I glanced at Mike with rounded eyes to see if that was directed at me.
Slight color rose on Mike’s cheekbones. “This is my sister, Anna. Anna, this is Natalie.”
I waved. “Nice to meet you.”
Anna tilted her head. “You’re an American.” She pursed her lips together, and then I watched as suspicion visibly entered her mind. Her eyes flickered back and forth between us. “Wait. Wait.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Mike said levelly.
She started shaking her head. “Do you two—do you two know each other?”
Mike and I exchanged a glance. “Um,” I hedged. “We met once—twice—in New York.”
“Oh my God.” Now she spoke directly to her brother. “I can’t believe you. Are you serious?”
Mike finally sounded exasperated. “Anna, I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Anna raised one hand and pressed another to her heart like she was about to place an oath. “God forbid you want to spend any time with your actual fucking family.” She turned and stomped off.
Mike and I watched her go, and her comments slowly fell in place for me. I looked at Mike. “Did she think...that I came here with you? Like as a...girlfriend or something?”
He squeezed his eyes shut. “I think so. I’m so sorry.”
“That’s okay,” I said on autopilot. “I mean, it makes sense why she’d be mad at you then, if she thought she had her brother to herself and then he’d brought some random girl with him.”
He let out a deep breath and leaned his head into his hands. “Before this week, I’d forgotten how much teens talked in italics.”
That startled a laugh out of me. “I don’t know, sometimes I think I talk in italics a lot. Or all caps.”
Two more women walked through the door, at a much more sedate pace. One had the same bright hair as Mike and Anna, and looked my age. The other, a pale brunette, wore jeans and what everyone else called a mom haircut, though my mother would never be caught dead like that. She smiled, and I saw an echo of Mike in her.
She kissed her son on the cheek. “Hello, dear.” She angled herself at me and smiled, clearly expecting an introduction.
Mike provided it, gesturing my way. “This is Natalie Sullivan, an...acquaintance from home. She’s—interested in local history.”
The second sister snorted. When we all turned to look at her, she covered it with a cough, looking a little red. “Sorry. Something in my throat. It’s nice to meet you. I’m Lauren.”
“And I’m Kate,” the mother said. “It’s so nice to meet one of Mike’s friends. Won’t you join us for dinner?”
“Mom—” Mike began in a low voice.
Kate blinked. “Unless you don’t want to, of course.”
I felt caught. I wouldn’t mind eating with a family, but not if Mike didn’t want me there. “I’d love to,” I said a little uncertainly, and then glanced at Mike. “I mean, if it’s okay with you?”
It only took half a second before he had that charming smile back on his face. “Yeah, of course.”
* * *
We ate in a comfortable, well-appointed dining room, where the wide windows let in the last of the day’s light and the other tables were filled with the rest of the inn’s guests. Eileen and her granddaughter brought out greens, a beet salad, hearty brown bread, beef stew and mashed potatoes.
Kate smiled as we all served ourselves. “So how did you two meet?”
Mike smoothed butter across his bread. “Natalie’s...considering working in the area.”
Lauren propped her chin on her hand and looked skeptical.
“Oh, I see.” Kate frowned into her food. “So where are you staying, Natalie?”