LITMIR.BIZ

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ignoring the waitress’s reference to Natalia being his girlfriend.

      Sharleen rested her hands at her waist. “It’s nice meeting you, Natalia. Will we get to see you again?”

      “I’m sure you will,” Natalia replied.

      “Is there anything I can bring you good folks to drink before you order?” Sharleen asked.

      Seth angled his head and stared at Natalia. “Do you want anything from the bar?”

      “No, thank you. I’ll just have water.”

      Sharleen nodded. “Seth, should I bring you your usual?”

      “Please, Sharleen.” Leaning against the back of the booth, Seth waited until Sharleen left before focusing his attention on Natalia. She’d mentioned a fiancé and he wondered who’d initiated the breakup. “I’m sorry folks think we’re a couple.”

      A slight smile played at the corners of her mouth. “It’s not about me as much as it is about you, Seth,” she countered.

      “Why would you say that?”

      “You claim you don’t have a girlfriend or a wife, so it’s apparent when people see you with a woman they assume she must be special enough for you to be seen in public with her. And it doesn’t bother me what they say or think because we’re neighbors and nothing more.”

      Seth knew Natalia was right about them being neighbors. “That’s something we both can agree on.” A beat passed before he asked, “How did you get the name Natalia?”

      “My mother taught college-level romance languages and literature, and had decided if she had children they would all have Latin names. I’m Natalia, which means ‘nativity’ because her due date with me was December 25. My sister is Serena, but everyone calls her Rena, and my brother is Justin.”

      “Should I assume Justin implies justice?”

      “Not so much justice as just or upright.”

      Seth rested his forearms on the table. “Were you born on Christmas Day?”

      “No,” Natalia said, smiling. “I came two days earlier but still close enough to Christmas for Mom to keep the name.”

      “Where are you in the birth order?”

      “I’m the middle child. And before you ask, I never went through the middle child syndrome. My parents treated all of us the same. But if you listen to my pompous brother, he’d tell that he’s their favorite because he’s the firstborn and male.”

      Nodding slowly, Seth flashed a Cheshire cat grin and winked at Natalia. “I think I like your brother.”

      “Please don’t tell me you’re older than your sisters.”

      His grin became a wide smile. “Bingo. I was responsible for protecting my sisters and carrying on the Collier name.”

      “Do you have a son or sons?”

      “No, but—”

      “But nothing,” Natalia said, cutting him off. “If you don’t have a son, then you can’t say you’re carrying on the Collier name.”

      “That’s not to say it won’t happen one of these days.”

      “When you’re fifty?” she teased.

      Seth narrowed his eyes. “So the doctor has jokes.”

      Natalia’s expression mirrored innocence. “No. Either you’re forty or close to it, and you profess not to be married or have a girlfriend all which translates into either you’re commitment-shy or you plan to become a baby daddy.”

      “You’re wrong on both counts. I’m not afraid of committing because I was married once. And I have no intention of ever becoming a baby daddy.” He saw Natalia’s face crumble like an accordion and wondered if she was comparing her failed engagement with his unsuccessful marriage.

      “I’m sorry if I prejudged you,” she whispered.

      Seth flashed a smile. “There’s no need to apologize. Some things just don’t work out the way we’d like.”

      “How true,” Natalia remarked.

      “Is he the reason you moved here?” The query was out before Seth could censor himself. He’d just met Natalia and he didn’t want to turn her off by prying into her love life.

      She averted her eyes. “He wasn’t the only reason, but I’d rather not talk about that now. I haven’t eaten since this morning, and I’m ready to order everything on the menu.”

      Seth laughed under his breath. “So, you’re not one of those women who eat like a bird because they’re monitoring everything that goes into their mouth?”

      Natalia rolled her eyes upward. “That’s sexist, Seth. There are men who also are just as finicky when it comes to their diets. And do I look anorexic to you?”

      Seth knew he’d put his proverbial foot in his mouth and had to be careful taking it out. “Um...no. I’m sorry I mentioned it.”

      “How much weight I gain or lose has never been a concern of mine. There were occasions when I worked eighteen hours in the ER that I’d take time out to drink a smoothie or grab a salad because it saved time. But whenever I had several days off I’d make all of my favorite dishes and sit down like a normal person to enjoy my meals.”

      “I suppose all of that will change now that you’ll be working with Dr. Franklin.”

      * * *

      Natalia nodded. Her entire life had changed since leaving Philadelphia. “Yes, it will.” She opened the menu binder and perused the selections. “What do you recommend?”

      Seth pointed to the chalkboard on the opposite wall. “Everything’s good, but I usually order the day’s special.”

      She glanced at the board. “I’m going to order the smothered chicken with steamed cabbage and rice.” Natalia paused. “How’s the white bean soup with ham?”

      He smiled. “It’s excellent. You must have been reading my mind because I was going to start out with a cup.”

      Natalia closed the binder. “I’m also going to have one.”

      Sharleen returned with her water and Seth’s club soda, and took their dining selections. Minutes later, she came back with their soup. The mouthwatering aroma wafting from the cup was a blatant reminder of how long it had been since Natalia had eaten breakfast.

      She took a spoonful and closed her eyes. When she opened them she found Seth smiling at her. “You’re right. It is delicious.”

      “Everything they make here is incredible and that’s why the Den has managed to survive after so many years when restaurants in other towns have gone out of business.”

      “Good food and the fact that there are no fast-food restaurants around here,” Natalia said once she swallowed another mouthful of the soup made with navy beans and pieces of smoked ham.

      “Fast food notwithstanding, if the Den didn’t offer palatable dishes it wouldn’t have survived.”

      “What about Ruthie’s?” Natalia asked.

      Seth picked up his spoon. “Ruthie’s is good if you’re looking for variety. And because what they offer is not processed and prepared daily, it is much healthier than fast food. Another good thing is the owners of Ruthie’s and the Den donate all leftovers to our soup kitchen.”

      “There’s a soup kitchen here in Wickham Falls?”

      “Yes. It’s a part of the church’s outreach.”

      Seth gave Natalia a steady stare. “Poor farming techniques and the loss of jobs to mechanization in the mining industry have led to out-migration, and coupled with

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