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Taking the only other chair at the table to sit opposite Hannah, Matt noticed the dark circles under her eyes the moment she looked at him. He didn’t have a chance to comment on her obvious lack of sleep because the waiter placed two cups on the table. The scent of his double espresso was enough to wake a sleeping army. He couldn’t help but smile.
‘I ordered for us while I waited,’ Hannah explained. ‘I hope you don’t mind.’
‘Not at all.’ It was a small thing, ordering a coffee. So why did the fact that she remembered his go-to order make his heart do something funny? ‘Before we go anywhere, I need to know if you’re agreeing to my terms.’
Hannah sighed, wrapping her hands around her cup. ‘I know you really want this, Matt, but I don’t see why it needs to be this way. You’re you. Even if I was in Melbourne, you could see your child whenever you want. Help me understand.’
Matt wanted to say it didn’t matter, but then out of the window he saw a woman stop her pram and pick up her baby. A little boy stood beside her, holding up a dummy that he’d fished out of the seat cushion. The scene brought back memories of his own childhood. Matt had never wanted this, had told himself he couldn’t have it—not when he refused to put someone through what his mother had experienced. Yet now he could possibly have a child—something he did not want—so why did it feel good? It made no sense.
He tore his attention away from the street, fixing his gaze on Hannah. Something about the way she looked at him made him want to talk to her.
‘My father was a great man, Hannah. Widely respected. Successful. Stoic.’ He remembered him with no fondness. ‘There were certain things he expected of us. Perfection by his standards, but no less than what he himself gave. I can’t say that I’ve lived my life in the way a Taylor should, and even though he’s dead...’
‘You want to make him proud,’ Hannah finished for him.
‘It’s more than that.’ He reached across the table to take Hannah’s hand, an instant spark crackling between them which he was determined to ignore. ‘We’re good together, Hannah. Don’t you want to see what we could be? Chemistry like ours doesn’t come along every day.’
It was the one thing he could use to leverage her decision.
* * *
He was right. Their connection was special. It felt as if he wanted to continue what they had started in Melbourne. Maybe that goodbye at the airport didn’t have to be an end. Maybe it could be a pause. If he wanted to be in his child’s life and explore their connection, maybe it would be worth spending these next couple of months with him.
Heaven knew how badly she wanted him even now. She was about to agree when the café door opened and a tall, sophisticated woman all but screeched Matt’s name. A fleeting look of annoyance crossed his face as he closed his eyes and let out a small sigh. A tight smile formed on his lips. This wasn’t her Matt. This was Matt with several feet of wall around him.
Despite neither of them inviting the woman over, she sashayed her way to the table, pretending not to notice Hannah at all.
‘How are you? I saw you through the window and just had to say hello,’ she purred, touching Matt’s arm.
Hannah saw the shudder pass through him as he pulled away. ‘Well, thanks, and yourself?’
‘Oh, just wonderful. It was so good to see you at the St. Michael’s dinner. I thought you’d call.’
‘I don’t recall making any promises,’ Matt replied in a polite tone. ‘It was nice seeing you, but I’m in the middle of something with Hannah.’ Matt turned to look at her. It was obvious he was dismissing the woman who only now deigned to look at Hannah. Sensing that Matt wanted the woman to leave, Hannah reached over and held his hand. His fingers locked around hers tightly.
‘Yes, of course. Good to see you,’ she said awkwardly, before leaving them in peace.
Hannah wanted to ask what his aversion to her was. Objectively, she was stunning, and she’d looked at him with such blatant lust, but he didn’t even check to see that she had gone. Curious.
‘I’m sorry about that.’
He had nothing to apologise for. He had shown less than zero interest and, when he looked at Hannah, she could see he focussed only on her.
Don’t you want to see what we could be?
Despite everything, she really did.
‘Don’t worry about it.’ She tried to pull her hand away but Matt wouldn’t let go.
‘You were about to say something before we were interrupted. It was an answer, wasn’t it? Tell me.’
‘I’ll give you two months.’
The smile he bathed her in was worth her acquiescence. ‘You won’t regret it.’ He took a sip of his coffee, a thoughtful look crossing over his face. ‘What was it like when you found out?’
‘At first I was shocked, but then scared.’
‘Of what?’
