“The date.”
She shrugged beneath the fur.
“A friend arranged it.”
“I agreed because apparently saying no six times encourages people.”
Jake stared at her for one beat too long.
“What?”
she asked.
“Nothing.”
Coincidence.
Still coincidence.
He tightened the cable.
“Try now.”
Sophia slid back inside.
The Mercedes started immediately.
She gasped.
Jake listened for a moment.
“Leave it running.”
Sophia stepped out again, visibly relieved.
“You fixed it.”
“Temporary enough to get you somewhere warm.”
“What do you mean temporary?”
“The terminal is clean and tight.”
“You should still replace the cable end soon.”
“The ground strap needs inspection too.”
“I can do it tomorrow if you want.”
“You have a shop?”
Jake pointed behind him.
“My jacket isn’t costume.”
Sophia smiled.
“How much?”
“Nothing.”
Her smile disappeared.
“No.”
Jake began putting tools away.
“Yes.”
“You drove into a snowbank because of me.”
“I pulled over.”
“Still.”
“You were stranded.”
“That’s work.”
“Five minutes.”
“Twenty.”
Jake looked at his watch.
6:59.
Damn.
Sophia saw.
“You’re late.”
“Probably.”
“For something?”
Jake closed toolbox.
“A date.”
Sophia froze.
He caught it this time.
Not recognition yet.
Something else.
“Oh.”
Jake laughed.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re laughing.”
“I’m not.”
“You are.”
“It’s just…”
She glanced at his sweater beneath jacket.
“You don’t look like you were going to work.”
“Avery picked the sweater.”
“Who’s Avery?”
“My daughter.”
Sophia’s expression softened.
“You have a daughter.”
“Ten.”
“She picked your clothes for a date?”
“She believes my judgment collapsed when her mother died.”
The sentence left before Jake decided whether to say it.
Sophia’s smile vanished.
“I’m sorry.”
Jake nodded.
“It’s been four years.”
“That doesn’t make it not sad.”
He looked at her.
Most people answered with something like at least you had her or time heals or everything happens for a reason.
Sophia did not.
She simply acknowledged it.
Jake appreciated that.
Snow intensified.
He looked toward road.
“You said your date is where?”
“Evergreen Café.”
Jake stopped.
Sophia stopped.
For one second neither moved.
Jake said, “Maya Chen?”
Her eyes widened.
“You know Maya?”
Jake slowly stood straighter.