Page 47 of Sven

“Oh, that... I got a nosebleed, no biggie.”

As she was saying that, Sven made his way down the stairs with Winnie.

“Good morning, Winnie-Bell,” Natalie said as she went over and got her out of his arms.

Sven had his packed bag with him.

“We’re headed out of town on the road trip.”

“I remember,” Natalie said, trying to pretend like this wasn’t awkward.

“Do you mind if we FaceTime?”

“What?” Natalie asked, her heart starting to race.

“Yeah, before Winnie’s bedtime. I just don’t want to miss much while I’m gone.”

“Oh,” she said, shaking her head a bit. He wanted to FaceTime Winnie... Of course he did. Why was she being so strange? “Of course.”

“Well, I gotta hit the road. I’ll miss you, sweet girl,” he said, bending over to kiss Winnie.

Natalie closed her eyes, ignoring how good he smelled.

“Are you doing okay?” he asked, still too close to her.

“I’m fine,” she said a couple octaves higher than normal.

“Your nose is okay?” he asked slightly as he gently held her chin and raised her head to get a different angle.

“I’m fine,” she said again, a bit more adamantly, pulling her chin out of his grasp.

“Good, take care of yourself. And be vigilant for any sketchy looking poles.”

“Goodbye, Sven,” she said, shaking her head at him.

After one last kiss to Winnie’s squishy cheek, Sven turned and head out the door.

When Natalie turned, Ms. Malone was looking at her with an interested expression.

“What?”

“Oh, nothing,” she said before she turned back around to put groceries away.

Natalie’s phone buzzed in her pocket.

Alice: Do you want to get coffee?

Now this sounded like exactly what she needed.

Natalie: Yes!

Alice: Yay! Let’s meet tomorrow at 11 at the Spot.

Natalie: Perfect!

***

The next day, she was weaving through a coffee shop with Winnie on one hip and a diaper bag slung over her shoulder to a waving Alice.

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