Page 47 of One Night With The Nanny

Then, Max was treated to two simultaneous miracles: Mia woke up before noon on a non-school day and she sent Max a text. She never texted Max unless she needed money or she was mad at him.

He still found it surreal that the girls cared or that it could make so much of a difference, when Max barely thought of his parents as people. He tried to conjure any image of his mother but could only see her in one of her gowns, wearing her sash and crown. She only existed to him in photos and from memories of state events. Had they ever talked? Max remembered reciting his letters and numbers to her in German and posing with her in photos but he had no idea what her favorite foods or songs were.

Max couldn’t remember more of his father than his many stern lectures and the silent hours spent at his side, observing meetings and ceremonies. Instead of being sad and wishing he had more loving parents and a happier childhood, Max was proud of how much he had managed to spare Sophia and Mia. Their childhoods had been far from perfect but at least Max had wanted more for them and done what he could to break the cycle.

One day, Mia would marry for love and Sophia had a wonderful husband and she was an amazing mother, from all Max had heard. Despite his many regrets, Max was grateful for how much better their lives and relationships would be and he was blessed to have another chance with them. Reid didn’t believe he had done anything more significant than come over for dinner and play basketball, but he had changed Max’s life in countless ways.

Two hours later, the plan was to use his tongue and his lips to express his gratitude, then serve Reid breakfast in bed. But Reid burrowed deeper under the covers and swatted at Max’s hands.

“Coffee. I will do anything you want if you give me coffee. And please fix the sun.”

Max bit down on his lips to suppress a laugh. He’d be extra cranky if he caught Max, but Reid was adorable when he was hungover and he took his Saturday mornings very seriously. Not that that was a surprise. Reid was devoted to his routine and his rules and Max suspected he was used to waking up in a room without windows.

“Coffee and the sun. Anything else I can get for you?”

“Maybe a pastry or some fruit. I’ve felt worse, but my head… Holy shit. Please give me coffee.”

“Coming right up.”

Fifteen minutes later, the curtains were drawn as Samuel silently backed into the bedroom with a cart bearing champagne, a carafe of juice, a French press, a tiered tray of assorted fruits, pastries, cheeses, and Max’s tea and eggs Benedict.

“What’s that?” Reid sat up, his hair standing on the right side and a light beard dusting his jaw. He ducked and blushed as he pulled the duvet around his waist. “Good morning, Samuel.”

“Good morning, Mr. Marshall. I hope I prepared your coffee correctly. Mr. von Hessen mentioned that you prefer a rich, low-acid dark roast and Demerara sugar,” the older man said as he poured. He held up a teaspoon and looked at Reid expectantly.

“Two, please,” Reid said with a wide-eyed look at Max.

Samuel passed Reid his coffee, then turned back to the tray for Max’s Earl Grey. “Would you like me to pour you some champagne as well or prepare you a plate?” he asked them as he handed Max his tea.

“I think we’ll serve ourselves. I’ll call if we need anything,” Max said, reclining on the bed next to Reid with his cup and saucer. “Is your coffee to your liking?”

There was a pointed cough from Reid as he sipped. “It’s perfect. How many times have you had coffee at Briarwood Terrace?”

“You know exactly how many times.”

“Just the once.”

“I bet you know exactly what time it was too,” Max taunted.

Reid hesitated for a fraction of a moment, his eyes narrowing as he checked his memory. “It was approximately 12:10 p.m., the Sunday before last. You remembered the type of coffee I served and how I took it.”

Max shook his head in disbelief. At Reid and them. “Isn’t it remarkable how it can seem like just yesterday? But at the same time, we are entirely different people than when we met that afternoon.” Max was a changed man and he would never be the same, thankfully.

“I haven’t changed.” Reid snorted defiantly into his cup.

“I would hope that you had,” Max replied, then smiled as he canted toward Reid. “You can’t tell me that breaking all those rules hasn’t had some effect. I’m not used to breaking rules either and I’ve never had more fun in my life.”

“I have had fun,” Reid conceded slowly. “And while I’ve changed in that I am willing to break the rules now and then, I wouldn’t say any of it’s changed me.”

Max humphed as he drank so that Reid knew what he thought about that bit of tap dancing. He was still being stubborn. “At least that hasn’t changed and you’re still a man of your word.”

“I am,” Reid confirmed with a nod. He drank and they were quiet for a moment before Reid frowned. “Did I promise something?”

“You did,” Max said as he set aside his tea cup and saucer and stretched toward Reid for a kiss. “You promised you’d do anything if I gave you coffee and fixed the sun.”

Reid’s jaw dropped. “You can’t count that. I hadn’t had my coffee yet. Nothing counts before coffee.”

“It counts if you’re still drinking it,” Max said, giving Reid’s saucer a playful tug and earning a glare.

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