Holiday Hearts Read Online Free Page A

two of them live in the States.”
    “What does he do?”
    Behind her Ian chuckled. “He originally came here to become an actor. But after the first few rejections and finally landing a gig with a modeling agency just to pay his bills, he realized he wanted something different. His agent introduced him to a couple of producers and now he is a partner in the RioGrande Production Company with his cousin.”
    “RioGrande? That’s one of our accounts.” Keysa had always worked in the publishing department, but she still liked to keep up with whatever Maser was doing.
    “It is. That’s the account that got me in the door.”
    “Oh, using your family influence, huh?”
    “Whatever works,” he said touching a hand to her shoulder as he nodded towards the next photo.
    “That’s my grandmother, Odessa—my mother’s mother. She passed away last year. Man, I miss her mac and cheese.”
    Keysa hadn’t known her grandparents. Her mother’s parents were already dead by the time she was born and her father’s—well, she just hadn’t known them.
    “My mom makes pretty good mac and cheese,” she added but didn’t really know why.
    “How is your mom?”
    He sounded concerned, and for a moment that seemed strange. Had she told him about her mother? Obviously she had.
    “She’s fine, still working at the department store. She’s head buyer for women’s apparel now.”
    “That’s great. So is she enjoying it?”
    Keysa shrugged. “As much as she’ll allow herself to enjoy anything,” she said. Again, she didn’t know why she felt comfortable enough with Ian to actually talk to him about her personal life. It seemed like it had been that way since their first date.
    “Is she seeing anybody?”
    Keysa sighed. “Of course not.”
    “Really? How long’s it been?”
    “Too long, if you ask me.” She looked at the other photographs, touching the one of Ian with his parents. “How long have they been married?”
    “Thirty-six years.”
    “Hmph. I guess there is a happily ever after for some people.”
    Now both his hands were on her shoulders, massaging her blades lightly as he pressed closer into her. “Happiness is what you make it.”
    “That sounds so simple.”
    “And so true.”
    She just shook her head. “Not for everyone.”
    Resting his chin on the top of her head to still her he said, “For anyone, Keysa. If you want to be happy you can. All you have to do is go for what you want. Stop being afraid and stop being held back by someone else’s problems.”
    “She’s not holding me back,” Keysa said defensively, but even to her own ears the words sounded hollow.
    His hands moved up and down her arms and he leaned to the left until his lips touched her cheek. “I’ll warm dinner. Make yourself comfortable.”
    And she did. He’d started a fire before going into the kitchen.  She took a seat in one of the black leather chairs and watched the fire grow, listening to the crackling sound of the wood. The warm glow was soothing, and for once she decided to simply relax and enjoy the moment. No questions. No doubts.
    ***
    Dinner was delicious, leftover lasagna that Ian had made two nights ago. And she wasn’t just being polite when she’d told him how delicious it was. Not only was he incredibly good-looking and successful, but he could burn in the kitchen. Ian was going to be a very good catch for some woman one day. That thought made her nervous.
    Keysa excused herself after they’d loaded the dishwasher and went to the bathroom, to put some distance between the two of them for a moment.
    “Why don’t you get out of your work clothes,” he’d yelled to her from the other side of the bathroom door, making her jump. “There’s a basket full of clean clothes in there that I didn’t have a chance to fold and put away. Just rummage through until you find something.”
    “Ah, okay,” she’d murmured but wondered how smart that would actually be.
    Here she was in Ian’s condo at almost