by Patricia Kay
For the next hour and a half, both he and Olivia gave Austin all the information he asked for, plus some he hadn’t. And Matt promised he would try to find out exactly what kind of “evidence” his mother had compiled against Olivia.
“That should be a part of discovery,” Austin said.
Matt shrugged. “You’d think, wouldn’t you? But knowing Moyer, I’m certain he’ll figure out a way to keep it under wraps until we’re actually in court. He likes the big reveal, the drama inherent in surprising his opponents.” His glance met Olivia’s, and he saw the worry in her eyes. “I’ll try to get the information, though.”
Olivia made a face. “I don’t know, Matt. Your mother knows you don’t agree with her. I doubt she’ll tell you anything. And you’ll just make things worse between the two of you.”
“I agree she probably won’t tell me, but my father might.”
“I hate this,” Olivia said. “I don’t want to cause any more trouble for you.”
“You’re not causing it. My mother’s responsible for that.”
“But you’re their son...”
“And you’re their son’s widow. And the mother of his child.”
“Your brother-in-law’s right, you know,” Austin interjected.
Matt felt a moment of irritation. He didn’t need Austin’s help. Nor did he need him pointing out their relationship. He almost said something, but the moment passed. It would be stupid of him to argue with Austin or try to make his job harder. They both wanted the same thing. To help Olivia win her case and keep her daughter. In this, at least, they were in perfect accord.
“I’ll file our response to the complaint tomorrow,” Austin said as both Olivia and Matt stood. “And I’ll call you when I have anything to report.” Once again, he reached for her hand, keeping it in his much longer than necessary. “Actually, I’ll call you tomorrow, regardless.”
Matt’s jaw clenched.
“Thank you. I’m feeling more hopeful now that we’ve all talked,” Olivia said. She withdrew her hand and smiled at him.
Austin seemed reluctant to turn to Matt. They shook hands, and they all said their goodbyes, with Austin reiterating he would call Olivia. As Olivia and Matt rode the elevator down to the parking level, they were both silent, and he wondered what she was thinking about. Was she worried about the upcoming custody battle? Or was she thinking about Austin and his attention to her?
Matt wasn’t sure. In fact, the only thing he was sure about was that he had no time to lose. Today, for the first time, he could feel her slipping away from him, and he couldn’t let that happen.
He had to think of ways to spend more time with her. To maybe bring their situation to a head without seeming to pressure her.
“So did you mean what you said in there? You do feel more hopeful now that Austin’s on the case?”
“Yes, I do. What about you?”
They had reached Matt’s car by now, and he unlocked it and helped her in before answering.
“I’m still not convinced he’s going to do as good a job as Paul Temple would do,” Matt said once they were on their way. “One thing was clear today, though.”
“What?”
“He likes you. In fact, I’d say he likes you a lot. So I’m sure he’ll do his best to impress you.” He glanced over at her to see her reaction.
Just from her body language and her hesitation in answering, he knew she was probably uncomfortable. Maybe even blushing. Olivia blushed easily. In fact, most of the time she wore her emotions for all to see. That was another thing he loved about her. There was never any subterfuge with Olivia. She was genuine through and through.
“He was just being nice, that’s all,” she finally said.
“You know,” Matt replied carefully, “I don’t blame him for being interested. Why wouldn’t he be? You’re a beautiful woman. And Mark’s been gone a long time.”
“First of all, I’m not beautiful. And second, yes, Mark has been gone a long time, but I can’t think about anything like that right now, Matt. I have to concentrate all my energy on this lawsuit.”
“You are beautiful, Olivia. I’ve always thought so.”
“I...” She stopped, looked out the window. “Can we please change the subject? You’re...making me uncomfortable.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“I know. It’s just that... I’m not ready for a discussion about dating.”
He knew he’d pushed as far as he could right then. “Fair enough. New subject. Want to grab an early bite to eat before I take you home?” He had lightened his tone, but he felt encouraged, because he sensed something in the way she had reacted to him. Something that told him maybe, just maybe, he had a chance.
“Thank you, but Thea and I are having dinner at my mom’s. She’s making one of our favorites—haluski.” She pronounced it ha-loosh-key.
“Haluski?” He’d never heard of it.
“It’s an ethnic dish, basically noodles and cabbage, fried with lots of onions and butter. I made it for Mark a couple of times. He loved it.”
“Maybe I should invite myself to dinner,” Matt said lightly.
Olivia looked at him. “Seriously?”
“Seriously.” He grinned. “Single guys don’t get many home-cooked meals.”
Once again, she hesitated before answering. “Well, I know Thea will be thrilled if you stay to dinner.”
“Only Thea?”
Suddenly Olivia laughed. “My mother will be thrilled, too. She likes you.”
“What about you?”
“Are you digging for a compliment?”
“Everyone likes compliments.”
“Okay. I’m glad you want to have dinner with us. There. Are you satisfied?”
Now that the tone of their conversation had changed, he decided to make one more attempt to burrow through her defenses. “I was hoping you’d say you liked me, too.”
