Chapter Five
Zach was making a valiant effort not to stare across the bar table at Nick. Because… damn.
He’d seen Nick in countless different suits at the office, and every day was an exercise in willpower: drooling over the manager was not a good thing. So what was so different about Nick that evening that made Zach want to drop to his knees in front of him?
Oh no. Do not go there. Thoughts like that would have him staring at Nick’s crotch, and to do so in front of his mom?
God, no. Thankfully, the waiter came over at that point with the champagne and glasses, and Zach was more than happy to be distracted.
The waiter popped the cork and poured the wine.
Mom hadn’t stopped smiling since she’d walked into the bar, and Lee hadn’t stopped staring at her.
They look like a pair of loved-up teenagers.
Despite his misgivings about Lee, Zach couldn’t help liking him. It was hard to dislike someone who obviously loved his mom so much.
The waiter departed, and Lee raised his glass. “To family.” He gazed at Mom. “To us.” The rest of them raised their glasses, and Zach sipped the bubbling liquid.
“This must be good,” he commented.
“Why do you say that?” Nick inquired.
“Because it tastes smooth. The champagne I’ve come across has never tasted this smooth.” Zach shrugged. “I’m not usually a fan of it, but if every bottle tasted like this?” He grinned. “I’d be a convert.”
Lee laughed. “Stick with me, kid. I’m a connoisseur.”
“How did you two meet?” Zach asked him.
Mom almost spluttered champagne everywhere. She wiped her lips with the napkin from under her glass, and then gave him a hard stare. “It’s so gratifying, how much attention you pay to our conversations. I told you how, back in August.”
Lee chuckled. “Sounds like you have the same problems I do,” he said to her. “Nick forgets everything I tell him too.”
Zach and Nick exchanged equally sheepish glances.
“Lee came to give a talk for my charity,” Mom said, gazing at Lee. “He was charming before, during, and after.” Lee took her hand and kissed it.
“Charity?” Nick frowned. “What charity?”
“Becky created—and runs—a charity for homeless kids. I made a donation, and she asked if I’d like to speak at their Charity Ball.” Lee smiled. “I came away with an emptier bank account and a smitten heart.”
Mom laughed. “‘Smitten’. You make us sound like kids.”
Lee gave her hand another kiss. “Well, you make me feel young again.” He addressed Zach. “Anyhow, I waited a couple of days, then asked her out. To my surprise, she said yes.”
Mom appeared puzzled. “Why would I have said no? Like I said, you were charming.”
“So you knew about my dad when you invited him to speak?” Nick asked.
Mom tilted her head to the side, her lips pursed. “Knew what about him? After his generous donation, I looked him up. What I found was a speech he gave a few years ago, and it made me laugh. I wanted a guest speaker who would be entertaining.” She smiled. “He was certainly that.”
“We’d been dating about two months before I brought her to the house,” Lee added.
“And for a girl who grew up in a single-story house with one bath? That was quite an eye-opener.” Mom chuckled.
“What’s so special about the house?” Zach wanted to know.
Mom’s eyes widened. “It’s huge! I said to Lee, when we’re married, I’m going to need a golf cart just to get around the place.”
Lee leaned toward her. “I’ve told you. I’ll close off whatever you feel we don’t need, and we’ll make part of it as cozy as you like.”
Zach couldn’t miss Nick’s incredulous stare. I guess my mom isn’t what you expected, huh?
“So… Becky… will you give up your charity after the wedding?” Nick asked. Zach recognized the implicit meaning. You want to know if she’s going to live off your dad’s fortune. Maybe Zach had agreed too readily to a truce.
Mom blinked. “Why should I? That’s my life. What I’m doing matters. Besides, I can’t see your dad stopping work once we’re married. We both have years of work left in us.”
“I’ve told her she’s going to have to come with me on some of my trips,” Lee acknowledged. “I’m not starting married life with an itinerary that keeps me away from home most of the time. And home will be where Becky is.”
Mom met Lee’s gaze. “I’ll make sure you don’t work too hard, you delegate where you can, and you take a break from endless meetings. You know all these places—I don’t—so I’m looking forward to discovering them with you.”
Lee sighed. “I’ll be honest. The most I ever see on these trips is the hotel and the meeting locations.” He pointed to Nick. “When he was younger, he used to ask me to tell him about my business trips, and there was never much to tell.”
“Then maybe it’s time to change all that,” Mom said firmly. “When you’re not in a meeting, we can see the sights together.”
Lee’s face glowed. “I’d like that.”
She glanced at Nick. “Expect a lot of postcards, and more photos than you’ll probably want to receive.” She squeezed Lee’s hand. “This is one man who is going to get some enjoyment out of life. I’m going to see to that.”
