LITMIR.BIZ

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at play here. Something that was none of her business, she reminded herself again. Blair had said that he was complicated. Iona knew that, but something about him kept her here. She wanted to help him. Wanted to … know him better.

      “It’s almost time for the tree lighting,” Jeff announced. “Sofia, come over here with the other kids so you have a good spot to view it.”

      She got to her feet and ran over to Jeff, who took her hand and led her to the other children. Iona knew she should get up and join the others, but Mads didn’t seem to be ready to get up so she stayed there.

      “Why do you think Sofia stopped singing when I joined you?” Mads asked.

      “Maybe she just wanted to listen to your voice,” Iona said. “She was watching you.”

      “I know. She’s been so … I don’t know what to do this holiday season. Gill used to sing songs with her all the time and I never wanted to intrude on that. You know, it was their thing. I just don’t want her hurt. Songs don’t hurt, in fact they usually cheer her up.”

      “I’m sorry. I really don’t know what to tell you to do,” Iona said. “My own relationship with my dad was complicated. I think you and Sofia are figuring it out.”

      “I hope so. Thanks for giving me an outsider’s perspective. I’ve been so focused on Sofia and making sure that her mom’s death doesn’t dominate her childhood.”

      Iona felt like she was on the cusp of being more than a business associate to Mads. She could just smile and get up and leave or she could ask more questions and really try to help this little duo out.

      “When did her mom die?” Iona asked gently. It wasn’t in her nature to not ask questions.

      “December 27th,” he said flatly. His voice had gone cold and his eyes were that icy blue again.

      Iona scooted closer and hugged him. He held himself stiffly in her embrace and she sighed. “I’m so sorry.”

      “Me too,” he admitted, his arms coming around her briefly and then they dropped.

      But their eyes met and he didn’t look away. He tipped his head to the side and she sat there waiting. Normally, she would be the aggressor, but nothing with Mads was normal. He wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger and then pulled his hand back. Leaning in, his lips brushed hers so lightly that she almost felt like she’d imagined it. Except for the shivers of awareness sliding down her spine.

      “Papa!”

      He pulled back, getting to his feet as Sofia joined them.

      “Papa, come on. You’re going to miss the tree!”

      He turned away from Iona and she stood there watching him walk away with his daughter.

      ***

      Keeping his eyes off of Iona was proving a problem for Mads as the evening wore on. He knew he had no business kissing her and his rational mind hadn’t been a part of that decision. It had been pure instinct. It had been a long time since he’d felt anything around a woman or really even noticed one. But Iona wasn’t the kind of woman who could be ignored. Something that many of the other men in the room were noticing.

      She was easy to talk to and laughed frequently. She had come over to Sofia and him right after the tree lighting and posed with them for a photo. “There we go. You can add this to your tree collection, Sofia.”

      “Oh, thank you,” Sofia said. “I heard there are cookies … Papa?”

      “Go and get one,” he said, ruffling her hair and she ran off to the table with the large cookies on it. He watched his daughter as she carefully walked along the table checking out all of the offerings before making her selection.

      “This was a lot of fun, but I’ve got an early meeting, so I’m going to head out soon.”

      “No problem. Sofia really likes you. You make her laugh and that is something she hasn’t done a lot lately,” he said. But he didn’t want to keep talking about his daughter; he wanted to know more about Iona. “I have heard a lot about your father from Jeff. He mentioned that he was impetus for you to start your own business.”

      Iona blushed and shook her head. “You asked about me?”

      “Well, Jeff volunteered,” Mads said.

      “It’s okay. Jeff does business with Summerlin Industries so he knew my dad pretty well.”

      “That explains why he brought it up. I guess it wasn’t an easy relationship,” Mads said. He wasn’t going to push it but he’d told her more about his personal life than he’d meant to.

      “No, it wasn’t. He pushed me hard and never really gave me a compliment … that I needed him to do.”

      Mads put his hand on Iona’s shoulder to comfort her but he admitted to himself that it was also because he liked touching her. “You’re entitled to want your dad to say you did a good job.”

      She tilted her head to the side. “So true. But he’s gone now so I probably should get over it.”

      “If only we could tell ourselves that and make it happen.”

      “Sorry, I forgot that you have …’

      “Don’t do that. Don’t belittle what you’re feeling,” he said. So many times over the last year he knew his friends had pulled back from him, afraid to share anything because of his grief.

      “It’s just compared to what you’ve lost, my thing isn’t a big deal.”

      Mads had heard that before. Many of his friends had stopped calling and dropping by when Gill had first gotten sick and then distanced themselves even more after her death. It was as if they didn’t know how to act around him anymore.

      “I’m glad you feel that it isn’t a big deal,” he said. “No one should have to feel what I did. And you know I’m not judging you for having fun or not grieving. One of the hardest things for me to accept was that life moves on.”

      “How do you mean?” Iona asked.

      “Just that the world didn’t stop when Gill exited it. Sofia had school to go to. I had meetings to focus on. It was like Gill was gone but everything else kept moving forward and at first I wanted to stop too,” Mads said.

      He didn’t want to analyze why he was telling Iona so much of this stuff. But honestly, it felt good to talk to someone who hadn’t known Gill or him back then. He didn’t feel like he had to couch his words to protect the family they’d been. Sofia is the reason I get up each day.”

      She reached over and squeezed his upper arm in sympathy. “She’s a very good reason to stay motivated. I have my partnership in the Candied Apple Cafe and, for me, that’s reward enough.”

      He noticed her smile when she mentioned her friends and he envied her that close relationship. He had Sofia, of course, but he and his brother had drifted apart over time and he’d stopped trying with his friends when Gill had gotten sick.

      Iona’s watch pinged and she looked down at it. “I really do have to go. I enjoyed talking to you tonight.”

      “Me too,” he said. I think we’ll call it a night as well. We can share a ride home?” Mads asked.

      “Thank you,” she responded.

      She waited while he got Sofia and the three of them left together. Jeff and Blair came over to give Sofia a gift bag and he thought he saw concern in their eyes.

      He felt that twinge of guilt at the thought he was forgetting Gill. He’d never thought he’d feel any real emotion towards another woman, but he liked Iona, remembered when he’d almost kissed her and knew he wanted more than a brief brush of lips. Maybe more than liked her.

      ***

      Sunday was for lazing around in bed and Iona had enjoyed that very much.

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