Christmas at the Candied Apple Café

by Katherine Garbera

  She might be viewing Mads and Sofia in the light that she wanted to see them. And the truth was she had no way of stepping back and being objective. She cared deeply for them. Both of them.

  ***

  “How’d it go last night?” Hayley asked as Iona walked through the kitchen at the Candied Apple the next morning.

  Iona touched the charm that had been a gift from Theo. “It turned out really nice. Mads and Sofia brought down some cookies for dessert.”

  “You guys are getting pretty close,” Hayley said.

  “I think so. I’m still trying to keep it casual,” Iona admitted.

  “Good idea,” Hayley said.

  “Yeah, this is also their first holiday without Gill and I don’t want to allow myself to believe that there is something more to it than just friendship.”

  “I like that in theory, but I’ve seen the two of you together and there is a definite spark.”

  “There is.” She stopped herself from saying anything else. She’d thought about that night a lot. She had gone over it again and again in her mind. She wondered if Mads had felt he’d let her come too close that night. Shown her his vulnerability in a way he’d never intended.

  She had no regrets. She’d always been one of those people who kept looking forward. Even if she knew her actions were dumb she knew she couldn’t go back in time and change them and so she’d just stayed focused on making the most of her mistakes. But sleeping with Mads didn’t feel like a mistake. Even now she wanted him again.

  If he’d said to her that he wanted to keep sleeping together she knew she’d have gone along with it.

  But he hadn’t. And that left her in this state of not being sure what was happening between the two of them.

  “Io?”

  “Yeah?”

  “Oh, honey, you’ve got it bad for him, don’t you?” Hayley came over to her and put her arm around Iona’s shoulders, hugging her close.

  “I don’t know. I can’t see anything clearly with Mads. It’s like he’s two different people at times. He does things for me that are so sweet and the kind of gesture that strangers don’t do for each other and then he doesn’t call or text for three or four days. It’s so confusing.”

  “He’s a guy. That’s how they are. Even being engaged to Garrett hasn’t made his motivation any clearer to me,” Hayley said. “I mean last night he said he had to work late so I packed us a picnic and brought dinner to him and he was all sweet about it when I was there but when he got home he was different.”

  Garrett was a cop who’d moved to Internal Affairs right after he and Hayley had gotten engaged. “Maybe something happened that you don’t know about.”

  “Probably. I tried to get him to talk about it but he didn’t want to,” Hayley said.

  “Did you try to force it?” Iona asked.

  “Yes. Which is why I was here so early to make the candy. We are definitely ready for the open house and anything else that happens this week.”

  Iona smiled at her friend. “That is why I’m here early too. I didn’t want to stay home and think about last night again. I mean I’ve rehashed it a million times and tried to figure out if I should have followed him back to his place or just let it alone. It’s so hard to figure out if I’m making more mistakes or not.”

  “I know what you mean. What are you working on this morning?” Hayley asked.

  “The final presentation for you and Cici about the offer from the Loughman Group,” Iona said. “I think we need to get that wrapped up.”

  “I know I’m being a control freak but I don’t want to do it. What if we can’t find someone who will follow my recipes? You know how chefs can be.”

  “The only one I truly know is you. And you can be a pain about how things are on the palate. So, I imagine that’s typical?”

  Hayley fake-punched her on the shoulder. “I’m not a pain … well I don’t try to be. Part of it is that I don’t want our production to become like Dunham Foods. I like that we are unique.”

  Hayley’s family made a famous line of frozen food products and instead of working for the family business she’d struck out on her own to start the Candied Apple.

  “I get it. But this is a different type of offer. They want us to be a boutique, niche chocolate shop in each of their hotels. The chocolates in each location will be inspired by the local ingredients.”

  Hayley sighed. “I would want to go to each location and help design the chocolates.”

  Which Iona knew wasn’t going to happen since Hayley and Garrett were planning a Valentine’s Day wedding. “Okay. Let’s see what Cici says when she’s in the office.”

