Page 59 of One Night With The Nanny

They were adorable, rushing around the apartment and flirting as they rearranged the living room for their dinner date. Reid didn’t want to be a third wheel so he would retreat to his bedroom and his headphones before they finished eating and the movie was over. He had a stack of new books to keep him busy for the rest of the weekend and if Reid was lucky, Max would take the hint and move on.

Reid snorted inwardly at himself. He knew Max wasn’t going to go away and Reid wasn’t entirely sure he wanted him to.

And that, right there, is the problem.

22

God bless Agnes Cameron.

Mia had messaged Agnes before they left because they didn’t want to leave Max alone. He swore he was fine and that he had a plan. Max sensed they were dubious but there was no way he was telling them he was going back to the Baccarat for a do over of their first two one-night stands.

“Leave him with me,” Agnes told the girls when she arrived with a bottle of champagne under her arm. “I promise, everything will be just fine.”

“I have a plan but Mia thinks we’re in a death spiral,” Max said, only to be shushed and handed a glass. Agnes rarely bothered with a glass for herself.

“Not at all. Come along.” She looped her arm around his and spun them, pointing the bottle at the door to the back terrace. “Let’s take this outside.”

They sat on the steps, arm in arm, and he assumed she wanted to watch the sunset until she pulled a preroll from her bra. There was a lighter in there as well and Max laughed softly.

“My first time smoking pot was with you.” He lit it and took a drag, his lungs hitching. He was able to get it under control and hold it in until he felt lightheaded. Max’s second pull was a lot smoother.

“I remember. My parents got sick of everyone complaining about me so they sent me to London to stay with your aunt, thinking she’d be a good influence.”

They both laughed and Max passed it back to her. “She was a great champion of the arts.” he said, holding up his glass in salute.

Agnes’s exhale turned into a giggle. “Yes. Bianca was fond of artists and musicians and tennis players and gardeners and various tradesmen. My years in London with your aunt were very informative.”

“Do you think I still have a chance with Reid?” Max asked and she nodded firmly.

“Have I ever steered you wrong?”

It took them several minutes to recover, they laughed until they were wheezing and in tears.

She settled against his side once they had caught their breath. “I meant it when I said that Reid is perfect. He can be a bit…” Agnes winced. “A bit of a bitch now and then but it’s never about what he wants. Reid is never selfish and he worries about the little details and has so many rules because he cares. He cares so much and wants everyone to be happy. That’s what drives Reid Marshall to be perfect and that’s why he’s perfect for you.”

“He doesn’t seem to agree,” Max observed and she made a heavy, knowing sound as she drank from the bottle.

“I imagine that in Reid’s mind, choosing you would be selfish,” she said, clicking her teeth. “Why do you think he only allows himself one evening a week to indulge and why do you think he uses an alias? He isn’t married and he runs a queer agency. Why in the world would he feel the need to hide?”

“Maybe he was embarrassed about the number of men he’s met?”

“I doubt that.” She swatted dismissively. “I’m his sister in-law, for goodness sake. And you should talk to Penny or ask her brother about his track record before Morris. We don’t judge each other like that, so it only stands to reason that Reid’s fear or shame is rooted in his head or his heart. You might have noticed that Reid likes to be in charge—”

A loud laugh burst from Max. “I did notice that,” he said, earning an accusative humph from Agnes.

“I’ve always had my suspicions about you, Maximilian. You seem like a man who’d rather be gagged and on his knees than giving orders and I adore that for Reid. He needs a man who wants to be managed and will love him for all his rules and his lists and his need for order.” She laughed softly and nudged Max. “You are perfect for him. I think that scares the hell out of Reid because he’s the ultimate big brother and he’s used to handing down his treasures and passing along all his blessings. He hasn’t accepted that he can have something good and keep it all for himself.”

“It was probably too soon to ask him to marry me,” he realized.

“Seriously, Max!” Agnes shoved him hard. “You have to let him think it’s his idea and you can’t propose anything to Reid, especially something as official and permanent as marriage. He will decide it’s time, according to some rule or outline in his notebook. I’ve planned enough weddings with Reid to know that he doesn’t like surprises or improvising, because timing is everything.”

“It really is,” Max mused with a chuckle. “He would have made an excellent admiral or general.”

“In a way, he is. He’s run the Marshall Agency like a tidy little battleship and nothing happens in our family without Reid knowing. I bet if I called him right now he could tell me if Luna Ashby is over her cold and how far she can count. He knows what Milo’s next science project is all about because he probably proofread his papers and Reid has all the triplets’ dance recitals in his calendar and will be dressed to coordinate with their costumes. Did you know he often helps June with her piano practice?”

“I did not,” Max had said, but he wasn’t surprised given how comfortable Reid was behind the piano in their suite. “I’ll make sure there’s always a piano wherever we stay.”

“That’s a lovely idea,” Agnes sighed. “June says he’s so much better than her teacher but he won’t let me pay him. And the next time you see Reid’s phone he’ll have a brand new picture of Cadence as his lock screen. If you want to get him talking, ask him about her dresses and which of her Sunday ensembles is his favorite.”

---