One disturbing question probed her mind. How could she have ever led herself to believe she was over Matthew Strong?
He glanced up. A slow grin spread across his face. “I caught you.”
Raven quickly averted her gaze to her own menu, feigning nonchalance. “Caught me what?”
“Staring.”
“Oh, please.” Raven smiled despite her embarrassment. “Still full of yourself, I see.”
“What some people see as egotism, others—Mom, for instance—consider confidence.”
“Confidence, huh?” Raven tried to control her breathing. Keep it even and light. Not give away her out-of-control feelings. But one look into Matt’s eyes and she knew she was fooling no one. Least of all, Matt. The one person who could read her like a copy of the Washington Post.
She didn’t resist when he reached across the table and took her hand, lacing her fingers with his, forming a steeple. “Why, Rave?”
“W-why what?” She swallowed hard, kicking herself for not preparing for this inevitability. Of course Matthew would grab her heart again. She just hadn’t realized he would do it in five seconds flat. That had to be a world record.
“Why did you walk away?”
“I just—had to, Matthew. It’s nothing I can put my finger on, really. I just knew it wasn’t right between you and me.”
“It was right.” His thumb traced the sensitive skin between her thumb and forefinger, making it hard for Raven to concentrate. “We were right together.”
“I—I don’t think so. Life was too complicated. I wasn’t ready to commit.”
“Doesn’t it seem strange to you that we’re both still single? Neither of us moved on.”
Raven snatched her fingers away and hid her hands in her lap. “What makes you think I haven’t moved on?”
Disappointment washed Matthew’s features as the intimate moment between them passed. “No ring.”
“Maybe I don’t believe in conventional tokens of commitment.”
He gave a short laugh. “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Even unconventional girls.”
Raven had to smile. Then she grew serious once more. “Just because I haven’t tied myself down to a man doesn’t mean I haven’t moved on, Matt. It just means I’m not interested in a relationship. What I have moved on with is furthering my career.”
“I see.”
And Raven could tell by the smug relief on his face that he did indeed see. And not what she was claiming, either. He saw into the very truth of the matter. A truth that had taken her by surprise—the fact that he still had her heart. But she wasn’t ready to deal with that issue herself, let alone admit it to Matt, of all people.
She fixed him with a dubious rise of her brow. “Oh, please. Don’t make this about you.”
He held up his hand in truce fashion. “Far be it from me to be so egotistical.” But his eyes glinted with amusement.
Raven rolled her eyes. He exuded ego.
“What about you? Why haven’t you moved on?” Desperate to get the focus off of her own life and motives, Raven took a chance on the question, knowing he would more than likely open up all the raw wounds between them. This news story had better be worth all the pain.
He studied her, his blue eyes squinting with intensity, as though probing her mind. She squared her shoulders, meeting his gaze evenly, hoping against hope that she had met her objective and accomplished an expression of passive interest.
“Why haven’t I moved on?” He leaned back in his seat as he repeated her question. “I guess I never found the right girl. No one measures up to Raven Mahoney. Didn’t you know that?”
He was mocking her. Raven knew it and she felt the blush creep to her cheeks in hot trails.
He smiled. “Actually, I’ve just been too busy. First, with law school. And I have to thank you for all my good grades, by the way—if you hadn’t dumped me, I’d have been much too distracted to pass the bar.”
“You’re welcome,” Raven said dryly.
He gave her an appreciative smile for taking the joke as it was intended. “After law school I worked for three years in the offices of Tyler, Hillman and Long.”
“Very prestigious. I’m duly impressed.”
“As I intended you to be. Thank you.”
“You’re most welcome.” Raven’s heart nearly soared at the banter. They had settled into the easy back-and-forth just as though time hadn’t moved forward fifteen years without them.
“Then I went to work as an intern in Senator Grady’s office. Eighty-hour work weeks don’t make for a romantic atmosphere. I barely had time to sleep and spend time with my d—”
An arrow of sharp instinct lodged into Raven’s senses. She raised her brow? “Your what? Dominoes? Diary? Dear old aunt?” She grinned.
With an indulgent smile at her attempt at humor, he gave her another studied look, then almost in defeat, sighed. “My daughter.” He reached into his jacket and pulled out a billfold. He handed her a photograph. An adorable little girl with brown hair and marked freckles grinned back at her, revealing two missing front teeth. “That’s a couple of years old. Her teeth have grown in.”
Matt’s pride in the girl was obvious.
Questions tripped over each other in Raven’s mind until she wanted to give them expression, but she sat up a little straighter and forced herself to hold back. A professional never overwhelmed the interviewee. Tread carefully, Raven. Don’t scare him off.
“She’s cute.” She smiled. “Doesn’t look a thing like you, though.”
“She’s adopted.”
“Wow, Matt. That’s amazing.”
“You don’t sound amazed.” A frown creased his brow.
“I’m just wondering why a single man with a busy and promising career would feel the need to adopt. It’s not like you even have a wife to give the child a mother. Why not just find a woman, get married and have a little princess of your own?”
