Chapter 6
DANNY
T his was totally bizarre!
Danny felt a bit like he was hallucinating. Michelle Singer was at the garage. It was like one of his favourite teenage fantasies was coming to life before his eyes.
Doing his best to keep his cool, Danny led her out of the garage and around the side of the building towards the secure yard at the back.
How many times had he dreamed of doing this when he was a kid?
Now here she was, that bouncy ponytail of hers swinging jauntily as Elvis pranced along at her heels.
Danny couldn’t wait to see the look on Michelle’s face.
Any minute now, all his dreams were going to come true.
All those hours he’d spent with his head under a bonnet, helping his dad and learning everything he could from the best teacher he knew…
and finally, the girl of his dreams was going to get to witness the fruits of his labour.
Next to him, Michelle came to an abrupt halt, and Danny’s grin grew to face-aching proportions. He glanced at her, crossing his fingers behind his back.
Why did this matter so much?
Whatever Michelle thought, she was just some random girl he’d had a crush on at school, wasn’t she? One he hadn’t had the guts to talk to.
But it did matter. Because no matter what his dad said when he was ranting about the Singers, Michelle had always been special for some reason. What she thought mattered more than anything… even if he had no idea why!
‘Danny… what on earth ?’ she whispered.
‘Good, eh?’ he said, feeling weirdly shy.
Michelle was now staring open-mouthed at his pride and joy. Her look was one of shock and awe—bordering on reverence. Morning light skimmed across the bonnets and curves of the rows of vintage cars in front of them, catching on chrome and glossy paintwork in a quiet kind of magic.
‘Good? I feel like I’ve slipped into an alternate universe!’ she laughed. ‘No offence, but I thought this place was all about MOTs and breakdowns. Somewhere people come when they need an oil change… not… this?’
She waved her hands expansively, and the sound of another delighted laugh made something in Danny’s stomach flip.
‘Can I take a closer look?’
‘Sure, be my guest,’ said Danny. He hurried to the security keypad and punched in the numbers to release the gate.
Michelle wandered into the yard as if in a trance, heading for the rows of gleaming classic cars with her mouth still slightly agape.
She gazed in wonder at the sunshine-yellow 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air sitting proudly in the front row, its fins gleaming.
Next to it was a powder-blue Ford Thunderbird from the same era, looking like it had just rolled off the production line.
Danny watched as Michelle drifted past a pristine Morris Minor convertible, her fingers trailing reverently along its cream-coloured bonnet. He shivered, somehow feeling that light touch on the back of his neck.
‘They’re incredible,’ she breathed, moving deeper into the collection. ‘How many are there?’
‘Two dozen,’ said Danny, moving to join her.
‘What are they for?’ she said, admiring the sleek Jaguar E-Type before moving on to the bottle-green Austin-Healey with its wire wheels.
‘For?’ he laughed. ‘Loving. Fixing. Adoring. Dad’s been collecting them for years. He started when I was a kid.’
Danny had spent hours helping to restore these beauties. For years now, he’d wanted to expand the business to include them… but his dad had always been content to stick to the status quo and simply lavish the collection with love.
‘Oh my goodness, look at this stunner,’ said Michelle, nodding at an early 1960s London taxi with its unmistakable rounded silhouette. ‘Dad would love it!’
Danny nodded, but Michelle suddenly looked awkward, clearly regretting the unguarded mention of her father while she was on enemy territory.
‘Gah, I hardly know where to look first,’ she said, covering her blunder by turning away to stare at the elegant Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow instead.
Danny chuckled. He’d always thought the Rolls looked like it should belong to royalty.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I probably sound like a total idiot.’
‘You really don’t,’ said Danny, beaming at her. Her delight was a relief… a balm, even! There was something about her reaction that was just confirming that Michelle Singer was exactly the kind of person he’d always thought she was.
Hoped she was.
