Chapter Twenty-Five

"Are you sure there won't be anyone on this road?" Sophie asked, looking around, nervous.

"I'm sure."

"How can you be sure?" Sophie asked, turning to face him. "I mean, you aren't the lord and master of all things traffic in Hay, are you?"

"Sophie?"

"Yes?"

"Stop. Avoiding. The. Car." Daniel pointed to the driver's side of Auntie Barbara's small hatchback, which was currently parked in the middle of a tiny lane bordered by hedgerows on both sides. "And yes, I am the lord and master of all things traffic. It's a new title, just awarded last year. I beat out Old Man Pilcher for it."

Sophie stuck out her tongue at his teasing, and then climbed into the front seat. "Okay, so you know I said the whole 'driving on the wrong side of the road' thing was scary? And how I don't like roundabouts? Well, I forgot to mention that…"

"You don't know how to drive a manual transmission, do you?" Daniel rolled his eyes skyward in an exaggerated scowl. "Woman, you are hopeless."

"Sorry."

"And well you should be," Daniel said, unable to contain a smile.

"Where are we?" Sophie asked, trying to see over the enormous hedge blocking both sides of the small road. "I can't see a damn thing except greenery. I feel like Alice in Wonderland or something."

"We're on a road that is rarely used on the edge of my property. I figured I better minimize your damage rates but starting you somewhere isolated," Daniel said, folding his long body into the passenger seat and shutting the door. "Now, this is really quite simple…"

It took Sophie about fifteen tries before she managed to get the car into first gear and roll about twenty yards before the engine sputtered and died again. She expected Daniel to lose patience, or to just yank her out of the driver's seat and drive them around himself – but he didn't.

He remained encouraging and patient, and after a while, Sophie forgot to be nervous and embarrassed about being around him, about not knowing how to drive, and started to get the hang of things. Another hour of practice, and she was triumphant as she managed to drive several miles without stalling or shuddering the car.

"Well done, Sophie!" Daniel beamed at her, pleased with the progress of his pupil. "You ready to take on a 'real road' now – there's even a roundabout at the end of it."

Sophie bit her lip slightly. "What if I mess up?"

"If you do, you do. At least this way, you'll know you can make it to work and back – that's where we'll head. And if you manage to not stall the car on the way, I'll even buy you lunch."

Sophie grinned, her courage rising. "Deal!"

"Hang on…" Daniel said right before she put the car into gear again.

"What?"

"Do you have a good insurance policy? I hope you're fully covered for this…"

Sophie socked him lightly on the shoulder, and then bravely put the car back into first gear, praying she wouldn't stall on the way.

Fifteen minutes later, she pulled smoothly into a space near The Granary, a delicious luncheon place filled with enormous sandwiches, hearty soups and sweet desserts. "I did it!" Sophie crowed, pleased with herself. She reached for the parking brake at the same time as Daniel, their hands meeting in the middle, tangling with each other. Sophie's cheeks flushed at the contact and she dared not meet his eye. He didn't relinquish his grasp for a few seconds, until someone called out "Daniel! Sophie!"

Reluctantly, Sophie let go, and they both climbed from the car to Kat's called greeting. Exchanging pleasantries, Kat kept throwing Sophie a knowing smile, though Sophie refused to smile back, to give away her own feelings on Daniel – but it seemed that Kat already knew. She was surprised Kat didn't do the "nudge, nudge, wink, wink" thing right there in front of Daniel.

Great, she thought, I'll never hear the end of this now. Maybe I can turn it around a bit…

"You know, Kat," Sophie interrupted smoothly, giving her a winsome smile. "Daniel here has been educating me to the ways of the mystical Aga. I'd love to have you over for dinner sometime – maybe you and Daniel, even Matt."

Ha, Sophie thought with a hidden smile. She thinks she got me figured out, wait until I start matchmaking her ass with Matt.

Kat nodded happily. "Sure, anytime. Stop by and let me know when. I've got to dash, but I'll talk to you tomorrow!" With a knowing wink, Kat gliding away from them, and Sophie gave Daniel great credit for not watching her perfect backside recede for more than the briefest of moments.

"Ready to eat?" He asked with a small smile, and Sophie nodded, flushing again as Daniel placed a hand on the small of her back, guiding her into the dim interior.

A few hours later, when the car was safely parked in the garage and Daniel had returned home to make a few phone calls, Sophie flopped onto the couch in the conservatory, her head spinning.

This Daniel was like a new man – helpful, patient, kind. She could really see herself liking him… more than liking him…

So, how did he feel about her?

At times, she thought she detected a spark from him, but then… nothing.

No kiss, even. They'd brushed hands a few times, but no kiss.

Maybe he didn't feel the same way after all. Sure, the guy had been through the wringer in the last year – lost his mom, lost his best assistant, lost his girlfriend. No wonder he had trust issues and was wary about new people, but jeez, Sophie thought. I'm not scary or untrustworthy. He can trust me…

Maybe he just wasn't ready.

Or maybe, Sophie thought with slight resignation, he just isn't into me.

No matter, Sophie sighed. Better to have Daniel the Friendly Neighbor Man than Daniel the Surly, regardless of romantic entanglements.

She just wished she knew more of what was going on in that gorgeous head of his…

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