Lauron?"
"Unfortunately."
"Commercial designer?"
"Architectural development."
"Emily said expensive buildings."
Sophia groaned.
"Of course she did."
Jake smiled.
"This is better."
"What?"
"Than the café."
She looked around.
Snow.
Disabled car.
Wet shoulder.
"You have terrible standards."
Jake returned to repair.
Sophia watched him.
"You knew before me."
"What?"
"When I said Sophia."
"I suspected."
"And you didn't say anything."
Jake shrugged.
"Wanted to be sure."
"You let me flirt with you."
His hand stopped.
Sophia smiled slowly.
"You did."
Jake looked up.
"Did you?"
"You know I did."
"Could have been normal Boston behavior."
"I'm from Vermont."
"Then I'm in trouble."
Sophia moved slightly closer.
Their faces were only a few feet apart.
"Maybe."
Jake held her gaze.
Snow landed on her hair.
He reached up instinctively.
Stopped before touching.
Sophia noticed.
"Go ahead."
His fingers brushed a snowflake from her hair.
Small gesture.
Much more intimate than it should have been.
Sophia's breath changed.
Jake's hand lingered for half a second.
Then dropped.
She whispered:
"Fix my car, handsome, and maybe I'll let you warm me up over coffee."
Jake's mouth curved.
"Careful, sweetheart."
He leaned closer to wheel but kept his eyes on her.
"Keep getting this close and I'm going to forget there's an engine between us."
Sophia smiled.
"Maybe that's the point."
Jake's eyebrows lifted.
She continued:
"My blind date is already losing to you."
Jake laughed quietly.
"Then you're in trouble, Sophia."
He raised the wrench.
"Because I'm the blind date."
She shook her head.
"That line would be better if I hadn't figured it out."
"Give me thirty seconds."
"For what?"
"To repair the car and my dignity."
Sophia laughed.
Something inside her loosened.
For the first time in months, attraction did not feel dangerous.
It felt ridiculous.
Snowy.
Greasy.
Unexpected.
Maybe that helped.
Jake reconnected the loose steering-system plug.
Then checked battery terminal.
He tightened one connection.
"Try it."
Sophia climbed in.
The engine started.
Steering warning disappeared.
She rolled down window.
"You're useful."
Jake closed hood.
"High praise."
"What do I owe you?"
"Nothing."
"Jake."
"Christmas."
"That is not currency."
"Coffee."
Sophia smiled.
"At Evergreen?"
"Seems appropriate."
She looked toward dashboard clock.
Six fifty-six.
"We're already late."
Jake shrugged.
"Good first-date filter."
"How?"