“Great.” Madison’s heart beat loud in her ears, and she prayed he couldn’t see how much he’d upset her. She opened her notebook, struggling to control her unsteady hands. “My file says you have a formal function tonight. What is it?” A formal function didn’t sound too bad. She could go, observe long enough to gather a few notes, snap a few photos herself if necessary and then leave. She just had to collect enough information in the next three days to write a thousand words about him. And not the thousand that had come to mind these past three years.
He sat back in his chair and took a deep breath. “The company Christmas party.”
Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse.
* * * * “You’re not planning to go, are you?” Samantha’s tone was one of disbelief on the other end of the phone.
Madison sank lower into a bubble bath, cradling her cell phone against her ear. “I don’t know if I have a choice.” She sighed.
“Of course you do. This is ridiculous. I think you’ve been a trooper about this assignment all along, but enough is enough. What if she’s there?”
Madison grabbed her razor from the side of the tub and ran it along her leg. “Maybe that’s one of the reasons I should go. To face them both. Show them I don’t care anymore.” Presented with the options of fight or flight, she’d readily choose flight. She wanted nothing more than to avoid seeing Kurt and his co-worker, whom she’d already seen too much of. But it would mean not finishing the article she’d set out to write. There wasn’t an option. She had to go to the party and prove to everyone what she’d been claiming. She was over her ex-husband and she was a professional journalist.
“I guess.” Samantha was reluctant to agree. “I just think you’ve been through enough.” Her tone softened. “Have you spoken to Cole?”
“No.” She’d left a message at the front desk for him about the party that evening, but she wasn’t sure if he was even staying at the hotel. She hadn’t heard him in the room next to hers so far that afternoon.
“I’m sure he’ll come around.” Samantha’s tone was reassuring.
Madison had her doubts. She’d told him she’d made a mistake falling for him. It wasn’t true. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against the bathtub pillow. How had life gotten so complicated in two weeks? “Maybe, but right now I need to focus on finishing this assignment and getting back to Staten Island before anything else can go wrong.” She pulled the plug on the tub. She glanced toward the clock on the bedside table. 6:47. The party was in an hour.
“And you’re sure about this? I can’t talk you out of it?”
Madison shook her head.
“Madison, are you shaking your head or nodding? You do know I can’t see you right?” Her friend’s tone was light.
Madison smiled for the first time that day. “I’m nodding, then shaking my head. I have to do this.”
“Okay, well, I’ve only got one other thing to say.”
“What’s that?” Madison held her breath, hoping for some much needed advice on how to live through seeing her ex-husband with another woman.
“Look hot.”
Madison laughed and shook her head. “That’s it? That’s your advice?”
“Yes. Can you think of better advice given the circumstances?” Samantha laughed.
Madison thought for a moment. “No, I can’t.” She glanced toward her suitcase. The bag of samples from the Gucci photo-shoot lay on top. The red velvet dress peeked through the handle of the bag. Hmm…could she pull it off? Only one way to find out. “Sam, I gotta go. There’s a too tight red velvet gown I need to squeeze myself into.”
“That’s my girl.”
* * * * Kurt’s law office was located in a building in the center of Times Square. The fabulous upper floor suite of the fifty-floor skyscraper had an amazing view of the city. Madison stepped from the elevator into the main foyer of the office.
A young red haired girl she didn’t recognize greeted her from behind the reception desk. “Are you here for the Davidson Miller Law Christmas party?” She held out a flute of champagne.
Madison accepted the glass and nodded. She’d need more than one of these half-filled glasses to get her through the evening.
“Coat check is down the hallway to the right. Enjoy.” The young girl smiled and turned her attention to an older couple entering the foyer.
The office party décor had a winter wonderland snow globe theme. White lights and glistening frosted ornaments hung from the ceiling and soft fake snow fell in swirls to the floor. They’d spared no expense for this party. Business must be doing well. She scanned the dimly lit room. Other than a few senior executives, she didn’t recognize the other faces. She let out a sigh of relief. No doubt the woman she was desperate to avoid had been forced to resign once the office affair had gone public. Her shoulders relaxed as she took another sip of her champagne.
