Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
Nat reclined on the couch next to Sofia, her feet barely brushing against Moxie's curled form as she settled by the fireplace. It was early enough that the sky outside Pine Creek Lodge’s windows was darkening, but the room was a cocoon of warmth, softened by Christmas lights and the golden glow from the fire crackling in the hearth.
She’d taken special care with tonight’s setup – not so much about quantity, but about the right touch of luxury. Smoked salmon blinis with a dollop of caviar, tuna sashimi with pickled radish, crackers with aged cheese and her favorite fig chutney, and a bottle of excellent Champagne.
Sofia looked up with a half-smile as she reached for a blini and brought it to her mouth. "I could get used to this," she said, her eyes glinting as she took a bite.
Nat chuckled. "Me too. I mean, it’s not every day I get to indulge at work," she replied, a smirk quirking her lips. "In all the best ways."
“In all the best ways,” Sofia echoed, squeezing Nat’s thigh.
Her hand hovered over the food again before she glanced back at her with a flirty look, the tension she’d worn in her posture since she’d arrived seemingly melting away, replaced by a look Nat could only describe as…
content. “Honestly, it’s been bliss to have my phone off,” she said.
“The company’s closed over the holidays, so everything can wait until I get back.
Then comes January second, and, well, that’s when the real madness starts. "
"Tell me more about your company," Nat said.
Sofia paused while she stacked blue cheese on top of a cracker, choosing her words carefully.
“Well, I run a company that combines financial technology with education – an investment app, essentially, but with a focus on accessibility. We teach people, especially those who feel overlooked by traditional banks, how to invest with small amounts. We even have automated tools to help them build portfolios.”
Nat’s eyebrows rose. “Wow, that’s incredible. It’s beyond me, though. You must be super smart.”
Sofia shook her head and chuckled. “I made many mistakes along the way, but you learn as you go, right?” She looked down, swirling her champagne. “It’s a labor of love, and we’ve grown so fast. But sometimes it feels like I blinked and missed it all happening.”
“Was this always the plan?” Nat asked.
“Not exactly. If anything, it was the last thing my parents expected from me. I grew up in a very strict household – my parents were Jehovah’s Witnesses. There was no Christmas, no birthdays, no real technology, even. Just… rules.”
Nat’s jaw dropped as Sofia’s words registered.
She stared at her, trying to reconcile the poised, confident woman before her with a childhood so rigid, so isolated from the things she’d always taken for granted.
“Wait… so you didn’t have a computer? No phone?
” She leaned. “I… I can’t imagine what that must have been like.
I mean, I’ve heard of Jehovah’s Witnesses, but…
I didn’t know that it was like that. It sounds so… so different.”
“Yeah, most people don’t know much about it,” Sofia said.
“I didn’t think much about it myself until I started seeing how other people lived.
At first, it was just strange, but the older I got, the more it just felt isolating.
” She sighed, her gaze faraway. “I remember going to school and seeing the other kids with their gadgets, the birthday parties, the Christmas presents. I didn’t really understand what I was missing until I saw it all firsthand. ”
Nat’s heart tightened as she imagined Sofia as a little girl, watching her classmates with quiet envy.
“I can’t believe it,” she whispered. “You had all these… limitations around you, but here you are. You built this life, this amazing career. I can’t even wrap my head around that kind of transformation. ”
“It was a different world,” Sofia agreed.
“But once I got a taste of technology, I was hooked. I had to be sneaky about it – I’d save up all my babysitting money to buy this secondhand smartphone.
It barely held a charge, but I’d hide it and use it when my parents were asleep.
Later on, I got a laptop. I’d take it to the library because we didn’t have WiFi and spend hours learning about everything from coding to finance. ”
“You were sneaking around… That must have made it even more fascinating.”
Sofia smiled. “It was. Once I had a taste, I was hooked. I broke every rule, and I loved it.”
“Not exactly a rebel without a cause,” Nat teased. “But sounds like you were a pretty determined teenager.”
“Oh, definitely,” Sofia replied, her face softening with nostalgia.
“Eventually, I went to college, moved out as soon as I could, and never looked back. Technology and finance were my passions, and once I combined them, I knew I was onto something. Now, here we are.” She gestured with a hand, encompassing the lodge and all the cozy trappings of the life she’d built.
“Quite a different world from where I started.”
“And are you still in touch with your parents?” Nat asked.
“I am, but I only see them a couple of times a year. We’re worlds apart. They don’t even know what I do for a living. I love them, but they’ve never seen where I live. They wouldn’t understand. They’re… different.”
“Sounds complicated.” Nat squeezed her hand. “But you’ve come so far. It’s admirable.”
“Thank you, Nat. I suppose we’re all just finding our way, aren’t we?”
