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He ran his fingers through his hair. The muscles in his back and shoulders were bunched. His heart hadn’t had a regular beat since she’d left.
He was about to try to read the report again when his phone rang. He stared at the name on the screen. For the first time in his life he wanted to reject a call from this person, but the blood was pounding in his ears.
‘Alex. Is this the call that should have come months ago?’ Matt had never in his life been this angry at his friend. This was his brother, someone who was always honest with him. Someone he could count on with his life. He’d never felt so betrayed.
‘I wanted to tell you, Matt, but it wasn’t my place.’
‘That’s an excuse and you know it.’ He was fighting to keep his voice level but he could hear the tremble in it. Surely Alex did too?
‘You have every right to be angry, mate. I’d be too, but it wasn’t about just you or Hannah.’
‘Did you even try to get her to tell me? Or did you just happily keep this secret so you didn’t have to get involved?’
‘Of course I tried to convince her. For months, but it was her decision to make. Not mine.’ There was a pause on the line. ‘She didn’t have it easy, mate.’ Alex’s tone was placatory.
Matt pushed out his chair and stormed to the window. Silence stretched on the line. He had no idea what he would have done had the roles been reversed but Matt didn’t feel like being generous now. Everyone who mattered had known but him. And it hurt. Even if it wasn’t his baby, he’d cared for Hannah back then.
‘Matt? Are you okay?’
‘Am I okay? No, I’m not okay. I could be a father. And it’s not just because I had no plans to ever be one—I only get a couple of months to get used to the idea!’ he raged.
‘I get it, I do, but whether you like it or not this is happening, so what are you going to do?’
Matt rested his palm against the cool glass, taking a deep breath. What was he going to do? He couldn’t leave things as they were. He needed to talk to Hannah. As angry as he was with her, he couldn’t deny that carrying this secret couldn’t have been easy. Carrying this child through doctors’ appointments and morning sickness. Had she suffered with morning sickness? Had it been bad? Who had she leaned on? It surprised him that he felt robbed. Surely he was just feeling this way because it was Hannah, and his body craved hers. He didn’t want a child, but he had left Melbourne still wanting her.
‘I don’t know yet, but I’ll figure it out. If the baby is mine.’
‘Matt, you know she isn’t like that. Hannah isn’t trying to trap you.’
‘I don’t know anything right now.’
He ended the call and slid the phone into his pocket. Matt knew the first thing he needed to do was to talk to Hannah. Have an honest conversation. There would be no hiding behind secrets now. She had to know where he stood. The next thing would be a paternity test. He’d have no rest until it was proved he was or wasn’t the father. If he was, he would need a plan.
Looking out at the sprawling city beneath him, the events of the day replayed in his mind. Everyone wanted something from him—the women who came onto him, the investors, media. Everyone. Now there was Hannah—pregnant even though it shouldn’t have been possible.
But according to whom? He only had her word to go on. It seemed as if she was just like everyone else attempting to use him. It wouldn’t be the first time but he would make sure it was the last.
The thought that Hannah could be like all the others was like a knife in his chest, but he knew who he was. The circles he moved in with the rich, famous and vastly powerful. His best friend might have brought him into the limelight, but it was own actions that kept him there. The money, the fame—people always wanted to cash in on them.
Stress had him pulled as taut as a bow string and a plan began to form in his mind. He walked back to his desk and pressed the button for his PA.
‘Clear my schedule for the rest of the week.’
‘Yes, sir.’
The meetings could wait. The company that he had built from the ground up deserved his full attention. His employees deserved a boss who made the right calls. He needed to deal with the crisis in his life so he could return in full force to his work. In the meantime, he could give Hannah his attention. For what they’d shared in Melbourne, he’d give her that much.
Despite the months, Matt couldn’t forget their time together. He had never felt such an instant connection to anyone. The moment he’d laid eyes on her in her gold dress he’d known he was in trouble. The glittering fabric had showed off her soft curves that he’d wanted to touch, to explore. Pulling out her chair had been the first excuse to get close to her. He’d had enough one-night stands in his life to know that she was interested too, but then she’d spoken to him; and everything she’d said had always been so unexpected.
Then there was the taste of her lips. The feel of her arms around his neck. He’d missed that. He had missed her. Except now she was pregnant when she’d said she couldn’t be. If this baby wasn’t his, he would have to question the integrity of every person he let into his life.
He knew what he had to do.
Matt stormed over to his desk, snatched up his keys and left his office, stopping only briefly to speak to his PA, whose eyes trailed up to meet his. He knew the look well. She was too much of a professional ever to act on it but the want in her gaze grated on him.
‘I will not be available for the next few days. Don’t forward any calls to me.’ Before she had the chance to answer, he left. She probably thought he had lost his mind. Maybe he had.
Getting into his sleek sports car, the only thought Matt had was to see Hannah.
