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‘Go.’ Ophelia nodded.

‘I just need to grab a few things. And maybe borrow your vacuum cleaner pole.’

‘Should I ask?’

Aiden shook his head. ‘Just find out exactly where Mia is. Get her to drop me a pin or something.’

‘Hey, Mimi, the cavalry is on the way.’

Mia shivered. The warm sun promising of spring had disappeared, and she’d watched, miserable, as fog had bubbled out of the valley and spread. She’d flicked on the car’s lights for safety, but the heavy miasma of mist seemed to swallow them, turning everything as dark and gloomy as her mood.

She was irritated at having to wait to be rescued. While her friends teased her about her love of Disney, she’d always thought of herself less like a damsel in distress like Aurora or the old-school Rapunzel and far more of a Merida or Rapunzel of the Tangled era. An independent type. Or so she hoped. But she was aware she was currently kicking her feet, trying to stay warm, waiting for a rescue. And not the preplanned, prepaid one she’d organised with her recovery service.

But as much as it annoyed her, she felt a flutter of relief when she heard the roar of a motorbike and Aiden rode out of the fog, glowing in her headlights. He pulled in by her car, swung his leg over the back of the bike, and kicked the stand down. He took off his helmet and peeled off a thin balaclava then ran his fingers through his hair before catching her eye and smiling at her. He unhooked something long and shiny from the side of his bike and leaned it against his shoulder.

Great. If she was the modern-day damsel in distress, he was definitely the modern-day hero-knight.

‘Hey, Princess.’ He opened her car door. ‘Heard you needed a hand.’

‘I could have waited for the recovery truck.’ She stuffed her hands into her coat pockets, hoping it would hide her shivering.

‘You could have. But I feel like that would be attracting bad karma, leaving you sitting here when I could help. Not to mention Katie’s wrath.’

‘Do you really think you can?’ She couldn’t supress a shiver. ‘Help, I mean?’

‘I can try.’ Aiden dropped his rucksack off his shoulders, catching it in his empty hand. ‘Hold this please.’ He handed her the shiny metal pole and unzipped his bag.

‘Is this a vacuum cleaner stick?’

‘Yup. I’m improvising. Here.’ He pulled a fluffy blanket out of the bag and draped it around her shoulders.

‘I didn’t think of you as a fuzzy, rainbow blanket type.’

‘I’ll have you know it’s a chakra blanket.’ He tucked it around her more tightly. ‘Ophelia sent it. There’s a flask of tea too. And the spray lubricant I use on the shop door.’

Mia watched as Aiden knelt and studied the wheel, then tried the tyre iron. ‘Yup, it’s pretty solid. Pass the lube?’ He sprayed it liberally over the offending bolts and stood. ‘Probably best if we leave it for a bit. Tea and biscuits?’

‘You brought biscuits? Seriously?’

‘Side pocket. Katie said you were supposed to be meeting her for lunch, so I assumed you’d be getting hungry.’

‘Starving,’ Mia admitted and happily opened the packet and stuffed one in her mouth, not caring that other women would probably play it coy. It was only Aiden. She chased the first mouthful down with a glug of tea. ‘These are good. Not your dark chocolate ones, I’m glad to see.’

‘No. These are innocent. Honey oat. With a bit of cardamon and anise for soothing and anti-inflammatory properties. Plus they taste great.’ He opened the car door for her. ‘Might be a while. You should probably get back in. You’ll be warmer inside.’

Mia climbed in and took another bite, while Aiden walked around the car.

‘Are you getting in?’

‘I’m kinda grubby.’

Mia looked at him in disbelief. ‘You’ve dropped everything and raced up here on your chrome steed to rescue me, and you think I’m going to worry about a bit of dirt you picked up kneeling on the ground trying to fix my wheel? Get in.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘I’m going to owe you big time for this,’ Mia mused between bites.

‘I haven’t done anything except sprayed around a bit of lubricant. It hasn’t worked yet.’