Page 10 of Christmas In Love

“So, you’re using your business degree then?”

“Yeah.” She almost left it at that, but then added, “Fat lot of help it’s been. I pretty much know a lot about spreadsheets and nothing about how to get guests to stay at a quirky little bed and breakfast.”

Cade nodded. “That makes sense. It is a nice place though. How old is it?”

“Early 1900s.” She looked around the kitchen—the exposed chimney in the corner and the wood rafters on the ceiling. She loved this old house, even if it made her anxiety go through the roof when she looked at her bank account. During construction, she’d converted the whole upper floor into suites, trying to maintain the history. The main floor had the kitchen and common dining room, her living area, the entry with the massive, carved staircase and her check-in desk tucked in a corner, and a couple more suites at the back. It was perfect. If only it would make her some money.

Natalie didn’t want to expound on her potentially failing venture. “So, you ended up choosing pediatrics?”

“Yeah.” Cade’s face softened, and a smile seemed to tug at his lips. He looked like the man she used to know.

Natalie was all too aware of their proximity across the skinny worktable, the close-cut beard covering his jawline, and the way his forearms flexed and moved as he reached for his mug.

“I thought you wanted to become an ER doc?” Natalie felt silly bringing up four-year-old information, but it was all she had.

“Yeah, I switched last minute. I was lucky to get a residency. My peds rotation left an impression, and it just felt right. The kids pulled me in and wouldn’t let me go.”

“You’ve always loved kids.” The statement should have been happy, or, at the very least, emotionless. Instead, it came out sad. Natalie knew why, but she didn’t want Cade to, so she changed the subject. Kind of. “How many nieces and nephews do you have now?”

“Seven.” He smiled at her.

She melted.

“Wow! That’s impressive. So, Brooke got married?”

“Yup, three years ago. She has a two-year-old and a baby boy. They’re adorable. Then Abby has five now, if you can believe it.”

“Wow. And you?” Natalie blamed her forwardness on the dark sky outside and the cozy atmosphere. “Are you dating anyone? Planning to add to the number of grandkids?”

Cade laughed. “Someday. But that day is not today. Residency hasn’t left much time for serious dating.”

“I see.”

Cade watched her, and Natalie felt incredibly self-conscious while she took another sip of her hot chocolate. It was lukewarm now, but she needed something to do, so she drank it anyway.

“And you? Dating anyone?”

“Nope. Not for lack of trying on my mother’s part though. I don’t know how she keeps sending me men while she's in Europe.”

Cade laughed again, but it didn’t seem as genuine this time. “Lots of dates then?”

“I dodge most of them.”

“Hmm.”

What did that mean? And what were the chances they would run into each other now, both of them still single?

Not that it mattered. She wasn’t dating anyone, but she wanted to keep it that way. Dating people meant getting to know them, and getting to know them meant having to tell them about her.Everything. Experience had taught her that was not particularly enjoyable. Plus, she was focusing on her business now. Someday she’d deal with the dating scene. Maybe.

There was also a certain appeal to being an eccentric old lady with a lot of shawls and even more cats.

“So, your mom is still in Europe?”

Hurray, a topic even better than dating. “She came home between husband four and five. But, yeah, she’s in Paris now.”

“Wow. Husband five?”

“Six now.”

---