Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Nat led Sofia down a narrow side street that branched off from Aspen's bustling main thoroughfare.
The morning sun glinted off fresh snow, and their boots crunched satisfyingly with each step.
Sofia wore Martha's knitted beanie, the soft greys and blues complementing her dark hair, which fell loosely around her shoulders.
She looked different in Nat's borrowed clothes - a thick flannel shirt under a down vest, paired with jeans - more relaxed, less polished, but somehow even more beautiful.
"This is my secret route," Nat explained, gesturing to the historic buildings lining the street.
Their Victorian facades were dusted with snow, strings of white lights twinkling in the windows despite the daylight.
"All the tourists stick to the main streets, but the locals know these back alleys have the best hidden gems."
Sofia squeezed her hand, and Nat's heart fluttered at how natural it felt to walk hand-in-hand through town. No sneaking around, no worrying about being seen together. Just them, enjoying each other's company on a crisp winter morning.
"It feels like stepping back in time," Sofia said, taking in the century-old architecture.
"Like a little piece of history preserved in all this modern luxury.
" She stopped, her attention caught by a historic building across the street.
A 'For Sale' sign hung in one of the large front windows.
The three-story structure was beautiful, with intricate Victorian details and large bay windows, though it had clearly seen better days.
"What is it?" Nat asked, following Sofia's gaze.
"Nothing, just looking." Sofia tilted her head, studying the building. "I've been thinking about getting a pied-à-terre here for ski season, but I never got around to browsing what's available."
Nat chuckled. "I’m sure you can find something more straightforward. That building needs a lot of work."
“Yeah.” Sofia nodded. “I suppose you’re right. It’s beautiful though.”
“So you’re seriously thinking about looking for something here?”
“I am.” Sofia paused. “Well, maybe not just for ski season. I’m hoping we’ll see each other more than that. That we can find a way to make this work.”
Nat stared at her for a beat, processing what Sofia was saying. Hope. There it was again, that flutter in her belly. “You can always stay with me. I know it’s small and maybe not up to your standards, but –”
“Hey, don’t say that,” Sofia cut her off. “You have a beautiful home, and of course, I want to stay with you.” She smiled. “And maybe you could visit me in New York?”
“I’d like that,” Nat said, meeting her eyes. She inched closer and kissed Sofia softly. “Shall we continue this conversation over a hot drink? The place across the road makes the best hot chocolate in town."
The bell chimed as they entered The Copper Kettle, a café tucked away in what used to be a mining equipment shop.
The space was warm and inviting, with exposed brick walls and mismatched vintage furniture.
Behind the counter, blue-haired Amy looked up from the espresso machine and broke into a wide smile.
"Hey!” She pointed to the flyer with little Moxie’s face in the window. “How's that little kitten doing? Did you find the owners?"
"No, we didn’t, but Moxie is doing fine. She’s so cute,” Nat said.
"And you might as well take that down," Sofia added, glancing at the flyer. "We’re keeping her."
“Oh, that’s amazing! I’m glad she’s in good hands. Maybe it was meant to be.” Amy smiled. “Now, what can I get you?”
Nat ordered two hot chocolate, both with a shot of espresso and raised a brow as she turned back to Sofia. "We're keeping her?"
Sofia shrugged, a slight flush coloring her cheeks.
"Well, we need to figure out the logistics, but yes, why not?
" Her tone was light, but there was an undercurrent of something more serious.
"We’ll have to talk about how we're going to do this anyway.
We might as well take Moxie into consideration. "
They settled into a cozy corner by the window, their knees touching under the small table. Nat wrapped her hands around her mug, letting the warmth seep into her fingers as she watched Sofia sample the drink.
"Mmm… You were right; it’s good," she said. "And this… this is nice. Just hanging out, doing normal stuff with you. I want more of this."
"Me too." Nat rubbed her foot against Sofia’s under the table. “It’s going to be difficult for me to travel much though. And I can’t wait to visit you in New York and learn more about your life but I also have to look for a new job and the kind of work I do is not the kind where I can just take time off whenever I want. ”
“I know that,” Sofia said. "But I can work from anywhere, really, as long as I'm in the office about half the time to support my team. I could come here twice a month…"
Nat looked at her in surprise. The casual way Sofia said it, like it was the most natural solution in the world, caught her off guard. "Are you sure? That's a lot of back and forth."