Michelle grinned at him before continuing to tiptoe reverently between the cars. When she reached the far corner of the yard, Danny saw her come to a standstill again.
‘Do you have a favourite?’ she asked, glancing back at him with something like wonder in her eyes.
‘That’s like asking me to pick a favourite child!’ laughed Danny. ‘But since you’re asking, it’s got to be the Aston Martin.’
He nodded over to where his pride and joy was sitting in the back row. His dad had added most of the cars to the collection, but that had been Danny’s first purchase. It had been in an absolute state, but the labour of love to bring it back to its full glory had been worth every moment.
‘Really?’ said Michelle, cocked her head as she glanced at it. ‘That one?’
Danny nodded. ‘It’s a 007 thing.’
Michelle chuckled. ‘Fair enough!’
‘I’m guessing you’re favouring the Buick, given the way you’re petting it?’ he laughed.
‘Sorry!’ Michelle whipped her hand away from the red paintwork, looking sheepish. ‘I didn’t even realise I was doing that.’
‘Don’t be sorry,’ he said with a grin. ‘May I present the Buick Roadmaster, 1952. She’s a beaut—especially if you’re into the whole American 50s vibe.’
‘Yeah… that’s totally my jam. So much style!’ said Michelle, her eyes gleaming. ‘You’re going to think this is totally daft, but I watched Grease as a kid… and that was it, I was hooked. The obsession grew from there.’
Danny felt something shift in his chest as a memory hit him like a sledgehammer. ‘I should have known.’
‘What do you mean?’ said Michelle, tilting her head curiously.
‘The prom,’ he said, the words tumbling out before he could stop them. ‘Year thirteen. You wore that amazing dress. All the other girls looked like they were trying to outdo each other with how much skin they could show. But you…’
Danny paused, remembering the moment she’d walked into the school hall. He’d been struck dumb. Michelle’s dress had been navy blue with white polka dots. A wide red belt had shown off her tiny waist, and the skirt had flared out in frothy layers that swished when she moved.
‘You looked like you belonged to a different era,’ he said, his voice softer now. ‘Classy and… just gorgeous. Properly gorgeous, not like you were trying too hard. You know, you were the only reason I bothered going to that thing.’
Michelle’s cheeks had turned pink, and she was staring at him in surprise.
For a minute, Danny regretted saying anything…
but what was the harm? He could still remember it like it was yesterday – standing by the wall, nursing a plastic cup of spiked punch while he watched her with her friends.
He’d been desperate to ask her to dance, but the last thing he’d wanted was to be turned down in front of the entire school, so he’d chickened out.
‘I wore my leather jacket instead of hiring a tux,’ he said with a rueful smile. ‘I thought I looked so cool. Instead, I probably just looked like an idiot who couldn’t afford proper formal wear.’
‘Trust me, you didn’t look like an idiot,’ said Michelle, sounding slightly flustered.
‘Yeah… well…’
Danny ran his fingers through his hair. Why couldn’t he just reminisce inside his own bloody head instead of letting it all fall out of his mouth?
Nice job, Dalton! Way to go to make things awkward.
‘I remember spending that entire evening wishing you’d ask me to dance.’
Danny’s eyes snapped back to Michelle. She was staring hard at the Buick.
‘You… did?’ he muttered.
Michelle simply nodded.
‘Oh.’
Danny swallowed. Why did his even matter? His heart was hammering, and he felt like he was hovering on the edge of a skydive… all over something that had happened years ago. Or hadn’t happened, more to the point!
He needed to steer this conversation back to more practical matters, pronto… before he made an even bigger prat out of himself.
‘So… the Buick?’
‘Definitely my favourite,’ said Michelle, shooting him a cheeky smile. It did nothing to ease his skydiver’s nerves.
‘Well, you’re welcome to borrow her until we get to the bottom of what’s wrong with your car.’
‘Wait… what?!’ gasped Michelle. ‘You’re not telling me these are your complimentary cars?!’
