But it was Fiona’s fault she couldn’t get over what she viewed as a betrayal, plain and simple.
Delia answered on the first ring. “Inn at Swan Lake. May I help you?”
Her stepmother sounded so cheerful and so much like unconditional love that this idea started to seem like a good one. She could use a hug from Delia right about now and some supportive, kind words about the horrible thing Nate had done to her. “Hi. It’s Fiona.”
“Hi, honey! How are you doing?”
Small talk wasn’t going to get this apology out any faster. “Listen, before you say anything, I’m sorry it’s been so long since I visited.”
There was no excuse, so she gave none.
“Oh, honey, that’s understandable. I just miss you. Well, we all do,” Delia corrected hastily.
Fiona knew her father didn’t have a sentimental bone in his body. The Wall Street old guard still talked about his ability to stay calm and unemotional in the face of turmoil. It had been the key to his success...and the whole reason he could dump an apartment full of love and laughter to jet off to Vermont at a moment’s notice.
And that was ancient history at this point. Ang needed a vacation. Fiona needed to not run into Nate by accident. Vermont held the key to both. No reason to let her emotions over the past get the best of her. Like father, like daughter.
“Well, that’s why I’m calling. Angela and I thought it might be nice to come up tomorrow and see you guys for a few days.” She barely got the sentence out before Delia was squealing with happy laughter. “I take it that means you’re excited?”
“Yes,” Delia said succinctly in case there was still a question.
“We’ll just stay four or five days, but only if you have the room.”
“Don’t be ridiculous, of course we have the room. And your timing couldn’t be more perfect. MapleFaire kicks off this weekend.”
Fiona smiled just a little. That meant she could shove Angela out the door to sightsee on her own while Fiona nursed her broken heart by lying around in bed all day, phone in hand as she managed a few deals remotely. “Great. See you tomorrow then. Love you. And send my love to Dad.”
That was as close as she’d get to being conciliatory toward Harris Rangely.
Fiona looked up to see Irwin strolling into her office. Unannounced. “Irwin. Hi. I wasn’t expecting to see you.”
Did they have an appointment she’d forgotten about? No way. Unless she needed this vacation even more than Angela insisted she did.
“And I wasn’t expecting to have to chase you down,” Irwin said.
Oh. This was about the job offer that she’d been sitting on for goodness knows what reason. “I’m sorry. I really have to apologize—”
“Am I detecting a bit of hesitation?”
“No.” Yes. But she couldn’t let him know that her head hadn’t been in the game since Nate had dumped her. Scrambling, she gave him the best excuse she could think of. “I’m just going up to visit my dad in Vermont, and—”
“This is an offer of a lifetime,” Irwin reminded her, and it unsettled her stomach that he felt he needed to. “You’ll be the queen of New York real estate. What more could you want?”
Good question. The offer was amazing. It was Fiona that was the problem. She couldn’t stop wondering if this job might be one more thing standing in the way of finding the man she’d always envisioned making her happy.
Out of the frying pan, into the fire?
She’d never know if she didn’t jump. But giving up her solo practice was a huge step.
“Just a few more days to clear my head,” she begged.
Good. The request was vague enough that she wasn’t committing, but neither was she saying no. Maybe she did need this vacation. Perfect opportunity to get herself over this weird hump. She was going to take the job. It was indeed a once in a lifetime opportunity, and she hadn’t found the right man without it, had she?
“All right,” Irwin said kindly. “Give your father my best.”
“I will.”
“We’ll talk soon.” Irwin posed it like a statement not a question and Fiona appreciated the grace.
“Absolutely.” She was already formulating her acceptance, which she’d give him after letting Ang drag her to Vermont. Irwin deserved a one hundred percent whole-hearted commitment and nothing less.
Spring in Vermont apparently meant something different than it did in New York. Instead of delicate budding flowers and cute yellow ducks, Vermont got snow. Lots and lots of snow.
If Fiona didn’t know better, she’d think they’d gone back in time, and not just a few months. Decades. Everything here had that old-world feel to it, the same kind she sometimes got when crossing the threshold of a building on the Lower East Side that hadn’t changed since the early part of last century. Ghosts of days gone by flitted through the very atmosphere, weighing everything down with a sense of permanence and roots.
That part, she appreciated.
“It is so pretty here,” Angela gushed as Fiona drove past yet another white field that looked exactly like the adjacent white field. “Fun fact. Did you know Vermont has more cows per capita than any other state?”
“And it snows in the springtime,” Fiona couldn’t help but add as they passed another field covered in white flakes. Come on. Some variety would be nice right about now. “Can you check my phone and see if I have service yet, please?”
“What?” Ang sputtered. “No. No more work.”
Ang should know by now that Fiona’s real estate brain didn’t just shut off because her friend had willed it to be so. “Just because I’m out of town doesn’t mean my clients have to know that.”
“Okay, you have to let it go. You are here to relax and enjoy.” Ang punctuated each word with a smooth hand slicing through the air.
“And forget,” she muttered. Easier said than done. “I’m nervous about seeing my dad.”
Work provided a great distraction. Without it, emotions threatened to take over.
If anyone would get that, Ang would, though Fiona hadn’t meant to blurt it out like she expected free therapy. There was a fine line when you had a psychologist for a best friend.
“Five whole days of heartfelt healing ahead,” Ang spouted enthusiastically, which Fiona had totally asked for by opening her big mouth.
If it was that easy to heal the rift with her dad, she would have done it already. She hated that they were at odds. Hated it. It was rough on Delia and even sometimes got in the way of Fiona’s relationship with her brother, Brandon.
Of course, having a good relationship with Delia meant that her stepmom sometimes came on a little strong when expressing her concern for Fiona and her life.
“And some heartfelt grilling from my stepmom about why Nate and I broke up.” Yay. Delia meant well. It was just a lot harder to maintain the façade with someone who wouldn’t hesitate to ask probing questions, like what Fiona had done to mend things. “And we’re here.”
A