by Patricia Kay
“Yes, lots of things going on,” he answered smoothly. He wasn’t ready to advertise the fact he didn’t intend to run for the House seat. Not until he’d had a chance to talk to the people who had been supporting him. He owed it to them not to say anything to anyone else before notifying them. He especially didn’t want Charlotte to even suspect. Knowing her, the first person she’d call would be his mother.
“Surely you can take a break now and then,” Charlotte said in a flirty voice.
He made a noncommittal sound. Good thing she couldn’t see his expression.
“Anyway, that’s why I’m calling,” Charlotte continued. “I was hoping to persuade you to accompany me to the Harvest Ball next week.” The Harvest Ball was one of the biggest charity events of the year, with the proceeds going to the new women’s health center that would serve the entire county.
“Thanks, Charlotte, but I can’t. I have another commitment.”
“Oh, darn. I’m disappointed. It would have been good for your campaign to be seen there.”
“I’m sure you’re right. But it can’t be helped.” He knew she wanted to know what his commitment was, but he refused to fall into the trap of trying to explain. Especially since there was no commitment. But mostly because he didn’t owe her an explanation.
“I’m sorry for another reason,” she said, her voice softening. “I miss you. I’ve barely seen you in the last few months.”
“That’s what happens when you’re trying to raise money for a campaign as well as holding down a job that requires sixty-and seventy-hour weeks. Your friends get neglected.”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment. When she did, her voice turned coy. “All right. You get a pass this time. But I think you owe this friend a rain check, don’t you? In fact, I know just how you can make it up to me.”
Matt mentally thought a bad word.
“My sorority is having a casino night the Friday after Halloween. It’s loads of fun and all the profits will be donated to the children’s museum. You can be my date that night.”
“I can’t promise anything, Charlotte. I’ll check on some things and get back to you. I may be out of town that weekend.”
“Now, Matt, I’m not going to listen to any more excuses. You work far too hard.”
What was he going to have to do? Come right out and tell her he was not interested? He couldn’t help comparing her to Olivia. Hell, there was no comparison. Olivia was a beautiful, warmhearted, kind woman and Charlotte was all flash, no substance. However, she seemed to have the hide of an elephant. Hints didn’t make a dent. In fact, in this regard, she bore a decided similarity to his mother. With a mental sigh, he knew he could no longer postpone the inevitable.
“Look, Charlotte,” he said, keeping his voice as pleasant as he could manage, “we’re both adults and I know you’re the kind of person who would prefer honesty. The truth is, I’m involved with someone else. And it’s serious.”
For a long moment, there was only silence on the other end of the phone. Finally, in a voice almost as icy as his mother’s could be, she said, “I see. Well, it’s your loss.”
Then she hung up.
Matt looked at the phone, then returned it to its holder. Had he actually managed to get rid of her? He knew there would probably be repercussions as a result of their conversation, but he no longer cared.
He managed to put Charlotte and her phone call out of his mind and was deep into an analysis of a lengthy crime report when there was a knock at his office door, followed by the entrance of his sister.
He smiled in greeting. Of all his family, Madeleine was his favorite, the only one he felt completely comfortable with, the only one he felt loved him unconditionally. She looked wonderful, as always. Tall, slender, glowing with good health, she was the picture of the all-American girl with her long golden-brown hair, her large green eyes—a throwback to their great-grandmother Britton—and her bright smile. At twenty-seven, she was an accomplished and talented artist who worked for the largest advertising agency in Austin.
“What’re you doing here?” he said, getting up to hug her.
“I have to give a presentation to a potential client at one o’clock and hoped I could persuade you to have an early lunch.”
Matt thought about all the work he had to do and the fact he’d taken off early yesterday. “Nothing I’d like better,” he said. “What did you have in mind?”
“You know me. I could eat Tex-Mex five times a week.”
Ten minutes later, after a short walk, they were seated at a window booth in a locally owned restaurant that happened to be one of Matt’s favorites. After their waitress had given them their iced tea and set a basket of warm chips and a bowl of salsa on the table, Madeleine said, “What I really wanted to talk to you about is Mom.”
“Not my favorite subject.”
“I just can’t believe what she’s doing to Olivia.”
“I know.”
“It’s just wrong, Matt. Olivia is a wonderful mother.”
“I agree.”
“She called me this morning and said her attorney filed an official petition with family court Friday afternoon.”
Damn. Matt had figured this was coming, but it was still a blow. He wondered if Olivia knew yet. They had only talked on the phone over the weekend because she and Thea spent the weekend in Dallas with friends where Thea enjoyed Halloween festivities and Olivia had been able to forget, at least for a little while, what was happening at home.
“Can’t you talk to Mom?” Madeleine said.
“I’ve tried. It doesn’t do any good. Reason doesn’t work with our mother. Not where Liv is concerned.”
Madeleine shook her head. “This whole thing is just crazy.”
“It is, but now that she’s set this in motion, our mother will see it through to the bitter end, no matter who she hurts or how much harm she does.”
“And there’s nothing you can do? I mean, couldn’t you talk to the people at family court? Pull some strings?”
