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‘What are you talking about?’ asked Matt, his eyes narrowing as he handed her a wodge of kitchen roll.
‘I wondered why you were so keen for me to tell Charles Epping he’s my father. You’ve got your eye on his money to kickstart your business. I hoped you were being empathetic, but I’m starting to realise that’s not your style, is it?’
‘Bit harsh, babe. I’m only trying to help you.’
‘Help me or help yourself? And please do stop calling me babe.’
Matt’s face darkened. ‘I get that your mum has just died and you’re upset about everything. That’s why you’re so obsessed with this shabby old house that rattles in the wind that never ever stops. But you might as well get everything you can out of a man who abandoned you and your mother. And I’m not going to apologise for being ambitious. You had ambitions and dreams before you came back to this crappy cove in the middle of nowhere.’
‘Dreams change.’
Matt shook his head. ‘You need to get back to Spain pronto, Rosie, because you’re in danger of becoming weird and boring, just like the people around here.’
‘Do you really want me to come back?’
‘I’m here, aren’t I?’ answered Matt, sulkily.
‘You only came after I told you that a very rich man might be my father, and you’ve been pushing me to claim my so-called inheritance ever since. Someone less charitable than me might think you were after my money, Matt.’
‘That’s crap, Rosie. But do we just miss out on all that money, on that chance of financing our future? Don’t you see that itisrather selfish?’
Anger bubbled up inside Rosie, like red-hot lava. ‘Let me get this straight. You want me to beg a man who has just sent me packing to recognise me as his daughter so that you can set up a business that’s economical with the truth in pursuit of a good sale.’
‘It’s short-term pain for long-term gain, ba… sweetheart. You and me, we’re in this together for the long haul.’
Rosie gasped at his ability to barefaced lie. ‘Really? What about you and Carmen?’
‘What about her?’
‘I know everything,’ fibbed Rosie.
Matt puffed up his chest, before deflating like a balloon. ‘Have you been talking to Juan? What did he tell you?’
‘Every detail.’
‘He’s such a bloody tell-tale! It was only a couple of kisses, to start with.’
‘To start with? So, there was a lot more after that.’
‘Don’t twist my words, Rosie. I’m not proud of myself but you were away and, when Carmen practically threw herself at me, one thing led to another. I was flattered.’
And there was the problem. Matt, like the dad she grew up with and like Liam, took flirtation too far and ended up deceiving and betraying people. Charles Epping, too, was no stranger to betrayal, though his had been in the name of ‘doing the right thing’.
‘This doesn’t have to change anything between us,’ Matt whined, giving her his best puppy-dog eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Rosie. I’ll tell Carmen to back off because I’m all yours.’
‘Will you still be mine when temptation keeps on coming and Epping’s money doesn’t?’
‘That’s below the belt, Rosie.’
‘Which is rather ironic, coming from you.’
Matt bit his lip, his expression sour. ‘I probably deserved that, but I don’t want us to be over. Please forgive me, Rosie, because I love you. Come back to Spain and we can go back to the way we were. Say something!’ he demanded, when she remained silent, though what did he expect her to say?
Of course I forgive you, Matt, and it’s all Carmen’s fault,maybe?It wasn’t, though Rosie would be having a stiff word with her about female solidarity when she got back to Spain.You’re a selfish pain in the arse?That kind of went without saying.You’ve broken my heart?He hadn’t, much to her surprise. He’d bruised it, undoubtedly, but her heart felt too battered right now to fully register any extra hits.
Rosie spoke calmly and clearly. ‘I’m coming back to Spain, but I’m not having anything more to do with Charles Epping, not ever.’
‘Even for me?’
