Then he saw her come in the house from running, noticed how those sweat pants hugged her curves and found himself looking forward to spending time with her. When she’d changed into the sundress he wanted to spend the whole day with her. He enjoyed how excited Montana had gotten when she’d seen his automobile collection. Chloe was rarely impressed with him anymore. She’d seen it all.
“Have I offended you, Montana?” Quentin asked.
“No, Mr. Chambers. Oh, thank you for the running shoes. Please forgive my bad manners.”
“You’re welcome. As long as you’re with our household, you can have anything you need. Don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Well, I better get while the getting is good. It sounds like Chloe plans on giving me my walking papers as soon as the two of you walk down the aisle.”
Quentin wondered how he should respond to this. Of course, Montana had no idea he was thinking of ending things with Chloe. He wasn’t even sure if he wanted to go back to being alone.
“I’m not sure what Chloe communicated to you, but I haven’t proposed marriage to her. So . . . um . . . your job is safe for now.”
Montana nodded and glanced out the window.
“Montana, what’s wrong? Why are you upset all of a sudden? Tell me what I did wrong!”
“Nothing, Mr. Chambers! I have a lot on my mind. You didn’t do anything.”
Now she was lying. Quentin could tell.
“Okay, well, if you aren’t angry with me, then I’d like to take you somewhere else before we go back home.”
Montana frowned. “You’re playing games with me, Mr. Chambers. It’s very unkind.”
“No, no, no! I’m not. I promise! I just want to thank you for what you’ve done with the kids. They’re happier somehow.”
“You pay me to take care of the children.”
“But I also want to thank you for the French toast, the flowers in my office. For everything. I was . . . well, I was hoping we could be friends. I don’t have many. You just met one of them.”
“What about Chloe? She’s your friend.”
Quentin drew in a sharp breath. He chose his words carefully. “Chloe has been a good friend over the years.”
“Okay. I’ll be your friend. But where are you taking me? I don’t like being surprised.”
“First, stop calling me Mr. Chambers. My friends use my first name.”
Montana cracked a tiny smile. “Quentin, where are you taking me?”
“To Transitions, the foundation house. Would you like to go?”
Finally, a real smile from Montana. One that lit up her face and the entire car.
“I’d love to visit there, Quentin. Thank you for the invite.”
For the rest of the way to the country house outside of Douglasville, Georgia, Montana’s chatter filled the car. Quentin heard all about her college days at Clark Atlanta University, and how she couldn’t wait to be a teacher. He found out that she had family in Cleveland, Ohio—an aunt and cousins. Her mother had died while she was in high school.
It was information overload for Quentin, but he was okay with it, because Montana was smiling again—and he sure enjoyed that.
“Is this the house, Quentin? Oh my goodness! It’s beautiful!”
Quentin looked out at the house with Montana. It was a grand sight to behold on the first time seeing it. It was two stories and white, with huge roman pillars and porches that wrapped around the entire house on both stories.
Montana didn’t even wait for Quentin to open her door when he stopped the car. She wanted to see more, and he was excited to show her. This was his life’s work.
One of the nurses opened the door as Quentin and Montana approached. She looked surprised to see Montana. Quentin usually came alone, so this would be different for everyone.
“How’s Alex today?” Quentin asked, as soon as they got to the porch.
The nurse shook her head. “Not so good, sir. But she won’t take any meds right now. She says she’s writing. She suffers for no reason.”
“Not being alert enough to write is even worse to Alex than the pain. Charlene, this is my friend Montana. Montana, Charlene is the head nurse here.”
Montana hugged Charlene, and it caught her off guard. “It’s nice meeting you.”
“I’m gonna show her around, Charlene.”
“Okay, Quentin. Let me know if you need anything.”
Quentin showed Montana the reading room. The walls were covered with books, and the lighting was soft. There was one woman reading with a bandana wrapped around her head—Ola. She’d been at the home for a month and had stage-four pancreatic cancer. Most days she didn’t leave her bed, but today she was full of energy. Ola was near the end. They always got energized at the end of the battle.
