8. Taking Notes

Braylon was no idiot. He knew when someone didn't want to talk about details of their past and he'd let it go.

He got enough out of Lilian and he'd have to accept that for now.

She didn't have to explain to him why she didn't talk to her mother anymore. The fact that she didn't know who her father was could play a huge part in it.

"I haven't done much since I've been here," she said. "I haven't had time. I moved in early July. I haven't been back home since."

It was telling to him that home was with her sister.

"Do you plan on going home for the holidays?" he asked.

"Thanksgiving," she said. "I'll tell Quinn tomorrow when I talk to her. I bought my plane ticket last weekend. Don't laugh at me."

"Never," he said seriously. "Tell me."

"I was setting food up for a meeting for work and they had these pastries that looked like they'd been frozen and baked. I don't know. I'm spoiled. Quinn is an amazing cook. She worked in restaurants before she became Max's nanny. I still think she won him over with her cooking. He can't cook and his last nanny couldn't either."

Braylon wanted to know more but didn't ask. There would be time for that, he was positive.

"My mother made sure we could all cook," he said. "I can do the basics, but I don't much."

"I'm sure you pick up things each day while you're out," she said, then paused to eat some of her fish that had been brought out quickly.

"I do," he said. "I've got things for breakfast but normally skip it and then grab something at work."

"Do you have your assistant get you something?" she asked, lifting her eyebrows.

"Only if she offers. I'd never ask," he said. "I'm not like that. I'm a grown man and can take care of feeding myself."

Lilian smiled. "I work with adults, but they have more fun bossing people around."

"Which is why they are about as high as they most likely will go," he said. "You don't treat your staff that way. Or you shouldn't."

"I don't think they care all that much. At least Evan has been nice about things. I mean I know he was asking me out and I'm not interested, but he is somewhat of a support system too."

He didn't like the sounds of that. To him the guy was playing any angle he could. Yeah, he'd have to stop in and see Lilian at work soon.

"How is that?"

"He has filled me in on things. He says Stella, that is my boss, she is taking my ideas and using them as hers. I know that. I got put in my place the first time I spoke up in a meeting."

Braylon frowned. "Never good. You don't keep staff that way."

"I'm not in a position to leave," she said. "It wouldn't look good after only a few months. I told myself I'd stay at least a year to eighteen months before I looked elsewhere. I know nothing is perfect. That is as long as I don't lose my job."

He snorted. "By the sounds of it, you do everything they ask. They'd be crazy to get rid of you, but that doesn't mean they won't push you out."

"They won't care," she said. "At least Stella won't. I learned rather quickly that she can't keep her staff and she got to where she is by ummm."

"Sleeping her way up?" he asked.

"It's not like it's the top," she said. "There are two more positions above her in our actual department and they are in their forties. Both men are nice enough when they talk to me. Or notice me."

"So they don't notice you like others have been?" he asked. He was taking notes and possibly names.

He wasn't sure why he felt this strong need to protect Lilian so much, but it'd been there since he stepped in and pretended to be her fiancé.

"Not that I'm aware of," she said. "They are both married. Which I know means nothing, but I haven't heard anything bad about them either."

Good to know. "Did they put Stella in that position?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I try not to ask too many questions. Sometimes it brings eyes to you and I don't know who is telling me truth or fiction. I just put it all away for another day. For all I know everything I've heard has been a lie."

"That's the best way to approach things," he said.

"So tell me, what are things you like to do? Other than work. Now that I know who you work for, I've got to imagine you do that more than anything."

"I do work a lot. It drives our mother insane, but West is finally cutting back as best as he can. He's got Abby now so it helps. But with her living a few hours away, they only see each other on the weekend. By jet it's just an hour, so West stops to see her when he can too."

She started to laugh. "Only an hour on a private jet. I've been on a plane three times in my life. Quinn offered to buy me a ticket to go home for Labor Day, but it's just too much traveling for three days. It's not like there is a close airport to Lake Placid. I'd land about forty-five minutes away, the time in the airports and all. It's about five hours to drive; it'd be more time by air and just too much for three days. I'm sure a private jet is much faster."

She was grinning at him. "There are a lot of benefits to that," he said. "But air time travel is still the same regardless. Just less time waiting in airports or worrying about a lot of delays unless clearance to land isn't given."

"Now that I sold my car, I only can get home by air anyway. It's not like I'd rent a car for the drive."

That would be an expense she wouldn't want. He couldn't imagine being limited like that but knew a lot of New Yorkers were.

"I don't drive much but do have a car in a parking garage at my place. It's easier to just take a taxi to and from work. It's not like there is a lot of parking at the office building."

"Maybe you should get on your brother about that," she said, laughing.

"If he could do something about it, he would," he said. "That's why he's got drivers to bring him everywhere. He's got a car in Manhattan and one in the Hamptons."

"I'd think he'd have a fleet of cars and houses everywhere in the US."

Though he trusted Lilian, he wouldn't volunteer that West did own several homes in the US. Places that family could use if they wanted. He wasn't going to give too many details.

If he ever took the time for a vacation, he could use one of those homes.

Maybe he should do that.

"Probably not as much as everyone thinks," he said. "So since you're new to the area…have you seen the Statue of Liberty yet?"

"No," she said. "It's on my list of things to do."

"How about we do that tomorrow?" he asked. "Unless you've got plans with another fiancé I don't know about?"

"No," she said. "One to keep track of is enough. And I'd love to do that if you've got time. Sure you don't have to work?"

"I'm sure something will come up, but I won't have to go in. When West is away, things tend to be quieter."

He'd been hearing it from his mother enough to start taking more time for himself and he was going to listen now.

"That's good. My boss will leave me alone most times. I mean if she texts me something, it doesn't mean I have to do it. It's more like she can't organize her thoughts to wait and just fires them off of a list of things for me to do. Sunday is the day I get most of the texts."

He shook his head. "Tomorrow we can just play tourist then."

"That will be fun," she said.

Lilian hadn't wanted dessert and though he could have the back room as long as he wanted, he didn't feel right staying here. He knew when to end something on a good note so they left and he brought her home.

When she went to get out, he reached for her hand and pulled her closer, his mouth landing on hers. Not kissing her as deeply as he wanted. Just testing her. Closed mouths but lingering enough that his blood was pumping and her face was flush.

She smiled sweetly, got out and before she shut the door, he said, "I'll pick you up at nine."

"I'll be ready," she said. "And not wearing heels."

"As much as I do like them on you, probably not wise."

She shut the door, smiling, and he told the driver to wait until she was in the building safely, then they pulled away, the smile not leaving his face either.