Nat tilted her head from side to side as she considered the question. “I do have a dream of opening my own boutique hotel in town one day. Something small and intimate."
"That sounds wonderful. What's stopping you?"
Nat shrugged, feeling a bit self-conscious. "Oh, you know. Money, mainly. And time. And maybe a little bit of fear," she admitted. "It's a big step."
"You're young. You have plenty of time to make it happen."
"True. But then I look at someone like you, and I feel like maybe I'm stalling a bit. You're only a few years older than me, and you've built this incredible tech company from scratch." As soon as the words left her mouth, Nat realized what she'd said, and her eyes widened in horror. "Oh God, I'm so sorry," she stammered. "I shouldn't have said that. My sister, she Googled you and told me about your company. I swear I never look into guests personally, it's just –"
Sofia held up a hand, cutting off Nat's rambling apology. "Nat, it's fine. Really. To be honest, I'd probably be curious tooif someone who made a reservation for twelve showed up alone and in a foul mood."
"Still, I shouldn’t have even mentioned you to my sister. Your privacy is important."
Sofia was quiet for a moment, her gaze fixed on the dancing flames in the fireplace. "It's okay, Nat. In fact... well, I suppose I owe you an explanation."
"No, you don't. It's none of my business."
"I want to," Sofia interrupted. She took a deep breath as if steeling herself. "The truth is, I was supposed to be here with my girlfriend, or ex-girlfriend to be precise, and a bunch of friends. I made the reservation back in March and then we broke up a few months later. It’s been a difficult and tumultuous time. We had to sell our apartment in New York, and I had to look for a new place and move. I’d forgotten all about the chalet until I got an email reminder. It was too late to cancel the booking, and I didn’t feel like company anyway, so I decided to pretend Christmas wasn’t happening this year and come alone. My ex was calling and messaging me before I arrived; she wanted to join me here to rekindle but I can’t forgive her for what she did.” Sofia’s voice took on a slightly bitter edge as she continued. "I caught her cheating on me. With my best friend, no less."
Nat winced. "Oh, Sofia… That’s awful.”
“Yeah.” Sofia shrugged, but Nat could see the pain in her eyes. "It is what it is. Pretty pathetic, huh? Hiding away in a huge chalet, trying to avoid anything remotely festive."
"It's not pathetic at all," Nat said. "You were hurt. It’s understandable."
Sofia let out a sarcastic chuckle. “I turned off my phone. I’ve never done that before and it’s seriously strange, especially for someone like me, who’s always on top of her business.”
“Everyone needs a break. Your company won’t fall apart if you step back for a while.”
“No, you’re right, it won’t.” Sofia's gaze met Nat's, and for a moment, the vulnerability in those eyes took Nat's breath away. "Thank you for understanding. And for not judging me for being such a Grinch when I first arrived."
Nat laughed, the sound breaking the tension. "Well, you've more than made up for it. You did rescue Moxie, after all. That's got to count for something."
"She is pretty special, isn't she?" Sofia said, scratching behind Moxie's ears. The kitten purred contentedly, her eyes closing in bliss. “She cheered me up. So did you.”
Nat smiled. “Do you have pets at home?”
“No, I’ve never wanted a pet. I work long hours and don’t spend that much time at home.” Sofia looked at Moxie like she was the most beautiful thing in the world. “But I’m starting to change my mind on that.”
Chapter Nine
Nat watched as Sofia uncorked another bottle of wine, the rich burgundy liquid splashing into their glasses. The storm outside howled around the chalet's eaves, but inside, a cozy atmosphere had settled over them.
Nat felt pleasantly warm and happy, whether from the wine or the company, she wasn't quite sure. She'd lost track of how many glasses they'd had, but she knew she was definitely feeling the effects. Sofia, too, seemed more relaxed. She was laughing a lot and had a slight flush on her cheeks.
"Nat," she said, leaning back into the sofa cushions, "tell me something. Do you have a boyfriend back in town?"
Nat chuckled at the question. "No, no boyfriend," she replied, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Actually, I play for your team." The words were out of her mouth before she could think better of them.
Sofia's eyebrows shot up, surprise evident on her face. "Oh! I... I hadn't realized. I'm sorry for assuming."
Nat waved it off. "No need to apologize. It's not like I walk around with a rainbow flag or anything. "Besides, I’m used to people making that assumption."
Sofia nodded. "I suppose I can relate to that. People often assume I'm straight too." She paused, swirling the wine in her glass. "So, no girlfriend either then?"
"Nope," Nat said, popping the 'p' sound. "Single as can be."
"Really? I find that hard to believe. You're smart, kind, beautiful..." She trailed off as if suddenly realizing what she was saying.
