Chapter 73

• Nathalie nodded, searching for the right words to alleviate his discomfort. "They were young when they had me. Mom was just nineteen when she got married and twenty when I was born. Dad was twenty-three then. That's quite young. You were in your thirties when Rosie came along. Just because my parents are only a handful of years older than you doesn't make me a child, Ethan. Today, I turned twenty-five. You've mentioned before that you find me mature—I have a job, my own apartment, savings, and a car."
• She inhaled deeply, trying not to let her nervousness lead her into rambling. She desperately hoped he wouldn't reevaluate their relationship. "Besides," she added in a lighter tone, attempting to inject some humor, "you didn't seem too worried about my age when things got steamy with us on the chair you're sitting on."
• She managed to coax a small smile from Ethan before he grew serious once again. "Nathalie, I just don't know. I'm genuinely pleased that your parents are okay with us dating. But I wonder if this is truly what's best for you. I add more complications to your life than a boyfriend should."