Author's Note: I'm dedicating this story to the lovely Andrea (iloveromance) in gratitude for her love and support. :)
Niles was glad the evening was over. He'd reluctantly gone to a wine club event, without Frasier. His brother had a date with, as he called it, "a sure thing." As he made his way back home, Niles shook his head in disbelief. In the five years he'd been in Seattle, he'd dated countless women, and was no closer to finding his true love than when he'd first left Boston.
In Niles' case, the problem wasn't finding someone special, it was finding the courage to reveal his feelings. He'd never been a brave man, and so his dream of holding Daphne in his arms was becoming more and more unreachable each day. He did his best to clear his mind as he turned onto what appeared to be a very lonely stretch of road. Suddenly he wished he'd gone the more direct route back to the Montana. But it was too late to turn back now, so he kept driving. He almost began to feel a bit drowsy, which is never a good thing behind the wheel. But, moments later, a sound woke him up with a start. It was a loud pop, and Niles knew instantly that his rear tire was now flat.
Luckily, he made it to the edge of the road before stopping. For a second, panic seized him. This was no place to be stranded at night. And, to make matters worse, Seattle chose that moment to remind its citizens just how it had earned its reputation for being one of the rainiest cities in the country. "Great." Niles glanced over at the passenger's seat, where his briefcase sat. Inside it was his trusty cellphone. He retrieved it and began to dial the number of his Auto Club. But he pressed "End" halfway through. He knew he needed assistance with the car, but what he wanted was to see the woman he loved. So he dialed again, this time using speed dial to call his brother's apartment.
"Crane residence." The mere sound of Daphne's voice made Niles smile.
"Hello, Daphne. I'm sorry to be calling you so late, but I have a flat tire and I'm in the middle of nowhere."
"Oh, dear!" Daphne could picture him all alone in the rain. The image tore at her heart. "I'll be right there!"
Niles gave her his location and thanked her profusely before hanging up. He breathed deeply, trying to remain calm. He watched as rain poured on his windshield. Something in its rhythm made him close his eyes. He wasn't in a lonely car anymore, he was at the Snow Ball, holding a beautiful woman in a red sequined gown.
The dream was interrupted a moment later, or so it seemed to Niles. He awoke to see Daphne knocking on his window. His heart broke when he noticed that she was drenched. "Oh, dear God, Daphne, I'm so sorry!" He opened the door to her immediately.
"Nonsense. Me date canceled on me, so I was just spending the evening with one of me favorite romance novels."
Once again, Niles felt bad for ruining her night. He tried to apologize, but she gave a dismissive wave. "It doesn't matter now. Luckily, growing up with eight brothers, I learned a thing or two about cars. I'll have your tire fixed in no time!"
A grateful smile appeared on his face at once. He'd always considered her an angel, and now he knew how true it was.
Just as Daphne said, she was able to fix the tire with no trouble at all. She walked back to the drivers window, where Niles remained. "You're all set, Dr. Crane. If you like, I can follow you home, just in case. With this rain, you can't be too careful!"
"Of course. Thank you so much for your help, Daphne. I don't know who you were planning to see this evening, but if you ask me, it was his loss."
Daphne blushed. "Thanks."
There was an awkward moment of silence until Daphne returned to her vehicle. Cautiously, Niles started his car up once again. When he took his foot off the brake and stepped on the gas, the car moved. Miraculously, it was as if the tire had never been damaged at all.
They both made the drive to the Montana and arrived at its parking structure at almost the same time. Daphne emerged from her car and walked over to his. "Well, here you are, Dr. Crane. Safe and sound." She smiled at him before turning to leave.
Niles' heart ached at the thought of her departure. "Wait. I feel terrible that I made you come out in this weather. Why don't you stay and have something to eat?"
The invitation took Daphne by surprise. She wasn't sure how to respond, but she quickly realized that there was no point in spending the evening alone if she didn't have to. "All right."
Soon they were at his apartment. "Make yourself at home," Niles said, pointing to the fainting couch. "I'll just go see what I have."
"Don't go to any trouble, Dr. Crane."
"It's no trouble, after what you did for me tonight."
Daphne smiled nervously. "Oh, well, all right then."
Niles rushed off to the kitchen. He would've liked nothing better than to offer her the finest gourmet meal she'd ever eaten. But unfortunately, he didn't have the resources for that at the moment. Instead, he made a simple dinner of pasta for two. He nervously carried the plates back out to the dining area, placing them on the table. "Dinner is served." He turned to pour two glasses of champagne.
When Daphne saw the meal he'd prepared, she gasped. "This is lovely!"
"Thank you." Niles smiled as he sat.
After one bite of pasta, Daphne raved about the meal. She was used to doing most of the cooking for the Cranes, so just the simple fact of being waited on was a change of pace. But soon, they were talking about their lives. Daphne was amazed at the way he listened to stories she'd told countless times.
When the meal had ended, Daphne immediately rose to clear the dishes. "That can wait, Daphne."
"Oh. Are you sure? It's no trouble."
Niles smiled at her. "Of course." She worked hard taking care of Frasier and his father. She deserved a night off for once. He glanced around the room and noticed his stereo system. "Would you like to dance?"
"Dance?" Daphne replied in surprise.
Niles nodded, standing up to offer his hand.
"Yes, Dr. Crane. I would love to dance."
Niles quickly turned his stereo on, but kept the volume low. A moment later, he was in a state of pure bliss, for he was in Daphne's arms. They did not dance as they had at the ball. This time, they merely held each other close and swayed to the music.
Time seemed to stop as they moved together. Niles tried to freeze this moment in his memory. He thought back to the ball, and the heartache he'd experienced that night. Before he knew what was happening, the words were out of his mouth. "I love you, Daphne."
Dr. Crane's voice snapped Daphne out of her daydreaming. "What?"
"I said I love you. I know the last time we danced, I told you that, and you didn't believe me. But it's true. I can't tell you what I'm feeling right now, holding you in my arms."
Daphne looked at him. She'd always known he was handsome, but suddenly she noticed he was also sweet and boyish. She kissed his cheek. Then, before she could stop herself, she kissed him on the lips. Her heart reacted, and the kisses continued.
When they broke apart, Niles couldn't get the smile off his face. "This is the most wonderful evening of my life! I'm so glad that this happened. I promise to make you happy for the rest of my life, if you're willing to let me." He gently held her cheek, amazed by how soft it was.
Daphne smiled. Just hours ago, she'd felt hurt and rejected when she learned that the man she'd met at Nervosa the other day suddenly had to work. She had known it was an excuse, and she wondered what was wrong with her. But now, the way Dr. Crane looked at her, Daphne suddenly felt beautiful. It was something she'd never really encountered with most of her dates. Somehow, she knew this was different, and her heartaches were about to become a thing of the past.
All because of a broken tire.
The End