“Don’t worry about it, really. I’m glad you called.”

  “You are?” I asked, unable to hide the surprise in my voice. “I just figured that, since, you know, we’re going to have the kids with us the whole time tomorrow, it might be nice to spend some time just the two of us.”

  “I had the same idea,” Maxim said. “Except it didn’t quite cross my mind to call you at a quarter past eleven.” He said it in a way that told me he was joking, rather than trying to make me feel bad for calling.

  “Yeah, well, I guess I just like talking to you.”

  “I like talking to you, too.”

  His words echoed in my mind, and in short order the bartender came over and asked if we wanted anything to drink. Maxim opted for a scotch, while I played it safe with a vodka soda. The bartender was wide awake, and, for a split second, I thought about making a joke about understanding what it was like to work the night shift. I caught myself just in time.

  “How’s Ryan liking the resort so far?” Maxim asked.

  “Oh, he’s in absolute heaven,” I said. “I swear, if you took this resort and plopped it right in our hometown, he’d be just as excited as he is here.”

  Maxim grinned. “Lucie’s the same way. When we went to Thailand a few years back, all she cared about was seeing the elephants. She didn’t want to try any of the Thai cuisine, or see any of the historical sites, or even go to the beach. She just wanted elephants. I could’ve saved a nice chunk of money and just taken her to the zoo.”

  We chuckled and thanked the bartender as he placed our drinks down in front of us. I held my glass up to my lips then stopped myself. “Let’s toast!”

  “To what?” Maxim asked.

  “I have no clue.” I paused for a moment. “When’s your birthday?”

  “It was two months ago. Yours?”

  “Not until August.”

  I was ready to give up on finding anything to toast to, but Maxim jumped up in his chair. “Wait. Tomorrow’s my work anniversary. It’ll be eighteen years since I joined Schelling Bank.”

  “That sounds like something worth toasting to,” I said, grinning. We clinked our glasses and each took a sip of our drink. “Eighteen years, huh?”

  “That’s right,” Maxim said. “Eighteen years since I officially became an employee, another five until I was a manager, three more until I became a vice president, then COO, and now CEO.”

  I swirled my drink around in my glass. “Sounds like your parents didn’t cut you any slack for being a Schelling.”

  “Never.”

  “Were you given a choice?” I asked. “Or was it always sort of just, you know, a given that you would go into the family business.”

  “A bit of both, actually,” Maxim said. “When I started university, I actually spent my first year studying English literature. I’ve always loved reading, and I’m fascinated by they way writers put words together to form meaning. My grades weren’t the best, though, so my parents decided my best bet was to switch to a finance degree.”

  “And I guess you did?”

  I was riveted by this story, wanting to hear more about Maxim’s journey to becoming the CEO of a massive bank. At the same time, I couldn’t stop thinking about what he’d said. Maxim’s passion for the English language made me realize that he felt the same way about literature that I felt about art. He’d ended up working in a job that was about as far away from literature as you could get, just as I’d wanted to pursue art and ended up as a taxi driver. Maybe we weren’t so different, after all.

  “I grew up in the sort of family where you do as you’re told,” he continued. “It’s not about what you want, or what you like, or what you’re interested in. It’s about what’s best for the family. My parents had been willing to give me a chance to carve my own path, to pursue studies I was passionate about, but, admittedly, I didn’t appreciate the opportunity. I didn’t study for exams, I skipped classes, and I turned in assignments late.”

  “You were quite the rebel, huh?”

  Maxim smiled. “I think it was more that I was just lazy, or maybe even rebelling against my parents without even really knowing it. Regardless, my parents felt that I couldn’t possibly find a career in the literature field with the sort of grades I was getting, so they moved me to a college closer to home and enrolled me in a finance program. My family’s name is well-known in the banking field, so the program was thrilled to have me.”

  “Did you do well in the program?” I asked.

