Christmas at the Candied Apple Café. Katherine Garbera
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almost kissed her. That brief brush of lips had intrigued her. Awoken something she’d ignored pretty successfully for years. Heck, she’d even been willing to have a passionless marriage with Nico before everything had shifted and they’d both realized why there was no passion between them at all.
She felt like a bit of a slug by six p.m. Forcing herself to take a shower and put on clothes and make-up, she texted Cici and Hayley to see if they wanted to go out for dinner.
Can’t tonight. Holly, Hoop and I are on our way back from the Hamptons, Cici texted.
Then Hayley replied. Ugh. I wish I could but I have to get in extra early tomorrow to finish up our special truffle box. I want you both there early as well.
She texted back with emojis since Wah, why won’t my friends come out and play with me? wasn’t very adult. She could order in. But she hadn’t left the house all day.
She decided she’d go to Korali Estiatorio on Third
and pick up spanakopita for dinner. She opened her door just as someone was knocking and looked down to see little Sofia standing there.
“Hello,” Iona said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“I wanted to bring you something I made for you,” Sofia said, holding up a small pastry box with the Common logo on it.
“Thank you,” Iona said gratefully, taking it from her. She glanced down the hall and saw a woman in her twenties only a few feet away.
“Hi, I’m Iona,” she said to the woman.
“Jessie. I’m this scamp’s nanny.”
“I was on my way out,” she said. She’d pretty much decided last night that she needed to steer clear of Sofia and her too-cute father. She had lot of big plans and only by focusing on them was she going to achieve them. She’d learned a lot from her father’s example.
“That’s okay, we can’t stay,” Jessie said. “But she wanted to make sure you got her gift today.”
“Want me to open it now?”
Sofia nodded. It was really hard for her to keep her distance like she knew she should. She liked Sofia. Saw a little bit of herself in the lonely little girl. Though she’d had Theo, he’d been the golden child and everyone had adored him and Iona had always felt isolated.
She stooped down so she was on eye level with Sofia and then opened the box. The cookie was decorated in her image and made her smile.
“Thank you, sweetie. I love it.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Okay, scamp, let’s go. We’re under strict orders to get right back,” Jessie said.
From Mads.
He was probably of the same mindset that encouraging a friendship between her and his daughter wasn’t a good idea. But Sofia clearly needed something from her. Iona made up her mind to resolve the business issue as soon as possible.
“Better get back, then,” Iona said.
“It’s just ‘cause he has to get back to the hotel,” Sofia said.
Iona remembered his call at the brunch and imagined that running the hotel took up a lot of his time. Yet he did seem to manage being with Sofia as well.
“Maybe we will run into each other again,” Iona said, stepping into the hall and closing her door.
“I’m sure we will,” Sofia said. “Bye.”
Jessie and Sofia walked down the hall in the opposite direction of the elevators and Iona was tempted to turn and watch them, hoping again for a glimpse of Mads, but instead she forced herself to keep walking.
Eye on the prize.
Her father’s voice echoed through her mind. He’d been a great one for dishing out advice and well-meaning “honesty” about ways she could improve herself at in her role at work. She worked longer and harder than anyone else on her marketing team at Summerlin Industries and never had he acknowledged it. Just told her how good Theo was doing in his role as COO. Even finding a way to turn the long hours she spent at the office into her trying to avoid dating and finding a man.
Iona paused in the lobby.
She hadn’t realized how much of that anger she still carried around towards her father. He’d been gone for over two years now. She missed him, but a part of her acknowledged that she wanted him to still be here to see her successes. But would she have had the courage to leave Summerlin Industries if he’d still been alive?
She stepped out of her building into the brisk December night and inhaled the cold air, tipping her head back to see that the sky was cloudless. It was so clear, she imagined that if she wasn’t in the city she might be able to make out the stars.
The door to the building opened, she stepped out of the path of the person glancing over her shoulder and meeting the icy-gray gaze of Mads.
“Iona.”
“Mads.”
“Are you going in?”
“No,” she said. “Heading to dinner. Sofia mentioned you were heading back to the hotel.”
“Yes. We have a leak above our retail shop. Turns out the problem is bigger than originally believed and I have to get down there to soothe one of our longtime guests.”
“Good luck. If you’d like I can send a basket of Candied Apple goodies over in the morning for any of your displaced guests,” she said. The gesture would be a nice promo opportunity.
“That would be a nice touch. Thank you.”
“No problem. Just text me the number of baskets needed and the guest names.”
“Thanks,” he said. She nodded and took a step away from him, but he caught her arm in his hand.
She stopped and half turned toward him. Their eyes met and he closed the gap between them.
“I told myself this was a bad idea, but I can’t stop wondering what it would be like to kiss you,” he said.
She just leaned in the slightest bit, their lips met and a tingle spread down her neck through her body. His lips were firm but soft and parted against hers. She felt the warmth of his breath in her mouth and then the brush of his tongue over hers. She reached up, grabbing onto the lapels of his coat to steady herself.
She opened her eyes and shifted back from him. He just traced his finger over his mouth, then nodded. “Good evening.”
He walked away and she watched him leave. Blair’s comment from the night before ran through her mind. Iona had thought she understood what “complicated” meant, but she really hadn’t.
“Iona?”
She shook her head to clear it, forced a smile and looked over at Cici. “Sorry, what were you saying?” Iona asked.
Cici looked tired, as was to be expected since she had a two-week-old baby, but also glowy … was that even a word? But she did. Also Cici looked happy. Happier than Iona had ever seen her. She was getting ready to celebrate so much in her life.
“I was just inviting you to a dinner party on Saturday evening.”
“Should you be entertaining already?”
“Well, if you must know Hoop’s friend Alfonso is giving us an evening of cooking as an early wedding present and he said to invite our closest friends and that includes you.”
“Of course, I’ll be there.”
Cici