Perfectly Inappropriate

—

Late into the day, after a handful of out-of-office meetings, Noah exited a black sedan into a bright sunny day with a sky full of big clouds. He gave his daytime driver a nod goodbye and got two steps forward before a soothing voice called his name.

He smiled and turned to find his mother standing behind him, obviously having just exited another car. In her late fifties, Audra Grant was a beautiful woman. She dressed well, stayed active, and also paid her plastic surgeon a pretty penny to keep her looking like she was still in her late forties. “Mother.” He moved to her and kissed her cheek. “I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that you’re here.”

“Of course you shouldn’t be surprised.” She gave her wise smile, her eyes sparkling at him. “You’re the talk of the town.”

Somehow knowing others talked about his personal life did not bother him as much as it once would have. Though her presence also told him that word about bringing Olivia to the town hall meeting yesterday must have reached her. Which was also not a surprise. His assistant had placed this morning’s newspaper on his desk. When Noah saw himself smiling at Olivia in a photograph in it, he knew his mother would be calling him. Even he could see his affection for Olivia in the photo.

With the blazing heat blasting on his shoulders, he slid out of his jacket, draped it over his arm, and offered her the other arm. “It’s a beautiful day for a walk.”

“It most certainly is.” She smiled and slid her arm into his then patted his hand.

In silence, he led her across the road and then they entered Central Park. They strode down the sidewalk hugged by mature trees, which created much-needed shade on the sunny day. “Will this new woman in your life be at the fundraiser tonight?” The fundraiser was a garden party in support of his father’s close friend, Nathan Michaels.

Noah gestured to an empty bench along the pathway. “How do you know that she wasn’t simply one of my voters?” The newspaper hadn’t mentioned who Olivia was, or focused on their relationship, talking more about the town hall meeting itself. Though Noah knew his mother. He got his knack for reading people from her.

Audra lifted her brows, giving him a measured look.

He chuckled, and waited for her to take a seat, then joined her, draping an arm on the back of the bench. “I wasn’t planning on bringing her, no.”

Head cocked and eyes curious, Audra asked, “Why? You seemed smitten with her in the photograph.”

“Smitten, really?”

She smiled and patted the hand resting on his leg. “No woman has ever made you smile like that, Noah.” She studied the pedestrians walking by them before glancing at Noah again. “This one…she’s different, hmm?”

He had always been close to his mother. Far closer than he was to his father, even though they had a good relationship. He had never held anything back when it came to her, mainly because she knew when he was holding something in. “Yes, this woman is different.”

“Do you plan on telling me who she is?” Audra asked with a sly smile.

“Olivia Watts. She’s a graphic designer here in the city.”

Audra’s eyes widened, curiosity twinkling in their depths. “A graphic designer. How did you meet her?”

“Through a friend,” he answered, not prepared to say anything more. Some things a mother did not need to know.

“Well, she sure is beautiful.”

He agreed with a nod. “Not only on the outside.”

Audra smiled at a couple who waved at them then set her focus back to Noah. “Did she grow up here?”

“She grew up in the Bronx but is living in the city now.” He hesitated then got to the point he knew she was asking. “And no, her family is not anybody that you would know. But if they raised her, I can only imagine they are good people.”

Audra gave him a knowing smile. “She has no ties to anyone we know, and she isn’t in the political game. That’s quite the step away for you.”

Wasn’t that the truth? If he did date, it was always with a woman somehow connected to politics that would advance his career or strengthen a relationship with someone he knew. He always figured if he had to endure vanilla sex, he might as well get something out of it. “I’m finding that I enjoy that she’s not tied to politics. She’s untainted.”

“I suppose that would be refreshing,” Audra countered, not playing coy.

The political game was dirty sometimes, and she knew that as well as Noah did. “You would like the way she sees the world,” he told her. “It’s really quite lovely.”

Audra hesitated then and examined him intently. “Help me understand this. If she’s all these wonderful things, the

n why not bring her tonight so your father and I can meet her?”

A valid question. But he had a valid answer too. “I’m hesitant to ask her to endure my political life.”