  He shook his head. “Not particularly. I got average grades, some of which I probably didn’t deserve. But failing me wasn’t an option, not in a narcissistic way, but it’s just a matter of fact. I’m not sure if my parents donated a large sum of money, or if the dean told them it would be bad for a finance program to kick out the son of one of the richest financiers in the country, or what it was, but I graduated, and then I went straight to work for my dad. And you know what?”

  “What?” I was on the edge of my seat, completely engrossed in his story. The more Maxim told me, the more human he sounded.

  “The school counts me among their accomplishments,” he said. “It’s like I’m a feather in their cap, a bragging right. The pamphlets they hand out on student tours say ‘Alma mater of billionaire businessman Maxim Schelling.’”

  I tried to come up with a thoughtful response that would encompass everything I wanted to say and ask. “I’m guessing it’s not so much that they say it but how they say it that bothers you?”

  “Exactly,” Maxim said. He paused to take a sip of his scotch. “As if I wouldn’t be where I am today without their program. Sure, I learned a lot from them, but, well, my last name is Schelling. That’s the reason I’ve gotten to where I am today.”

  Our conversation had turned from light and friendly to deeper than I knew Maxim was able to get. I took a long sip of my vodka soda, trying to digest everything he’d told me.

  “Wow,” Maxim whispered.

  “What?”

  “I’ve been holding that all in for a really long time.”

  I couldn’t speak. All sorts of emotions filled me. Mostly, I felt bad that, despite all of the money and property and wealth Maxim had, he didn’t have anyone talk to about his feelings. I also admittedly felt more self-assured knowing that he’d felt comfortable enough with me to tell me all these things. Then there was the guilt I felt for having misjudged him so greatly. Underneath the expensive clothes and perfect life façade, Maxim was just like everyone else.

  “I’m sorry,” Maxim said.

  “For what?”

  “I shouldn’t have bombarded you with all of that.”

  I waited until his eyes met mine to respond. “Don’t apologize. I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to talk to me, and I’m sorry you’ve had to bottle up all those feelings for so long.”

  “Don’t get me wrong,” Maxim started. “I have a great life. And I know my parents always did what they thought was best for me. It was just tough, you know, being twenty-two years old and being told what my life was going to be for the next fifty years.”

  “Can I ask you something?”

  “Anything?”

  “Do you like your job?” I asked. “If you had to do it all over, would you change anything?”

  Maxim fidgeted with his pant leg. “I’m honestly not sure,” he said. “I’m happy at the bank. I have a great team, and I’m respected, and I get to see the world. Sure, there are times I think life might be easier if my name wasn’t attached to my company, if I wasn’t pigeonholed into a certain career, but, overall, I love what I do.”

  “What about literature?”

  “Literature will always be a passion of mine. But passions aren’t always meant to be careers. I commend those who are able to make careers out of their passions, but, honestly, I didn’t have that sort of drive and determination when I was younger.”

  It was if Maxim was speaking right to my soul, like he was giving me a pep talk about my life instead of talking about his own. Maybe art was always meant to just be a passion of mine. I wasn’t so sure I was meant to drive taxis forever, but maybe there was another career path waiting for me.

  I was tempted to tell him about my art, to show him just how similar our lives were, but I worried I wouldn’t be able to do that without unveiling the parts of me I wanted to keep a secret.

  I needed a segue, something to turn the conversation without minimizing everything Maxim had said. “So, are you planning on recruiting Lucie one day?”

  Maxim laughed so hard I thought he was going to spit out his drink. “I’m not letting Lucie anywhere near Schelling Bank,” he joked. “If by some chance, she turns out to have a deep passion for finance and banking, then we’ll talk. But I don’t foresee having to worry about that.”

  “You mean most nine-year-old kids you know don’t dream of being bankers?”

  “Well, she does have the Schelling name,” Maxim said. “It might be rooted in our DNA.”

