“I guess. Sorry, were you expecting me to say I wanted to see the ballet or an opera or something? I don’t know about those things and I sure the heck don’t have anything to wear to one either.”

  “I’m taking you shopping,” he said suddenly.

  “What? Why? I don’t need anything.”

  “Let me plan one night. Please, just one night for us. Let me take you shopping for an outfit, a nice dress, shoes, everything. The works. Maybe even some sexy lingerie.” He wiggled his eyebrows at her and had her grinning.

  “Maybe I’ve got a nice dress and sexy lingerie. Did you ever think of that?”

  “Do you?”

  “No, but that’s not the point.”

  He decided to change tactics. “I want to spoil you for a night. Quinn, let me have that, please. Let me give you a date to remember. One for both of us. Who knows when we’ll have a night to ourselves again, let alone in the city that never sleeps.”

  She looked a little uncertain and finally said, “If it’ll make you happy, then sure.”

  “It will make me happy to make you happy.”

  “I don’t need nights like that to be happy, but let’s give it a go.”

  The Best of It

  “That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Max asked as they were waiting for the luggage at JFK Airport.

  “What? Sure, sitting on the tarmac while they de-iced the wings before we could take off. No, not worrisome at all,” Quinn said sarcastically.

  He tried not to laugh, and had done his best to calm her and her white-knuckled grip on the takeoff, during the flight, and the landing. Her fingers had to be killing her right now.

  “I didn’t realize you were so scared,” he said, tilting his head at her.

  “Nothing to be scared about. Just hundreds of people sitting in a tin can that is somehow being held up in the air. It’s all good,” she said back, scowling at him.

  Quinn was one of the toughest people he knew, and that she was afraid of flying was a bit of a shock.

  “Don’t be silly, Quinn. Flying is like magic,” Lara said, giggling. “Magic never goes wrong, right, Daddy?”

  “Absolutely, cupcake. You tell Quinn she had nothing to be afraid of,” Max said, winking at Lara, then nudging Davey’s elbow.

  “Can we stop finding humor at my expense? We’re here now, thankfully.”

  Max bit back another laugh and saw everyone was pulling their own luggage bags, even the borrowed one that Quinn was using. He’d remembered she didn’t have any luggage and rather than embarrass her over it, he’d brought his extra smaller one with wheels to her room the day before and said, “Why don’t you and I share one suitcase and just put electronics and essentials in this carry on.”

  She’d gladly accepted his explanation and packed her own clothes in his suitcase after he was done.

  “Let’s go, everyone. I’ll hail us a cab,” Max said when they started to walk away from baggage claim.

  “A cab?” Quinn asked. “We won’t take a shuttle?”

  “Nope, a cab is easier and faster.”

  She shrugged and followed along, and he wondered what was going on in her mind.

  It wasn’t hard to hail the cab while he watched the kids’ excitement over the return trip to the city. He hoped he was making the right decision here and that they weren’t going to give him a hard time about returning to Lake Placid, that they would decide the city was more fun.

  He didn’t think that would be the case since both kids seemed so happy now, but stranger things could happen, and he was hoping not to regret this trip.

  Once everyone was buckled in the back, he hopped in the front, gave the address to the hotel and the cab shot off like a rocket.

  “Look, Quinn,” Lara said a few minutes later. “See how the plane takes off, that’s what we looked like.”

  Max turned his head to see Quinn sitting there with her eyes shut and couldn’t possibly understand what this was about. Then the cab took a sharp turn, the kids giggled and laughed, and Quinn yelped. Look at that, he’d found another weakness in her.

  He didn’t say a word though, letting her get through the crazy drive on her own. He had to admit the roads were a bit slick with a light snowfall coming down, but he figured she’d be used to the snow and the cold having grown up in Chicago and then living in Lake Placid the last two winters.

  It wasn’t long before the cab was pulling in front of the hotel and Quinn was whipping the door open and jumping out. He paid the driver, walked around back, and got everyone’s luggage from the trunk before they made their way into the hotel.