  “Okay. Will doing the deal make things better for you and Mads?” Hayley asked.

  Iona shook her head. “Our relationship has nothing to do with business.”

  “Good to know,” Hayley said. Her phone pinged and she looked down at it. “Garrett.”

  Lucy came over from her pillow in the hallway and Iona bent down to pet the little dog. “Want me to take her out while you call him?”

  “Sure. Thanks for letting me vent about Garrett earlier.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” Iona said, getting the leash for Lucy and taking her out back. She thought about friendship and knew that she and Mads were laying the groundwork to have a close relationship but she knew that she’d never be happy as just his friend. Yet she had no idea how to tell him that.

  She spent the rest of the day at work trying not to think about him but found herself shopping for Christmas presents for both him and Sofia instead of working on the spring marketing plan like she was meant to.

  ***

  Piers flew in on the night of the Candied Apple Café open house so he’d told Sofia they were going to have to miss it. She didn’t look too happy with him when he’d explained that Uncle Piers was here for the weekend only.

  “He’s family, Sof.”

  “You’re right, Papa, but Iona is our friend. And she invited us.”

  “She’ll understand. Remember she had dinner with her brother the other night.”

  “I know. I just like seeing her.”

  Mads stopped walking toward Rockefeller Center and pulled Sofia out of the pedestrian traffic. “She likes seeing you too.”

  Sofia tipped her head back and looked up at him. “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Why is that important to you?”

  She looked down at her shoes and shook her head.

  “You can tell me.”

  “It’s just nice to have a friend who’s a girl,” she said at last. “Jessie’s my nanny, so she doesn’t count.”

  “She’ll still be your friend if we miss this open house,” Mads said.

  She sighed and Mads knew that she wasn’t going to give up on this. Iona was important to Sofia. And whatever happened between himself and Iona, he knew that Sofia would want to stay friends with her.

  “We can stop by on the way to the Rockettes. Will that work?”

  “Yes, Papa. That will be perfect.”

  “I’m glad. Let me text Uncle Piers and let him know we are running late. Then we need to double back to the Candied Apple,” Mads said. He had deliberately made sure they were a block over from the shop even though the walk added extra time to avoid having to go in and see Iona.

  It wasn’t that he didn’t miss her. He did. More than he really wanted to admit, even to himself. It was simply that he was trying to be smart. And seeing Iona made him want to be impulsive. Do things like kiss her or make promises that she wouldn’t need to rely on a charm for luck.

  Sofia slipped her mittened hand into his as they crossed the street and walked toward the Candied Apple. “I told Remy we were going to be there too.”

  “Do you like him now?”

  She shrugged. “He has been really nice since I saw him with Iona.”

  “That’s the night you were upset. What happened?”

  “Nothing. His mommy said that she was glad to see us out this Christmas,
” Sofia said.

  “She said that you?” he asked, surprised. It wasn’t the kind of comment that Sofia would be able to understand.

  “No. To Remy’s dad. But I overheard her,” Sofia said. “A lot of adults say things when they think we aren’t listening. But Remy heard her too.”

  “What did he do?”

  “He held my hand and said I wasn’t naughty at all.”

  That had been nice of Remy. Mads was beginning to like him. He’d treated Sofia with kindness even when his daughter hadn’t been at her best.

  “Then why did you cry?” he asked. It sounded to him like Remy’s family were caring people.

  “I miss Mommy,” Sofia said. “I know she can’t be here but I wish she was. I think she would have liked Iona too.”

  Mads tipped his head back and blinked a few times. He knew that his daughter missed Gill. She sometimes told him about it late at night when she woke with a nightmare. And he did think that she and Iona would have gotten on well. And he felt that pang of wishing life had been different for them both.

  “I wish she was too,” Mads said.

  Sofia hugged his legs. “Iona makes me not miss her so much.”

  “I’m glad,” he said, knowing he had to handle whatever was going on with Iona carefully. He didn’t want to chance causing Sofia to lose another woman in her life.