"There's only one way to be sure," Sofia replied. "And that's to try it." She hesitated, blowing on her drink. "I know it's early days, but wouldn't it be a shame if we didn't even try?"
“Yes,” Nat said. “It would be a shame. The chemistry we have, how easy it feels… it’s rare.” Sofia moved her chair and came to sit beside her. “Yeah. I just want to be near you all the time.” Her lips curved into a smile. "Does this mean we're officially dating?"
"I guess so,” Nat said, matching her smile. “Though I have to warn you, I don’t know if I’m any good at long-distance relationships. I've never actually been in one."
A child’s excited shriek drew their attention to the window. Outside, a young family trudged through the snow, the children wrapped up like colorful marshmallows in their ski gear. A couple of locals Nat recognized hurried past, carrying bags from the market with their dog in tow.
“How do you think Moxie would feel about being a city cat?” Nat asked, watching the dog bounce up and down in the snow.
“Are we already having our first fight over the cat?” Sofia joked. “Let me guess… you don’t want me to take her?”
Nat shook her head and chuckled. “No, you’re her mom. That much is clear. Moxie loves you. But wouldn’t it be dangerous for her, with all the traffic?”
“She’d have to limit her adventures to my balcony,” Sofia said.
“I guess it depends on what kind of cat she becomes. Some cats prefer to sleep all day and like to be indoors. Others desperately want to explore and climb trees and…” She stopped herself and they both burst out in laughter.
After concurring the Christmas tree at the lodge, Moxie had moved onto the tree in Nat’s parent’s home, and she’d already broken several high-hanging ornaments by swinging her little paws at them.
“Okay, I think we already know the answer to that question,” she said with a grin. “But if I keep her here, I’ll have leverage. You’ll have to come over, even if it’s just to see Moxie.”
“Believe it or not, there’s another pussy I…” Sofia stopped herself and looked up even before Carla had made her presence known.
Nat hadn’t expected to see the woman in town. On the ski slopes? Maybe, which is why they’d avoided them. But here, in her favorite coffee place…
"So that's what the chalet girl's been doing," Carla said, looking between Sofia and Nat with barely contained disgust. "I take it you've been fired?
Because this is completely unacceptable.
The new help isn't coming until later today, and I had to come all the way out here to get my own coffee.
" She looked Nat up and down with a sour expression.
"And here you are, gallivanting around town with my partner. "
"I'm not your partner," Sofia snapped. "And whatever is going on between Nat and me is none of your business. Why are you even still here?"
Carla's lip curled into a sneer. "I was hoping you'd come to your senses. What on earth are you even doing with the chalet girl? How do you see this playing out? I mean, what on earth can she possibly offer you?"
Sofia shot Carla an icy glare. "Don't you dare speak about Nat that way. You have no right to judge anyone, especially not after what you did." She leaned into Nat. "And for your information, Nat is a long list of everything you’re not. It’s refreshing not having to walk around on eggshells all the time. That I can be myself and that’s enough. "
Carla rolled her eyes. "Oh please. This is ridiculous, Sofia.
Are you really going to throw away a second chance for some holiday fling with the help?
Come on. You know as well as I do that this won't last. Different worlds, different lives.
In a week, you'll be back in New York running your company, and she'll be here, making beds and serving breakfast." She turned to Nat, her voice dripping with condescension.
"You do understand that, don't you? Or are you actually deluding yourself into thinking this is something more? "
Sofia stood abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor.
"If you're not leaving, we will." She reached for Nat's hand and pulled her up gently.
"Come on. Let's go home." The word 'home' hung in the air between them, loaded with meaning that made Nat's heart flutter despite the tension of the moment.
They walked away together, leaving Carla and her bitter words behind.
Sofia kept her eyes forward, her chin high, but Nat could feel the slight tremor in her hand, a reminder that beneath her confident exterior, Sofia was still human, still vulnerable, still choosing to trust in something new despite all the reasons not to.