Mia, Mine #sytycw15 #RomanticSuspense Book 1

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1: Natalie smiled at the old woman as she placed her blackberry lemonade down in front of her.

"Here you go, Mrs. Herbert." She said with a kind smile.

She grinned up at Natalie, her silver hair shining in the muted lights of the diner.

"Thank you Natalie. Always such a sweet girl. Have you found yourself a new beau as of late?" she asked and Natalie smiled despite the pang in her heart.

"Not yet." She said softly.

Mrs. Herbert's eyes grew confused.

"But, you are such a pretty girl. Surely you have a line of fine young men lined up." Natalie blushed and wiped her hands on her short black apron.

"Nope, not yet. Enjoy your lemonade and let me know if you need anything." She said and then turned, her ponytail brushing her shoulder blades as it swished around her head. She walked over to the counter and sat down.

The diner was pretty deserted at this time of night, and she liked nights like that. It made her waitressing job easier.

She had been waitressing here for 7 years and tonight was her last night before she left for Italy with her best friend Ciara. She would miss it here, but it was time for her to spread her wings and explore. Her whole life had been sheltered.

Her mother had been a drug and alcohol addict her entire life and Natalie didn't remember a single time that she didn't feel like an adult. Even when she was little and would wake up screaming from nightmares, she dealt with it, and she dealt with it alone.

Sighing, she dropped her head down on the cold linoleum of the counter when her phone rang. She jerked up and pulled her phone out of her pocket.

She sighed when she saw who it was.

"Hello?" she answered.

"Hey, Nat. Your momma is here again. She is pretty drunk and I cut her off and she is causing a bit of trouble. Mind coming and picking her up?" Seth asked from the other end of the line.

Seth was the bartender of her momma's favorite bar and she had known Seth longer than she knew how to tie her shoe laces.

She cursed, nodded.

"Yeah. I'm on my way. Just hold on to her for me. I'll be there soon." She said and hung up.

Untying her apron from behind her back she hung it up on the small rack before she punched in her time card and walked to her small locker and pulled out her small purse and jacket.

She waved goodbye to the last remaining patrons of the bar before she stepped out into the cool night.

The sky was a dark exotic black, stars glittering like fire flies millions of miles away. The wind whispered a caress across her face and she sighed as she got into her old bug and began driving to the bar.

It wasn't far and when she arrived she ignored the cat calls and whistles that came her way when she got out and made her way into the bar. The bar was pretty quiet since it was around closing time, and only a few muted lights lit the bar.

She spotted her mother with her head resting on her forearm.

Natalie rushed over and pushed her mom's platinum blonde-dyed hair away from her face, grimacing when the smell of strong scent of vomit hit her.

She was used to the smell though... Used to cleaning it up.

She looked up and found Seth watching her sympathetically. He had short salt and pepper hair with a goatee.