  “Let’s check in and get settled. It’s been a long day. We’ll grab dinner soon and then relax in our room for the night.”

  “We aren’t going to go see Grandma and Grandpa?” Lara asked.

  Davey hadn’t said a lot the last few days and he was starting to get worried.

  “No, we’ll all head over tomorrow for the day. It will give them time to visit with you. Grandma would like you both to spend the night and stay with her most of Monday. I thought I’d pick you up after I was done at the office with Grandpa before your mother got you.”

  “Do we have to stay with Mom?” Davey asked.

  “It’s only for a few days, Davey. Two days with your grandparents and then a little over two days with your mother. You’ll be fine and I’m right in town.”

  “What’s she going to do with us though?” he asked, looking sour.

  “I don’t know. Why don’t you two come up with some ideas in case she has no plans?” Which he suspected might be the case since she was here on work and just taking a few days away. Or her plans wouldn’t be anything the kids would enjoy.

  Davey shrugged and Lara just continued to smile like she always did. His little sunshine.

  “She probably has stupid stuff planned for us. Girl stuff,” Davey said, continuing to grouch.

  “Well, if she does, then you just have to accept it. If you don’t have any suggestions for her, then she won’t know.”

  “I don’t want to do girly things,” Lara said. “I want to go rock climbing.”

  Max laughed and couldn’t wait to hear how this was going to turn out. He had a feeling both kids were going to be miserable when their few days were done. If they even lasted that long.

  “Just remember that you don’t get to see your mother that often. She asked to see you, and you should try to make the best of it. It’s only a few days.”

  ***

  “Quinn, will you French braid my hair?” Lara asked her the next morning.

  “Sure. Grab your brush and come sit on the bed.”

  Anything to take her mind off of meeting Max’s parents. She’d never met a man’s parents before, but then she realized she had to stop thinking of Max as someone she was dating. She was meeting them as the kids’ nanny. Lara even told her that Jennifer and Max’s mom talked all the time.

  “Are you excited?” she asked Lara as she started to part her hair into three sections.

  “I’m always excited to see Grandma. She cooks good, too. Not as good as you, but don’t tell her I said that.”

  “I won’t,” Quinn said holding back a laugh. “Pinky swear.” Which was about as sacred as things got with Lara.

  Quinn continued to braid Lara’s hair as the girl rambled on and on about New York and how much fun she was hoping to have with her mother.

  For the kids’ sake, she hoped they did have fun, and she tried not to think about how she was going to feel meeting Mia for the first time. There was no way around it. Mia had called and said she’d pick Davey and Lara up at the hotel, rather than Max dropping them off where Mia was staying.

  Mia explained she wasn’t sure of her schedule and she’d stop over when she was done working. Who knew what time that would be?

  “You’re all set,” Quinn said, dropping the braid on Lara’s back. “Why don’t you go make sure you have everything you need to bring to your grandparents?”

  Lara dashed out of the room, bumping into Max as he walked in. “Ready?”

  “Yeah. I think so.”

  Max’s eyes traveled down her body. “You look nice. New outfit?”

  “Yes.”

  The last thing Quinn wanted to do was come to New York looking like a poor hick from the country, or the slums. Both things she probably looked like at different times in her life.

  As much as she hated to spend money frivolously—and clothes were frivolous to her—she wanted to make a good impression on Max’s parents…and Mia.

  So she broke down and bought several new pairs of jeans and pants, along with some shirts and a nice pair of dress boots to bring on this trip. Even though she still had more money than ever in her savings account, it hurt to spend as much as she did on clothes.

  Max walked into the room closer to her, then looked over his shoulder quickly and whispered, “New clothes for me?”

  No matter how hard she tried not to blush, she didn’t succeed. “I wanted to look nice for your family and our trip. It’s nothing special for this city, but nicer than what I normally wear.”

