He smiled.
“Jake.”
She froze.
He noticed.
“What?”
“Jake what?”
“Morrison.”
The woman's mouth opened slightly.
“No.”
His expression changed.
“What?”
She stared at him.
“Evergreen Café?”
His eyes narrowed.
“Yes.”
“Blind date?”
“Yes.”
She started laughing.
Jake looked confused.
Then suspicious.
“What’s your name?”
The woman tried to answer but laughed harder.
“Sophia.”
He stopped.
“Sophia?”
“Yes.”
“Sophia Lauron?”
She nodded.
Jake stared at her.
“You're my date.”
Sophia pressed one hand over her mouth.
“You're my date.”
For several seconds, they stood beneath heavy snow laughing like two people who had been fooled by the universe.
Jake finally shook his head.
“My sister is never going to believe this.”
“My friend will claim she planned it.”
“She did not.”
“She absolutely did not.”
Jake looked at Sophia.
Then at the SUV.
“So technically, our date started twenty minutes ago.”
Sophia smiled.
“And you already had your hands under my hood.”
Jake stared.
Sophia realized what she had said.
His smile widened.
“That's where we're going?”
She laughed.
“Behave.”
“You started it.”
The chemistry no longer needed to hide.
They drove separately to Evergreen Café.
Sophia followed Jake’s pickup through the snow, watching his taillights and smiling more than she had in months.
The café glowed warmly against the white landscape.
Garland wrapped the entrance.
Golden lights lined the windows.
They parked.
Jake reached the door first and held it open.
Sophia walked past him.
“You do this for every stranded woman?”
“Only the expensive ones.”
She looked over her shoulder.
“That answer could get you in trouble.”
“Still working on my survival instincts.”
The hostess approached.
“Reservation?”
Jake opened his mouth.
Sophia started laughing again.
The hostess looked between them.
“Something funny?”
Jake shook his head.
“Long story.”
They were shown to a booth beside the window.
At first, they simply stared at each other.
Sophia removed her jacket.
Jake noticed.
He tried not to notice.
Sophia absolutely noticed him trying.
“So.”
Jake leaned back.
“So.”
“Should we pretend we just met?”
“We did just meet.”
“You touched my alternator before knowing my last name.”
Jake laughed.
“That sentence is going to become dangerous if you keep saying it like that.”
Sophia smiled.
“I like making you uncomfortable.”
“You're failing.”
“Really?”
“Mostly.”
She leaned slightly forward.
“Mostly?”
Jake held her gaze.
“Now you're getting closer.”
Sophia looked away first.