Chapter 99 Nate and Natalie
Hannah
By the time we finished breakfast, my appetite still hadn’t returned.
I had barely touched the fruit on my plate, pushing the pieces around more than actually eating them.
Sienna noticed, of course.
She didn’t comment on it though, which I appreciated more than she probably realized.
When we stepped outside the café, the warm afternoon air wrapped around us as we climbed back into the car.
“Next stop,” Sienna announced dramatically, “retail therapy.”
I laughed faintly.
“I thought coffee was the therapy.”
“That was the warm-up.”
The car pulled away from the curb, and for the first time that day my mind began drifting away from Timothy.
Sienna talked the entire drive, telling ridiculous stories about customers at the shelter, complaining about her neighbor’s extremely loud parrot, and somehow managing to drag the guards and Ace into the conversation again.
By the time we reached the mall, I was actually laughing.
Which felt… good.
Normal.
“See?” she said smugly as we stepped out of the car. “You’re smiling again.”
“Don’t get used to it.”
“Too late.”
The mall was bustling with people, the sound of chatter and music echoing through the wide hallways.
Sienna immediately grabbed my arm and dragged me toward the stores.
“You need new clothes,” she declared.
“I have clothes.”
“You have practical clothes.”
“Practical is good.”
She waved that off.
“Today we’re upgrading.”
I sighed as she dragged me into the first store.
Before I realized what she was doing, we were standing inside Zara.
Sienna froze in the doorway.
“Hannah.”
“Yes?”
“This place is expensive.”
“So?”
“So I am not letting you buy me anything from here.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“You’re adorable when you think you have a choice.”
She groaned dramatically.
“You’re rich and irresponsible.”
“You’re dramatic.”
Within minutes I had picked out several outfits and pushed them toward her.
“Try them.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Hannah…”
“Go.”
She grumbled the entire way to the fitting room.
“You’re impossible.”
“Thank you.”
A few minutes later she stepped out wearing one of the dresses I had chosen.
I clapped my hands.
“That’s perfect.”
“It’s unnecessary.”
“You look amazing.”
She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue further.
Which meant I had won.
The rest of the shopping trip followed the same pattern.
Sienna protested.
I ignored her.
Eventually we even wandered into Chanel.
She stopped dead in her tracks.
“Oh absolutely not.”
“Yes.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Hannah, this place probably charges money just for breathing.”
I laughed.
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I’m really not.”
Despite her protests, we ended up browsing through bags and accessories anyway.
Sienna kept muttering things like “I’m going to feel guilty for a week” while I calmly picked out items.
By the time we finished shopping, both of us had several bags.
Sienna looked at them like they were ticking bombs.
“You’re ridiculous,” she said.
“And yet you love me.”
She sighed.
“I do, unfortunately.”
We grabbed some snacks and pastries from a bakery stand before heading toward the movie theater.
It wasn’t just any theater either.
This one was one of those fancy exclusive places with plush seats and quiet lounges.
Sienna stretched dramatically as we walked inside.
“Finally. My feet are dying.”
“You’ve been complaining since the second store.”
“Because shopping is exhausting.”
We joined the small line at the ticket counter.
I was just about to step forward when something suddenly collided with my legs.
Two small arms wrapped around me in a tight hug.
I froze.
“What…?”
I looked down.
A little girl with curly hair and bright eyes was clinging to me like we had known each other forever.
I blinked in confusion.
Then recognition hit.
“Natalie?”
She looked up at me with a huge grin.
“Yes!”
I laughed softly and crouched down in front of her.
“What are you doing here?”
She giggled.
“Watching a movie!”
I playfully pinched her rosy cheeks.
“Well, that sounds like a very important mission.”
Just then a familiar voice cleared behind us.
“Ahem.”
I looked up.
And immediately felt my cheeks warm.
Nate stood there.
Tall, relaxed, and annoyingly handsome.
He smiled slightly when our eyes met.
“Hello again.”
I stood up quickly.
“Hi.”
For a moment we both just stood there awkwardly.
“Well, I didn’t expect to find you guys here” I said, gesturing vaguely toward the theater. “What are you doing here?”
“Just… watching a movie.”
Then I realized what I had said.
And how it sounded.
“I mean, I didn’t expect to find you here. Not that…I mean….,” I blurted.
Oh no.
That sounded terrible.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” I added quickly. “Sorry.”
Nate chuckled.
“It’s alright.”
He glanced down at Natalie, who was now holding his hand again.
“What are you two planning to watch?”
I told him the movie title.
He nodded.
“Nice.”
“What about you?” Sienna asked.
He smiled down at his daughter.
“I’m actually dropping Natalie off. She’s watching a Disney princess movie with her friends.”
Natalie nodded enthusiastically.
“With popcorn!”
Sienna suddenly leaned forward.
“Well then you should join us.”
My head snapped toward her.
“What?”
Nate looked slightly surprised.
Sienna smiled brightly.
“You could watch our movie instead of wandering around bored.”
I hurried to interrupt.
“No, we don’t want to force you…”
“I wouldn’t be forced.”
I stopped talking.
Nate was smiling.
“I’d actually love to join.”
Sienna clapped her hands once.
“Perfect.”
She turned toward the counter.
“We’ll wait here.”
Nate nodded and stepped forward.
“I’ll grab the tickets.”
Before I could protest again, he was already walking toward the cashier.
I turned slowly toward Sienna.
Then I nudged her sharply in the ribs.
“What are you doing?” I hissed quietly.
She shrugged innocently.
“What?”
“You just invited him.”
“So?”
“We barely know him!”
“He’s nice.”
“That’s not the point!”
Sienna grinned mischievously.
“I’m not doing anything.”
I stared at her.
“He’s just joining us for a movie.”
I opened my mouth to argue again but Nate was already walking back toward us.
So I quickly shut my mouth and forced a polite smile.
“Got them,” he said.
And somehow I had the feeling this afternoon had just gotten a lot more complicated.