He could feel her looking at him, but he kept his eyes on the road.
After a long moment passed, she finally said, “Of course I like you, Matt. You’re part of the family.”
Because they were now approaching her mother’s house, he let the comment go without answering. Because she was sending mixed signals, whether she knew it or not.
“Think it’s okay for me to park in the driveway?” he asked a few seconds later.
“Sure.”
Olivia didn’t knock first or ring the doorbell. She simply opened the door and walked in, beckoning him to follow. “Mom,” she called out, “we’ve got company for dinner.”
Norma Dubrovnik, looking like an older version of her daughter, emerged into the hallway. She was flushed, wearing an apron, and it was obvious she’d been cooking. She smiled when she saw Matt. “Oh, hi, Matt. It’s good to see you.”
He smiled back. He liked her. She was just the kind of woman he wished his mother was. “Hi, Mrs. D. I hope you don’t mind, but I invited myself to dinner.”
“I don’t mind at all. I always make enough for an army.”
Just then, Thea came running out from behind her grandmother. “Unca Matt!” she exclaimed as they entered the house. “I’m getting a kitten!” Her smile lit her entire face.
“You are?” he said, scooping her up and twirling her around.
She giggled. “Yes!
“You’re a lucky girl,” Matt said, nuzzling Thea’s cheek.
“I know!” Thea said, squirming out of his arms and running down the hall where she was out of earshot.
“She’s talked of nothing else since I told her we’d go soon,” Olivia said. She frowned. “But if we get a kitten, I don’t know what we’re gonna do on the days Thea has to go to day care. She won’t want to leave the kitten at home.”
“Maybe I could take
a leave of absence from work,” Norma said. “Then you could bring them both here instead of taking her to day care, especially while all this other mess is going on.” She’d dropped her voice, although Thea had disappeared into the kitchen again.
Olivia’s mouth dropped open. “A leave of absence? What will Dr. Ross say? Who will do your job? Thea is my responsibility, not yours.”
“Dr. Ross can get a temp the way he does when I’m on vacation. I know if I talked to him he’d understand,” Norma said.
“No, I don’t want you to do that. Besides, Mom, you do enough as it is, picking her up from day care and keeping her when I work the afternoon shift.”
“What do you think, Matt?” Olivia’s mother said, turning to him. “Wouldn’t Olivia’s case be stronger if Thea wasn’t in day care at all anymore?”
Matt hated to disagree with Olivia, but he thought her mother was right. He nodded reluctantly. “Your mom has a point, Olivia.”
Olivia sighed. “I’ll think about it. Maybe I’m the one who needs to quit working.”
By now, they’d moved into the kitchen, and Matt, lured by the good smells wafting from the big cast-iron skillet on the stove, walked over and peered at its contents. “Looks great,” he said. “Smells great, too.” He was a sucker for any kind of pasta.
“Wait’ll you taste it,” Olivia said.
“I made sausage, too,” her mother said.
“Better and better,” Matt said.
“Maybe, since Matt’s here, we should eat in the dining room,” Norma said.
“Mom, don’t fuss. Matt doesn’t care,” Olivia said.
“I’d rather eat in the kitchen,” he said. “It’s cozier.”
Norma was still making noises about the dining room as Olivia got Thea settled into a booster chair, but finally the food was on the table and the four of them had taken their seats. Matt grinned when he saw the size of the serving bowl containing the cabbage and noodles.
“You weren’t kidding about feeding an army, were you?” he teased Olivia’s mother.
She laughed and brushed her hair back from her forehead. “It’s ingrained. In our house, growing up, putting a lot of food on the table showed you cared about your family.”
“Actually,” Olivia interjected, “it showed you could afford to feed your family. Right, Ma?”
Norma gave her a sheepish smile. “Yes, that’s true.”
Matt couldn’t help but think about how different his own home had been. He couldn’t ever remember a homey scene like this one. All Britton meals had been served in the dining room, and certain dress and behavior were de rigueur.
Just then, Thea hit the table with her spoon. “I’m hungry!” she announced.
They all laughed, and Olivia took her plate and filled it with the noodles. Then she cut up a piece of sausage and transferred half of it to Thea’s plate, as well. Thea immediately dug in as the rest of them served themselves.
Matt couldn’t remember anything tasting so good. He knew part of his enjoyment had to do with the company he was with, but the food really was great. So was the talk and laughter and genuine love among them. Matt had always known something was missing from his own family, and now he fully understood what it was: the knowledge that these people cared for him more than any other people in the world.
His heart felt full as he looked around the table. Right now, at this moment, he was home.
And home was where he wanted to stay.
Chapter Seven
Olivia knew what she was doing and feeling was crazy but having Matt there with them made her happier than she’d been in a long, long time. It just felt so right, so natural. And she knew she wasn’t alone in feeling this way. She could see how much her mother liked him. And, of course, Thea loved him.
And I love him. That’s the problem. That’s why it’s so impossible to stick to any decision that has to do with easing him out of my life.
