Kevin frowned but remained silent.
The boy’s face appeared again, covered in tears. “I’m sorry I bothered you at work, Matt.”
Matt swallowed the lump in his throat. “I want you to call me. Even if I can’t fix it, I want to know when you are hurting.”
“I love you, Matt.”
“I love you, too. I’ll see you soon.”
He hung up and stood. “Kevin, you have to give this presentation without me.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“No. Toby needs me, and I’m going to be there for him,” Matt said as he packed his laptop in his bag.
“I found a flight, Matt,” Carly said, sounding anxious. “It lands at ten a.m., but it leaves in less than two hours with a two-hour layover in Chicago. It’s going to take you forty minutes to get to the airport.”
“Book it and e-mail me the itinerary.” Matt dug around in his desk. Come on. Come on. He was sure he’d left his passport in the office after his business trip to Toronto last fall. That would save him some time. He’d call his mother on the way to the airport and tell her he’d be gone a few days and ask her to stay with Ethan, Albert, and the dogs.
“What do you want me to put as your return date?”
“Make it one way.” He found his passport buried under a stack of Post-it notes. He pulled it out and held it up triumphantly. “I can head straight to the airport.” He looked up at Carly. “Did you book it?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m out of here,” he said as he bolted for the door.
* * *
Matt stood outside Phillip’s office, unsure if this stunt would get him arrested, but he decided it was worth the risk.
He knew he looked like shit as he marched up to the receptionist desk, but didn’t really give a fuck at the moment, other than he hoped they wouldn’t kick him out for looking like he’d slept in his clothes. “I need to speak to Phillip Robins.”
The woman at the desk seemed appalled when she saw his hair, and he lifted his hand as he saw his reflection in the mirrored letters behind her. He had a serious case of bed head or, in his case, airplane seat head. “Do you have an appointment?” she asked.
“No, but he does. Is he here?”
“I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to discuss that.”
“Then will you put a call through to him?”
“I’m afraid I can’t…”
A door opened to the back and a man in a suit walked out. Matt took advantage of the opening and bolted for the door.
“You can’t go back there!” the receptionist called after him.
Matt ignored her, realizing he didn’t have much time before security showed up. But if he found the prick and knocked some sense into him, he estimated the fucker could make it to the lunch before it was over.
He started peeking into offices and looking at name plates. He stopped when he saw Phillip’s name and nearly retched when he saw a photo of Anna and Toby on his credenza. Toby looked like he was two or three. The dickhead could have at least taken a selfie so he could have a current photo in his office. The fancy clock next to the photo read eleven thirty-five.
Dammit.
Matt needed to find Phillip. Stat. He had been counting on the asshole being here. Phillip had told Toby he had a lunch. What if he wasn’t in the office?
He continued down the hall, looking in open offices until he was in a large area full of desks. Half the desks were empty, but several women glanced up at him, some with appreciation in their eyes. Matt hated to use his looks—especially since he was looking pretty rough—but he was desperate.
“Can any of you ladies tell me where I can find Phillip Robins?” he asked, pouring on the charm.
“Oh…” one of the women said. She sat on the edge of a desk and bounced her crossed leg. She gave him a sexy grin. “You’re an American.”
“That’s right,” Matt said. “And I need to speak to Phillip Robins. Now.”
Several women piped up that they didn’t know where he was, but the first woman said, “You can find him in conference room two.” Her grin spread. “Shagging Mary Beth.”
Several of the women gasped.
Rage rushed through Matt’s veins. The fucker couldn’t go to his son’s lunch because he had planned a fucking nooner. “And can you kindly show me the direction of conference room two. Please,” he said through gritted teeth.
“I’ll do better than that,” she said as she hopped off the desk. “I’ll take you there. I’m Dory, by the way.”
“Matt.” He followed her down the hall, reminding himself that he was here for Toby, not his need to exact revenge for the hell Phillip had put them through.
Dory stopped outside a door and gave him a mischievous grin. “Can I stay and watch?”
“That’s a good idea,” Matt said. “I suspect I might need a witness.”
Her eyes danced, then she threw the door open.
Sure enough, Phillip’s bare ass greeted them as he pounded into a woman lying on the conference table.
“Phillip…” the woman under him said.
“That’s right, baby, call my name,” Phillip said.
Dory covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. She had her phone in her hand, taking a video.
Good idea.
Several more people stood behind Dory.
“Phillip,” Mary Beth called out as she squirmed to get free.
“That’s right, baby. Fight me.”
“Phillip!”
Matt stomped inside the room and shoved Phillip to the side, sending him crashing to the floor.
The naked woman shrieked when she saw the small group gathered outside the door. Her blouse was spread open and her skirt was hiked up to her waist, exposing her lady bits for everyone to see. Matt turned his back to her, blocking the crowd’s view.
Phillip scrambled to his feet, but fell over as he tried to pull his pants up from his ankles. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m your fucking escort to your son’s family lunch at his school.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Your heartbroken son called me yesterday and told me you canceled on him because you had a business lunch. Unless I missed something before I walked in, you weren’t eating anything.”