  There was a line to get into the Candied Apple and he spotted a familiar redhead near the door dressed much the same as she’d been the first day they’d met. She had on that short red velvet dress trimmed in white faux fur. Her legs looked longer than ever and the bell on the top of her Santa hat jingled as she turned her head towards them.

  She waved at them and Sofia ran over to talk to her. Mads stayed back. He was not handling this very well. He’d promised himself he’d protect Sofia from more heartache and he’d never guessed that he could be the cause of it. That his feelings for Iona might make him let her close to his daughter and then he’d have to be the one to deal with things if he and Iona didn’t work out.

  And how could they? He wasn’t ready for someone else in his life. He’d promised himself he’d never fall in love again. Never care so deeply for another person save Sofia that he’d be broken if they died. He couldn’t do it again.

  “Come on, Papa. We don’t have to wait on the line,” Sofia said as she came back and took his hand, leading him towards the store.

  Iona smiled as they approached and waved them in. “Thank you for stopping by.”

  He noticed she had on her lucky charm necklace and wondered if it would protect her from him and his frozen heart.

  “No problem. We can’t stay long. We’re on our way to Radio City Music Hall.”

  “It’s just nice to see you both,” she said. “Don’t forget to pick up your ‘naughty and nice’ truffles.”

  “We won’t,” Sofia said.

  When he went by her, Iona squeezed his hand and smiled at him in a way that was sweet and personal. More intimate than the smile she flashed at the crowd. Or maybe that was just because he realized how much he liked her and wished that he was a different kind of man so he could claim her for himself.

  Chapter 17

  The Christmas markets at Bryant Park had always been one of Iona’s favorite things to see during the holiday season. The fact that she was by herself this year tinged her shopping trip with a little longing. She and Theo usually came down here and picked out tchotchkes for their mom, but Nico had invited him to go to the Hamptons to meet his family this weekend so she was on her own. She loved the painted wooden ornaments that were sold in one of the booths.

  It was a clear and cool Saturday morning and the market was busy. Iona had tried to go help out at the Candied Apple, but they had more staff than needed on hand and she had been getting in the way. So here she was. Shopping by herself and wishing she’d said yes when Hayley had asked if she wanted to go to Boston with her this weekend.

  “Hi Iona!” Sofia said excitedly, coming up next to her. “Papa, it’s Iona. I knew it had to be you.”

  Iona glanced over at Mads, who was a few feet from his daughter. His coat was open, revealing a black sweater over his jeans and loafers. Sofia had a stocking cap on her head and her red coat was still buttoned up.

  “Hi there. Are you shopping for anything in particular?”

  “I need a present for Miss Pembroke,” Sofia said. “And Papa is supposed to help me find something for Secret Santa.”

  “I love Secret Santa. Who did you get?”

  “Jennifer. She’s pretty nice. I am hoping to find a ballerina ornament for her,” Sofia said.

  “You’re in luck,” Iona said. “I saw one over at that booth.”

  She pointed to the one she’d been at a few minutes earlier.

  “Want to come with me to pick it out?” Sofia asked.

  Iona glanced over at Mads and he nodded subtly. “I’d love to. I usually get my mom some version of Santa for her tree. I know he’s not your thing, but maybe you can help me pick out a different ornament for her.”

  “I will. Is that a tradition for you?” Sofia asked.

  “Sofia, don’t be nosey,” Mads interrupted.

  “I don’t mind,” Iona said. “Yes, it is. Usually, Theo is here to help me but he couldn’t come today. On Christmas Eve we sneak it onto our mom’s place setting at the dinner table.”

  “Does she know it’s from you two?” Sofia asked.

  Iona smiled down at her. “She always pretends she doesn’t know. When Nico and I were little we loved the thought of surprising her.”

  “That sounds like a fun idea,” Sofia said. Then she tugged on Iona’s hand until she bent down and she leaned in close to her. “Maybe you can help me do that for Papa?”

  “I would love to,” Iona said.

