Diego let out a small incredulous laugh.

– Well…

Valeria shook her head softly, as if she was still trying to understand what was going on.

— This cannot be real.

The woman who had greeted them at the entrance looked from one to the other curiously.

— Do you know each other?

Diego answered first.

— I think so.

Valeria exhaled slowly.

— We met … fifteen minutes.

The woman raised her eyebrows.

— So this is what they call a successful date before they start.

Diego walked to the table.

Valeria did the same.

They sat face to face.

For the first time since they had met on the road, they calmly observed each other.

Now that the initial surprise had passed, Diego noticed something different in her.

Not just elegance.

There was tiredness in his eyes.

A deep tiredness.

Valeria, for her part, looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and warmth.

The man in front of her no longer seemed just a kind mechanic.

There was something firm in his gaze.

Something quiet.

Something… reliable.

A waiter approached with two menus.

“Do you want something to drink?”

Valeria looked at him.

Then he looked at Diego.

A light smile appeared on his lips.

“I think we need coffee.”

Diego nodded.

— Lots of coffee.

The waiter left.

For a few seconds neither of them spoke.

Then Diego rested his elbows on the table.

“I suppose we should now officially introduce ourselves.”

Valeria smiled.

— Valeria Santillan.

— Diego Álvarez.

— The Mysterious Mechanic.

— The businesswoman with the broken down car.

They both laughed softly.

The tension gradually disappeared.

Diego tilted his head slightly.

“So… did your friend force you to come?”

Valeria raised an eyebrow.

“How do you know?”

“Because my sister and daughter forced me.”

Valeria laughed with a naturalness that she had not felt for a long time.

– Your daughter has good taste.

Diego smiled.

“That’s what my sister said.

The waiter returned with two cups of steaming coffee.

The steam rose between them like a small warm cloud.

Valeria took the cup with both hands.

“Thank you for helping me out there.”

Diego shrugged.

“Anyone would have done it.

Valeria denied.

— No.

He paused.

— Not everyone stops in the middle of the night to help a stranger.

Diego watched her carefully.

— I guess that depends on the person.

Valeria held his gaze.

For some reason, that simple conversation felt different.

More real.

Quieter.

Diego took a sip of coffee.

— So… what kind of company do you run?

Valeria took a deep breath.

— Fashion design.

— That sounds complicated.

— It is.

She hesitated for a moment.

Then she decided to be honest.

— My company could disappear in three months.

Diego did not react with surprise.

He just listened to it.

“Investors want immediate expansion,” Valeria continued, “or withdraw all the money.”

Diego nodded slowly.

— Sounds like a lot of pressure.

Valeria let out a small bitter laugh.

— It is.

There was a brief silence.

Diego looked at her calmly.

“But you’re still here.

Valeria frowned.

“What do you mean?”

“You could be working right now.

— I was doing it all day.

“And yet you decided to come.”

Valeria looked at him for a few seconds.

— I didn’t decide.

“No?”

– My friend forced me.

Diego smiled.

“Then you should thank him.”

Valeria raised an eyebrow.

— Why?

Diego pointed discreetly between them.

“Because if it weren’t for her…” You would never have had the best free mechanical service in town.

Valeria laughed.

A real laugh.

Maybe the first in weeks.

Diego watched her.

There was something luminous in that laughter.

Something that made the tiredness on his face disappear for a moment.

The conversation continued.

They talked about many things.

From Diego’s childhood in a small town.

About how he had opened his own workshop.

By Camila.

Valeria listened attentively.

— It must be hard to raise a daughter alone.

Diego smiled softly.

— Sometimes.

Then he added:

“But it’s also the be