The fire crackled, filling the room with its soothing warmth as Moxie stretched, her tiny paws splaying out beside Nat’s feet.
“This has been…” Sofia’s voice was barely a whisper. She seemed lost for words. “It’s been a long time since I felt this way. So comfortable. I didn’t think I would, especially after… everything.”
Nat’s eyes softened. “Well, you’ve got Moxie to thank, mostly.” She chuckled, hoping to lighten the moment, but Sofia’s gaze stayed steady on her.
“No, Nat. It’s you.” Her voice held a quiet conviction, her fingers tracing circles over Nat’s hand. “You’ve made me feel like I could actually relax, be myself. It’s been a long time since I’ve let anyone close.”
Nat swallowed, the weight of Sofia’s words making her heart race. “Maybe we both needed this,” she murmured.
Sofia’s hand lingered over Nat’s and she looked down, as though bracing herself, before meeting Nat’s eyes. “Are you okay with… this?” she asked, the hint of a blush warming her cheeks. “With us, I mean… whatever this is. I don’t want you to think that I’m taking advantage of you.”
“I don’t think that.” Nat gave Sofia’s hand a gentle squeeze, feeling the tremor beneath her fingers. “And yes,” she said. “I’m okay with this – more than okay.”
Sofia’s lips curved, but there was something thoughtful in her expression. She looked down, her fingers tracing light patterns over Nat’s hand. “And… beyond this?” she asked, her voice low. “What do you want, Nat? For your future, I mean. Relationship-wise.”
Nat took a deep breath, then blew out her cheeks. “Honestly? I do want love,” she admitted, feeling a flicker of vulnerability in saying it aloud. “Who doesn’t? But there’s a lot I need to get sorted first.”
“Like what?”
Nat’s eyes drifted to the fire, the flames flickering and sparking in a quiet rhythm.
“Well, I need to help my parents get the bakery back on its feet. They’ve worked so hard for it, and with the damage from the fire…
it’s going to take every bit of help I can offer.
After that, I need to save. I’ve always dreamed of starting my own business, maybe even a small boutique lodge one day, but that means a deposit, planning… a lot of sacrifice.”
Sofia nodded. “But… why can’t you do all that alongside love?”
The question lingered, striking a chord in Nat.
She thought about it, but she’d always believed that her goals demanded a singular focus, that everything else would have to wait until she was settled and established.
“I’m not sure,” she said. “I guess… I’ve always thought I didn’t have much to offer until I got my life together. ”
Sofia’s brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“I work long hours, I’m hardly ever home, and my apartment is so small I can barely fit in it myself. It’s not exactly the dream life anyone would want to share. There isn’t even enough closet space for one person, let alone two.”
“Nat, do you really think that matters?” Sofia asked.
“Well, yeah,” she murmured, feeling her cheeks heat. “I mean, who wants to be with someone who’s always busy, always exhausted? And that’s just it—I don’t want to give someone anything less than they deserve. I guess I’ve always felt like I need to be more… settled. Stable.”
Sofia’s hand slipped over Nat’s. “You’re selling yourself short,” she said. “You give so much, Nat. I’ve seen it in how you take care of people, how much you care about your family. You have so much to offer.”
Nat felt her chest tighten, Sofia’s words sinking in deeper than she’d anticipated. “Thank you, that’s sweet.”
“No one’s ever fully put together,” Sofia continued. “And love isn’t about perfection.”
“I know.” Nat wanted to scoot closer, to rest her head in the crook of Sofia’s arm, but they were in a strange space.
Even though they had amazing sex, she didn’t want to get too attached.
It would be so easy with Sofia to slip into their bubble and let herself be swept away.
But she had to be careful. With Sofia, it would be so much harder to guard her heart, to keep herself from diving in too deep.
Because this didn’t feel like the casual flings she’d had in the past. It went deeper, brushing against parts of her she’d kept protected. And that scared her.
“So where do we go from here?” Sofia asked.
“I don’t know,” Nat said honestly. “I suppose this is it. After Christmas it’s unlikely we’ll ever see each other again, right?”
“Is that what you want?” Sofia caught her gaze and held it.
“Isn’t that what you want?” Nat knew it was a weak response, but what else could she say?”
Sofia shrugged. “Not necessarily. I’d like to explore this more. I think it would be a shame not to.”
Nat’s heart fluttered at Sofia’s words, but a part of her remained skeptical, grounded in the practical doubts that kept hope at a distance. She’d seen it before—loneliness masquerading as something deeper, people swept up in a moment only to step back once reality returned.
“Will you at least stay the night again?” Sofia asked.
“Of course,” Nat whispered, her resolve already crumbling. Because despite everything—the doubts, the caution—she wanted this. She wanted to stay with Sofia, to bask in the warmth and joy they’d found in each other, even if only for another few nights.