Page 34 of Sleigh Bells and Snowstorms
I gestured for Natalie to choose our seats, and she selected a table near the conversing men.
“What can I get you to drink?” I asked. Her insistence that it wasn’t a date was fine, but I wasn’t letting her pay for her own drink.
“You don’t have to buy me a drink.”
“Don’t worry. It’s a business expense.”
“Okay, a Christmas ale if he has them.”
Natalie took her seat, and I went to the bar, catching bits and pieces of the surrounding conversations as I waited. Two men on stools behind me were discussing golf. Several couples sat at a nearby table and appeared to be talking about the weather—whether or not there would be more snow before Christmas. Nothing of note in either case.
The bartender took my order—a Christmas ale for Natalie and a scotch for me. He brought them to me, and I took them to our table.
I slid Natalie’s drink toward her and took my seat. “Hear anything interesting?”
She shook her head. “Not yet.”
“Me neither. Just golf and the weather.”
“I don’t know why we discuss the weather so much here. It’s December. There will probably be snow.”
“In London, it’s usually rain.”
“Is that where you’re from?”
“Originally. I spend more of my time in the States now.”
She took a sip of her drink. “Where in the States?”
“I have a place in Seattle.”
“How’d you end up there? You seem like the type who’d live in Manhattan or something.”
“New York does have its appeal. But my sister lives in Seattle. If you meet her, don’t let on, but I actually quite like her.”
“How did she end up in Seattle from London?”
“She’s American, actually. My half sister. Our family is a bit… complicated. We have the same father, but my mother was the other woman.”
Natalie winced. “Ouch.”
“Not ideal. I suppose I can give my father a little bit of credit. He’s still with my mother. But my origins aren’t exactly honorable. Nora and I were born a month apart.”
“Did you grow up knowing about each other? Or did you find out as adults?”
“We always knew. Nora spent summers with us, at least some of the time.”
“Was that awkward for your mom?”
“I suppose it was. But to give my mother credit, too, she was always kind to Nora.” I took a sip of scotch. “Tell me about you. How did you come to live with your sister and her daughter?”
She took a deep breath. “That’s kind of a long story. Nina is ten years younger than me, so I was always like a second mom to her. Our dad died when we were still kids, and then our mom died when Nina was in high school. I moved home to take care of her. Then she got pregnant with Annabel.”
“That must have been difficult.”
“Yeah, it was a lot at first. The jerk she was with bailed as soon as he found out. Didn’t want to have anything to do with her.”
“Well, now I hate him. But at least she had you.”
