"Never got angry about money."
"Never slammed cabinet doors."
"But living Rachel did all those things."
Sophia smiled faintly.
Jake continued.
"For a while I thought loving her meant only remembering the best."
"Eventually I realized that's not love."
"What is?"
"Remembering whole person."
Sophia stared at him.
"You're philosophical for a mechanic."
"You said that already."
"Still true."
Jake smiled.
Then Sophia asked:
"Would she want you here?"
He did not answer immediately.
"Yes."
"How do you know?"
"Because she told me."
Sophia's expression changed.
"What?"
"Near end."
He swallowed.
"Rachel told me if I turned her death into a lifelong excuse, she'd haunt me."
Sophia laughed softly, then felt guilty.
Jake smiled.
"She meant it."
"I believe her."
"Emily says tonight is Rachel winning."
Sophia looked at him.
"And what do you think?"
Jake's eyes held hers.
"I think I met someone I would have stopped for even if the car wasn't broken."
Sophia's breath caught.
There.
No cleverness.
No performance.
A simple line.
More intimate than the flirting by the wheel.
She looked down.
"That's dangerous."
"Why?"
"Because I'm starting to like you."
Jake smiled.
"I noticed."
"Smug."
"Observant."
Sophia leaned forward.
"Do you flirt with stranded women often?"
"Only Christmas Eve."
"Good."
Silence.
Comfortable.
Then Jake’s phone buzzed.
He checked.
"Molly."
"Answer."
He did.
"Hey, Bug."
Sophia smiled at nickname.
Jake listened.
"Yes."
"No."
"You should be asleep."
Another pause.
"It's seven fifty."
He frowned.
"That's beside point."
Sophia heard a girl's voice faintly through phone.
Jake looked toward her.
Then away.
"No."
Pause.
"No, you cannot talk to her."
Sophia raised eyebrows.
Jake sighed.
"Fine."
He held phone out.
"My daughter has no boundaries."
Sophia accepted.
"Hello?"
A bright voice said:
"Are you Sophia?"
Sophia smiled.
"I am."
"Are you pretty?"
Sophia looked at Jake.
He covered his face.
She answered:
"Your father seems undecided."
Molly gasped.
"Dad!"
Jake whispered:
"Traitor."
Molly continued:
"Do you like dogs?"
"Yes."
"Do you like pancakes?"
"Very much."
"Do you ski?"
"Poorly."
"That's okay. Dad is bad too."
Jake grabbed phone.
"I am not bad."
Molly laughed.
Sophia laughed too.
Jake ended call after promising to bring hot chocolate home.
He looked mortified.
"Sorry."
"Don't be."
"She interrogates."
"I survived."
Jake studied her.
"You did."
Then:
"She likes you."
"You got that from thirty seconds?"
"She didn't ask your favorite dinosaur."
"Meaning?"
"She saves that for people she distrusts."
Sophia laughed.
"I'd better prepare."
"Triceratops."
"Why?"
"Correct answer."
"Is it?"
"No idea."
They finally left at eight thirty.
Outside, snow reached almost three inches.