not that I’m too shy to socialize or go places, but big crowds can be intimidating and sometimes I need time to recharge on my own. The reason we’re at this restaurant is because I felt it would be easier to be around familiar people.”
“That makes perfect sense. Including the part where this is a stretch for you...”
“You have no idea,” she said, with a laugh. “So if it’s all right with you, I’ll start with the easiest question for me to answer. I’m passionate about film.”
Max put his white napkin on his lap and watched her do the same. “Film? I would have guessed books, but film is more intriguing.”
“I do love books, but film caught my attention when I was young and never let go. Old ones. Black-and-white movies from the twenties, thirties and forties. Fritz Lang, Preston Sturges, Frank Capra, Michael Curtiz. I work at Omnibus. It’s an art-film house and conservation center.”
“I’ve been there.”
She smiled, and it was as if he’d said the magic words that allowed her to relax completely. It was a good look on her. “Oh, nice. What did you see?”
“Um, it’s been awhile. The last three years I haven’t gotten out much. Napoleon. The Abel Gance silent film. I’ve been to a couple of short-film festivals, too, and a Buster Keaton retrospective.”
“I was there. For all of those. I help run the programs.”
“You’re a fund-raiser?” He wanted more of this Natalie. She’d been smart to start out with something she cared about so deeply. The light in her eyes and the excitement in her voice were compelling. He could imagine her letting go, getting swept away in his arms. She wouldn’t be quick about it, though, or easy. But she’d be worth the effort.
“That’s only a part of what I do. I’m the librarian but also an archivist. I even teach film restoration and conduct tours of the facility. I’m a jill-of-all-trades, which means my schedule is insane, but I’m very happy. It’s expensive to restore films, to keep the vaults at the right temperatures, buy the equipment. You should become a member.”
He laughed at that. Couldn’t help it. It made sense that she helped with fund-raising. No one would be able to resist her.
“Sorry.” Her cheeks blossomed with a flush that had a slightly different hue. Softer, somehow. “I crossed a line there. You don’t have to buy anything.”
“Don’t worry about it. I can tell you’re great at what you do. They’re lucky to have you.”
She fluttered her lashes, but it was more a sign of being flustered, he thought, than a flirtatious gesture. “Okay, now it’s my turn, because I’ve been dying to know. How have we not met before? I thought I knew every librarian in New York.”
“Excuse me?”
“My friend thought you might work at a think tank. Or maybe that you’d just transferred here.”
Max wasn’t sure what was going on. “I work at a law firm.”
“Oh. Okay. I imagine big firms have large libraries.”
“Natalie, I’m not a librarian. I’m a lawyer.”
“Wait. What? You’re...not—” She put her purse on the table and pulled out his card. He only got a glimpse, but that was definitely his picture. “—Max Zimm?”
He slowly shook his head, feeling as confused as she looked. “Max Dorset.”
“Oh,” she said, and sank back in her chair. “But...” She studied the card and when she looked at him again she was clearly mortified. She’d tensed like a watch spring and averted her gaze. “I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I. I mean, obviously that’s my picture, but not my name.”
“I—I don’t even know what to say. Except I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault,” he said, some of the confusion beginning to lift. “Clearly someone at the printing company messed up. What else does the back of the card say?”
Her lips parted with a distressed gasp. “This whole trading-card thing. I never should’ve—” She shook her head and cleared her throat. “Look, it’s still early.” She calmly put her napkin on the table and stood. “I hope you can salvage the rest of the evening. I really do. I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”
Before he could even make sense of what was going on, Natalie was halfway across the room.
3
SHE SHOULD HAVE known he was too good to be true. Stupid, stupid. So much for her brave new life. If she had any brains at all, she’d go running back to Oliver. He might be dull as dishwater but he was steady and she’d never have to worry about competition for him.
Hanna called out to her, but Natalie kept going, darting around acquaintances she didn’t want to see, damning her high heels. She should take them off, run away as quickly as possible.
“Natalie, wait.”
God, it was Max. Max Dorset. An attorney so out of her reach it made her blush to her toes. Why hadn’t she said his last name when she’d called him? That would have saved them both this humiliation.
She’d made it through the patio to the base of the stairs when his hand on her arm stopped her.
“Wait, please,” he said. “Please.”
She couldn’t simply shake him off. None of this was his fault. But facing him felt like torture. “I should be getting home,” she said. “I can’t say how very sorry I am for the mix-up.”
“I don’t blame you.”
“Still, I can’t imagine that you were looking for someone like me when you filled out your trading card.”
“How do you know?”
She met his gaze finally and instead of seeing mockery in his green-blue eyes, she recognized honest confusion. “You don’t play World of Warcraft, for one.”
“You’re right,” he said. “But I have played a hell of a lot of Legend of Zelda and Mortal Kombat.”
“Recently?”
“No.”
His gentle smile made it possible for her to take a deep breath without bursting into flames. “Something tells me you also aren’t looking to get married.”
“Not at the moment, no. But I was looking for a nice time with a fascinating woman, and I got that. What I don’t understand is why it needs to end so quickly.”
Natalie couldn’t speak for a second. She hadn’t been prepared for this, and she wasn’t sure if his being great about the mistake wasn’t the best reason of all for her to walk away and not look back. “We both know I’m not your kind of woman, but thank you for being so nice about it.”
“I’m not sure I have a type,” he said, and despite his smile, she didn’t believe that. “If I wasn’t enjoying myself, I would have made an excuse to take off like a shot. Now, why don’t we go back inside? I’d still like to hear the rest of your answers. And find out what you found so appealing about this Max Zimm.”
Out of the corner of her eye, Natalie saw a white shirt, a white chef’s hat and a very large, angry man walking with purpose. Behind him, half the staff followed.
“Oh, crap. I probably should have mentioned that Hanna is my aunt.” She spoke quickly, intending to head off the disaster. “In fact, everyone who works here is related to me in some way.”
“Why, ‘oh, crap’?” he asked, turning to look. His body stiffened and for a second she thought he was going to bolt.
“Uncle