“I wish I could, Maddie, but Mom and Dad have a hotshot attorney and now that they’ve made their charge official, everything is set in motion. At this point, the only way it would stop is if they changed their minds and withdrew their petition. And trust me, there’s not a snowball’s chance in hell of that happening.”
Madeleine’s eyes clouded. “I feel so bad for Olivia.”
“Yeah. Me, too.”
“I want to testify on her behalf.”
“I figured you would.” He reached across the table and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “You sure you can handle the fallout? It won’t be pretty.”
“I can handle it.”
“Good. I intend to testify on Olivia’s behalf, too.”
“Oh, I never doubted that.”
Something about his sister’s tone told him she suspected how he felt about Olivia. He gave her a quizzical look.
“C’mon, Matt. It’s obvious how you feel about her. At least, to me it is.”
He started to answer, but just then their waitress brought their food: fish tacos for Madeleine, the house enchiladas for Matt. With unspoken agreement, they waited till the waitress was out of earshot before resuming their conversation.
“Does Olivia know how you feel?” Madeleine asked as she picked up one of her tacos.
So even though he’d never intended to say anything to anyone about what had happened between him and Olivia, especially last Wednesday night, he found himself telling Madeleine everything.
Her eyes were filled with sympathy when he finished. “You can’t blame her for wanting calm instead of constant storms, Matt,” she said softly. “If Mom wasn’t my mother, I wouldn’t want any part of her, either.”
He sighed. “I don’t blame Olivia. I understand. Hell, don’
t you think I’d like some peace and quiet for a change? Dealing with our mother is like picking your way through a minefield every day. You never know when something is going to explode under your feet.”
Because the subject of Vivienne had depressed them both, Matt asked his sister what was new in her life, and she gave him an update while they ate. Afterward, they walked back to his building and hugged goodbye.
“Call me if you need me,” Madeleine said.
“I will.”
“I love you, big brother.”
“Ditto, kid.”
Madeleine waved and headed to the parking lot and her car, and Matt went inside. Once he was settled at his desk, he called Olivia.
She answered the phone almost immediately. He could hear squeals and giggling in the background.
“You’re at home,” he said. “I thought you’d be at work.”
“I’m on the four-to-midnight shift this week. I have to drop Thea at day care soon.”
“She sounds happy. What’s she doing?” He knew he was stalling, but he hated to give her the news about the petition if she didn’t already know it.
“Playing with the kitten we picked out this morning.”
“I thought maybe you’d changed your mind.”
“No, I couldn’t do that. She’s so excited, Matt. Listen to her. And the kitten is so cute. Oh, and guess what she’s named her?” Olivia was laughing.
“I have no idea.”
“Kitty Kat!”
He made himself laugh, too, even though he felt murderous. Damn his mother. Olivia should always be laughing. “Well, it makes sense.”
“It does, doesn’t it? I’m spelling cat with a K, though.”
“Send me a picture.”
“Okay. I will.”
He couldn’t put off telling her any longer. “I hate to bring up bad news, but has Austin called?”
“About your parents filing their petition Friday?”
“So he did call.”
“Yes. Last night.”
“Did he explain the next step will be for a caseworker to come and interview you? Inspect your home?”
“Yes.”
When she didn’t say anything more, he realized she didn’t want to talk about this while Thea was in hearing distance. “You okay?” he asked softly.
“I’m fine. Resigned. Besides, I’ve got a more immediate problem.”
“Oh?”
“Yeah, my mom always picks Thea up at day care when I fill in for the afternoon shift, and today she can’t. Eve was always my backup, so now I guess I need to call Stella and see if she can do it.”
Matt made a quick decision. “Don’t call Stella. I’ll pick Thea up. What time do I need to be there?”
“No, Matt, I don’t want you to have to do that. I can—”
“I don’t have to do it. I want to do it. I’m her godfather, remember? What time?”
She started to protest again, and he interrupted her a second time. “C’mon, Olivia. This is not a big deal. In fact, it’ll be fun for me. What time should I be there?”
“Um, around five thirty? Is that too early?”
“Five thirty is fine,” Matt said, already mentally juggling his schedule. He could bring work home with him, do some reading after Thea was asleep. “Will you let the day care center know I’m coming?”
“If you’re sure...” She still sounded doubtful.
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, I’ll call the director and tell her you’ll be there.”
“Good.”
“But, Matt, I won’t be home until after midnight.”
“No problem. I’ll enjoy having Thea to myself. We’ll have fun. She likes pizza, doesn’t she?”
“She loves pizza. No meat, but lots of cheese.”
“A girl after my own heart.”
“Don’t forget, you’ll have the kitten, too. And the litter box.”
“Not a big deal. Remember, you’re talking to a criminal prosecutor.”
“Thea will want the kitten to sleep with her.”
“Is that all right with you?”
He could hear her resigned sigh. “I guess.”
“So we’re good?”
She finally agreed, saying, “I’ll write some instructions and put them on the counter in the kitchen. And I’ll leave a key for you out back. I’ll put that in Thea’s little red bucket. In her sandbox.”