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Phillip demanded, his face turning red.
“I’m the man who loves your son so much I jumped on a goddamned plane with no suitcase—which raises all kinds of flags with immigration, I might add—and traveled twelve hours to get here on time to drag your sorry ass to that boy’s lunch. Now get to your feet and let’s go.”
Phillip scooted backward toward the corner. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I can assure you,” Matt said, stomping across the room and looming over him. “I am not leaving this office without you. You dragged that boy back to England, promising him that you would be involved in his life, and I’m going to make sure you fucking keep your promise. Now let’s go.”
“Phillip?” a man said from the doorway. “Is that true?”
“Fuck,” Phillip muttered under his breath. He tried to jerk his pants up, but his foot was caught on a pant leg, and he lost his balance and fell backward, hitting his head on the wall with a loud thud.
An older man walked into the room, looking down at Phillip in disgust. “Phillip, what is the meaning of this?”
He pointed up to Matt. “This man accosted me.”
Matt held his hands up to his shoulders. “I admit to knocking him off the half-naked woman on the table, but in my defense, when a man tells a squirming woman to fight him, it looks like predatory behavior.” He motioned toward the door. “Dory will back me up on that.”
Dory held up her phone. “That’s right. I have the whole thing on video.”
“I wasn’t raping her!” Phillip shouted. “It was consensual. We meet every Thursday to shag.”
The older man lifted his eyebrows. “You have sex o
n the conference table every Thursday?”
“Sometimes we do it on the credenza,” Mary Beth said behind him, then whispered to Matt, “or sometimes in Mr. Blankenship’s chair.”
From the look of disgust and nausea on the elderly man’s face, not only had he heard her, but he was Mr. Blankenship.
“Pack your things and leave, Mr. Robins,” Mr. Blankenship said. “You no longer work here.”
“What?” Phillip called out in dismay. “It’s not how it looks.”
“I’m sure it’s exactly how it looks,” Mr. Blankenship said in a stern voice.
“Since you no longer work at the office that you lied to, saying you were a devoted husband and father,” Matt said, “then I suppose you no longer have a reason to use your six-year-old son as leverage to keep your ex-wife separated from her husband.”
“You’re divorced?” Mr. Blankenship asked.
“You really need to do a better job of screening your employees,” Matt grunted, then turned back to Phillip. “And since you no longer work here, then that means you’re free to go eat lunch with your son,” Matt said, then leaned over and pulled Phillip to his feet. His pants fell back to his ankles.
Matt scanned the doorway and found Dory, handing her his business card. “Can you send me a copy of that video?”
“Sure,” she said with a sly grin. “After this, I’ll even be the mother of your children.”
“Thanks, but I’ve already got that covered.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Anna sat next to Toby, watching the door, willing Phillip to walk through it. Toby hated leaving Matt and Ethan, but at least if he had a relationship with his father, their separation would serve some purpose. When she found out Phillip had canceled on Toby—again—she’d tried every threat she could think of to get him to attend the lunch, but the sad truth was that Phillip held all the chess pieces, and she and Toby were his pawns.
Toby gave her a mournful look as he picked at the food on his tray. “He’s not coming.”
She wasn’t sure whether to suggest he might show or accept his absence and destroy her son even more.
Goddamn Phillip Robins.
But her mind quickly turned to her conversation with Matt the day before. She’d tried calling him multiple times last night, and when she’d finally gotten ahold of him this morning, he’d sounded rushed and hung up saying he’d call her back soon. He still hadn’t called.
They knew this wouldn’t be easy, but maybe he was already tired of waiting for her…and the waiting had just begun. What would she do if he changed his mind about their marriage?
No, Matt loved her. He wouldn’t change his mind. The devotion on his face every time they talked only proved she had nothing to worry about, and dodging her calls was so unlike him. But she wanted to share her good news: the couple had loved her condo and made an offer. When Matt and Ethan came in a month, they could help Anna and Toby pick out a new place. Maybe in Manchester since she’d gotten an e-mail this morning requesting an interview.
Out of reflex, she shot a glance to the door of the cafeteria, then nearly fell over.
Phillip was walking through the door…and Matt was marching behind him.
Matt? What in God’s name was Matt doing here? Neither man looked happy, but rage covered Phillip’s face while Matt’s jaw was clenched with determination.
The two men stopped to scan the room. Matt’s gaze landed on Anna and his expression softened when he saw her.
“Toby,” she said as she pointed in their direction. “Look.”
“Matt!” the boy shouted, jumping out of his seat and sprinting toward them.
Anna followed and gave a stern look to a teacher who said, “Slow down, Mr. Robins.”
There was no slowing Toby down. He bolted for Matt, throwing himself with so much force, Matt stumbled and nearly fell before he dropped to a squat.
Toby threw his arms around Matt’s neck, breaking out into a sob. “You came, I knew you’d come.”
Matt pulled back, and looked confused. “I brought your dad, Toby. Just like you wanted.”
Anna stared at the two of them in disbelief, then turned to Phillip, dying to know how the two men ended up walking in together.
