Chapter 35 — Impossible to Hide
Something had changed between Mia and Nathan.
Neither of them had announced it.
Neither had sat down and said, I'm falling for you.
But it was there.
And lately, it was becoming impossible to hide.
Mia noticed it first in the mornings.
She had started looking forward to hearing Nathan's footsteps outside her bedroom.
Sometimes she would already be dressed and waiting in the dining room before he arrived.
Other times, she would pretend she hadn't been waiting at all.
That morning, Nathan walked into the dining room and found Mia already eating.
"You're early," he said.
Mia looked up.
"So are you."
"I always come at this time."
"Exactly."
Nathan smiled.
"So you were waiting for me."
Mia immediately looked back at her plate.
"I was hungry."
"Of course."
He sat beside her.
Mia didn't move away.
That was another change.
Before, they had always kept a little distance.
Now they naturally sat beside each other.
Nathan reached for a piece of fruit from her plate.
Mia slapped his hand lightly.
"That's mine."
"You weren't eating it."
"I was going to."
"When?"
"Eventually."
Nathan laughed and took another piece.
Mia tried to look annoyed, but the smile on her face betrayed her.
---
Later that morning, Mia was getting ready for a royal meeting.
Nathan walked into the room while she was struggling with the clasp of her necklace.
"Need help?"
Mia looked at him through the mirror.
"Yes."
He stepped behind her.
His fingers carefully fastened the necklace.
Mia watched their reflection.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Nathan's eyes met hers in the mirror.
"You look beautiful."
Mia smiled.
"Thank you."
He stepped back.
Mia touched the necklace.
"You're getting very good at compliments."
"I'm only telling the truth."
She turned toward him.
"Careful. I might start getting used to it."
"I wouldn't mind."
Mia's heart skipped.
She looked away before he could see her reaction.
---
At the royal meeting, Mia was seated beside Nathan.
She listened carefully while the ministers discussed several issues.
One of them asked Mia for her opinion.
She gave a thoughtful answer.
Nathan looked at her with obvious pride.
Mia noticed.
"What?" she whispered.
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"I am?"
"Yes."
Nathan leaned slightly closer.
"I like watching you handle these meetings."
Mia tried to hide her smile.
"Focus."
"I am."
"No, you're not."
"I am focusing on you."
Mia's cheeks warmed.
She quickly looked toward the ministers.
Nathan smiled to himself.
---
That evening, they walked through the garden.
Mia noticed that Nathan had become quieter.
"What are you thinking about?"
"You."
She stopped walking.
"Me?"
Nathan turned toward her.
"Yes."
"What about me?"
He smiled.
"I don't know how to explain it."
Mia waited.
"I used to think of you as my best friend."
Mia smiled.
"You were my best friend too."
"But now…"
He paused.
"Now I see you differently."
Mia's smile faded slightly.
Not because she disliked hearing it.
Because she understood exactly what he meant.
"I think I do too."
Nathan looked at her.
The silence between them suddenly felt different.
Mia took a small step closer.
"I don't know when it happened."
"Neither do I."
"But it did."
Nathan nodded.
"Yes."
She smiled softly.
"So we're both confused."
"Very."
Mia laughed.
"That's comforting."
Nathan laughed too.
Then he reached for her hand.
She let him take it.
Their fingers intertwined naturally.
Neither commented on it.
They simply continued walking.
---
Over the next few weeks, their feelings became even more obvious.
Nathan began finding excuses to spend time with Mia.
Mia started asking about his day before he even mentioned it.
They ate together whenever possible.
They watched movies in the evenings.
They walked through the gardens.
Sometimes they worked in the same room without speaking, simply enjoying having the other nearby.
And the kisses changed too.
They were no longer surprises.
Sometimes Nathan would kiss Mia's forehead before leaving for a meeting.
Sometimes Mia would kiss his cheek when he made her laugh.
And sometimes they shared a quiet kiss simply because neither wanted the moment to end.
Neither of them said the word love.
But their actions were beginning to say it for them.
---
One evening, Nathan returned from a long meeting looking exhausted.
Mia was waiting in the sitting room.
"You're late."
"I know."
"How was it?"
"Terrible."
She smiled.
"Come here."
Nathan walked over.
Mia took his hand and pulled him onto the sofa.
"You need to rest."
Nathan looked at her.
"You waited for me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Mia shrugged.
"I wanted to see you."
Nathan smiled.
"I wanted to see you too."
He leaned back.
Mia rested her head against his shoulder.
Nathan gently placed his arm around her.
Neither spoke.
They didn't need to.
For the first time, Mia wasn't thinking about the man who had broken her heart.
She wasn't thinking about Winter.
She wasn't thinking about the marriage she had once believed would be a mistake.
She was thinking about Nathan.
And beside her, Nathan was thinking about her too.
Neither realized it yet, but the friendship they had rebuilt was slowly becoming something much deeper.
And this time, neither of them was running from it.