No Time for Detours by Jean C Gordon

Author:Jean C Gordon [Gordon, Jean C]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sweet Promise Press
Published: 2020-01-02T16:00:00+00:00

10

“Her children?” his mother asked when he turned to her from watching Ava leave.

Incredulous. His mother didn’t remember Mia and Lucas. He searched her face or was pretending not to.

“She looks awfully young to have children that old.”

“Mother, they aren’t Ava’s. They’re Constance’s niece and nephew.”

“I remember, the children foisted on her by Social Services.”

He wasn’t going to correct her. Constance had willingly taken the twins.

“What are they doing here with you? Or is Constance here, too.” His mother’s tone brightened.

“They’re with me because Constance is on a honeymoon cruise with her husband. Her mother couldn’t take them, so she asked me. His mother had no need to know the whole story.

His mother shook her head. “You should have never let her get away. She was charming and polished, the perfect complement to you and your career. When you still had a career. She knew how to entertain, help you up the corporate ladder.”

But he’d gone as far up the corporate ladder at his old job as he’d wanted to. And he and Constance had mutually agreed to split. She liked being connected to a corporate executive with all the perks that come with that position. She didn’t have any desire to spend her life with a struggling sm all business owner. And it had hurt, but Constance hadn’t had faith in him to move beyond struggling.

“But you didn’t come to talk about Constance and the twins. Nor, I suspect, did you come to celebrate Aunt Sandy’s birthday with family.”

“You’re right there. Can we go somewhere private to talk, preferably out of the sun.”

“We can go inside. I don’t think anyone else is in there.” He escorted his mother toward the house.

“Uncle Nick,” Lucas called as they passed the table with the cake.

His mother winced and murmured, “You shouldn’t let them call you that.”

“Aunt Grammy has chocolate and `nilla birthday cake. I got both.”

“And I got a big piece of chocolate because I like it best,” Mia said.

The twins’ frosting-framed grins pushed away most of the dread that had wormed its way into him at the prospect of one of his mother’s talks.

Ava joined them napkins in hand and wiped Lucas and Mia’s faces. “I’ll bet Uncle Nick could have guessed what kind of cake you guys were eating from the crumbs and frosting on your faces.”

“Even me, with two kinds?” Luca asked.

“Even you.” Ava tapped him on the tip of his nose, making Nick’s heart swell with how good she was with the kids. And with him.

“That’s it. She’s your nanny. You brought her to take care of the children. Why didn’t you say so?” his mother said.

“Ava. Is. Not. My. Nanny,” he gritted out. “She’s a close friend and a law student who lives in the apartment complex where I’m staying in New York. Her parents live on the way here, so I invited her along for company on the drive and so she could visit with her parents. That’s where we’re staying. Her parents have a farm near Genesee.

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