She stepped aside.
“Yes.”
Daniel approached.
Up close, he looked around thirty-eight or forty.
Short dark-brown hair already wet from snow.
Light stubble.
Gray-green eyes.
Strong hands with small cuts across the knuckles.
Not dressed for a date.
Claire noticed that before she wanted to.
He leaned into the engine bay and pulled a small flashlight from his coat.
“Try starting it.”
Claire returned to the driver’s seat.
“Now?”
“Yeah.”
She pressed the button.
Click.
Daniel listened.
“Again.”
Click.
He moved something.
“Again.”
This time the starter turned briefly.
Then stopped.
Daniel straightened.
“That’s encouraging.”
Claire stepped back out.
“Encouraging sounds generous.”
“Car is dramatic.”
“It was expensive enough to be.”
“That’s usually how they learn.”
She looked at him.
He smiled slightly.
He removed one glove with his teeth and reached deeper into the compartment.
Claire watched.
“You know what you’re doing?”
“Occasionally.”
“That was not reassuring.”
“I try not to overpromise.”
Something about the sentence made her think of the date again.
She checked her phone.
No response.
Daniel looked over.
“Somewhere you need to be?”
Claire hesitated.
“Dinner.”
“Sorry.”
“You didn’t break the car.”
“Still.”
He moved around the engine.
“Work dinner?”
“No.”
That apparently interested him.
“Date?”
Claire stared.
“That’s direct.”
“Sorry.”
“It is.”
He returned his attention to the engine.
Claire could have ended it there.
Instead she heard herself say:
“Blind date.”
Daniel’s hand stopped.
Just briefly.
Then continued.
“Those still exist?”
“Apparently.”
“Brave.”
“I was coerced.”
“Friend?”
“Yes.”
“Same.”
Claire looked at him.
“You too?”
He nodded without turning.
“Tonight.”
She nearly laughed.
“And you’re stopping to repair strangers’ cars?”
“Seems like a reasonable excuse for being late.”
Claire crossed her arms against the cold.
“Maybe your date won’t agree.”
“If she doesn’t, probably useful information.”
That answer landed differently than she expected.
Daniel glanced at her dress.
“You dressed for Pine Hollow Lodge?”
Claire’s suspicion returned immediately.
“How do you know?”
“Only restaurant around here where people wear clothes like that.”
She looked down.
“Is this that obvious?”
“You’re wearing heels in a snowstorm.”
Claire glanced at his muddy boots.
“Point taken.”
He reached behind a plastic housing.
Then muttered:
“There.”
“What?”