Page 73 of One Night With The Nanny

Max’s morning on cloud nine was brought to a halt and he crashed onto earth when the Sunday morning paper arrived with his coffee. He had spent Saturday in bed with Reid at the Plaza and they had parted ways in the evening, with plans to see each other at brunch the next morning. But Max was afraid he was no longer welcome.

He had spit his coffee all over the headline and the desk in his sitting room, then immediately dressed and hurried to Briarwood Terrace. He’d hoped to arrive before Agnes had a chance to deliver the news but her car was already there when Max climbed out of his limo. He considered getting back inside and asking the driver to take him to the airport, but braced himself instead, and went to apologize.

The doorman grinned at Max as he picked up the intercom’s receiver and pushed a button.

“Prince Charming is here for the King of the Nannies,” the elderly man said before offering Max a grand, sweeping bow.

“Your Lordship,” Dash said and bowed when he answered the door. “We asked Agnes how we were supposed to act,” he whispered behind his hand. He cleared his throat as he straightened and locked his arms at his sides. “Lord von Hessen,” he announced to the room and there were giggles and coughs as everyone except Reid jumped to their feet to curtsy and bow.

Thankfully, it looked like Max was early, and only Fin, Walker, Penny, and Agnes had arrived.

“I hope you’re all happy,” Reid grumbled and sighed at Max. “Coffee?”

“Please. My first cup was interrupted by the news,” he said with a nod at Gavin. He was seated by the fireplace and Dash perched on the arm of his chair as Max headed for the window seat and the spot next to Agnes.

“I’ve asked them not to talk about it and I think you should avoid it as well, unless you want to ruin my morning,” Reid advised as he passed Max a cup and lowered into his seat. “I’m trying a new quiche recipe and Riley should be along soon. He’s bringing Milo and Luna and Morris promised they’d bring Cadence, so it should be a full house!” he said and made a contented sound as he drank his coffee. He pretended he didn’t see Fin pull a copy of the paper from under the table and raise it over his head like he was holding a sign at a sporting event.

There were more snickers and whispers until Reid’s phone vibrated on the counter and phones began to buzz and ring around the kitchen.

“Oh, no…” Reid looked around, pale and counting faces as he rose.

“It’s Morris,” Penny said as she checked her phone. “Is everything okay?” she answered in a rush.

Max knew it wasn’t when her lip began to quiver and tears spilled from her lashes. Reid was holding his phone and the edge of the counter, visibly shaking.

“What happened?” Max asked as he went to him but Reid couldn’t speak, he shook his head as he handed over his phone.

“I have to go,” Reid said, swiping tears from his cheeks and pushing out a hard breath as he looked around. “Penny! Are you okay?” he reached for her and she was nodding as she cried into Agnes’s shoulder and grabbed his hand.

“Penn needs me,” she choked out.

“Our cars are outside,” Max recalled and began ushering everyone toward the door. Gavin and Fin were both shaken and crying but Penny was sobbing. Reid was fighting to hold it together as he guided her through the lobby, but Max caught him taking deep, gulping breaths and he tripped over his feet as they came out of the building. “Reid, ride with Penny and Agnes. Walker, go with them. I’ll take Fin, Dash, and Gavin in my car,” he decided quickly.

Once they were safely loaded and headed to Penn and Morris’s place, Max still had Reid’s phone and used it to update Riley so he’d know to turn back with the kids if he was on his way to Briarwood Terrace. It was a short ride, but Penny was already composed and looked so brave when she climbed out of the other limo and charged in to rescue her brother.

They let her and Agnes go first and Reid looked less shaken as he comforted his brother and Gavin. Walker joined Max on the sidewalk, his expression taut as he watched over Fin.

“How are you doing?” Max asked Walker.

“Me?” He shook his head. “I’m fine. I’ve already been to this hell and back and learned to live with my wounds. So had Gus. It’s a terrible club to belong to but I promised Pennsylvania’s father that I’d look out for his kids. I had hoped this day wouldn’t come for a long time, but it’s my responsibility to remind them that they can live and love again with a broken heart.”

That was Max’s first sign that he was about to experience something wholly different and precious as everyone assembled on the pavement and prepared to go inside. While he had attended many funerals and had lost family members of his own, open expressions of loss and mourning were not emotions Max had witnessed firsthand.

He followed behind Reid, when the rest of the group went inside to comfort the Tuckers, and Max was deeply affected and humbled. Penn was crying: loud, gasping wails as he held onto Penny while Morris and Agnes were wrapped around them.

“He’s gone, Penny Lane!” Penn wept into her hair.

“I know, I know…” she whispered and made soothing shushing sounds.

“Do you think we did too much this weekend? Two days in the city was too much!”

“No!” she hushed him and hugged his middle tight. “He said it was the best weekend he’s had in years and he was so happy to be here with all of us. I think he was just ready, String Bean. I think he was tired and he was just ready to go.”

“I already miss him so much.”

“Me too,” she said shakily. “But he knows how happy we are and that we’re in good hands now and I think he wanted to go tell Mom about how amazing Cadence and June are.”

He nodded jerkily. “He really loved being a grandpa.”

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