“Hey, Quentin. Who’s this?” Ola asked.
“She’s my friend Montana.”
Montana waved. “Hello.”
“Well, hello, beautiful. I was pretty like you a long time ago. My name is Ola.”
“You’re still beautiful,” Montana said. “Can I . . . can I pray for you? Is it all right?”
Montana looked at Quentin when she asked, but Ola replied, “Yes, chile. Pray for me. I’m gonna see Him soon, so I can use all the prayer I can get.”
Quentin watched in awe as Montana went over to Ola and laid her hands on her. He had no idea what Montana was saying in the prayer. She whispered so that only Ola could hear her. When she finished, Ola had tears in her eyes, and she hugged Montana with the little amount of strength that she had.
“Thank you, sweetie,” Ola said.
“You’re welcome.”
Montana walked back over to Quentin. “Who else do I get to meet?” she asked.
“Come on. I want you to meet Alex.”
Ola laughed. “Alex ain’t gonna like her.”
“Yes she will. Ola, you are a mess.”
Quentin showed Montana all the rooms on the way upstairs to Alex’s bedroom. They could hear Alex’s low moan as they approached the room. Alex didn’t even realize she made the sound, but she was in so much pain without her medicine that she made it without meaning to.
“Alex, babe. Look who’s here.”
Alex looked up at Quentin and Montana. “Oh, you done brought your girlfriend up in here. You real bold, Q.”
Montana’s eyes widened. She didn’t know whether to laugh or be nervous.
“Alex, stop! This is my friend Montana.”
Alex’s eyebrows went up. “Oh. The nanny. I’ve heard lots about you.”
“You have?” Montana asked.
“Yes, Q tells me everything. One day, he’s gonna take me out of here, and all you groupies are gonna have to fall back.”
Montana clapped her hand over her mouth to contain her laughter. “Groupies?”
“Yeah, all of y’all trying to get with my boo. But he built me this big old house out in the country. He lets my staff live here too.”
Quentin crossed the room and kissed Alex on the forehead. “How you feeling today?”
Alex paused. “Let’s just say, I am one hundred percent alive today.”
“It’s pointless to tell you to relax,” Quentin said, and then he motioned for Montana to come over. “Could you do for Alex whatever you did for Ola?”
“Do what?” Alex asked. “You some kind of voodoo lady? I’m a Christian. Well, mostly. Somebody needs to help me repent for lusting after Q, but other than that I should be straight.”
Montana looked at Quentin.
“If I can stop laughing long enough,” Alex continued.
“Alex! Stop playing and let her pray for you.”
Alex frowned at Quentin. “What you doing? Giving me my last rites? I’m not Catholic.”
“Do I look like a priest?” Montana asked.
“Ooh! She tried it! Was I talking to you, groupie?” Alex asked.
Quentin sat down in the chair next to Alex’s bed. “I should’ve known she would be difficult. See, Alex here believes
that she and I are going to run off into the sunset together.”
“We would if it wasn’t for that gold digger Chloe,” Alex said.
“Oh my,” Montana clutched the necklace around her throat and giggled.
Alex cleared her throat and laughed. “I’m just playing. I don’t get to have much fun around here. Everyone is a fun stealer up in this piece. Please pray for me. I’m in a lot of pain, but I’m trying to finish my writing before I leave. Q says he’s going to publish my stuff posthumously.”
Quentin nodded at Montana. “I keep telling her that she’s got plenty of time to finish it, but she pays me no attention.”
“Now we both know that’s not true,” Alex said. “So if you’ve got some prayer skills, then lay it on me.”
Montana stepped up to Alex’s bedside and laid her hands on Alex’s body. Then she said another quiet prayer. Quentin could hear bits and pieces of her words. He heard enough to know that she was anointed for this. He wanted to bring her to Transitions every time he came.
