Page 34 of Just One Silver Fox

Dinner was amazing,so amazing that Nate was glad he’d stayed. He’d been taught that it was rude to just wolf back a meal, no matter how good it was, so he tried to make conversation while they ate.

“What did Katia want?” He kept his tone light, curious but not pushy.

“I don’t know. She said we had to talk about something, but I didn’t bite.” Sonia pushed her food around a bit before she took another bite.

“Who’s Tobias?”

She looked up. “Tobias de Wynter, a writer. He used to be Tommy White when we were in high school. Katia’s friend and employer.”

“And owner of a phone sufficiently convenient to be borrowed.”

Sonia nodded.

Nate took a chance and pursued the topic. He was curious. “You said you hadn’t talked to Katia since Valentine’s.”

“It’s true. I haven’t.” She smiled. “And her attitude tonight didn’t encourage me to change my mind.”

“But you can’t avoid her forever.”

Sonia looked up. “Why not?”

“She’s family.” Nate gestured with his fork. “You know that old saying: you can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your family.” She didn’t smile at one of Uncle Jed’s favorite sayings.

She just looked stubborn. “Well, I have chosen.” Her gaze was hard and she put down her utensils. “She’ll just have to deal with it.”

Nate had to wonder what Katia had said. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” Sonia’s gaze flicked away, then back to meet his again, as if she’d decided something. Her eyes were very blue. “I haven’t talked to my parents in twelve years.” She sounded as if she was challenging him to believe her but Nate had no doubt it was true. Her steady look said it all. “Maybe Katia needs to join that club.”

She’d broken all ties with her family.

Why would anyone do that?

He had to think she had a good reason but couldn’t imagine what it might be.

Sonia had already admitted that she didn’t keep in touch with friends from high school. Was she just determined to be alone?

Why?

Even though he was supposed to be heading out the door and minding his own business, Nate was too curious to do either.

“You’re kidding me,” he said, instead of asking all the questions.

Sonia shook her head. “No. I left home as soon as I could, right after my eighteenth birthday, and I’ve never looked back.”

Nate was thinking about those scars and wondering again what might have caused them. He wished he knew because, otherwise, there was a really good chance he’d say the wrong thing and step right into it.

Actually, he just wished he knew. He wanted to know everything about Sonia even though he knew that wasn’t the smart choice. There was something about her that prompted all his noble urges—he wanted to know because he wanted to fix it for her, or defend her against it happening again. That was dangerous territory, a choice that might lead to unreasonable expectations about the future, and Nate knew it.

He should have played it safe and changed the subject, but he couldn’t. “Didn’t they look for you?”

“Maybe.” Sonia shrugged. “It wouldn’t be easy to find me, though.”

Nate didn’t get it. Maybe before the internet, it would have been more challenging to find someone, but he had to think it was hard to hide now. “Why not?”

Her gaze was even more intense than before. “My name wasn’t always Sonia Olson.”

Nate was shocked, but she didn’t even blink. How could that be?

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