Lee’s adoring look made Zach’s throat tighten. Any doubts he’d had about their marriage flew out of the window. They’re going to be happy. Shit, they already were.
Mom coughed. “And maybe this would be a good time to consider virtual meetings?”
Nick laughed. “Good luck with that. If you look up ‘virtual’ in Dad’s dictionary, it says See soulless.”
Zach smiled to himself. Lee was about to get a new dictionary.
“Yes, but if you hold virtual meetings,” she said to Lee, “think of all that extra time you’d have at home. All the money you’d save on travel and hotel bills.” Another squeeze of his hand. “All that time we’d have together.”
Lee sighed. “Okay. I’ll think about it.” Mom seemed happy with that. Lee peered across the table at Zach. “So, read any good fantasy books lately?” When Zach blinked, Lee smiled. “Your mom might have mentioned you like them. A lot.”
Zach beamed. “Actually, I just read a fantastic book, The Raven Tower, by—”
“Ann Leckie,” Nick finished. They gaped at each other. “Have you read her Ancillary world series? I know that’s more science fiction than fantasy, but—”
“I freaking loved that series!” Zach stared at Nick. “Have you ever read any Seanan McGuire?” No way. No freaking way.
Nick’s eyes were like saucers. “Are you kidding me? I have all the Wayward Children books. Have you read Middlegame?”
Zach nodded vehemently. “Wasn’t it amazing? Kinda creepy too.”
“Yes, but Roger and Dodger were awesome characters.” Nick chuckled. “You kept that quiet.”
Zach was not about to let that remark pass. “Yeah, well, it’s not like we’ve had any conversations where the subject might have cropped up.” Especially since you apparently couldn’t stand being anywhere near me.
Nick gave the tiniest flinch, and Zach knew his comment had found its mark.
Mom cleared her throat. “Nick, your dad tells me you’re a keen swimmer, and that you were part of the swim team in college.”
“He could’ve gone far, if he’d pursued it,” Lee remarked. “Maybe even as far as the Olympics.”
Nick waved his hand. “I wasn’t that good. Dad’s exaggerating.”
Lee snorted. “Says the guy with a display cabinet full of medals.”
Zach barely heard him. He was too busy adding this latest piece of information to his mental file labeled Nick. He swims too? This was getting weird.
“Do you still swim?” Mom asked Nick.
Nick sighed. “I swim when I can. It’s difficult when I get sent all over the country, but I try to find a decent-sized pool wherever I’m staying. Brooklyn has a great pool. I go there on the weekends and after work sometimes.”
“Where? Where do you swim?” Zach demanded.
“The Metropolitan. I don’t know if you know it, but—”
“Over on Bedford Avenue. Yeah, I know it. That’s where I go too.”
Nick blinked, but then nodded.
“Zach was also on the college swim team,” Mom said with a proud smile. She gave Zach a pointed look. “Seems like you two have a lot in common.”
Very subtle, Mom. Zach got the message. ‘You two need to get along.’
Nick was staring at Zach as if he’d grown a second head.
“More champagne?” Lee refilled the glasses.
He leaned back with a contented smile. “I’m glad you two have finally met.
” Lee glanced at Nick. “I know you and I have both been along this road several times already, but I’m hoping you believe me when I say this one is going to last. Becky and me, we’re not spring chickens, I know, but we’ve found in each other something we were both searching for.
Companionship. Stability. Mutual respect.
Love.” His eyes gleamed. “And although there’s snow on the roof—literally—there’s fire—”
Mom reached over and cut off his words with her hand. “And you can stop right there, mister.” Her eyes sparkled too. “Not in front of the children.”
Okay, that was more information than Zach needed to know.
By the time they went into dinner, Zach was confused as hell.
All the signs pointed to him and Nick getting along like a house on fire, so what was the problem?
Then he considered the situation. They had time, right?
A whole weekend—well, those parts of it that weren’t taken up with a certain wedding—to get to know one another.
Maybe a different environment was all they needed.
When the meal ended, the four of them walked to the elevator.
Lee glanced at his watch. “I think I’m going to have an early night. After all, tomorrow is gonna be a big day.” He grinned. “There’s a wedding in town, I hear.”
Mom laughed. “And first thing in the morning, you need to call the courthouse and check that there will still be a wedding.”
Lee kissed her on the cheek. “Trust me, sweetheart. If they close the courthouse, I will personally go over there and drag the judge through the snow to this hotel, and he can marry us here. Because come hell or high water, by this time tomorrow we’ll be married.”