After Montana was finished praying, Alex said. “Thank you. I feel like I can get through this for a couple hours. As much as I love looking at your pretty face, Q, can you go spend some time with this girl? I’ve got work to do, and I don’t want to be rude.”
Quentin kissed her head again. “Stop teasing me, Q,” she said.
“Come on, Montana. Let’s allow Alex time to finish her masterpiece.”
“Bye, Q. Bye, groupie,” Alex said.
Montana sucked her teeth. “Bye, Alex.”
“I’m just playing. Bye, Montana. Nice meeting you. Q,” Alex said. “You ought to bring her again.”
Quentin smiled. “I hope she’ll come back again, Alex. See you later.”
Once they got outside Alex’s room, Montana burst into quiet tears.
“What’s wrong?” Quentin asked.
She waved her hands in the air. “I’m sorry. I’m okay. It’s just . . . she’s so young.”
“Cancer doesn’t discriminate.”
Montana nodded. “I know.”
“You want to see the rest of the grounds?”
Montana nodded. “Yes.”
Quentin showed her all around the outside of the house, including the pool area with the saltwater whirlpools that had been put in for pain control. There was a picnic area and a little playground.
“Why is there a playground?” Montana asked. “Do you have children here?”
Quentin shook his head. “No, but sometimes the women who stay here have children.”
After they were done touring, Quentin said a second good-bye to Ola and Charlene and checked in on the other two residents, Carmen and Layla.
When they were back in the car, Montana was silent for a while. But it wasn’t an angry silence this time. She really did seem like she had a lot on her mind now.
“Quentin, Transitions is a blessed place. Thank you for bringing me here.”
“I don’t know what made me want to show you, but I’m glad I did.”
“I’m really excited to help with the fund-raiser ball now.”
“How is that going, by the way?” Quentin asked. “Are my mother and Chloe driving you crazy yet?”
“We only met one time so far, and it was okay.”
Quentin nodded as he drove away from Transitions and headed back up the long road that led to I-20.
Montana said, “I’ve never been friends with a boss before.”
“I’ve never been friends with a nanny before,” Quentin said. “We’re even.”
Quentin stopped the car at a tiny ice cream stand. He didn’t want the time with Montana to end, and he loved the peach ice cream that the small establishment made.
“You want some ice cream?” Quentin asked. “It’s homemade and delicious.”
Montana hesitated. “Don’t you think I should be getting back to the children? Maybe they need something.”
“Did anyone call you?”
“Well, no, but that doesn’t mean . . . well, it is a weekday, so I’m on the clock.”
“But the kids are on spring break, so you’re fine. Plus, I’m the boss.”
Montana smiled again. “You’re right, Quentin. Ice cream it is.”
Quentin jumped out of the car and rushed to open Montana’s door. She rewarded him with another smile. He thought he’d go on all day doing nice things for Montana if she’d keep smiling like that.
“Do you like peach?” Quentin asked, as Montana delicately stepped out of the car.
“Yes.”
“Then you have to get theirs. It’s incredible.”
Quentin got two cones and led Montana over to a little table next to a blossoming magnolia tree. He sat next to her on the side of the bench facing the trees so that there was a magnolia-scented breeze. The fragrance of the trees along with the sweet aroma of the ice cream—not to mention the even sweeter view—made Quentin want to sit there all day.
“This is so good, Quentin,” Montana said. “I would get so fat if this place was closer to home. I’d be here every day.”
Quentin laughed. “You could just run off the calories. Those shoes you have are going to make you think you can run a marathon.”
“I hope so. I’ve never had to work out much before, but the older I get, the more I spread. I’m hoping this helps.”
“There is nothing wrong with your . . . spread. But running will make you healthier.”
“I don’t know how I feel about the direction of this conversation,” Montana said with a chuckle.
