She blinked and her mouth dropped open. “Oh, wow. I hadn’t thought of that. Poor thing. Not a pleasant decision to have to make.”
“No, it’s not but I’ll take any of those or none at all if it means she and I can be together. I don’t care. All I have to do is to convince her I mean what I say.” Matt paused as the coffee he’d ordered came out.
April grabbed her decaf and took a sip. “I hear you. It might be a stretch for her to accept it too. I mean, what man doesn’t want his own child?” April rubbed her belly.
“Me. My brothers’ broods can carry on the family name, doesn’t bother me. Or we can use an egg donor. That way she can carry a child if that’s what she wants to do. But if being a mother isn’t what she wants, so be it. We won’t have any.”
April frowned. “Are you sure, Matt? I know how much you like the idea of having children. I’d hate for you to rush into this without giving it proper thought. You won’t be able to change your mind later without causing a lot of hurt to the both of you.”
Bradley had said the same thing. “I’m sure. I’d rather not be a father than miss out on being with Mia. My mind is made up and I won’t change it. But if she decides she wants to go another route, I’m all for it.”
“Well. She’d be mad not to accept having a child another way if she’s keen to be a mom, wouldn’t she?”
“You really mean that? You’re not just saying it to make me happy?”
April shook her head. “No, I mean it. What woman could turn down that kind of love? You’re prepared to give up something really important to have her. I think that’s very sweet.” She went to pick up her coffee cup and dropped it back onto the table with a groan.
“What is it?” Matt grabbed her hand. April squeezed her eyes and gasped. “Is it the baby?”
A flood of liquid pooled on the cobblestones under her seat. April stared at it then smiled at Matt. “Oh my goodness. Yes. About time, too.”
Calmly, Matt pulled out his cell phone. “Let me call Liam and he can tell Drew. Then I’ll get you up to the clinic, okay?”
April bit her lip and nodded, both hands cupping her bulge.
Five minutes later, Matt pulled April’s car up to the clinic, where Liam was waiting and Drew was pacing up and down the parking lot.
April grabbed Matt’s arm when he went to help her out of the car. “Come in with me, Matt. Please.”
Drew pushed him out of the way and took his wife’s hand. “April, we should get you to the mainland. There’s still time.”
She batted at him, scowling while he fussed. “Drew, stop it. Matt, take your brother away and make him calm down.”
Drew stood indignant on the pavement. “I’m staying with my wife. This is my child too, you know.”
Liam helped April out of the car and tried to calm his friend and business partner. “Let me get her settled inside and then you can come in. You need to breathe or I’m going to insist you stay out.”
Matt pulled Drew by the arm. “Come with me. Liam will call you when April’s settled and you can go in then.”
By the time Matt and Drew had walked around the parking lot and down the street and back, Liam was calling them in. “April’s ready now.”
Drew clutched Matt’s arm. “Oh, god. I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Get a hold of yourself, brother. You’re a doctor. How many babies have you helped into this world?”
Drew cursed a string of profanities. “This is different. I’m not a clinician in this case—I’m the daddy! That’s my wife and child in there.”
“Drew, calm yourself or Liam won’t let you in.” How on earth was he going to be able to get his brother to relax enough to enjoy the birth process?
“You gotta come in with me. Please, Matt. Don’t make me go in there by myself.”
Matt chewed his lip. “But April…
“Adores you. You know that. Please, man. I’m a freaking wreck right now.”
Matt grabbed his arm. “If April is okay with it, I’d love to, but I’m telling you now, you need to calm down or Liam won’t let you in the door.”
Moments later, Matt donned a gown and helped his brother into the room they’d set up as a birthing suite. April stood beside the bed, the nurse in attendance rubbing her back. She glanced at Drew and shook her head. “Oh dear. I knew this would happen.” She groaned and pressed a hand to her belly.
Matt watched his brother’s face pale even more. “Anything I can do, April?”
“Just keep him from passing out, Matt.”
* * *
“It’s a boy. April had the baby this afternoon and I was with her.”
“Really?” Mia’s stomach took a dive and then did a double somersault. What a special moment. Just one of the special occasions she wouldn’t be able to give him. She wouldn’t take that away from him.
“Yes. Drew lost it.” Matt laughed. “I’ve never seen my big brother such a mess. He couldn’t even make coherent conversation. Talk about panic. Poor guy. He’ll never live it down.”
“It must have been amazing to see.” Sadness swamped her and she thanked her lucky stars she’d had the foresight to spare Matt the disappointment of not going through it with her.
His excitement crackled through the phone. “It was. I’m a lucky guy. Not many uncles get such an honor.” He blew out a breath. “Anyway, now I’ve shared that news, tell me how things are going, dear friend. What’re the plans and how are they going?”
He was so sweet going along with her idea of keeping in touch. She should be grateful that he wasn’t pushing for more, but the loss of Matt as more than a friend was playing on her mind. Had she made the right decision? Could she live on the island and see him and not lose her mind over not having him? She doubted it, but what choice did she have? With a disease she refused to pass onto her children and an uncle she adored living on Hope Island, she had little choice but to be there.
