able to solve this for you," he apologized. "The servants already gave me a full report of the damage, but I wanted to have a look myself. It looks like you're completely bogged down. We might be able to get you out if everyone on staff spent the day out here with shovels and boards, but that unfortunately wouldn't solve the situation with your back tire. It's…"
"Completely blown," Cara finished for him. "I know. I guess I was hoping you might have a spare somewhere in your garage."
"Nothing that would fit this model, unfortunately."
She thought she didn't need to ask what kind of car Simon drove. She was sure it was something expensive, something he wouldn't want to risk out on the open road. She was sure that he…
"There's the potential that I could drive you into town," he mused. His offer took her by complete surprise. Cara stood up from where she had been rummaging through her glove compartment, blinking in astonishment. Simon still wasn't looking at her, but he was gazing back down the long stretch of road this time, musing on his idea as if he could see it coming toward them in the distance. He was wearing a knit winter hat to keep the chill wind off; it pulled his shaggy hair back from his face, and she could see his expression with striking clarity. It took her a moment to recover from how handsome he looked.
"I have it on good authority that the road south is blocked," Simon continued. "That's on the authority of Gerald and Melinda, anyway, who've scarcely been away from their radio in the kitchen. It's possible I could take you up north into the next town. It would be a few hours' drive to get there, and it would be in the direction opposite of where you're trying to head. But you might stand a better chance of convincing someone face-to-face to drive back out here with you and help you."
"You personally?" Cara inquired, before realizing that the standalone question didn't make any sense. "I mean, you would take me into town?"
Simon ducked his chin quickly, appearing to regret his words. "One of the servants would take you," he said eventually. "I have a professional driver residing on the property that I can vouch for personally. He would be happy to finally be put to some use."
"I'd like it better if you drove me, though." Cara closed the passenger side door and circled back around behind the car. Simon still wouldn't look at her.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "But trust me when I say it's better for everyone this way."
"But I don't trust you," Cara pointed. "I think you're sneaky. I think you seduce unsuspecting young women you find broken down along the road, and that you listen in on peoples' phone calls."
Simon glanced up sharply at this, but Cara was smiling victoriously. He hadn't let himself look at her all morning, but now she had his full attention.
The man immediately saw what her game had been, and smiled sheepishly in response. "You don't want me to drive you, Cara," he said finally. "I don't have a license to drive here in America, and I'm certainly not going to let you behind the wheel of my car while I ride shotgun. Judging from the state of your own vehicle, it would be far too expensive a risk."
"So I guess I'm stuck here," Cara concluded as they walked back up the road to the mansion together. It was certainly not the outcome she had been hoping for when she woke up that morning—at least, not the outcome she was willing to admit she had been hoping for. Regardless, she tried not to sound too giddy at the prospect of one last night spent in Simon's company. A sly look his way caught the tail end of a smile, before the Englishmen glanced off in the opposite direction.
"That would be a good guess," he mused.
"Shall we go swimming again?" Cara suggested innocently.
"Completely blown," Cara finished for him. "I know. I guess I was hoping you might have a spare somewhere in your garage."
"Nothing that would fit this model, unfortunately."
She thought she didn't need to ask what kind of car Simon drove. She was sure it was something expensive, something he wouldn't want to risk out on the open road. She was sure that he…
"There's the potential that I could drive you into town," he mused. His offer took her by complete surprise. Cara stood up from where she had been rummaging through her glove compartment, blinking in astonishment. Simon still wasn't looking at her, but he was gazing back down the long stretch of road this time, musing on his idea as if he could see it coming toward them in the distance. He was wearing a knit winter hat to keep the chill wind off; it pulled his shaggy hair back from his face, and she could see his expression with striking clarity. It took her a moment to recover from how handsome he looked.
"I have it on good authority that the road south is blocked," Simon continued. "That's on the authority of Gerald and Melinda, anyway, who've scarcely been away from their radio in the kitchen. It's possible I could take you up north into the next town. It would be a few hours' drive to get there, and it would be in the direction opposite of where you're trying to head. But you might stand a better chance of convincing someone face-to-face to drive back out here with you and help you."
"You personally?" Cara inquired, before realizing that the standalone question didn't make any sense. "I mean, you would take me into town?"
Simon ducked his chin quickly, appearing to regret his words. "One of the servants would take you," he said eventually. "I have a professional driver residing on the property that I can vouch for personally. He would be happy to finally be put to some use."
"I'd like it better if you drove me, though." Cara closed the passenger side door and circled back around behind the car. Simon still wouldn't look at her.
"Thank you," he said sincerely. "But trust me when I say it's better for everyone this way."
"But I don't trust you," Cara pointed. "I think you're sneaky. I think you seduce unsuspecting young women you find broken down along the road, and that you listen in on peoples' phone calls."
Simon glanced up sharply at this, but Cara was smiling victoriously. He hadn't let himself look at her all morning, but now she had his full attention.
The man immediately saw what her game had been, and smiled sheepishly in response. "You don't want me to drive you, Cara," he said finally. "I don't have a license to drive here in America, and I'm certainly not going to let you behind the wheel of my car while I ride shotgun. Judging from the state of your own vehicle, it would be far too expensive a risk."
"So I guess I'm stuck here," Cara concluded as they walked back up the road to the mansion together. It was certainly not the outcome she had been hoping for when she woke up that morning—at least, not the outcome she was willing to admit she had been hoping for. Regardless, she tried not to sound too giddy at the prospect of one last night spent in Simon's company. A sly look his way caught the tail end of a smile, before the Englishmen glanced off in the opposite direction.
"That would be a good guess," he mused.
"Shall we go swimming again?" Cara suggested innocently.
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