“I didn’t mean to be out of pocket. It’s just that I don’t think your figure is a problem. That’s why I asked why you don’t have a boyfriend. You just don’t seem like you’d be single.”
“Well, I’m at a place in my life where I want a meaningful relationship, and that hasn’t materialized yet.”
A meaningful relationship. Quentin wondered if he was capable of that again. He was absolutely available for shopping sprees, vacations, and every kind of fun imaginable, but he didn’t know if meaningful was in the cards for him again.
“I hope you find someone. You’re too much of a gem to be alone.”
In that moment, Quentin was struck with the awareness of how close he was sitting to Montana on the bench. He inhaled her perfume, and sighed.
Quentin leaned in until his lips nearly touched Montana’s. After a long moment, he tilted his head to one side in preparation for a kiss. Suddenly, Montana jumped up from the bench.
“Quentin. What are you doing?”
Dang. He thought the moment was right, but he’d screwed up. “I’m sorry, Montana. I’m an idiot.”
“Were you trying to kiss me?”
“Yeah, I was, but I’m so sorry. It won’t happen again. I was out of line.”
Montana sat back down on the bench, this time putting space between herself and Quentin. He grimaced at his own stupidity.
“Quentin, I’m not the kind of girl who kisses someone else’s boyfriend.”
He nodded. “And no matter what it looks like, I’m not the kind of guy who cheats on his girlfriend.”
“So . . . do you want to forget this ever happened?” Montana asked.
Quentin’s entire body relaxed. Montana would forgive him, and that was a good thing. But he didn’t want to forget that it had ever happened. He wanted to finish what he’d started.
“I promise you, I won’t ever try anything like that again. I really want us to be friends.”
Montana’s smile lifted Quentin’s spirits even more. “I do too.”
Quentin stood and held his hand out to Montana, and he helped her to her feet. “Let’s go, before anyone notices we’ve been gone this long.”
“Okay.”
Quentin threw the rest of their now soggy cones in the trash can and watched Montana walk back to the car. He was afraid of what he felt with Montana. He was scared that even with all his money and status he wasn’t good enough for her. She deserved a guy who wouldn’t make a move on h
er while he still had a girlfriend.
But even though he didn’t feel worthy, he still hungered for the type of relationship he knew he could have with Montana. Leaving Chloe would take a leap of faith. Quentin wondered if he had any of that left.
CHAPTER 21
Chloe tapped her foot impatiently on the marble floor in the parlor of the Chambers mansion. She resisted the urge to text or call Quentin—even though her blood was close to boiling, and even though it was almost four in the afternoon and he hadn’t returned from his shopping trip with the nanny.
Ms. Levy walked into the parlor for the umpteenth time, wearing a frown on her face.
“You know I can call you when Mr. Chambers returns.”
Chloe rolled her eyes at the nosy woman. “It’s fine. I can wait.”
“Well, was he expecting you?”
“I don’t need an appointment to see my man, Ms. Levy.”
“Did you call and tell him you were here?”
“No. I am surprising him.”
“Why? It’s not his birthday.”
Chloe balled and unballed her fists.
“Well, if you insist on waiting, you might as well sit down,” Ms. Levy said.
“I like standing.”
“You’ve been standing for three hours.”
“And I will continue.”
Ms. Levy shook her head and walked back out of the parlor. Chloe felt herself begin to tremble with rage. What could Quentin and Montana be doing? How long did it take to buy shoes?
When Chloe finally heard the door in the kitchen open, she spun on one heel and gathered her composure as best as she could. Then she saw Quentin place his hand at the small of Montana’s back to help her inside. Her composure unraveled.
“Here you are!” Chloe squealed.
She barreled into Quentin, threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him. She felt him stiffen beneath her touch. Montana stepped to the side and looked away.
“Hey! Is everything okay?” Quentin asked.
“Yes. It is now.” Chloe glanced at Montana out of the corner of her eye. “Hello.”
Montana looked up and smiled. “Hey, Chloe.”
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