Ryan came out on top every single time. After what he’d done for her growing up, she’d walk over hot coals for him. Being close to him was her main focus. Besides that, she just needed to keep herself busy enough so she didn’t miss what she couldn’t have. That was the challenging part.
“I’m doing okay. It’s only been four days, Matt.”
“I know, but a lot can happen in a short amount of time.”
“True. Well, I’ve packed up a lot of the apartment. I’m going to lease it furnished so I don’t have to take so much over. Besides, none of it will fit with the décor I’ve chosen for the new place.”
“I was over there this morning to have a look. I like what you’ve got happening there.”
She sat back on her couch, the phone tucked under her ear. “Thanks. The building lends itself to a shabby chic style and Atticus told me I could do whatever I wanted with it.”
“When are you coming back, Mia?”
“Soon, I hope. I want to be there when Ryan moves into his new house so I can help him unpack. I don’t want him overdoing anything.”
“I’m sure he’d say the same thing to you. Do you want me to pencil in a room for you here?”
She held her breath. Should she stay with Matt again or would that be asking for trouble? “Sure. Why not?”
Chapter 21
Every visit Mia took to the island, the weaker her resolve got. Matt went out of his way to charm her and be nice. She couldn’t fault his manner or his intentions. He was turning out to be the best friend a girl could want—considerate, kind and funny when the moment called for it. And just close enough that she got to hold him occasionally, but not in a romantic way as she would have liked.
On her last visit, he’d taken her to April’s to meet her baby son, Oscar. It’d been a bittersweet moment seeing the baby, but Matt had been there, holding her hand and rubbing circles on her back when she thought her emotions would be too much to handle. Even when she’d held the sleeping infant, her heart had swollen with love for the little guy. Matt had been there for her in c
ase she’d had a meltdown. He’d been more in tune with her emotions than she was most of the time.
Without saying anything, he’d proven to be just what she needed to get through the emotional hit of seeing a newborn knowing she wasn’t going to have one of her own. Once the initial meet and greet was dealt with and Mia relaxed, he’d stepped back and let her have time alone with April. They were fast becoming good friends, something else that had been missing in Mia’s busy work life.
“You’re a lucky woman, April. Oscar is just the most perfect little man.”
“He is. Thank goodness I can now put my child-bearing days behind me. I’m done.”
Who wouldn’t want a repeat of the adorable bundle in her arms? “Really? You don’t want more children?”
April shook her head. “No. Drew wasn’t worried about having any to be honest—said it was my decision. He was happy with Tilly and Leo, but I wanted him to have the experience of our own child together. Ever since we first dated, I dreamed of having Drew’s baby. I’m glad we went through with it.”
Mia frowned as she tried to get her head around the way the conversation had turned. Matt stood outside on the front deck with Drew, chatting over a beer. She couldn’t imagine a man not wanting his own flesh-and-blood child. “But I’d have thought most men wanted their own children to carry on their name.”
“That’s such an old-fashioned thought. These days, most people only care if the child is healthy. The family name will go on regardless of what we do. Girls are keeping their name when they marry and some husbands are even dropping their own last name to keep their bride’s. The world is changing, Mia.”
“I guess so.”
“Think about it for a moment. We know now that the male is responsible for the baby’s sex so that whole ‘must have a male child’ thing has lost its power, in my opinion anyway. I don’t think it’s so important anymore with the rise of equal rights and women doing everything as well as men.”
Mia laughed, startling the baby. “Some might argue with you there, but I get your meaning.”
April soothed him and then spoke. “Look at you, girl. How many men have managed to achieve what you have? I mean, the management side of the company you started in your parents’ basement just sold for millions of dollars. And here you are, starting up a new venture with multiple network offers on the table. I rest my case.”
Mia blushed, feeling extraordinarily proud of her achievements. “I guess.”
“And with the blended families, the same sex couples and the advances with IVF, family dynamics have changed.”
Mia chewed on her lip, wondering how much Matt had told her.
“So tell me why, then, would having a son be such a big deal?” April lifted Oscar and rested him over her shoulder. “And who says he has to be of a certain bloodline anyway? Look how much Drew dotes on my kids. Anyone would think they were his too if they didn’t know the truth.”
If that wasn’t a clear hint, nothing was. “Is this you giving me not so subtle hint, April?”
April smiled. “Maybe. All I’m saying is don’t let that one hurdle ruin what you guys could have.”
“Matt adores children. I can’t deny him one of his own.”
“There’s more than one way to make that man a daddy. Being the clever woman you are, you can figure that out, surely?”
* * *
Drew leaned on the back of the chair and watched his wife nursing their son. “You and Mia. What’re you going to do about her?”
“Biding my time.” Matt lifted the chilled bottle to his lips and drank.
“Because?”
“Because I don’t want to bulldozer her. Mia needs to make up her own mind about what she wants in the future without me trying to push her my way. She knows how I feel.”
“And what if someone else persuades her first?”
Matt shrugged. “I guess we weren’t meant to be, then.”