“There you are.” Kurt appeared next to her in the entryway. “Here, let me take your coat.” He reached for her coat.
Madison cleared her throat. “Um—I’d rather keep it on. It’s a little cool in here.” Suddenly the red velvet dressed didn’t seem like a great idea. What had she been thinking to wear something so revealing?
“I’ll ask someone to adjust the heat, but I have to insist on taking it. Security measures.” He shrugged.
Security measures? If she was planning to hurt him, she’d have done it three years ago. She pouted and removed the coat. “Fine, here.” She handed him the coat and scarf and folded her arms across the tight fabric at her waist.
Kurt let out a low whistle. “Wow, you look stunning.” He stepped back to take in the full extent of the dress. “How come I never saw this dress before?” His eyes twinkled with delight.
The appreciation she saw on his face as his eyes traveled the length of her body annoyed her. Her stomach turned. “Why? If I’d worn more dresses like this, would you have been able to keep your hands off of your receptionist?” She cocked her head to the side and bit her lip, wishing she could take the words back. Hadn’t she been the one to suggest they leave the past in the past?
Kurt’s grin faded. He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his sandy brown hair. “Should we get a drink? Dinner will be announced shortly.”
“Yes, thank you. I won’t be staying long.” She needed to observe enough for the sake of the article, and then she could leave.
Kurt led the way through the crowded room to their table. “By the way, your photographer friend called this afternoon. He said he would be arriving later tonight.”
Madison’s heart skipped a beat. Cole would be there, after all. Apprehension mixed with excitement. She wanted so bad to see him, but the thought of Kurt and Cole in the same room together made her head ache. Cole hadn’t concealed his feelings about her ex-husband, and Madison’s brow wrinkled with concern. What would happen once the two men met? Had Cole decided to put his personal feelings aside for the assignment as well? She hoped so.
“There’s a few people I need to greet. Are you okay here alone for a few minutes?” Kurt looked uncomfortable in her presence.
She’d been okay alone for three years. She bit her tongue to hold back the words. Moving on, leave the past in the past. She forced a smile. “Of course.” She took her seat, aware of the eyes of Kurt’s colleagues on her.
Kurt disappeared in the crowd.
Madison scanned the room for Cole. He didn’t appear to be there yet. Maybe he’d changed his mind? She picked up her champagne flute and drained its contents.
Kurt’s laughter on the other side of the room caught her attention. She turned in her chair to study him. He stood among a group of men she recognized from the law firm. One patted him on the back, and a wide grin spread across his handsome features. Part of the anger she felt melted away. Maybe three years was long enough to be angry. After all she no longer had feelings for him, what would it hurt to forgive and forget?
The waiter appeared and refilled her champagne
glass.
“Thank you.” She smiled.
“Glad to see you’re avoiding the red wine,” a deep, familiar voice said to her right.
A slow smile spread across her face as she turned to look up at Cole. Wearing a black suit and red dress shirt and tie, he looked even more handsome than she’d seen him. “Hi. I wasn’t sure you were coming.”
Cole pulled out a chair next to her and sat. He placed his champagne glass on the table. “I wasn’t sure I was either.” He studied the table and played with the stem of his glass.
“I’m glad you’re here.” She was glad. Having him by her side gave her the strength she would need to make it through the next few days. Her eyes met Cole’s, and the heavy weight she’d struggled beneath all day disappeared. The love and kindness she found in him were more than she could have hoped for.
“I’m sorry about the other night.” He took her hand in his under the table. “I shouldn’t have interfered.”
“No, you shouldn’t have, but I understand why you did.” Madison squeezed his hand. “I’m sorry too.”
“What are we all apologizing for over here?” Kurt appeared behind them at the table.
