Secret Heirs And A Forever Family

‘But you did go to London to see her after our father’s stroke, didn’t you? I thought maybe you and she had mended your differences or something.’

Matt shrugged. ‘Hardly that.’

‘But you took her back to the hotel when she was in Miami.’ Sophie hesitated. ‘Did you sleep with her?’

Matt took the coffee she’d poured him and swallowed a mouthful before replying, ‘What’s that got to do with you?’

Sophie stared at him incredulously. ‘You were with her when I called the hotel to tell you about our father, weren’t you? Was she the reason why you didn’t answer your phone? My God, Matt, I thought you had more sense than that.’

Not that it mattered now, but Matt had thought so, too.

CHAPTER TWELVE

JOANNA CARRIED THE cup of tea she’d just made for herself through to the front office. She didn’t drink coffee these days, and, truth to tell, she hadn’t missed it.

All the same, she didn’t mind admitting she was tired, even though it was barely four o’clock in the afternoon. Getting up at half-past seven in the morning to arrive at the gallery before nine o’clock had begun to take its toll.

Still, she consoled herself, she only had two more days to go before she left to have the baby. Well, not exactly to have the baby, she corrected herself. But she was over six months now and she’d finally given in and accepted her mother’s invitation to spend the latter weeks of her pregnancy in Padsworth.

What happened after the baby was born was another matter. All she knew for sure was that during the course of the pregnancy, she had become attached to the small life growing inside her. He had become a part of her. The fact that he was a part of Matt, too, was something she still had to deal with.

Sitting down, she ran her hand over the bump that swelled her jersey shift. She felt the kick that pushed against her palm and couldn’t prevent a smile. Evidently her son wasn’t tired, she acknowledged. Even though his energetic antics had kept her awake half the night.

Not for the first time in recent weeks, she thought about her ex-husband and what he was doing now. The fact that he knew nothing about his son’s existence had begun to play on her mind. But she would tell him, she assured herself. She was only putting it off until the baby was born.

To begin with, she’d felt justified in not calling him again. She didn’t want to embarrass him, she told herself. And she certainly didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. This woman he was with: who knew how serious that was? After the way he’d walked out of her apartment, she’d had no reason to believe he would be glad to hear from her again.

But as the weeks went by and the baby grew inside her, she knew she’d been fooling herself. Of course, he’d want to know about the baby. The trouble was, she had no idea how she could approach him now. She should have phoned again when she’d had the chance, she thought unhappily. Matt might not care about her, but she was sure he’d care about the baby.

The fact that he hadn’t challenged her petition for divorce was some justification, surely. Apparently, the fact that there might have been consequences from the night they’d slept together hadn’t occurred to him. But why would they? she’d mused ruefully. They’d been trying for a baby for so many years without any success.

No, after that confrontation in London, he appeared to have washed his hands of her. And she consoled herself with the thought that there’d be time enough to think about how she was going to handle the situation after the baby was born. The last communication she’d had from his solicitor had quoted the address on Cable Cay that Matt had given her. So, evidently, he’d left NovCo now and moved to the Bahamas, as he’d planned.

Alone?

Pushing that thought aside, Joanna studied the details of the showing that was taking place the following week on the website. Since becoming a partner in the business, she’d set up the website and acquired a list of email addresses she could use to announce forthcoming events. It had worked well and drawn a lot of new people into the gallery, people who only learned about things through social media.

The young artist being featured this coming week was a favourite of hers, and she hoped the exhibition went well. Unfortunately—or fortunately, whichever way you looked at it—Joanna would not be around to see it. She was leaving for Cornwall on Saturday, much against David’s better judgement, she had to admit.

He believed she’d be better off staying in London. He’d be on hand if she needed him, and she could always continue updating the website from home. These days, he deferred more and more to her judgement, and there was no doubt that she would miss the excitement of not knowing what each day was going to bring.

Despite learning how expensive a childminder was going to be, she’d still been able to invest in the gallery, which she hoped would provide security for the future. Initially, she’d believed she could only afford one or the other. But because when she and Matt had divorced, she’d been contacted by Matt’s solicitor with a view to selling her shares in NovCo, she’d decided she owed it to her father to accept the interest they’d made.

As she sipped her tea, she heard the outer door open and guessed her partner was back from lunch. David had been schmoozing with a wealthy collector, who he hoped would agree to attend the following week’s showing.

She heard footsteps in the gallery, but David didn’t immediately come through to the office. Either he was making adjustments to the display or it wasn’t David at all. Which meant she should show her face. It wouldn’t do to allow a would-be customer to feel neglected.

Setting down her tea, she rose to her feet, briefly checking her reflection in the glass of a picture hung above David’s desk. She wore her hair in a single braid these days and, apart from a few errant strands curling about her ears, it hung smoothly over one shoulder.

But it was almost the end of the day and any make-up she’d started out with was virtually non-existent. Not that a touch of mascara and a smear of cinnamon lip gloss achieved much. All the same, with her prominent bump, she bore little resemblance to the glamorous receptionists she’d seen in other galleries around town.

Stepping out into the gallery proper, she glanced quickly about her. Had she been mistaken? There didn’t appear to be anybody about. But the gallery was quite big, and the stone bases supporting the current display of bronzes blocked her view.

‘Hello,’ she called, hoping someone would answer. ‘Can I help you?’

‘I hope so.’

The voice was sardonic but, in spite of the passage of time, so recognisable that Joanna’s breath caught helplessly in the back of her throat.