  He ran his hand down her arm. “Whatever your reason, you look very pretty and put together right now. Nothing at all like the woman who was scared of flying or taking a cab ride.” He laughed quickly, then leaned down and nuzzled his nose next to her cheek.

  “Nice way to ruin a compliment.”

  “I’ll compliment you all you want later tonight when we are by ourselves in this room.”

  Three hours later, Quinn was starting to relax. Probably because she was in the kitchen with Max’s mother, Janice. Little did Quinn know she was being set up to help cook tonight, and secretly she was pleased over it.

  If there was one thing guaranteed to put her in her element, it was cooking.

  And the kitchen like the one she was in now was a nice bonus. Though Max’s parents lived in a high-rise condo, it sure didn’t feel like it. It was open and modern, absolutely, but it was homey at the same time.

  “I’m so glad you’re willing to show me your Wellington recipe. It’s George’s favorite and I’ve never been able to master it. Once he heard you cooked it for Max, he wanted it. I’ve tried and failed twice now.”

  “No problem. It’s actually easy to make.”

  “That doesn’t make me feel any better, dear,” Janice said, smiling the same mischievous grin that Max often sported. Though Max had gotten his looks from his father, his personality seemed to come from his mother.

  Quinn felt herself flush. “I’m sorry, that didn’t come out right.”

  “Don’t take offense to it,” Janice said, gently patting her hand. “I’m looking forward to this. Lara has been singing your praises about breakfast. Now I’m afraid to make them pancakes tomorrow.”

  “Lara told me you were a good cook too,” Quinn said, hoping that would make Janice feel better.

  “Well, anyone was better than Jennifer, and those poor kids have been subjected to her for over a year. I’m surprised they aren’t all skin and bones by now.”

  “Jennifer is a very sweet person.”

  Janice stopped what she was doing and looked at her. “Jennifer is a sweetheart and I still talk to her often. She became part of this family. My grandkids mean a great deal to me, I hope you realize that.”

  “Yes, I do.” Now came the time where she was being judged.

  “So what are your qualifications as a nanny? Other than being able to compliment someone I just insulted.”

  Quinn flushed again. It wasn’t the first time she’d been told about her ability to defuse a negative situation.

  “I was raising my younger siblings when I was still a child myself. On top of that, I’ve always been around kids and was often referred to as the mother of the group.” She didn’t mention how much she hated that.

  “You seem awfully young and don’t have any children of your own?” Janice asked, raising her eyebrows.

  “No, I don’t. I’m not as young as you think, but I can assure you that I’ve lived a pretty full life for my years.” More than she cared to get into right now.

  “Mom,” Max said, walking in the kitchen and stealing a carrot stick that Quinn had been cutting for a salad. “Leave Quinn alone. She’s doing a wonderful job with the kids. Look, I’m almost getting a belly on me now.” To Quinn’s embarrassment, he lifted his shirt up and showed his toned abs. “Quinn is taking wonderful care of us.”

  Max leaned over and kissed his mother, then winked at her, and the blush that was on her face moments ago was now traveling to her ears.

  “Hmm,” Janice said, going back to the vegetables she was cleaning. “My son means a great deal to me, too.”

  Damn Max for doing that. Now what was Quinn supposed to say or do? “You have a younger daughter, right? Max never mentioned her until last week. Riley, correct?”

  Janice smirked and went back to her vegetables. “Yes, Riley is my baby. Probably closer to your age. Ten years between Max and her. It was so hard to conceive Max, and we thought we were meant for one child. Imagine my surprise when Riley came into our lives.”

  “She’s a dentist?” Quinn asked.

  “She is. Working in Manhattan right now getting experience. Just like Max, she hates every bit of this city. I’m afraid both of my children are destined to take after George’s Southern roots. Both Max and Riley seem to enjoy life in the slow lane. She’d be here today if she hadn’t made plans to go away with her boyfriend. He’s a teacher and off this week, too.”

