Page 84 of Primary Seduction
It was Max’s turn to laugh as he poured her a cup. “It’s not brilliant. I need to try and get Trent away from this awful stuff and onto something decent.” He pulled a face when he passed it to her.
“It is really bad, but at least it’s hot.”
“That’s very true. Still, new coffee is needed desperately.”
“It will be added to the shopping list, don’t worry. I know you both hate it, so I’ll change it.” Trent’s voice made Harper jump, then laugh.
“Buongiorno, Papa.”
“Good morning, Button.” He laughed at the face she pulled. “You’ll always be my Button no matter how old you are.” He kissed her cheek, then headed over to Max. “Good morning, love,” he whispered as he kissed Max.
Max smiled against his lips. “Good morning, sweetheart.”
Trent grabbed a coffee, then sat at the table with Harper while Max finished off the cooking, after waving away help. He almost dropped the eggs when he heard Harper’s next comment.
“You don’t have to keep quiet because I’m staying here, you know.”
Max looked over his shoulder at Trent, seeing his face scrunched in confusion, and Max bit his lip to keep from laughing at his innocence. He caught Harper’s eyes, and she smiled. He shook his head and returned to his cooking.
“What do you mean?”
“When you have sex, you don’t need to keep quiet. I know all about the birds and the bees.” Harper said it so matter-of-factly that Max snorted before he could help himself.
When there was no answer, Max looked again and saw Trent staring at Harper with his mouth open wide.
“I think he’s trying to catch flies, Max,” she said smugly.
“I think you’ve shocked him, Harper,” he replied in the same tone, still looking at Trent.
“How did you…? What…? Why…?” Trent blew out a breath and closed his eyes. “I didn’t want you to be uncomfortable,” he said finally.
“I’m not.” She looked down at her fingers. “I’m content. It may sound stupid but when I hear you, I feel happier because I know you are happy, and I know you’re in love. And it makes me feel loved in return. Which I know sounds stupid—”
“No, it doesn’t,” Max said, turning off the grill and coming to the table. He crouched down next to Harper’s chair. “It doesn’t sound stupid at all. You’ve been in a house where there doesn’t seem to have been much love since your dad left. It can’t have been easy for you. Even if it came about in an awful way, I’m so glad you found your way back to your dad.”
“Thanks, Max.”
“Trent, don’t be so shocked. She’s sixteen for god’s sake.” He laughed as he ran his hand along Trent’s back as he walked back to the kitchen. He plated the food and placed them in front of the people who were coming to mean so much to him.
“Harper, I wanted to tell you that you don’t need to worry about university. If you would like to go, then you will go, I will make sure of it.”
“But it costs—” she began.
“No. Don’t worry about the money. I will sort it,” Trent interrupted.
“We,” Max interjected. “We will sort it.”
Trent looked over at him with gratitude and leaned forward to kiss him. “Thank you.”
Max saw Harper swallow hard and knew she held back her emotions. “You deserve it, Harper.”
“The problem is…it might be more expensive than normal,” she said, then quickly added, “but I can change my plans, it’s not a problem. Don’t worry.”
“Harper. Take a breath. Talk to us. Tell us what you want to do and let us decide if it can be done or not, all right?” Trent said softly.
She did. “I want to go to university in Italy. They do a two-year course, which integrates you into using the language quicker, and I would get to see Italy as well. I was told being submerged in the language is the easiest way to learn it fluently. I’d like to do that if it’s possible.”
“Okay, we’ll look into it. Give us what details you have about it, and we’ll do the rest.”