Madison pulled her hand free of Cole’s, and her cheeks blushed. Why did she feel like she’d been caught doing something wrong? “Kurt Davidson, this is Cole Harris.” She made the introductions with a shaky voice.
Kurt extended a hand, and Cole stared at it.
Please shake his hand. Don’t make a big deal out of this. Madison pleaded with her eyes. She held her breath.
“Pleasure.” Cole extended his hand and stood. “I think I’m in your seat.” He took his glass from the table.
“Thank you. Please, do join us.” Kurt gestured toward an empty seat on the other side of the table.
They announced dinner and relief flooded through Madison. That went better than she’d expected. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard after all.
Kurt sat and leaned toward Madison. “So, tell me, how do you enjoy living on Staten Island?”
The waiter arrived and set their plates in front of them. The smell of basil and garlic drifted from the chicken and seasonal vegetables. Madison picked up her fork and speared a piece of broccoli. “It’s quieter than the city, but I love it.” It was true. Her life on Staten Island was much better than she’d expected when she’d escaped the city three years before.
“And the magazine? Are you writing many assignments?”
When had he become interested in someone else’s career? She studied his expression. Genuine interest lay behind his gaze. “Women’s World is fantastic. I’m mostly editing.” She didn’t tell him he’d been responsible for securing her first writing assignment.
“But your passion is writing.” He bit into his chicken. Madison almost dropped her fork . He had been paying attention. “Yes, and I haven’t abandoned that.” She refused to tell him about the manuscript she was working on. There was no way he’d remember that. She’d only started writing it in their last few months together.
“Did you ever finish the book you were writing?” Madison’s mouth fell open. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Cole watching the interaction. A frown clouded his blue eyes. She didn’t know what to say. “Um…how do you remember that?”
Kurt’s dark eyes burrowed into her own. He leaned closer and whispered. “I remember everything about you, Madi.”
* * * * Cole sat back in his chair as the waiter took his plate. The scene across the table from him made his blood boil. He clenched his silk napkin in his fist and forced himself to look away. The dirt bag was worse than he’d thought. Pretending to be interested in Madison’s career and turning on the charm. He could see why the man was successful in persuading women to trust him. He was a master manipulator. Madison had to know that by now, didn’t she?
Her laughter caught his attention, and he turned to see them stand. Madison shook her head, but Kurt ignored her protests, dragging her onto her feet. The sight of her in the red dress took his breath away once again, and he frowned as he saw Kurt lead her out onto the dance floor.
She shot him a helpless glance and shrugged as they disappeared into the sea of couples on the floor. A musical rendition of I’ll be Home for Christmas played from the speakers in the corner of the room, and Cole sighed as he slumped in his chair and loosened his tie.
“Want to dance?” A young woman to his right asked, leaning closer to him. He’d noticed her watching him throughout dinner. This situation was awkward enough. He didn’t need to ward off any advances of his own. He shook his head. “Uh…no thanks. I’m not much of a dancer.”
“It’ll get you closer.” The woman nodded toward the dance floor. Closer? Cole cocked his head to the side and gave the woman a puzzled look. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“To keep an eye on your girl.” The woman smiled and stood. She came toward him, hand outstretched.
“Oh, I’m sure she can take care of herself.” He glanced toward the floor where he could see the open back of Madison’s dress. She’d said so herself. The last time he’d interfered, it had backfired in a way he hadn’t planned. It was best to stay out of it. Madison was too smart to fall for her ex-husband’s lies. He hoped.
The woman laughed and placed her hands on her slender hips. She studied the dancing couple. “I wouldn’t be too sure.” She gestured toward Madison and Kurt, as Kurt’s hands slid lower on the small of Madison’s back.
Cole let out a deep breath. “Okay, let’s go.” He followed the woman out onto the dance floor, positioning himself close enough to watch them.
“I heard Madison say, you’re a photographer?” The woman wrapped her arms around his neck, and her hips swayed to the music.
