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So, when he’d held that ring, he’d known there could be no other for her.
‘It’s beautiful, Matt. I’ve never seen a ruby this shade.’ She twisted the ring, admiring how the light caught it.
Matt didn’t correct her. How could he without admitting that he remembered every little thing she had said to him seven months ago without this gesture seeming as if it could mean more than it did? He didn’t need the misunderstanding.
* * *
Hannah couldn’t help but look at the ring again. The agreement was about an engagement, so she wasn’t surprised there was a ring. But she was surprised that it was so beautiful. The trilogy ring was stunning. With two clear stones on either side of a large red one, the emerald cuts kept refracting the light a million times over.
It felt good on her finger. Too good.
She was trying to keep things light between Matt and her but this ring made her want to weep. Being proposed to like this made her feel hollow.
This isn’t a real relationship, she reminded herself. It’s not real. It’s just a trial run.
She repeated it to herself until she believed it. But the truth was that, with this ring on her finger, the old wound that she was sure had long ago healed ached anew. Once upon a time, she’d thought she would wear a ring, something pretty and treasured. That dream had been destroyed as if it had been blown up with explosives. A catastrophic system failure with no way to restore the data—ever. That dream had been a corrupted file.
Yet now she was wearing a ring more beautiful than she could have ever imagined and a small, ridiculous part of her wished that dream wasn’t dead.
Except Matt had said they would be a family. That he would do his duty to his child. There was nothing romantic about this. She wasn’t being chosen to share a life. Still, it was a pretty spectacular ring purely for appearances. She needed to know what Matt wasn’t sharing with her.
When she finally spoke, she found Matt studying her intensely.
‘Before we go, I want you to tell me what this is really about. I know you said that this whole plan is about the baby, but you and I both know we could co-parent. So it’s more than that. Why is it so important that we seem like a family?’
Matt sighed. ‘Hannah.’
‘The truth, Matt. It won’t change anything. I just want to know.’ She could see him thinking it over. She waited patiently. Silently. Not willing to speak until he did.
‘Being my father’s son means something. The type of man I should be. What my parents provided for me made me who I am. I want to provide for my son. I want him to grow up knowing that...’
‘That?’ Hannah pressed.
‘That he can rely on me.’ His eyes were burning into hers, but she could see a trace of sadness in them. ‘I want to provide him with everything I can. I want everyone to know that he’s wanted, that he matters, and I want them to know that before he even enters the world. I want you to know I’m worth taking a risk on.’
‘You are worth the risk. After all, I’m here, aren’t I?’ Hannah was learning how important family was to him. The fact that Matt was willing to settle down because of this situation told Hannah a great deal. He felt deeply, that much was clear. She wondered if there was more to the relationship he’d had with his father. ‘Well, Mr Taylor, shall we?’
With a smile, Matt offered her his arm. Linking hers in his, they left the penthouse.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THEY REACHED THE parking garage and Hannah expected Matt to lead her to his flashy sports car. Instead, they moved towards the car beside it. Matt had sworn to be there for their child. To give his all. Now Hannah understood what Matt’s ‘all’ might look like. He pressed a fob and the largest Audi she had ever seen came to life. He opened the door of the S8 for her, which she saw was so very spacious. Even in her evening dress, she easily slid in.
Hannah sank into the leather seat that held her like a hug. When Matt climbed in, he fiddled with the touch screen and the seat morphed into the comfiest thing she had rested on in seven months. Then he pressed another button and the back rest began to move like little hands easing the aches in her back. The seat was giving her a massage!
‘Good?’ he asked.
‘Great.’ She moaned. ‘Can I live in here?’
‘I’m sure you could.’ He laughed.
‘When did you get this?’ she asked with her eyes closed, focussing only on how good her back felt.
‘Yesterday.’
One simple word meant so much more to her than he could ever realise. He’d bought it after he had seen his son. It meant he really did want to be there for their child. Not just that, but that he had seen how uncomfortable she had been in his other car and made an investment for her and their baby.
She hadn’t been treated like this before. Not when she’d thought she was in love and had been left utterly devastated, and certainly not with anyone she’d been with since. No one had made her feel anywhere near this special. Not that she’d given anyone a chance. A night, maybe a week or two, was all she’d been willing to risk. Every male companion had known that from the start so why would they have treated her as anything but a temporary interest?