He raised an eyebrow, one corner of his lips tipping in a mocking smile. “Are you applying for the job? Because if you play your cards right—”
“All right!” Raven reached for her water glass with a trembling hand. “You’re going to have to stop bringing up our past as though we’re still a couple, Matthew. It’s….ridiculous.”
“Then you’re going to have to stop behaving like a reporter. I don’t like being interrogated—especially where my family is concerned.”
“I am a reporter. Remember?”
“Funny, and I thought you were an old friend.”
The waiter appeared with their food, effectively cutting off Raven’s reply. For the moment. Matthew turned an expectant gaze back to her. “Do you want to ask the blessing or should I?”
Alarm shot through Raven. Matthew frowned, obviously confused by her hesitation. ‘Everything okay?”
“Uh—yeah,” she said. “You pray.”
He did so, then picked up the conversation where they’d left off. “Well?” he asked. “Are you here as an old friend or as a reporter?”
“I didn’t realize it was taboo for ‘old friends’ to ask about family, Matthew. Or is your personal life only off limits to some old friends?” It had taken her the five minutes the waiter was beside their table to come up with the proper response, and she couldn’t help but silently bless the server for coming to her rescue. Her words nailed him with their intended effect.
“Forgive me,” he said. “I tend to live with a bit of an edge lately. Suspicion is my middle name.”
“Listen, I understand. I’m not one to discuss my personal life much either. I just thought…” She gathered a deep breath just before hammering in the nail. “I just thought you wanted us to be friends again.”
Matthew couldn’t put his finger on exactly why he didn’t trust Raven. Perhaps because she was a reporter, perhaps because she’d suddenly shown up out of nowhere. Perhaps because she had broken his heart and left a gaping wound to remind him not to trust her.
Friends. She was offering
friendship when he wanted so much more. He wanted her love, her adoration, her devotion. He wanted her heart and body—in a pure and holy union before God.
Friendship wouldn’t do. He’d rather never see Raven again than be forced into a lesser relationship.
On the other hand, perhaps some time on a friendship basis with her would give her a chance to realize she still loved him. And Matthew knew she still cared. He could read it in her eyes, had felt it in the rapid pulse at the base of her wrist. Perhaps he could finally get an answer—once and for all—as to the reason she had walked away from their love.
“Friends, huh? You’re right. All of my friends know about my daughter. So why should you be any different?”
“Well, look. If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. We haven’t seen each other in a very long time. You might not want to become reacquainted.”
There it was again. That feeling she was playing him. Would she be so callous as to use his feelings for her just to bring home a story?
“I want to tell you about Jamie.”
“Jamie, huh? Named after your dad.” She smiled. “That means you’ve had her since she was a baby.”
“How do you figure that?”
“You named her. I can’t see you adopting an older child and changing her name.”
Matthew grinned. “Always thinking deductively, aren’t you?”
A shrug lifted slender shoulders. “Comes with the job.”
“All right. Yes. I took her home from the hospital and she’s been my daughter since the day she was born.”
“What of her birth parents?”
The question was to be expected. Still Matthew hesitated.
“Not something you want to talk about?” Raven asked, her gorgeous brown eyes fixed on him, almost daring him to close the subject and prove he didn’t trust her.
“Her mother is my sister.”
“Casey?”
“Yes.”
“She wasn’t married, I take it.”
“No, she wasn’t. The baby’s father sweet-talked her out of her entire trust fund then beat her half to death when she wised up and tried to leave him—by then she was pregnant. It’s amazing she didn’t lose the baby.”
“Oh, Matthew. I’m so sorry to hear that. How is she now?”
“Honestly? She’s brain-damaged. Mentally she’s about Jamie’s age.”
“He beat her that badly? Did he go to jail for it?”
“He went to jail for other things.”
“I’m guessing the judge revoked his parental rights?”
“A judge didn’t have to. Ray gave up his parental rights more than willingly. Signed Jamie over to me legally.”
“How is it that the press didn’t make a big deal about this? Jamie has to be around six or seven at least.”
“She’s eight. And the reason no one knows about her is because I’ve purposely kept a low profile. Remember we’re just wrapping up the primary season. If I had continued on to the general election, I’m sure it would have come up.”
She clamped her lips together as though purposely keeping her mouth shut. But Matthew saw the unasked questions lingering in her eyes. He didn’t blame her. He supposed she instinctively formed the right questions in her mind. And that’s what made her so good at her job. But reporter or no, to her credit she didn’t pry.
“So tell me about your family. How’s your dad?”
Raven’s face clouded.
“What is it? Is he all right?”
“Oh, just a little high blood pressure and a fiancée who doesn’t help it.” She gave him a dubious grin. “Other than that, he’s all right.”
“Then why the long face?”
“Long face?”
“During our…previous acquaintance…your face lit up like a light show any time you mentioned your dad. The wonderful and wise Mac Mahoney. No one measured up, and, quite frankly, I was a little jealous.”