Cole nodded, his gaze on Madison. He couldn’t hear what she was saying, but her face was flushed, and she’d placed her hands against Kurt’s chest, keeping a distance between them.
“I’m thinking about getting new photos taken in the spring for my portfolio…”
The woman’s voice faded in the background, as he watched Kurt draw Madison closer to his chest. His hands moved further down her back. Anger cursed through him. Why wasn’t she stopping him?
“What do you think?” The woman looked up at him.
Cole frowned. “Huh?” He stopped rotating.
The woman laughed. “About a photo shoot?” She gripped his shoulders, forcing him to turn with the music.
“Oh, yeah sure. I’ll give you a business card.” From the corner of his eye, he saw Madison and Kurt stop dancing. Madison had turned, and her back was pressed against her ex-husband. Kurt had a firm grip on her shoulder, and one arm squeezed around her waist. Madison struggled against his hold. Her eyes searched the room frantic, and she wiggled to free herself. Okay, that’s enough. “Excuse me. I’m sorry…” Cole freed himself from the woman’s embrace and made his way across the dance floor.
A look of relief spread across Madison’s face as he approached, but she held a hand out in protest of his help.
He ignored it. “Let her go.” He glared at Kurt.
A smug smile spread across the other man’s features. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“From where I was standing it appeared the lady does not want to continue dancing with you, let her go.” Cole took Madison’s arm.
Kurt released her. “Fine. She’s all yours.” His arms fell away from Madison, and she stumbled toward Cole.
She shot him a grateful look.
“Are you done? Can we get out of here?” He stared into her teary eyes.
Madison looked between the two men. “What about the assignment?” She bit her bottom lip and clenched her lips together.
“You have to be kidding.” Cole shook his head. “Do what you want Madison. I’m out of here.” He held his hands up in defeat. If she wanted to stay and spend more time with this jerk, there was nothing more he could do about it, but he’d be damned if he was going to watch.
* * * * Madison watched Cole’s d
isappearing figure make its way through the crowded dance floor. She fought the urge to follow him. If he wanted to leave, he could leave, but this assignment was important to her. She’d made it this far, and the night was almost over. She forced a deep breath and forced herself to face Kurt. “What was that?” Anger made her cheeks flush.
“I’m sorry, I got carried away.” He moved closer and pulled her back into his embrace as a new slow song started. “We have a history together. Do you think it’s been easy for me without you, these past three years? I loved you. I still love you.”
Madison broke free of his tight hold on her. She rubbed her forehead. This was too much. The champagne made her head feel light, and she swayed as she took a step backward. “I’m going to go.”
“No problem. Let me grab our coats…” She held a hand out to stop him. “No, you shouldn’t leave. This is your party. I’ll grab a taxi back to the hotel and meet you tomorrow.” The idea didn’t appeal to her, especially the idea of sitting in a courtroom all day. Apparently Kurt’s Christmas traditions were no different from his everyday life. He was certainly the work-a-holic among the group. Maybe she’d have time to write her article to keep from falling asleep during the legal proceedings.
“No way. It’s late. I’m not letting you leave alone.” He took her hand, ignoring her protests and made their way to coat check. He handed their coat check stubs to the young man sitting behind the counter.
“Really I’m fine.” She was used to doing everything alone. Catching a taxi at nine o’clock was not a big deal. She took her coat from the coat checker. “Thank you.”
Kurt handed the young man a large tip and helped Madison slide into her coat. “Forget it Madi.” He tossed his own overcoat over his arm and wrapped his scarf around his neck. “Let’s go. My car and driver are waiting out front.”
His car and driver? An image of Mr. Big from Sex and the City flashed in her mind. How had she not have been put off by his pretentiousness before? Had she been that gullible? His money had never impressed her. It had been his charm and gentle persuasion that had captivated her. She knew better this time.
Mistletoe Bachelors Page 13