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Disoriented, the poor woman kept mumbling in Spanish. “Grande … Muy grande …Big ... Too big.”
“You’ll get used to it. Here’s the kitchen.”
Maria smiled. “Ah, beautiful. I love it.”
Douby welcomed her with jumps and licks, and she fell in love with him. “You keep me company.”
“Good idea, Maria.”
The children hugged her and gave her their own tour, showing her their new toys and babbling in Spanish so quickly that Rick had trouble understanding everything they said.
“I’m glad they haven’t forgotten their Spanish,” he told Madison when she called from the airport that night.
When Madison met Maria two days later, the nanny gave her the once-over and frowned.
“I think she’s not pleased to have me around.” Madison shook her head.
“If it were up to her, she wouldn’t let any woman replace Rosie. She raised her, and now she’s fiercely protective of the boys.”
Madison smiled. “I’ll do my best to win her over.”
Over the next few weeks, Madison brought her chocolates from Paris, a lounge dress from Mexico, and a shawl from Morocco.
Finally, Maria relaxed her guard when Madison agreed to drive her to church on Sunday.
Life moved at a faster pace during December, with Madison away more often, the kids busy with school and activities, and Maria holding the reins of the household once more. The only problem was that he had no private time with Madison. She traveled every other day and slept on the days in-between.
She managed to save a Saturday to set up three Christmas trees with him and the children—one in the living room, another in the playroom, and the third in the entertainment room. They continued the process the following day without her, decorating the backyard with multiple garlands of lights, and inflating a huge Santa Claus in the front lawn.
With several pots of poinsettia adorning the kitchen, entrance, and patio, the festive decorations added to the family members’ joyous mood. Madison helped the children make gifts for him, their grandmother, and nanny, and Rick took them with him to choose special gifts for Madison.
On Christmas Eve, Maria prepared a large dish of paella, and they ate around the dining room table. After dinner, they gathered in the entertainment room to open their gifts while sipping hot chocolate and savoring tasty, marbled cake.
The boys squealed as they unpacked scooters. Maria received a kitchen apron with a map of Fort Lauderdale, and Madison gave Rick a Swarovski crystal plane to put on his desk. Rick asked Madison to close her eyes for a minute and clasped a diamond and ruby necklace at her nape.
“Oh my God. It’s too much.” She thanked him with a deep kiss.
“Nothing’s too much for my lovely fiancée.”
“I’ll wear it tomorrow to my parents’ Christmas party.”
Maria had the children video chat with their grandparents in Manila, and then insisted they all go to Midnight Mass as they’d done when the kids were small.
On Christmas Day, the boys and their nanny accompaniedtheir father on a boat ride along the Intracoastal. Rick allowed them to hold the steering wheel with him while Maria enjoyed the sight of the mansions. They had a blast, but he couldn’t wait for the evening and his first outing with Madison as a newly engaged couple.
Donning a navy suit and buttoned-down shirt with a red tie, Rick picked up Madison and drove to her parents’ building for the Christmas party they’d organized in the building’s lounge.
“You look ravishing, babe.” Oh yes, Madison was a sight to behold, and he couldn’t wait to have her in his arms after almost three weeks of revolting abstinence.
His admiring gaze roamed over a short, round-necked, green satin dress that showed off her perfect figure. Her hair pulled back with a barrette revealed her new ruby and diamond necklace and the diamond studs in her ears. She’d added a small ruby ring on her right hand.
Laura and Walter Howell greeted them with open arms and introduced him to their many neighbors.
“Your daughter and her fiancé make a stunning couple,” he heard here and there.
A glass in hand, they mingled around, chatting, smiling and sipping their drinks, and finally settled at a table with the Howells.
Madison and her mother excused themselves to go to the powder room, and Rick navigated the tables to make his way to the bar.
