Mistletoe Bachelors (18 page)

Two hours later, Madison sat in a taxi outside of Cole’s studio loft in Manhattan. A quick
call to his home on Staten Island had revealed he was spending the holidays at his studio. She
couldn’t help but wonder if he was trying to avoid seeing her, by escaping from the island the
way she’d planned. Her courage waned.
Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

Madison hesitated. “Um—yeah. Please wait for me for a few moments.” Madison told the
driver. “I won’t be long, but if I am gone for more than ten minutes, you can leave.” Madison
didn’t expect Cole to be happy to see her, but she had to try. He had sent her the photos after all.
Did she dare hope the action meant something?

She rang the doorbell and waited. Footsteps approached the door, and her pulse raced. The
last few days without him had been torture. She’d come to realize how much he meant to her.
She missed him like crazy. Loved him like crazy.

Madison looked up to see a beautiful, tall, blonde girl, looking phenomenal in a pair of jeans
and tank top. The same girl Madison had seen Cole talking to on the plane to Whistler, a few
weeks before. She had a thick Australian accent.

“I was looking for Cole.” Madison felt foolish.
Why was she here
? He made it clear how he
felt that night of the Christmas party when he’d left her with Kurt
.
Now he was here spending the
Christmas season with another woman, and it appeared she was interrupting something. The
smooth sounds of Bob Marley’s
Stir it up
came from inside the apartment. There were two
reasons she could think of people listened to Bob Marley, and she didn’t think there was a peace
rally going on inside the studio.