‘Not normally,’ said Danny, smiling as he met her sparkling eyes. ‘But this time, I reckon I can make an exception.’
‘Really?!’ said Michelle again.
He watched as she reached out a tentative finger and stroked the glossy paintwork again. ‘Really. I mean, I guess you’d rather not have to rely on your mum’s bike?’
‘Good guess!’ chuckled Michelle. She reached around and patted her mud-splattered behind. Danny did his best not to stare at the point of contact. ‘But… won’t your Dad mind?’
Out of nowhere, a shard of ice hit him in the chest. Sure, his dad might have a problem with him lending one of their prized collection to a Singer, but…
‘I’m sure he’d be fine with it,’ he muttered, his voice suddenly tight.
‘Should we maybe ask him… just in case?’ said Michelle, a small frown appearing on her face. She reached down and patted Elvis’s head, clearly seeking comfort.
Danny knew how she felt.
‘Not possible, even if we wanted to,’ said Danny. ‘Dad’s in hospital at the moment.’
‘Oh.’ Michelle looked poleaxed. ‘I’m really sorry… I…’ she trailed off, clearly struggling with what to say next.
Danny decided to let her off the hook. ‘I’m hoping he’ll be out soon. He had a fall and broke his wrist. Turns out it was a mini stroke.’
‘Oh, Danny,’ gasped Michelle, ‘that’s rubbish!’
‘Yeah. It is a bit shit,’ he sighed. ‘Scared me witless, if I’m honest.’
Even as he said it, something in Danny’s chest seemed to loosen. He’d been so busy trying to hold everything together at the garage, he’d barely had the chance to process how he felt about it all.
‘Is he… himself?’ said Michelle. ‘Sorry, I don’t know anything about what happens when…?’
‘I know what you mean,’ said Danny. ‘I think he’s been lucky—if you can call it that. He seems to be his usual, cantankerous self.’
‘That must be a relief?!’
Danny nodded. ‘Weirdly, the broken wrist was a bit of a blessing. If it wasn’t for that, he probably wouldn’t have bothered going to the hospital.
They insisted on the scans, and that’s how he found out about the mini stroke.
They’re making sure he’s on the medication he needs…
so that’s a positive. I think it could have been a lot worse. ’
Michelle nodded, still looking horrified. ‘Sounds like you’ve had a rubbish time. I’m really sorry I’ve added to your stress.’
‘Don’t be daft,’ said Danny. ‘It’s not like you asked to break down. Anyway, I’m sorry for offloading.’
‘Okay, now you’re being daft!’ said Michelle, shaking her head. ‘And… I know we don’t really know each other that well, but if there’s anything I can do to help, just shout… okay?’
‘Why, you volunteering to nurse Old Man Dalton when he comes home?’ said Danny.
‘If that’s what you need, then yes,’ said Michelle, her voice serious. ‘Mind you, I’m not sure having a Singer in the house would be particularly good for his blood pressure.’
‘You might have a point,’ said Danny. He smiled at her, but it felt heavy and exhausted. The past few days had really taken it out of him. ‘You know… there is something you can do for me.’
‘Name it,’ said Michelle.
‘Well, if you’re set on the Buick – will you take me out for a test drive?’ he said. ‘I could do with a quick break from this place.’
‘Me? Drive it?’ said Michelle, eyeballing the car again and looking nervous. ‘Is it hard?’
‘The opposite,’ said Danny. ‘She’s an automatic and handles like a dream. If you ask me, I reckon you two might be made for each other.’
‘You’re really sure you don’t mind me borrowing it?’ said Michelle, still looking torn.
‘If you promise me one thing,’ said Danny.
‘What’s that?’
‘Don’t let your ex anywhere near it,’ he said. ‘Going by the pile of parts in your glove box, I wouldn’t trust him within ten feet of the Buick!’
‘You’ve got it,’ said Michelle. ‘That’s the easiest promise I’ve made all year.’