Fashion journalists photographed models beside restored vintage cars.
Auto magazines wrote about the strange partnership between a mechanic and a fashion CEO.
Sophia hated most headlines.
Jake loved reading the ridiculous ones aloud at breakfast.
“Power Couple Reinvents Retail.”
Sophia groaned.
“Stop.”
Jake continued.
“From Grease to Glamour.”
“Absolutely not.”
Their daughter laughed.
Their.
The word changed gradually.
At first, Sophia corrected herself.
Jake’s daughter.
Then the girl began calling Sophia when she needed help with school projects.
Then when she had nightmares.
Then when she wanted someone to judge outfits.
Then for no reason.
Eventually, possession stopped mattering.
One Christmas night, exactly one year after the breakdown, they returned to Evergreen Café.
Same booth.
Same window.
Snow falling outside.
The little girl sat between them.
Jake had planned something.
Sophia knew because he had been nervous all day.
He was terrible at hiding things from her.
Dessert arrived.
Then Jake reached into his coat.
Sophia stared.
“Oh no.”
Jake laughed.
“That is not the reaction I expected.”
“I knew it.”
“No, you didn't.”
“You touched your pocket nine times.”
Their daughter looked offended.
“You weren't supposed to count.”
Sophia looked at her.
“You knew?”
The girl covered her mouth.
Jake laughed.
“Both of you are impossible.”
He stood beside the booth.
Sophia's joking expression disappeared.
The ring box opened.
Simple.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Jake looked at her.
“One year ago, I was driving to a date I didn't want.”
Sophia smiled through tears.
“So was I.”
“I stopped because your car broke down.”
“You insulted my boots.”
“They were dangerous.”
“They were gorgeous.”
“They can be both.”
Sophia laughed.
Jake continued.
“I thought I was helping a stranger.”
“Then you became the person I wanted to call whenever anything good or terrible happened.”
Sophia's eyes filled.
Jake looked toward the little girl.
“And somewhere in there, you became her person too.”
The girl nodded aggressively.
Sophia laughed through tears.
Jake held the ring.
“I loved my wife.”
“I always will.”
Sophia nodded.
“I know.”
“She gave me a family.”
“She also left me instructions not to spend the rest of my life hiding from another one.”
Sophia covered her mouth.
Jake's voice broke slightly.
“I think she'd like you.”
That ended Sophia.
Tears spilled.
Jake smiled.
“You saved my garage.”
“You saved your company.”
“You saved my daughter from growing up with a father who thought surviving was the same as living.”
Sophia shook her head.
“You did that yourself.”
“Maybe.”
He smiled.
“But you helped.”
He looked at her.
“Will you marry me?”
Sophia nodded before he finished.
“Yes.”
Jake laughed.
“I had more speech.”