The girl frowned.
“Um—no, that’s okay. I have to go, but could you let him know Madison stopped by to say,
Merry Christmas
. We worked together, that’s all.” The words were a lie. They’d become so
much more. While she’d been desperate to keep their relationship a professional one, he had
worked his way past her resolve and had found his way into her heart.
“Will do. Is that all?” She placed her hands on her slender hips and shivered from the cold
breeze blowing through the front door.
Madison
stared
at
Cole’s
beautiful
houseguest
and
sighed.
Cole
was
surrounded
by
attractive, young models whose attention he didn’t have to compete for. She doubted he’d given
her a second thought these past few days. “Yes, that’s all.” Madison forced a smile.
She climbed back in the taxi. “Airport, please.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and
wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. Emotionally exhausted she slumped against the seat.
Why had she fought so hard to keep him away, only to let him hurt her in the end? This was her
own fault. Men like Cole could date any woman they wanted. Why hadn’t she listened to her
instincts?
She stared out the window of the taxi, lost in her own depressing thoughts as they drove
through the crowded streets of New York. The shops were full of people doing their last minute
Christmas shopping, hurrying down the sidewalk in the heavy snowfall. The big, white flakes
reminded her of the snow in Whistler as they collected on the ground. She almost didn’t hear her
cell phone ring in her purse. She answered the unknown number on the last ring. “Hello.”
“Madison Grey?” A female voice asked.
“Yes, this is Madison.”
“Hi, Madison. I’m Isabelle Morano, from M and M Publishing. The editor assigned to your
manuscript. We wanted to touch base with you to make sure you were still interested in having
your book published with us, as we hadn’t heard from you.”
Was she still interested? Were they kidding?
“Oh yes, of course. I was out of town for work
and received your letter today. It couldn’t have come at a better time.”
“Great. Well, we don’t usually work over the holidays, but I thought if I could send you the
notes I’ve already made on certain chapters of the book, that you might have some time to do
revisions. I don’t want to intrude on any holiday plans.” Isabelle said.
“No, I have no plans at all.” Her parents would understand. “I’d be happy to work on the
book.” It was an understatement. She’d been waiting a long time for this opportunity. Excitement
eased some of the anguish she felt. The book had been a work in progress for years. Completing
it had been a huge accomplishment. She couldn’t wait to see it in print.
“Perfect. I’ll have the notes sent to you this afternoon by courier.” Isabelle said. “And
Madison, welcome to the
Malcolm and McMullan Publishing
family.”
“Thank you.” She disconnected the call and paid the driver an extra twenty to turn around,
and take her back to the ferry. Once again she would be spending the season alone in her
apartment. At least she’d have the revisions to keep her mind occupied.
They turned the corner onto Main Street, and a familiar sign caught her eye. “Hey, could
you stop there first.” She pointed to the bakery on the corner.
The driver huffed and grumbled, but did as she asked.
French Kiss Cookies
was one of the most popular bakeries in Manhattan, and they were
famous for their comfort treats. If there was ever a time she needed them, it was now. Nothing
could get her through the season like double fudge chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies. She
might gain a few pounds, but who cares? She wasn’t planning to leave her house for a while
anyway.
She tapped her foot as she waited in the long line up to pay for her three-dozen cookies. The
smell of the still warm chocolate and oatmeal was too tempting to resist. She opened the bag and
pulled out a cookie. Chocolate melted on her hand, and she licked it clean.
Mmm…
“Madison?” A deep voice said behind her in line.
Turning, she recognized the
Gucci
executive she’d met at the fashion shoot two weeks
before in
Central Park
. She swallowed the lump of cookie. “Hi, Erik.”
He glanced at the bag of cookies she held and grinned.
She blushed and shrugged. “I’m expecting a lot of company over the holidays.”
Erik winked. “Don’t worry. I eat at least a dozen of those cookies a week. It’s impossible to
walk past on the way to the office each morning without stopping in.” He laughed. “Enjoying
your new shoes?”
Madison smiled and nodded. No sense telling him she wouldn’t be getting a chance to wear
them for a while. She no longer needed to dress up to go to the office, nor did she have a social
life where she could show them off. Maybe she could wear them around her house as she ate her
three dozen chocolate and oatmeal cookies
.
An image of her in the three hundred dollar stilettos
with a chocolate mustache dancing across her living room flashed in her mind, and she
shuddered. Reserving a private study room in the Staten Island library might be a better place to
work on the manuscript.
“You wouldn’t happen to know anything about that, would you?” Erik was asking.
Madison gave him a blank look.
Had she missed something while daydreaming about her
shoes and cookies
? “I’m sorry. Know anything about what?”
“Cole rushing out of our meeting with the other executives this afternoon. He came by to
discuss his new contract with us for the spring. His cell phone vibrated a few times, and next
thing he mumbled something about a woman he had to see, and he left. I don’t know…” Erik
shook his head, disappointed. “Anyway, you haven’t seen him, have you?” He approached the
counter. He took her bag of cookies and added it to his bill.
“Uh, thank
you. And
no,
I haven’t seen him.” Madison struggled
to hide her own
disappointment.
He had mentioned a woman?
Her heart hit the floor. He was over her already.
Not only did he have a beautiful woman in his apartment, but he was rushing off to meet another
one? This didn’t sound like the Cole she’d come to know and love. Her disappointment turned to
anger.
How could he walk out of his meeting with the
Gucci
executives
? This would have been a
huge opportunity for him. A chance of a lifetime to achieve the recognition he deserved as a
photographer. His photos would appear in magazines all over the world. He would realize his
dream of traveling as a photographer, and a signed contract would guarantee steady work. She
clutched her paper bag and frowned.
“If you talk to him, please let him know I pulled some strings to smooth things over with the
other executives, and we are still interested in working with him. Tell him to call me.” He
handed Madison a business card.
“I will.” Madison tucked the card into her wallet though she doubted she’d be seeing Cole
anytime soon.
“Thanks. Have a wonderful Christmas. Don’t eat all of those cookies yourself. We may need
you to model again sometime.” Erik winked and waved as he left the bakery.

