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Maisy wavered between going to find the source of the delicious smell and staying shut up in the room, but her hunger won out. She got up and slipped into the bathroom, where she decided spontaneously to take a shower. It was time to wash off all the upset of the last few hours.
The warm water did wonders for Maisy’s mood. By the time she stepped out, her hair clean and smelling like the coconut shampoo that was provided in the shower, she was feeling much more charitable — and even hungrier. She changed into a sundress, combed her hair, and took a look at herself in the mirror. She didn’t quite look like herself. Maisy was always put-together, especially in public. She usually wore formal clothing, natural makeup, and heeled shoes. She usually had her hair styled. But then again, she usually cared how she looked.
Today, Maisy didn’t care. It wasn’t like she was trying to impress anyone, so who cared if she went out in a spaghetti-strap sundress and bare feet with her hair in wet curls around her shoulders and her face makeup-free? It wasn’t like she was going to eat with Xander, anyway. She’d just grab a plate of food and retreat to the bedroom.
It was the only sensible thing to do.
CHAPTER 9
XANDER
Xander flipped the fish onto its other side and heard the satisfying sizzle of the hot oil, accompanied by a delicious scent. If this didn’t entice Maisy out of her room, he didn’t know what would.
Spatula in one hand, he knelt down to peer into the oven, where he was roasting potatoes with slivers of onion and herbs. The potatoes were coming along nicely and were already a pleasant golden brown. Finally, he glanced at the salad he’d thrown together, which was resting on the counter awaiting its dressing. Everything was coming together beautifully.
Just then, Xander heard the bathroom door open and shut behind him. Without looking, he called, “Are you hungry?”
“Maybe a little,” came the reply.
“Good. Dinner will be ready in five minutes. Go have a seat on the balcony and pour yourself a margarita, if you’d like.”
There was a pause. Xander could imagine Maisy weighing the benefits of dinner after a long day with the drawback of sitting with him for an extended period of time. He kept his back to her, giving her time to decide. Finally, there was a small but audible sigh.
“Fine.”
Xander grinned to himself as he flipped the fish onto a serving platter. Phase One of Operation Forgiveness was a success. He heard Maisy’s footsteps as she crossed to the balcony. Once she was outside, he took the potatoes out of the oven, slid them onto a second serving platter, and carried the first load of food out to the balcony.
As Xander stepped through the open doorway that separated the balcony from the bathroom, his breath caught. Maisy was standing with her back to him, leaning against the railing. The sea breeze lifted her hair, which was damp from the shower, and pulled at the hem of her sundress. She was barefoot. Behind her, the sky was tinged red and orange and pink with the impending sunset, and the ocean reflected those colors back.
Xander had seen Maisy many times before, in dresses and skirts and slacks and her wedding gown. She’d always been beautiful, but she was more beautiful than ever today. She looked somehow more real without her usual armor of sophisticated clothes and heels.
Then Maisy turned, and Xander saw her face. She wasn’t wearing makeup, at least not that he could tell, but her cheeks were lightly pink from the shower and her green eyes shone in the light of the setting sun.
“Well, are we going to eat?” Her brisk tone was a counterpoint to the vulnerability Xander had seen in her a moment before.
“Yes, ma’am.” Xander set the plates down. “I’ll be back with the rest.”
He hurried back inside. His heart was racing and he took deep breaths to calm it. Maisy was beautiful, but that didn’t mean he had to get all flustered. Xander had seen many pretty girls before. Even if he hadn’t been married to any of them.
When he returned with the salad and a plate of fresh garlic bread, Maisy was seated at the table with a margarita in front of her. She’d also poured one for Xander, which he counted as a win as well.
“This all looks nice.” She crossed her arms as though to counteract the kindness of the statement.
“Thank you.”
“Where did you learn to cook, anyway? It doesn’t seem like a very princely activity. Plus, you always seemed busy with the ladies.”
“I’m not as much of a playboy as you seem to think.” Xander slid a piece of fish onto her plate. “And I used to escape to the kitchens as a child when I was tired of what you call ‘princely activities.’ The chefs said I could stay there if I helped them, so I learned the basics of cooking from a young age. I haven’t had as much time to practice as I’ve gotten older, though.”
“Did Niko escape to the kitchens, too?”
Xander’s stomach tightened. Of course Maisy wanted to talk about Niko.
“No. He was much more focused on his duties.”
“That’s how older siblings are. We have to be dutiful so that you younger siblings can goof off and make trouble.”
“Is that how you are with Lily?”
