Chapter 8
Chapter Eight
Nat emerged from the basement, her face flushed and hair slightly disheveled from the exertion.
She'd spent the better part of half an hour fumbling around in the dark, trying to decipher the intricacies of the generator system.
In the end, it had been almost comically simple – a single, somewhat hidden button that brought the entire chalet back to life with a low, reassuring hum.
As she climbed the stairs, she could hear the wind howling outside. Its fury seemed to have intensified during her time below, and the chalet creaked and groaned under the assault.
She found Sofia in the great room, curled up on the sofa with Moxie nestled in her lap. The flickering light from the fireplace cast a warm glow over the scene, creating an oddly cozy atmosphere despite the tempest raging beyond the windows.
"We have light!" Sofia said, looking up as Nat entered the room. “Well done.”
Nat nodded, a wry smile playing on her lips. "Eventually. Turns out, all it needed was the press of a button. A very well-hidden button, mind you, but still just a button."
Sofia chuckled. "Isn't that always the way? The simplest solution hidden in plain sight."
“Yeah…” Nat checked at her watch, surprised to see how much time had passed. "Okay, time to head home."
"Nat, I really don't think that's a good idea." As if on cue, a particularly violent gust of wind rattled the windows, making both women jump slightly. Nat moved to the window, peering out into the darkness.
Sofia stood up, carefully setting Moxie down on the sofa. The kitten mewed in protest but quickly curled up on the warm cushion. "Nat, be reasonable. It's not safe out there. There's no reason why you can't stay here tonight. We have plenty of bedrooms, all made up and ready."
Nat hesitated, torn between her professional instincts and the very real concern for her safety. She looked out at the swirling snow once more, then back at Sofia's worried face. Finally, she nodded. "You're right. It would be foolish to risk it. If you're sure you don't mind..."
"Of course I don't mind," Sofia said. "I'd feel terrible if anything happened to you because you felt obligated to leave."
"Okay," Nat agreed. “Thank you. I should let my parents know, though. They'll be worried if I don't come home."
She pulled out her phone and recorded a quick voice message. "Hey, Mom and Dad. Just wanted to let you know that I'm staying at the chalet tonight. The storm's too bad to drive home safely. I'm fine, so don't worry. I'll see you tomorrow once the roads are clear. Love you."
As she put her phone away, Sofia cleared her throat. "Well, now that you're officially off duty, how about we have a glass of wine together? It seems a shame to let a good bottle go to waste."
Nat raised a brow at her and smiled. "You know what? That sounds lovely. But first, let me clean up after dinner. She held up a hand when Sofia was about to follow her. “No, you relax. Please. It’s my job."
With the kitchen tidied and two glasses of rich red wine in hand, she returned to the great room. The fire had died down to glowing embers, and she added more logs while Sofia made a bed for Moxie by arranging a throw into a doughnut shape.
"Do you enjoy your work?" she asked.
Nat took a sip of her wine, considering the question. "I do, actually. It's not what I imagined doing when I was younger, but I've grown to love it. There's something satisfying about creating a perfect experience for people. Making their vacation special."
"I can see that. You're very good at it, by the way. Even with a difficult guest like me."
Nat chuckled. "You weren't difficult," she protested. "Just... private. Which is completely understandable."
"That's a kind way of putting it," Sofia said with a self-deprecating grin. "Is this what you want to do long-term?"
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 too if 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.”