Madison closed the taxi door and handed the driver his fare through his open window.
“Merry Christmas.”
The driver waved, his mouth full of chocolate oatmeal cookie as he drove away.
“You’re back?” Her landlord, Frank was perched high on a ladder changing the burnt out
bulbs in a string of colored lights hanging from the bare maple tree on the front yard. “I thought
you would be halfway to California by now.” He tossed an old bulb toward the trash can beside
the building. It missed and landed in a snow pile.
“Change of plans.” Madison bent to pick up the bulb and tossed it into the can. “I decided to
stay home to work on my book.” She smiled. Now that her manuscript had been accepted, she
wanted to tell the whole world. For now, she had to start with Frank
.
“You’re writing a book?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Yes.” Madison dragged her heavy suitcase up the slippery driveway. The snow fell in
swirls around them, and the air was chilling as the sun set. Maybe she should have gone to
California.
Frank shimmied down the ladder. “Here, let me help you.” On the middle rung of the old
ladder he lost his footing and crashed to the icy ground at her feet.
“Frank! Are you okay?” Madison rushed to help him stand, trying not to lose her own
footing on the slippery walkway.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m fine.” He blushed as he dusted snow from his jacket. “Just a little dizzy.”
He sat on the front steps of the apartment building.
“Okay, sit here and relax.” Madison laid a hand on his shoulder, steadying him as he
swayed.
“Oh, before I forget, there was a guy here looking for you about twenty minutes ago.” He
blinked struggling to focus, and he rubbed the back of his head.
A guy? The courier with the manuscript?
“Was it a delivery?”
Frank frowned and thought for a moment. He shook his head. “No, I don’t think so. At least,
he didn’t leave any packages or anything.”
Madison bit her lip. “Do you remember his name? Was it Cole?”
Did she dare to hope she’d
been the woman he had been referring to?
“No, I don’t think so, but then again, maybe. Wow, my head hurts.” Frank’s eyes closed,
and his head drooped against his chest.
She’d have to be satisfied with that answer. Frank looked ready to pass out. If he did, there
was no way she could carry him inside. “Let’s get you inside.” She helped Frank to his feet and
ushered him inside the building and into his apartment, where he promised to call her if he
needed anything or happened to remember the name of her visitor.
Inside her apartment, Madison dialed her parent’s number in California. She hoped they
wouldn’t be too disappointed by her sudden change of plans, especially since she’d only
accepted their invitation a few days before.
Her mother answered after the third ring, sounding out of breath. “Madison? Where are you?
Your father and I were just leaving to go pick you up at the airport. Is something wrong?”
“No, everything’s fine. Unfortunately, I have to change my plans again. I won’t be able to
come for Christmas because…” Excitement crept into her voice.
“You’ve met a man, haven’t you?” Her mother interrupted. “I knew it.” She sounded
thrilled.
Madison hesitated and sighed.
What could she say?
She
had
in fact met a man, a wonderful
man, but she didn’t think it was a story to tell her mother right now. Things hadn’t worked out
between her and Cole. Right now she just wanted to share good news.
“No, mom, that’s not it. It’s my book. It has been accepted for publication, and I need to
work on it over the holidays.” A wide smile spread across her face as she pulled out a chair to sit.
She kicked off her boots.
“Oh, honey, that’s so wonderful. I’m so proud of you. When will I be able to read the final
copy?” The sound of a car horn honking outside on her mother’s end of the line startled her.
“Oops, your father is still waiting for me in the car. I’d better go tell him the change of plans and
of course, your wonderful news…” Her mother hesitated. “and you’re sure there’s no man?” She
sounded disappointed.
“No, mom, unfortunately not.”

Madison sealed the sandwich bag containing the remaining twenty-seven chocolate oatmeal
cookies and placed them in the pantry. She yawned and stretched. A glance at the clock on the
microwave revealed it was almost midnight. Happy with the day’s progress of three chapters
revised and eight cookies eaten, she turned off the lights and headed to her bedroom.

She turned on her bedside lamp and pulled back the flannel sheets on the bed. Her cell
phone blinked with unheard voice messages, but she ignored them. She’d heard the phone ring
numerous times throughout the evening, but the ring tone had been Damien’s. She refused to
deal with him just yet. She’d emailed him an official letter of resignation that afternoon.

She crawled between the warm, soft sheets, and her cell phone beeped with a new text
message. She hesitated, wondering who would be texting her this late at night. If it was an
emergency, Sam would call. She picked up the phone and checked the message I.D.
Cole? What
did he want this late?