Page 20 of Pine Creek Lodge
Nat stifled a laugh and turned to give Sofia an amused look. “Well, technically, youarehooking up with the chalet girl.”
They both chuckled, but Nat could see the sincerity in Sofia’s eyes. Sofia hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “I’m serious, Nat. I can handle things myself—making my food, tidying up. You’d still get paid, of course,” she added quickly. “I just… I don’t want you to feel like staff now that we’ve… well, now that we’re here.”
Nat stilled, her thoughts swirling. “Where’s here?” she asked, trying to keep her voice steady. Did Sofia want her to step back, to leave entirely? She didn’t want to assume anything, but she also couldn’t shake the feeling that Sofia might be gently hinting at boundaries she hadn’t expected to set.
Sofia’s eyes widened, and she shook her head quickly. “No, no, I’m not asking you to go anywhere. I just meant you don’t have to feel like you’re on duty. I’d love it if you stayed. Just, you know, come and go as you please. That way, if anyone checks in, you’re still ‘working’.”
Nat thought for a moment, then nodded. “Okay, if you insist. Just no bad ratings, please,” she teased, shooting Sofia a wink.
Sofia laughed. “No bad ratings, promise. And you can sleep here, of course, if you’d like.”
“That’s very tempting but I’d better head home tonight, actually. My clothes need a refresh, and I should check in with my parents, make sure everything’s fine on the home front.” She looked out of the window, catching on the brilliant white landscape beyond, the storm’s aftermath casting the world in an untouched layer of snow.
“It’s so beautiful out there,” Sofia said with a hint of wonder as she followed her gaze. “So still, like the storm was just a fraction of my imagination.”
Nat smiled. “Days like these are perfect for walks. Want to go out later and leave a trail with me?”
Chapter Fifteen
The rich aroma of roasted chicken and rosemary filled the small family kitchen as Nat settled onto the couch, her plate in hand. Her mother’s warm, homey touch was evident in every bite; the vegetables were perfectly seasoned, and the mashed potatoes had just the right amount of butter, melting into the fluffy texture with each forkful. She felt instantly comforted, a balm after the surreal past couple of days.
Martha, her mother, bustled around the room with a content smile as she always did when everyone was home. She gave Nat an affectionate pat on the shoulder and blew her a quick kiss as she handed her the plate. "I’m glad you didn’t try to drive back last night. That storm was terrible. Some big branches fell all over town—one even hit a car, but thankfully no one was hurt."
“Yeah… it got pretty wild out there,” Nat replied, keeping her tone casual.
“That was a first for you, staying at that luxury chalet overnight. I bet the bed was great,” her mother added with a knowing smile.
Nat kept her eyes down on her food to avoid her mother’s gaze, which always seemed to see right through her. Martha’s perceptive nature was both a blessing and a curse; one glancefrom her, and Nat felt like she’d have to spill everything. She certainly didn’t need her parents knowing just how interesting the night had been…or how Sofia had made her heart race in a way she hadn’t expected. Her feelings were still tangled, an impossible mess of curiosity, attraction, and this constant tug of arousal that had her in a hold.
She’d only left the chalet an hour ago for a quick shower and change, but she missed Sofia’s physical presence already. They’d spent a beautiful day together after the storm cleared. A brisk morning walk, a warm breakfast, and an afternoon that ended back in bed, wrapped in each other’s arms. She was still buzzing from the memory, caught off guard by how much Sofia’s warmth lingered even now.
She was jolted out of her reverie when her sister Zoe, shifted in the armchair with her legs tucked under her, phone in hand as always. “Was it weird staying at the chalet with that unfriendly tenant?” she asked as her thumbs flew over the screen.
Nat flushed, her cheeks growing warm. She tried to shrug nonchalantly, but even she could tell it wasn’t convincing. “She’s, um…she’s actually much nicer than I initially thought.”
Zoe looked up from her phone, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. “Okay… What did you two get up to then?”
“Oh, you know…just kept to ourselves, mostly,” Nat mumbled, trying to busy herself with her fork. She could feel her sister’s piercing gaze as if Zoe could see right into her thoughts. Her younger sister always had a knack for picking up on things Nat would rather keep hidden.
“Right…” Zoe murmured, raising an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed with the vague reply.
Her mom interjected before Zoe could dig further. “And the kitten? The one she found?”
“Oh, little Moxie. She’s so cute. No one has called to claim her yet, but she’s doing really well,” Nat replied, relieved by the change of topic.
“That was such a lucky find,” her mother said. “Poor thing could’ve frozen out there.”
Zoe immediately perked up, turning her focus from Nat to their parents. “Speaking of which—Mom, Dad, can we keep her if no one claims her? Pleeeeease?” she begged, clasping her hands in an exaggerated plea. “You could bring her back after work tomorrow, Nat!”
Their dad, who had been half-watching the television from his favorite armchair across the room, looked up with an amused shake of his head. He sighed, torn between amusement and mild exasperation. “Hey, hey, not so fast. We need to talk about this first,” he said, adjusting his glasses and glancing over at Martha as if looking for support.
Nat laughed. “Sorry, Zoe, but I don’t think Moxie’s going anywhere this week. She’s taken to Sofia, and Sofia’s taken to her, too.”
Her mother shook her head, a note of compassion in her voice. “She must be so lonely, spending the holidays all by herself. How sad to be all alone over Christmas. She’d be welcome here, you know.”
Zoe groaned dramatically, letting her head fall back against the chair. “Seriously, Mom? Why would someone like Sofia want to spend Christmas with us? She probably has five houses of her own and a million other places she could be, but she clearly chooses to spend Christmas alone. Seems pretty intentional.”
“Well said, Zoe,” her father chimed in before his attention drifted back to the TV. “Your mother’s got a good heart, but sometimes…” he let the sentence trail.