Matt smiled. He’d like to see the burglar who could figure that one out. “Good. We’re all set.”
Her voice softened. “I’ll owe you one, Matt.”
He waited a heartbeat, then answered just as softly, “I’ve told you before that I’d do anything for you, Liv. You and Thea. Don’t you believe me?”
For a moment, he didn’t think she was going to answer. Then, in a whisper so soft, he nearly missed it, she said, “Yes, I believe you.”
And then she disconnected the call.
* * *
She shouldn’t have agreed to let Matt pick up Thea. What was wrong with her that she couldn’t stick to her decisions? She knew there was no future for her and Matt. She knew it was best she distance herself from him. Yet at the first small problem, what did she do? Like a drowning woman, she latched on to Matt as if he were the only life preserver around. She was hopeless.
What she should do, like it or not, was quit her job and stay home and be Vivienne’s version of a proper mother to Thea. If she’d done that in the beginning, and not gone back to work until Thea started school, she wouldn’t have to worry about Vivienne and her accusations. In fact, Vivienne wouldn’t have a leg to stand on.
Even if Olivia didn’t quit entirely, she could stop filling in for the afternoon shift when they were shorthanded. So what if she got paid extra when she did so? It wasn’t as if she was financially destitute. She had Mark’s insurance money, after all. Yes, she wanted to keep it intact for Thea’s education and more, but if she had to use some of it to ensure Thea had a stable, happy childhood, it wouldn’t be the end of the world, would it?
Around and around Olivia’s thoughts went after her conversation with Matt. Several times, she almost called him back to say she’d changed her mind and wouldn’t need his help, after all.
But then Eve called, and after they talked, she felt better. She always felt better when she talked to Eve, who seemed able to put things into perspective when Olivia was looking at them too emotionally. By the time they ended their conversation, Olivia had settled down and decided to let things stand the way they were.
But tonight, when she saw Matt again, she needed to make sure he understood their relationship couldn’t be a romantic one. She had to be strong, no matter how much she wished circumstances were different.
Because if she wasn’t strong, if she yielded to her loneliness and the growing desire between them, she was just asking for more heartache.
* * *
The first thing Olivia saw when she walked into the kitchen after work that night was the gorgeous vase of flowers sitting in the center of the kitchen table. For a moment, she thought they were from Matt, but then he entered the kitchen and said, “I brought them in from your front stoop. I guess the florist thought it was okay to leave them there.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Olivia frowned. Who on earth had sent them? And why? It wasn’t her birthday...or any other kind of holiday. She eyed the card.
“Go ahead,” Matt said, giving her a crooked smile. “Read the card.”
Olivia hesitated the briefest of seconds. She wished Matt wasn’t standing there. His presence made her feel self-conscious. She wished she could casually say, Oh, the flowers can wait, how’d things go with Thea? Yet she couldn’t. So with an inward, resigned sigh, she reached for the envelope containing the car
d.
It wasn’t sealed. Had Matt already read it? Her heart picked up speed. No, he wouldn’t do that. He was too much of a straight arrow. He would never violate her privacy.
She opened the card.
Don’t let Friday’s events upset you. We will prevail.
Austin
Looking up from the card, her eyes met Matt’s. She swallowed, putting the card back in its envelope. Now her heart was beating hard.
“The flowers are from Austin Crenshaw, aren’t they?” he said.
She nodded.
“See? I knew he viewed you as more than a client.”
“He...he’s just trying to make me feel better. Not worry.” Why was she sounding so apologetic? She hadn’t done anything wrong.
“I’m sure he is.”
“It... The flowers don’t mean anything.” Oh, why had she said that? She was an idiot. She never knew when to be quiet. Her heart sped up as their gazes locked. Why did Matt have to look so sexy standing there? He still wore his work clothes, but he was barefoot and he’d taken off his tie and rolled up his shirtsleeves.
“We both know that’s not true, Olivia.”
Because she was so flustered, but mainly because her wildly conflicting emotions and lack of willpower where Matt was concerned frightened her, she went on the defensive. “Why are we even discussing this, Matt? It’s not important. They’re just flowers. Here. You can read the card. It’s perfectly professional.” She thrust the card into Matt’s hand.
He didn’t even look at it. Just placed it on the table behind her. Then, looking deep into her eyes, he pulled her into his arms.
She couldn’t look away. She could barely breathe.
“Why are you so mad?” he said.
She swallowed. What could she say? The truth? I don’t know what to do or say because I want you so badly. I want what isn’t possible.
For a long moment the only sounds in the room were the ticking of the clock on the wall and their own breathing.
Still holding her gaze, he said, “I want to kiss you, Olivia. If you don’t want me to, say so now.”
“I—” She stopped, unable to continue. To say no would be lying. Of course, she wanted him to kiss her. She’d been wanting that ever since she’d admitted to herself how she felt about him. The one kiss he had given her hadn’t been nearly enough. It had only whet her appetite for more. Much more. Don’t do this. It’s foolhardy.