  Maxim went on to tell me about his hopes for Lucie. In recent months, she’d expressed more interest in science and math, so he fully expected her to become an astronaut, or, if that didn’t work out, a science teacher.

  “What about you,” he asked then. “How’d you end up in PR?”

  It was the question I’d dreaded since we’d started talking about Maxim’s career. I loved learning about him and what he did for work, but I wanted to avoid spewing more lies any chance I could. The alternative—telling him that I was failed artist moonlighting as a taxi driver—wasn’t much more appealing. I wasn’t even sure I knew enough about PR to fake it, but, with Maxim waited for an answer, I had to say something.

  “I like helping people,” I said, hoping that would buy me a few seconds to come up with something more specific. “And, well, I like writing. So, I put the two together and public relations just made sense for me.”

  “You must be even more organized than I am, and that’s saying something,” Maxim said. “Our PR manager at the bank has a hundred different spreadsheets, you know, for every little marketing campaign and press release and social media post.”

  I tried to picture Jenny and answer the question as if I was her. “I love lists. I know that sounds silly, but to-do lists help keep me organized. I have sticky notes all over my desk and computer, too. Maybe not the most advanced system, but it works for me.”

  “I’m a list person, too. There’s nothing more satisfying than crossing a task off your to-do list once you complete it.”

  I was a horrible person. Here I was, bonding with Maxim over a shared interest, knowing full well that it wasn’t an actual interest of mine at all. I hated lying to him, but I loved talking to him. Why did the two always seem to go hand in hand?

  “Ryan’s latest career interest is being a dog trainer,” I said, hoping the shift in topic wasn’t so drastic as to draw attention.

  “Dog trainer?” Maxim repeated.

  “Yeah. I’m not totally sure where that one came from, but he’s been stuck on it for a few months now. I’m thinking it might be his way of trying to convince me to get a dog.”

  “Is it working?”

  “Not really,” I said. “I’m so busy with work that I just don’t think I would have the time to take care of a dog. Maybe when Ryan’s older and can handle more responsibility.” It felt good to hear true words coming out of my mouth. “Before dog training became his focus, Ryan wanted to be a police officer, and before that, it was a mailman.”

  “Quite the variety,” Maxim said, his smile sending butterflies fluttering around my stomach. “Lucie’s the same way; before her interest in science, she was all about dancing. She took four dance classes a year for three years, at her insistence, and I think she just got burned out on it.”

  “I’m sure she’ll find her passion. She has time. And she has a great dad who I’m sure will support her every step of the way.”

  “I’ll certainly try my best.”

  I’d been having such a wonderful time talking with Maxim that I had completely forgotten that it was so late at night. The clock told us it was after midnight, but I could tell neither of us wanted to be the one to call it a night.

  “We have an early morning tomorrow,’ Maxim said. “We should probably get some sleep.”

  “Do I get any hints about what we’re doing tomorrow?” I asked.

  “Not even a little bit.” A perfect gentleman, he stepped off his barstool then reached out his hand to help me off mine. “I’ll see you in the morning, bright and early.”

  “We’re looking forward to it.”

  Maxim started through the lobby and surprised me when he turned back around. “Tia?”

  “Yes?” I said.

  “I’m really glad you called.”

  I watched as Maxim walked out the double doors and stepped into the town car that was waiting for him out front, and I didn’t stop watching until the car was no longer in sight. He was quite a man. I was looking forward to spending the next day with the kids, but I was glad we’d had this chance to talk one-on-one.

  Maxim was living proof that there was more to a person than what met the eye. The more time I spent with him, the more confident I became that he might actually be accepting of the real me, the Tia who drove a taxi and didn’t take long weekend vacations just for fun.

  As much as I didn’t want this night to end, I was happy that it was ending on such a positive note, and I couldn’t stop smiling the whole way up to the room. As I thanked and said good night to the babysitter, then checked on Ryan before changing back into my pajamas, I felt as if I was floating. I couldn’t have imagined a more incredible night with a more incredible man.

