Page 52 of Heart of Stone
This was real.
It was the Thanksgiving holiday, and I’d spent the better part of the day at Sandstone Heart, participating in activities and meals there before coming to my parents’ house for dinner.
A year ago, someone would’ve needed to bribe me to do such a thing.
Hell, a month ago, I would have laughed in the face of anyone who suggested this was how I’d spend the day and that I’d enjoy it more than anything else I had done in years.
I tried not to think too hard about what I’d missed out on. At least I was here now. At least I could change things moving forward.
And my parents seemed more than prepared to accept whatever this was.
Of course, they’d been stunned when I arrived here with Natalia a couple of hours ago. Not only had I not informed them that I was bringing her along, but they also noticed the fading bruises on her face.
Naturally, as quickly as they’d been ecstatic to see her with me, their smiles vanished. I hadn’t wanted to put Natalia in a position to relive what happened to her, but she was quick to share the gist of it without allowing it to ruin her day. Obviously, my parents knew about what she’d been through, why she wound up at the retreat from the start, so they didn’t need all the gory details and explanation. All that mattered to them was knowing she was okay and that I’d stepped up to care for her through it.
And while neither of them pushed to understand if there was something more happening between Natalia and me, I could sense some longing in their stares.
I couldn’t say I didn’t get it. I’d only just started getting to know Natalia, and she was already making an impact. They’d known her for years.
It appeared that despite having already won them over, Natalia wasn’t interested in being anything less than the wonderful, complimentary woman she was.
“Thank you for saying so. I’m glad you accepted Reid’s invitation and joined us today. And after all the work Barrett hasdone to help me with food preparations, I’m sure he’s just as thrilled about someone else being able to enjoy it.”
“That’s for sure,” my father agreed. “As cliché as it might sound, I realize just how much I have to be thankful for this year. Sylvia used to do all this preparation on her own, and she never once complained. I feel like I’ve run a marathon.”
Cliché or not, I was relieved to hear him make that admission. It appeared he’d been serious about doing right by my mom after all these years, and a small wave of appreciation washed over me.
“We’ll you’ve both done a lovely job,” Natalia assured them, her gaze settling on my mom. “It’s a relief to know you’re feeling so much better as it is. That you’ve healed enough to be able to put together something this delicious makes this so special. I just hope the cookies I brought will live up to the rest of this meal.”
“I’m so excited to try them,” Mom said, a bright smile on her face. “I love apple-flavored desserts, but Barrett and Reid are big fans of pumpkin. So, every year when Reid was here, I’d bake pumpkin desserts. Knowing he’d be here this year, I couldn’t stop myself. But I’m salivating just thinking about your cookies.”
I could feel Natalia’s gaze on me, knowing why she might have been staring at me, but I couldn’t bring myself to meet her attention. Fortunately, my father said, “Speaking of dessert, I’ll carry these plates out to the kitchen and grab it.”
“I’ll come with you,” Mom said. “I don’t want to sit for too long without moving.”
Dad walked over and helped her out of her seat, and the two of them made their way to the kitchen, leaving me alone with Natalia.
Finally, I dared to look in her direction.
Her lips were pursed, her eyebrows raised. “I thought you hated pumpkin.”
I sent her an apologetic look. “I might’ve lied about that.”
“Why?”
It wasn’t like I could tell her that I didn’t want to form any connections with anyone, because they’d likely be out of a job in a few months. So, I told her the part that was true. “There’s no excuse. I was being a jerk on purpose.” I reached for her hand and squeezed. “For what it’s worth, I might’ve put the muffins in the break room, but I ate some.”
A smile spread across her face. “I know you did.”
“You do?”
She nodded, soft laughter escaping. “The wrappers were in your garbage can when I walked into your office the next day.”
It figured. The woman didn’t miss a thing.
Shaking my head, failing to stifle the laughter, I squeezed her hand again. “They were so good.”
Natalia beamed at me, the sight of it gripping something in the center of my chest.