Drew shook his head. “Man, you’re so hung up on her. I don’t believe you’re saying this.” He turned his back on Matt and stared at the ocean. “Tell me why.”
“I just don’t think it’s fair to talk her into something she doesn’t want. It’ll come back and bite us in the end and we’ll end up with nothing.” Matt desperately wanted Mia, but if she didn’t come around of her own accord, what was the point? He wasn’t about to railroad her into what he wanted and watch it go badly, because it would. He just knew it.
“Sounds like you’re kidding yourself then. Anything worth having is worth fighting for.”
Matt stood and stretched his arms over his head. “And some things just happen for a reason.”
Drew turned to him. “You’re still caught up on mom dying, aren’t you?” He put the empty bottle down on the table. “Because you had no control over that, you think you don’t have control over any important issue in your life. I’ve watched you, Matt. If something was too hard, you walked away preaching que sera, sera or some such crap. And that is some kind of bullshit excuse for not getting off your lazy ass.”
What a load of rubbish. Drew didn’t know what he was talking about. “No. You’ve got it wrong.”
Drew walked over and poked a finger in his brother’s chest. “Yeah, it is. Think about it for a minute. This babble about things that are meant to be is just a poor excuse for not standing up and going for it. Leaving everything to chance is a dangerous game because you rarely win. Don’t you want her? Like really want her?”
Matt knocked his brother’s hand away. “Don’t be a dick. You know I do.”
“Well, prove it then. Give her the heartfelt speech and tell it like you mean it. The one where you swear you’ll do anything to win her over. Stop being the nice guy all the damned time. Nice guys come last.”
* * *
All the way home, all Matt could think about was what Drew had said. What if someone else came along and stole Mia from under his nose? How would he feel then with her on the island and with someone else? Gutted, that was how.
Mia reached over the center console and rested her hand on his shoulder. “Someone is lost in thought. What’s on your mind, Matt?”
He kept his eyes on the road and chose his words. “Is there someone else you’d like to be with? Someone I don’t know about?”
“How long has that been playing on your mind?”
He shrugged and didn’t answer.
“Matt, there isn’t anyone else. I promise. I just have a lot to deal with right now. Plus the shop is almost ready to open and I have heaps going on right now. I can’t offer more than what we already have. It’s not going to work. Believe me.”
He turned to look at her and then focused on the road again. “You won’t let it work. There’s a difference.”
“You’re wrong, Matt. You know why I can’t be with you and you have to accept it.”
“No, I don’t. I want you, Mia, and you can convince yourself all you want that you’re doing the right thing but you’ll never convince me. When you wake up and realize we should be together, I’ll be here. Waiting.”
She sighed and turned to look out the window, her chin held high. Matt had gotten to her. Now it was up to Mia to figure out how she was going to change her way of thinking.
Matt had all the time in the world to wait for her. But would it be time wasted?
Chapter 22
Mia pulled the tape off another box of homewares and stood, rubbing her lower back. She’d spent all day yesterday unpacking and sorting through her deliveries. Two more days and she was opening the shop to the public. She’d even organized a wine and cheese evening to let everyone see what she offered.
A tap on the front door got her attention. Gigi Hope stood with her nose to the glass, wiggling her fingers in greeting. This was the woman who had stolen her uncle’s heart from the moment he’d come to Hope Island.
“Hi, Gigi. Come in.” She held the door open.
Gigi strode in, planted a casual kiss on her cheek and kept on going. She made her wa
y through the archway into the other side of the store before coming back to Mia with a smile on her face. “You have some wonderful stock here. I’m very impressed.”
“Thanks.” Mia dusted off her hands. “I was going to stop for a coffee. Care to join me?”
Gigi grinned and nodded. “Lead the way.”
They headed up the central staircase to the apartment upstairs. “Excuse the mess. I
haven’t really had much time to sort this out yet. I’ll get to it eventually.” She grabbed two mugs and the coffee pot off hot plate and poured each of them some coffee. “Downstairs is taking all my time right now. So much more to do before opening night.”
“This is a lovely space, Mia. So much light.” She moved around the small apartment, touching items that Mia had casually deposited around the room.
“Eventually I’ll use it as display area. That’s if the business takes off and I end up renting or buying a cottage.”
Gigi tilted her head and looked at her. “So you’re thinking long term?” She laughed. “I guess you must be since you’re setting up shop.”
She’d made the right decision and the more Mia got comfortable on the island, the more she knew it. “Ryan is the only family I have left. Of course I want to be where he is. So long as I don’t get in his way, that is.”
“You’re a sweet girl, Mia. Ryan is an interesting character and we get on well. He adores you and I can see why.”
“Thank you. It’s nice of you to say so.”
Gigi smiled at her, the older woman’s serene calm just what Mia needed at this stage of the journey. It was no wonder Ryan had fallen for her. “You’ll love living on the island. Such a relaxed way of life. I can’t believe how well Ryan has adjusted to it. Busy businessman turns into island local before you can blink an eye. It’s lovely to see.”
Worth Fighting For (Hope Harbor Book 4) Page 15