Page 71 of One Night With The Nanny

“I’ll bet you’re proud of yourself, aren’t you?” Muriel grabbed Reid’s hand and stared him down through her lorgnette.

“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Ms. Hormsby,” Reid said as he bowed over her gloved hand.

She snatched it back and humphed. “You would be handsome as sin too.”

Agnes shushed her. “Come along, Muriel. Max and Reid can handle this without me,” she said, putting an arm around her. “Let’s get a few glasses of wine in you. You’re nicer when you’re tipsy.”

“Makes these things less boring,” Muriel told her as they left them.

Max sighed at Muriel’s back. “Friend of my father’s, I’m afraid,” he said and Reid leaned in conspiratorially.

“She’s had it out for me since Fin and Walker fell for each other. Thinks I’m running that kind of agency.”

“A man like you, involved in something like that?” Max winked at Reid before turning and greeting the next person in line.

After his confrontation with Muriel, the rest of Max’s guests were a breeze. Quite a few were familiar with the agency and seemed genuinely excited to be introduced to Reid.

“I’ve heard you’re very exclusive!” One woman had gushed, turning to Max. “You have to put in a good word for my daughter, Audrey. Her little boy still isn’t talking. She’s convinced it’s because she went back to work before he was a year old. She’s afraid to leave him with anyone but her housekeeper and the poor woman can’t do both jobs.”

Max made a sympathetic sound and nodded. “Of course I will, Teresa. His name’s Carson, isn’t it?”

“That’s right!” She dabbed at the corner of her eye. “Our little Carson,” she said, her voice watery and Reid was getting sucked in, not at all impervious to a grandmother’s concern.

“You’re aware that our agency’s nannies are all queer and we specialize in caring for families like ours?” he explained quietly.

Max gave Reid a discreet nod. “Audrey is a friend of Sophia’s and she is married to a wonderful woman named Elise.”

“She’s practically family already, then,” Reid reassured Teresa and told her to call him on Monday.

“She’s married to Randall Hartwell,” Max informed Reid after she left them.

“The senator?”

Max hummed in confirmation. “This could be very good for little Carson and the agency.”

“I’ll have to work a miracle and move some assessments and it may still take a few weeks,” Reid guessed, mentally sifting through his employee roster, waitlist, and his existing clients’ schedules.

“Let it wait until Monday,” Max said, placing Reid’s hand on his arm as they walked. He offered people polite nods as they passed, his eyes searching around them.

“What are you looking for?” Reid whispered.

“There’s someone I’d like to introduce you to and he’s…over there.”

Max steered them around a group of older men who were deep in a conversation about overseas trade when Reid spotted a man who looked like a younger, darker-haired version of Max. He smiled at them as he dismissed a young woman in a simple black sheath dress.

“Maximilian, you’ve done too much!” he said as he opened his arms to Max and they hugged.

Max clapped him on the back, then slid an arm around his shoulders. “Tonight means a great deal to me and I wanted everyone to know. Leo, this is Reid Marshall. Reid, this is my cousin and the true Margrave of Hessen, Leo,” he said while the other man took Reid’s hand and bowed over it.

“I’ve heard so much, it’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. Marshall.”

“Likewise. It’s nice to meet you, sir,” Reid managed as Max rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

“I believe I did mention that I was hoping Mr. Marshall would attend tonight, but I don’t remember saying much more.”

Leo raised a hand. “You’re not the only one who keeps tabs, Max. I’ve been concerned about you for a while and I can’t tell you how pleased I was when I heard that you were meeting a man at the Baccarat on the weekends.”

“What?” Reid turned to Max with wide eyes but he just laughed and waved it off.

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