  Quinn nodded. “There’s nothing wrong with wanting to live a quiet life. I’ve lived in a lot of different places and I’ve got to say the slow lane has some perks.”

  Janice looked at her one more time, really looked at her. “Mia messed with Max and those children something fierce. All three of them seem to have come a long way in the last year. I’d hate to see them go through anything like that again.”

  There was a warning there, Quinn knew. “I don’t want to see that either.”

  What more could she say? It was the truth.

  Talk To Her

  “Taking up with the nanny, Max? I expected better of you.”

  Max turned to look at his father. He’d just walked into his father’s office and thought he was going to be looking at the caseload for the day. Guess not.

  “Excuse me?” Max said, trying not to get annoyed.

  “It’s pretty obvious there is something going on with you and Quinn. Your mother noticed it too.”

  “Did she say anything to Quinn?” He knew his mother could be a tiger when cornered.

  “Not that I’m aware of. Is it true then?”

  “Yes,” Max said, glad to be able to talk to someone about this.

  “How long has this been going on?”

  “Just before Christmas. Before you ask, the kids don’t know. She doesn’t want them to and she’s probably right.”

  “She doesn’t want them to. What about you?”

  “I agree right now, but at some point I want to tell them. They love her and she’s been wonderful for them. She fits in so well with the family.”

  He hadn’t broached talking to the kids again with Quinn. In the beginning, they agreed to just take it slow and were, but part of him wanted to move faster. He’d never been that way before and wasn’t sure why he was feeling that at this moment.

  “What about you? What do you think about her?”

  “I care for her a great deal. She hasn’t had the best of lives.”

  “It shows,” his father said.

  Now Max did get defensive. “Don’t judge her.”

  His father held his hand up. “I’m not judging her. I’m saying it shows she isn’t the typical person you’ve dated. She seems unsure and shy, out of her element. She can cook like an angel though, I can say that much.”

  “She reminds me of Grandma,” Max said.

  “There’s nothing Southern about Quinn,” his father pointed out.

  Max snorted. “I don’t mean that. I mean her nature. She’s been on her own for a long time. She’s tough on the outside, strong even, but there is all this softness inside that very few people see. The kids see it and they’ve fallen hard for her. You can’t tell me you don’t see that.”

  “I saw it. Your mother did too. I guess that is what worries us. What happens if things don’t work out between you two? What if it’s just something to pass the time for both of you? Then where does that leave the kids?”

  “It’s not something to pass my time, I can assure you that.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of,” his father said.

  ***

  Quinn was trying not to pace, but it was hard. Mia was already an hour late, and she wasn’t really surprised. The kids were antsy. Lara wanted to see her mother and go have “fun.” Davey was still sulking that he had to go at all.

  Max was agitated and trying his best to not let it show, but she knew it was there. There was tension everywhere in the room.

  “When’s she going to get here, Daddy?” Lara asked, hopping on the couch. There were times Lara was still so much younger than her age, but Quinn knew Max wanted to hold onto it as long as possible.

  They’d eaten dinner, the kids were packed, Quinn played card games with them, and now Davey was playing some game on his phone.

  “I sent her a message and she said she was running late at work, and she’d be here when she could.”

  “When’s that?” Lara asked again.

  Quinn could almost hear Max’s teeth grind. “I’m not sure, Lara. Let’s play another game of Go Fish.”

  Lara grabbed the deck, easily distracted, but not Davey. He sat in the chair, never lifting his eyes from his phone.

  “What about you, Davey? You want to play with us?” Quinn asked.

  “No,” Davey said.

  Quinn had had enough with Davey’s mood this last week. She didn’t care if Max got mad at her, but she was going to say what was on her mind.

  “Listen, Davey. I know you and your mother have your differences, but she’s still your mother and she wants to spend time with you. Some day she may not be here. The last thing you want to do is regret not being able to see her when you had the chance.”