“You can do all those things at my house.”
Natalie blinked. Without even realizing it, she’d already turned onto a street that took her toward him and away from her apartment.
Natalie didn’t make it home that night. Sneaking out of Matthew’s bed at just before dawn to go home and grab a shower and clean clothes didn’t count.
She must have had a guilty expression on her face because when she walked into the gym the next day Monica and Suzie both gave her a knowing look.
“What?”
“You saw him last night.”
“I see him every day at work,” she said flippantly, sliding onto the vacant elliptical next to Monica’s and wondering why she was bothering working out that morning. She’d gotten more than enough exercise during the night.
“You’re glowing.”
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Don’t bother denying that he makes you happy.”
Natalie punched in her settings, then began churning away at the elliptical. All the while her mind churned with Suzie’s comment.
Matthew did make her happy.
Happy in a way she didn’t recall being. Which seemed a strange admission, because she hadn’t been unhappy.
Not that she’d been pleased to learn Jonathan had been cheating on her, but even then, she wouldn’t have called herself unhappy. Maybe part of her had always expected him to leave.
Then along had come Matthew.
Who would also eventually leave, and then what a mess there would be in his wake.
“Are you officially dating now?”
“Our relationship is complicated,” she admitted, not wanting to lie to her friends, but not wanting to dish out details either.
“Because you work together?” Monica asked.
“You like him, Nat. A lot. From the sound of things, he likes you, too,” Suzie added.
Natalie nodded. Matthew did like her. It seemed unbelievable that he wanted her so much, but he did.
“I really think this guy is the one, Nat.”
Natalie sighed. Her friends just didn’t understand. Not really, because it wasn’t them involved. No matter. She loved them anyway, as they did her. Thank goodness they’d come into her life and welcomed a lost young girl into their hearts.
Maybe, just maybe, she should thank goodness Matthew had come into her life and welcomed her into his heart, too.
If only he wouldn’t eventually leave.
* * *
The popcorn wasn’t as good as what Matthew had made for their in-bed movie, but Natalie wasn’t complaining.
She glanced over at him. Matthew’s eyes were glued on the theater’s big screen playing the latest animated children’s feature, but he must have sensed her gaze because he looked her way and winked.
Carrie had seemed excited to see her again, had chatted away about her school and her new friends and having gone to the zoo over the past weekend with her cousins to check up on baby giraffe Zoie’s progress to making her grand entrance into the world.
Natalie felt such an affinity for the child. Probably because of the bond they shared over having both lost their parents at such a young age. Recalling the loss Carrie was dealing with made her want to wrap the girl in a hug and protect her from everything the world might throw at her.