She had been so uncomfortable in the car today when Matt said those things about Austin. And about her. She’d wanted to say there was only one man who interested her in that way, and that man wasn’t Austin. But how could she?
If only things were different.
If only Matt wasn’t a Britton.
If only Vivienne was a normal mother-in-law, someone who loved her and wanted her to be happy.
Much of Olivia’s happiness faded. Vivienne wasn’t normal. And Olivia wasn’t free to love Matt. To even hint at how she felt. Her love would cost him his family. And possibly his career.
Don’t ever forget that.
Perhaps her eyes or her expression betrayed her thoughts, because Matt’s eyes met hers and he frowned. Olivia made a determined effort to smile and pretend everything was just as good as it had been moments before, but she was afraid she hadn’t succeeded, because his eyes remained curious and his own smile seemed strained.
Thank goodness for her mother. Norma stood and said, “Is everyone ready for dessert?”
“Ice cream!” Thea shouted.
“Not ice cream,” Norma said. “Kolache.”
“Kolache!” Now Thea laughed happily. “Kolache and ice cream!”
“She’s got you there, Mom,” Olivia said. Turning to Matt, she added, “You’ll love my mother’s kolache, Matt. She makes one kind with walnuts. And another kind with apricots. They’re both wonderful.”
“And sometimes poppy seed,” Norma said.
He grinned, the strain gone. “I can’t wait.”
Olivia got up and began clearing the table. Surprising her, Matt stood, too, and helped.
“Sit, sit,” Norma said. “Our guests don’t do kitchen duty.”
“This guest does. I invited myself, remember?” He turned to Thea. “Let’s get you cleaned up a bit, princess.”
“You’re silly. I’m not a princess.” But she allowed him to wipe her face and hands.
“You’re my princess,” he said, ruffling her hair.
Thea giggled.
Olivia’s heart squeezed at his tender words. He would make a wonderful father because it was easy to see he loved Thea. In fact, he’d shown time and again that he really liked kids, not just Thea. Some men only pretended to, but with Matt it was genuine, and kids responded accordingly. He even helped coach a Little League baseball team and had once said he couldn’t wait until he had a son of his own to coach. Yes, he’d make a terrific father.
If only... But she cut the thought off. “Time for dessert,” she said brightly instead.
Minutes later they were all settled around the table again. The adults had fresh coffee with their slices of kolache, and Thea happily ate Blue Bell Homemade Vanilla ice cream to go along with hers.
“This is the best kolache I’ve ever had,” Matt declared.
“It’s different than what you usually find in Czech communities,” Norma said, “but it’s the way my grandmother made it.”
She was referring to the fact she baked long jelly-roll-like pastries, then sliced individual servings. Most Czech bakers made stand-alone fruit kolaches, with a well in the middle containing fruit or jam.
“Well, they’re wonderful,” Matt said.
Olivia made a determined effort not to let her thoughts stray into dismal territory again, and for the most part, she felt she was successful. After they’d finished their dessert, Olivia and Matt cleaned up the kitchen. He even allowed Olivia to give him an apron.
“I’m not going to be responsible for you ruining that suit,” she said, knowing it was expensive.
“Slave driver.” But he was laughing.
She laughed, too, especially when she saw how cute he looked in the frilly apron. “That suits you.” She pretended to reach for her phone. “I think I need a picture. To post on Facebook.”
“I’ll kill yo
u if you take one.” He wielded a wooden spoon as if it were a weapon.
Still laughing, she mock-ducked.
After more silly banter, the kitchen was clean and Norma suggested they go into the living room “where it’s more comfortable.”
They passed another pleasant hour talking and watching Thea play with the Lego set Norma kept in a toy box for her beloved granddaughter. But at seven o’clock, Olivia reluctantly said she thought it was time to go. No matter how much she loved this part of the day, it couldn’t last forever. “Put the Lego away, sweetie,” she said to Thea.
“I don’t want to,” Thea said, pouting.
“Thea,” Olivia said.
Thea’s lower lip protruded.
“I mean it.”
With a long-suffering sigh, Thea began to very slowly put each Lego piece in the toy box.
Olivia considered saying something about speeding it up, but didn’t. It was enough that Thea was obeying.
“Need some help with that, princess?” Matt said, getting down on the floor with her.
“Matt... “
He looked up, and when his eyes met hers, the rest of what Olivia was going to say died on her lips. There was something undeniable in his eyes, something Olivia knew she was going to have to deal with. The only question was, how? Because here...and now...she knew it wasn’t going to be easy to walk away from him, no matter how much she knew it would be the right thing to do.
Why does he have to be so wonderful? And why am I so attracted to the absolute wrong man?
Heart pounding, she looked away and began gathering her things.
Finally they were ready to leave.
At the door, when Norma hugged Olivia goodbye, she whispered, “He would make Thea a wonderful father.”
“Mom!” Olivia whispered back. What if Matt had heard her?
But he hadn’t. He’d instead picked up Thea and was allowing her to sit piggyback, which she loved to do. She was giggling and he was pretending to be a horse, complete with neighing sounds as he transported her outside to the car.