After All - Romancing Manhattan

“Great, you don’t have to explain your baggage to her. She’s already up to speed.”

“Two,” I continue without acknowledging his comment. “We have a no-fraternization policy in our firm. It’s not ethical, and completely cliché, to start a relationship with my secretary. She could sue us.”

“I don’t think she’ll sue us, unless you ask her out for dinner and it doesn’t go well. Besides, I won’t tell if you don’t.” Quinn’s lips tip up in a smirk. “I met my wife at work. Hell, for workaholics like us, this is the only place to meet people. Unless you want to try online dating.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“Well, then, this is your only option.”

“How in the hell do you flirt?” I ask bluntly.

Quinn stares at me for a long moment and then replies with “Do you have a fever?”

“Jesus.” I rub my hands briskly over my face. “No, I don’t have a fever. I’ve been out of this game for a long time, Quinn. I met your sister in college, for God’s sake. It was easier in college.”

“Are you calling my sister easy?”

I glance over at him. He’s smiling at his own joke.

“Is this weird?”

“Yes, you should have asked her out months ago.”

“Not that. This. You’re giving me dating advice and I was married to your sister. How are you and Finn so cool with this?”

“I love my sister,” Quinn begins, his face sobering. “And I miss her every damn day. If she were alive, and you were talking like this, I’d kick your ass all the way to Miami and back, but she isn’t, Carter. She’s been gone for five years. It’s okay for you to move on and be happy.”

“I know,” I say softly. “But I just want to make sure you know because my life is forever tied to your family. Not just because of Gabby, but also because of our business and the fact that you’re my family. So I need you all to be cool with me dating someone new.”

“You’re not a monk,” Quinn replies easily. “You’ve grieved long enough. Find a girl who makes you happy. And if that’s Nora, I say go for it. We own the damn company. We can change the no-frat policy if we need to.”

“She might say no.”

“She might say yes. So just ask her.”

“Okay. You’re right.”

“Of course I am.”

“Thanks for coming over so I could talk it out.”

“No problem. Oh, don’t forget, that blizzard’s coming in later today. You’ll want to get out of here early.”

“What in the hell is up with the weather this year?” I grumble. “We never get this much snow.”

“Well, we do, just not often. It’s supposed to dump tonight. I’m leaving soon to go check on Mom.”

“Tell her I say hi.”

“Will do.”

Quinn shuts the door behind him and I turn to the windows, looking out on a white New York.

“Carter?”

I turn to find Nora in my doorway. Her hair is down today, golden around her shoulders. She’s in one of her power suits, red today. And as always, she’s in heels.

Let’s not even discuss how many times I’ve imagined those heels propped on my shoulders.

I’m losing my mind.

“Your nine o’clock is here.”

“Thanks.” I nod. “Send them in.”

She smiles and turns away, speaking to my client.

Flirting with Nora will have to wait for later.

“Hello.”

“Happy birthday, Mom.” I immediately begin rubbing my forehead. I hate this annual phone call and waited until the end of the day to make it.

“Thank you. How are things with you, Carter?”

“Things are going well. New York is under a bit of snow right now.”

“Well, if you were in Georgia where you belong, you wouldn’t have the snow problem, would you?”

And there it is. Not even five sentences into a call and she starts laying on the guilt trip.

“How are you and Dad?”

“As well as can be expected, of course,” she says with a dramatic sigh. “Your father is still working long days at the hospital. I stay busy with charity work and my volunteering opportunities.”

I wonder how many men she’s slept with this year that constitutes her volunteering opportunities.

“I’m glad to hear you’re both staying busy.”

“Your father should be retiring now.”

“He certainly can retire, Mom. He’s earned it.”

“You know that’s not possible. If you’d gone into medicine like you should have, and taken over his business, he would have been able to retire.”

“So he’s just going to work until the day he dies out of spite? Because I didn’t want to be a doctor and take over the family business?”

“It’s been in his family for five generations. I can’t believe I raised such a stubborn, selfish son.”

“Me neither,” I reply quietly. “Gabby’s doing well. Not that you asked.”

“Just move home,” she says with a sigh. “Pack you and Gabby up and move here, where you belong. You’ve grieved that woman long enough, Carter. You should be here with your family. I’m quite certain you can work as an attorney here. Someone’s always suing someone else.”