A throaty laugh lifted into the air between them. “Believe me, Mac is still wonderful and wise. But let’s just say I’m a little wiser as well.”
“That’s nice and cryptic of you.”
She shrugged, her face hardening. “Not cryptic, just not a topic open for discussion.”
“I see. You want your ‘friends’ to open up their family drama, but you’re not willing to do the same. Typical.”
“Oh, please. Don’t try to turn this around on me.”
“Would you like dessert?” The waiter’s sudden appearance gave Matthew a start.
“No, thank you,” Raven snapped. “I’d like the check please.”
“I’d like the check,” Matthew corrected, eyeing the waiter sternly.
“Don’t you dare give it to him!”
“Shall I split it between you?” the waiter asked, his expression that of a deer caught in headlights.
“Yes, we’ll go Dutch.”
Matthew released an exasperated sigh. “Fine,” he said to the waiter. “Split the check.”
Smoke curled into the air from the cigarette clenched between his lips. He leaned against his car and watched the couple coming out of the restaurant across the street. Brief panic grabbed his stomach as the man hesitated, glanced toward him.
In a fit of daring, he’d parked right below the streetlight, which illuminated his blue hood. Now he had to wonder how smart it was to be parked where they might glance over and see him any second. But if Matthew Strong noticed a man leaning against an old blue beater, smoking a cigarette, he made no indication of it. Typical of a politician. Unless there were a baby he could kiss or a cause he could exploit, he wouldn’t take notice of anything past the end of his own nose.
Raven Mahoney glanced at her watch impatiently, waiting for the valet to bring her car around. Her sleek black hair swayed with the jerky movements that clearly stated her irritation.
He’d recognize her anywhere. Even in the misty night, he could see her beauty every bit as defined as on television.
He took a long, slow drag from his cigarette and watched as a champagne-colored luxury car approached. The politician exchanged what was presumably a tip, for his keys. He opened the door to Raven’s car for her and she slid not-so-gracefully inside.
They drove away, leaving him to stare until the taillights vanished from his view. After one last drag from his cigarette, he tossed it to the ground and headed for the driver’s-side door.
Anger burned in him. But now wasn’t the time for a confrontation. That would come later. After everything was in place.
Chapter Five
Standing on the darkened front porch, Raven fumbled with her keys, wishing she’d had the forethought to leave her front light on before rushing out to meet Ken earlier. But she’d been too focused on Matthew’s story to worry about minor details. Minor at the time anyway. At this particular moment, darkness was of the utmost importance. The darkness always unnerved her.
Through the door, she could hear the phone ringing, and though she knew she had not only an answering machine, but also caller ID, she couldn’t shake that feeling of not getting somewhere fast enough. Like being the heroine in a horror flick, who can’t find the right key to her car ignition, and the window is open and the maniac gets there just as she speeds off. Sometimes it’s too late, and sometimes it’s not.
Raven shuddered at the thought. She finally located the proper key and slid it into the lock. Relief flowed through her as she opened the door, then closed it firmly behind her.
Movement to her left gave her a start. She jumped and squealed. Then she recognized her reflection in the foyer mirror. With a chuckle she shook her head, feeling like a complete idiot for being so spooked.
Walking into the kitchen, she took a glance at the caller ID and frowned at the private caller message. She checked out the answering machine. No flashing light. No messages.
“Oh, well,” she said to Ginger, the fat stuffed tabby cat perched on her special chair against the kitchen bar. “I guess if it’s important enough
, they’ll call back.”
The phone rang. She rubbed her hand along Ginger’s fake fur and grinned. “See?”
She grabbed the phone and pressed the button. “Hello?”
“Did you forget about our dinner?”
Anxiety slammed into Raven at the sound of the vaguely familiar voice. “Who is this?” she demanded, drawing on every ounce of bravado she possessed.
“Sonny.”
Inwardly, she groaned. How on earth could she have forgotten about meeting her brother, for crying out loud?
“Oh, Sonny! I’m so sorry. I can’t believe I did that. I was doing some research on a story.”
Silence loomed on the other end of the line and Raven frowned. “Sonny? Are you still there?”
“Yeah, I’m still here. It’s okay. Don’t worry about it. Hang on, I have another call.”
Raven walked across the kitchen floor, carrying the cordless next to her ear. She opened the refrigerator and went on the prowl. After eating barely half of her way-too-expensive meal, she was starving, but the sudden need to fill her stomach put her too closely in mind of the emotional void she’d also been trying to satiate. She closed the door.
Only pizza would do at a time like this.
“Okay, I’m back.”
“Listen, Sonny, I feel horrible about wigging out like that. Can I make it up to you?”
“Sure you can.”
Raven expelled a relieved breath as she recognized the lift in his tone.
“Great. How about tomorrow at lunch? We could meet at the deli on the corner of Fremont and Grand.”
“You sure you won’t forget during a workday?”
“I’m sure.” Raven had to smile a little. He sounded almost like a wary child. “And it’s my treat. The least I can do after forgetting our dinner tonight.”
Betrayal of Trust Page 4