  If I felt this smitten after just an hour together, I couldn’t imagine how I’d be left feeling tomorrow. I was in dangerous territory, and I knew it.

  Chapter 12

  Tia

  Who was I and what had I done with normal, boring, responsible Tia Birchfield? Back home, I always had to be the dependable, responsible mom, packing Ryan’s lunches for school each day, showing up to work on time and making sure the house was clean. Now, not only was I in a different country, I was throwing caution to the wind and living life as it came at me. Today, it was taking Ryan and me into Geneva with Maxim and Lucie.

  Despite the hotel bed being the most comfortable bed I’d ever slept on, I’d tossed and turned all night, nervous about spending an entire day with Maxim. After last night, I was confident that everything would turn out fine. But there was always going to be that voice inside my head that reminded me that Maxim was a billionaire who lived half a world away, who also happened to think I was far richer and more successful than I really was. It was my mission to rid my mind of those thoughts, at least for the next few hours, so that I could enjoy the day with my son and our new friends.

  As we’d planned, we met Maxim and Lucie in the foyer of the main hotel. I was aware that they had their own private cabin across the resort, but it occurred to me that either Maxim wasn’t comfortable having us over, or he didn’t want to seem as if he was flaunting it.

  Maxim was dressed down in jeans and a long-sleeved button-down, and it was hard not to stare when I first laid eyes on him. Whether he was wearing a fancy suit or a casual outfit, he always looked impeccable. Lucie looked darling with a giant bow in her hair and purple velvet dress with matching stockings.

  I wondered what people who saw us out and about would think when they saw us together. Would Ryan and I look completely out of place with them, or would we appear to fit naturally together? I’d opted for an expensive-looking sweater that I’d bought at a thrift store a few years back, while Ryan wore his typical T-shirt-and-jeans ensemble. We were quite the group.

  “You look especially beautiful this morning,” Maxim whispered to me as he led us to the parking lot. Every time he complimented me felt like the first time, with my heart speeding up and goosebumps covering my arms. It was especially sweet of him given that I’d opted for a more casual look with my hair up in a ponytail instead of down. I didn’t want to appear like I was trying too hard.

  I moved a tiny step closer to him. “You don’t look so bad yourself.”

  Maxim grinned then stopped in front of a black SUV, so shiny that it appeared to be brand new. “Here we are.”

  “Come on, Ryan,” Lucie said, opening the door to the backseat.

  The SUV caught me off guard, but I wasn’t quite sure why. Perhaps I’d assumed that a billionaire would have his very own limousine, along with a personal driver at his beck and call. It was presumptuous to think that way, I supposed, but given what I knew of Maxim, it seemed to fit with the life he led.

  I must have been looking at the SUV quizzically, because Maxim said, “What? Were you expecting a private driver or something?”

  “Oh, no, I uh…” My voice trailed off. I didn’t want to say anything that could possibly offend him.

  His chuckle caught me by surprise. “I’m just kidding. I normally have a private driver, but I hadn’t planned on needing his services this weekend, so I gave him the weekend off to visit family in Geneva.”

  “That’s really sweet of you,” I said.

  “Let’s see if you feel that way once you’ve ridden with me,” Maxim replied, a sly look on his face. “I don’t get a whole lot of practice.”

  Thankfully, Maxim was a much better driver than he’d let on. While I’d figured he was joking about his lack of practice, I felt much more comfortable when I saw how smoothly he maneuvered the curving roads of the mountains. While it would have been a new experience to have a chauffeur drive us around, having just the four of us together made it feel much more intimate. I was surprised by how comfortable I felt, both with Maxim and with the four of us as a group.

  In the backseat, Ryan and Lucie chattered on and on. Lucie had decided to teach Ryan a car game she had learned at school involving license plates, so they spent a good portion of the ride screaming out letters and numbers at one another.