Phillip looked pissed. “Let’s get this over with.”
“Not yet,” Matt said in a gruff tone. He got to his feet, picking Toby up with him. “You have a few things to say first.”
“Toby,” Phillip said with an expression that suggested he was constipated. “I’m sorry for being…” He glanced at Matt.
Matt’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m sorry for being a sorry excuse for a father.”
Anna nearly fell over, sure she was hallucinating.
“Go on,” Matt grunted.
Phillip cleared his throat. “And I’m sorry for putting my needs above your own. From now on, I will be the father you need me to be, no questions asked, which includes…” He looked like he wanted to strangle Matt, but continued. “Which includes letting you live in the States if that’s where your mother wants to live.”
“What?” Anna gasped. “What?”
“Go on,” Matt said, letting Toby slide to the floor, but holding on to his hand.
“Anna.” Phillip glanced away then back to her. “I’m sorry I wasn’t…”
“Say it,” Matt forced out through gritted teeth.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t man enough to be there for you.”
Anna’s eyes flew open. There wasn’t one ounce of sincerity in Phillip’s words, but she couldn’t deny there was still some justice in hearing him say them. It was obvious that Matt had coached Phillip in what to say, but what on earth had he held over Phillip’s head?
“You’re not done,” Matt said.
Phillip swallowed, looking like he wanted to throw up. “I’m sorry I let you down and made your life hell. I’m sorry I played…that I toyed with our son’s emotions. I’ll…” He shot a look of pure hate at Matt.
Matt never blinked.
“I’ll sign the paper letting you go to the States.” He turned to Matt. “Am I done?”
“You need to ask your son if he wants you here. If he does, you stay. If he doesn’t, you’re free to go to your attorney’s office and sign that paper. I expect to see it by five p.m. I would hate for there to be any misunderstanding here, so have I made myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Phillip spit out.
“Toby?” Matt asked as he bent over to look the boy in the eye. “Do you want your dad here?”
“Yes.”
Matt stood and nodded to Phillip. “You heard your son. Get your ass to your seat.”
Toby moved in front of Phillip. “No. Not you.” He pointed to Matt. “I want you. My real dad.”
Tears filled Matt’s eyes. “Robins, you are free to go.”
Phillip didn’t waste any time fleeing, but Anna was frozen in place.
She shook her head, unsure where to start. “How?”
“I flew,” Matt said with a twinkle in his eyes.
“Why?”
“Because Toby needed me, and I told him I would come when he needed me, no matter what.” He looked down at the boy. “Didn’t I?”
“Toby, you asked him to come?” Anna asked in horror.
“No,” Matt said, placing his hand on the boy’s head. “But I knew he needed me.”
Toby wrapped his arms around Matt’s leg and squeezed.
Matt swallowed and forced a grin. “Toby wanted his father here so I was determined to give my boy what he wanted. Mom is staying with Ethan and your dad so I could come.”
“But Phillip…”
“I thought he meant Phillip, so I went to his office to escort him here…as to the rest, let’s just say there was a lot of divine intervention in play, which I will fill you in on later when no children are around.”
Anna stared at him in disbelief. “I have never loved you more than I do right now.”
“Good,” he said with a nod then a
grin spread across his face. “Because I’ve come to take you two home.”
“Home?” she whispered.
“Home. Not your condo, although I’ll stay here to get you packed up and organized, but then I’m taking my family home.”
Epilogue
Mummy!” Toby shouted from the living room. “Grandma’s here with her boyfriend!”
The chorus of the two barking dogs confirmed they had guests.
A shudder went through Matt at the word “boyfriend,” but Anna laughed.
“Your mother’s allowed to have a man in her life, Matt.”
“She already has three men in her life,” he said as he pulled the plate of hamburger patties from the fridge. “Me and the two boys.”
Anna wrapped a hand around the back of his head and pulled him down to kiss him. “It’s not the same thing, and you know it.”
A deep frown drew down his face. “I don’t have to like it. But I know what will make me feel better.” Then he pulled his wife into his arms and gave her a deep, passionate kiss.
“Oh,” his mother teased behind him. “I see we’ve interrupted something.”
Matt lifted his head and grinned. “Just taking advantage of you keeping Toby busy so I can kiss my beautiful bride.”
“Ethan’s not here yet,” Toby said, sounding forlorn, and Anna walked over to him and wrapped an arm around his back.
“His mom will bring him soon.”
Abby had been back for a little over a month and would be leaving in another month to go on a medical mission trip before she started her second year of med school. Ethan had been staying with Abby at Matt’s mother’s house, and Toby had missed him fiercely.
Matt’s mother’s boyfriend stood behind her holding a plastic container and a box of cupcakes.
“Where’s Albert?” his mother asked.
“Anna’s dad’s already in the back with his pal Sugar. She’s currently glued to his side.”
Anna rushed over and took the box. “Thanks, Roger. These look delicious.”
He laughed. “In full disclosure, I didn’t make them.”
Matt bit back a retort since Anna was shooting him a playful warning look, but he found it difficult when his mother gave her boyfriend a kiss.
Always You Page 27