  When they got to the booth, Sofia let go of Iona’s hand and stood on tiptoe to look at all of the ornaments. There were three ballerinas on the wooden pegs near the back of the booth and Mads gestured for her and Sofia to go first.

  She followed the little girl, who was very careful in her selection, looking carefully at every brunette ballerina on the peg before making her choice.

  Sofia waited until Mads wasn’t close enough and then pointed to a Christmas tree that had a man holding a little girl on his shoulders to put the angel on the top of the tree. “Can you get that one for Papa?” she asked.

  “I can.”

  As she stood up, Iona noticed a wooden knight on a peg behind the cash register that reminded her of the book that Iona had read to her.

  Mads paid for Sofia’s purchase while Sofia spotted a friend from school and went over to talk to her.

  “Did you find anything?” Mads asked her.

  “I did. I’ll be right out if you want to go with Sofia.”

  “Thank you for sharing your ornament tradition with Sof,” Mads said, with that bit of sadness in his eyes. He had to be thinking of Gill again. “We will be out front when you’re done.”

  He turned away and she watched him go. She didn’t know how he handled it. How hard it must be for Mads to do all these things without the woman he loved.

  She purchased the ornament she’d seen for Sofia and the one that Sofia wanted for her father, asking for them to be wrapped separately before tucking them both into her handbag before she went outside. They spent the rest of the afternoon shopping. Sofia found a present for her teacher; Iona found a couple of treats for Hayley’s dog, Lucy. Sofia wanted to buy something for the dog as well and picked out a scarf that had dogs wearing Santa hats on it. It was cute and she could tell by how much Sofia talked about it that the little girl wanted a dog too.

  “We’ve already discussed this, Sof. No dogs. We do have time to go and see the gingerbread village at the Common, do you want to join us, Iona?”

  “Please, Iona, please! Papa is taking me for tea afterward. With cookies and little sandwiches.”

  “That sounds perfect,” Iona said. Though a part of her felt like sh
e should say no, she went with them. Anything was better than heading back to her empty apartment and wishing for something that wasn’t hers.

  ***

  “It’s an Ugly Sweater Party,” Iona said on the phone. “I think that Sofia will enjoy it. If you guys can make it, stop by around six.”

  “We don’t have any ugly sweaters,” Mads said.

  “I’ve seen some of your sweaters so I’d have to agree.

  I left a couple for you with the doorman,” Iona said. “I have this party every year and my mom is going to be there and Theo and Nico. Anyway I’d love it if you could come. We also watch Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and sort of shout advice at the characters and of course sing along to all the songs.”

  He hadn’t watched a Christmas television show in years. Gill had preferred to keep the holidays about religion, so while they’d seen different versions of The Nativity and The Little Drummer Boy, he hadn’t seen Rudolph since he and Piers had been ten and eleven.

  “I don’t think Sofia will know the show.”

  “Are you kidding me? Then she’ll love this. It’s a lot of fun. And last year, Cici’s brothers dressed like Hermey the dentist elf from Rudolph and the Head Elf. They were hilarious, arguing with each other all night. You don’t have to come but I’d love to see you both. I really enjoyed tea with you guys the other day and now I’d like to share some of my holiday traditions with you.”

  He knew he couldn’t turn her down. If Sofia heard about it she’d be upset with him.

  “Okay, we will stop by. Can Jessie come? It sounds like her kind of thing,” Mads said.

  “Yes. I like Jessie. She’s brought Sofia by the shop a few times after school,” Iona said.

  “I didn’t know about that.”

  “I don’t think it was meant to be a secret,” Iona said. “But I didn’t mean to speak out of turn.”

  Mads shook his head, even though she couldn’t see him. “I’m not going to yell at them for stopping by to see you.”

  “That’s good to know,” Iona said with a little laugh. “Also, I usually just make a huge pot of chili for dinner. Can Sofia eat that?”

  “She loves it.”

  “Perfect. I’ll see you both later then,” Iona said, hanging up the phone.