Matt, she saw with some dismay, stepped out from behind the wooden frame that stood at the front of the gallery, announcing the current artist’s identity. In narrow-fitting jeans and a thigh-length leather jacket, the collar tipped up against the rain, he looked heartbreakingly familiar, and she found it hard to tear her eyes away.

Licking her dry lips, she said, ‘Matt.’ She took a breath. ‘What are you doing here?’

‘Do you need to ask?’

Looking at Joanna now, Matt was glad he’d had the sense to check out the gallery before actually speaking to her.

Despite what Sophie had said, he hadn’t intended to make this trip, but something—some suspicion, perhaps, that Sophie hadn’t been entirely honest with him—had compelled him to find out for himself. He’d arrived in London late the previous day—much against his better judgement, it was true—and as soon as he’d checked into his hotel, he’d had his chauffeur bring him here.

It was January and it had been fairly dark when he’d arrived at the gallery and, as it happened, Joanna had just been leaving for the day. She’d been alone, a long wraparound coat attempting to conceal her appearance, but Matt had known at once what it was Sophie had been trying so hard not to say.

Joanna was pregnant. And fairly well advanced if he didn’t miss his guess. But how well advanced and whose baby was it? He had a right to be suspicious, when not only had she not told him, but she knew as well as he did how singularly unsuccessful in their efforts to get pregnant they had been.

He hadn’t attempted to speak to her then. He couldn’t.

He’d had Jack drive him back to his hotel and had spent the rest of the evening getting mindlessly drunk, trying to erase the image of his wife in bed with another man.

This morning, he’d phoned Sophie, uncaring that it had been the middle of the night in New York, and expunged a little of his frustration on her. ‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me?’ He’d practically yelled the words. ‘I’d at least have been warned what to expect.’

He’d felt guilty later, and he’d phoned again and apologised for blaming her. But, God Almighty, what had he done to deserve this? he wondered. And why the hell hadn’t Joanna told him herself?

Though why should she, he argued, if it wasn’t his baby? He might be beating himself up unnecessarily over an event that had nothing to do with him. On top of which, he had the mother of all headaches, a combination of a hangover and the bitter recriminations that had kept him awake half the night.

Now he moved forward. ‘Well, let me see,’ he said, answering her question, and there wasn’t an atom of warmth in his voice. ‘I thought you might have something you wanted to tell me.’ His eyes swept insolently down her body, lingering with undisguised contempt on the bump that swelled her dress. ‘Ah, I see you do.’

The more charitable thoughts Joanna had been having about her ex-husband vanished with his words. His arrogance infuriated her.

‘Why should you presume I have anything to tell you?’ she demanded, forgetting all about the feelings of guilt she had been nurturing earlier. Her hand slid protectively over her belly. ‘I don’t believe I’ve made any claim against you.’

Matt’s eyes turned hostile. Suddenly, despite what he’d been thinking, he knew the baby was his. Joanna had never been much good at lying, and he could see the apprehension in her eyes.

‘Just when were you planning on telling me?’ he demanded, ignoring the unexpected thrill of anticipation. ‘I hate to remind you, but I do have some rights where this baby is concerned.’

Somehow Joanna found the words to defend herself. Which wasn’t easy when Matt was gazing at her with contempt in his eyes. His jaw had hardened and, in spite of everything, she couldn’t look away from him. He looked so good, she thought resentfully. His skin was deeply tanned, evidence of his change of occupation, and he’d had his hair cut shorter, exposing the strong column of his neck. Evidently, he’d been enjoying life; apparently unaware that once again he had radically changed hers.

‘I believe you’ll find that in the UK, the mother has parental rights over the father,’ she said stiffly, not realising she was virtually admitting the baby was his.

Matt’s hands curled into fists in the pockets of his jacket. She was so bloody smug, he thought angrily. Talking to him about rights when she hadn’t even had the decency to tell him she was pregnant. Because if he’d had any lingering doubts about its parentage, she’d just removed them.

Sucking in a breath, he shrugged. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘I’ll just wait until the child is born and I can prove that I’m the father. I believe there are Parental Responsibility Orders issued by your courts that might—’

Joanna held up a hand. ‘All right, all right,’ she broke in unsteadily. ‘It’s your baby. I’m not denying it.’

‘So why wasn’t I told?’ Matt asked.

‘I—’ Joanna hesitated, not wanting to continue but knowing she had to. ‘I tried. I rang your New York apartment early one morning, as soon as I knew for certain that I was pregnant. Some—some woman answered.’

‘What woman?’ Matt scowled. ‘Did you get her name?’

‘No, I didn’t get her name.’ Joanna gasped. ‘My God, have there been so many women staying in your apartment that you don’t even know who it was?’

‘Of course not.’ Matt expelled a weary breath. ‘It was probably Andy Reichert’s wife. He and his family are living in the apartment at present.’ He hesitated. ‘Or it could have been his daughter, I suppose.’

Joanna felt her face burning with unwelcome colour. ‘Well—well, I didn’t know that, did I? Anyway, whoever it was, she said you weren’t there. That I should ring back later.’

‘Did you give her your name?’

‘No.’ Joanna sighed.

‘Did you ring back later?’

‘No.’ Joanna bit her lip. ‘I was—upset. I really thought that—’

‘Yes, I can guess what you thought.’ Matt was finding it difficult to keep his temper. ‘How do you think I felt when my own sister had to give me some clue as to what was going on?’

‘Sophie?’ Joanna frowned. ‘So how did she find out?’

‘She saw you. She was working in London and thought she’d look you up.’

‘But she didn’t.’

‘Oh, she did, but you didn’t see her. Sophie has some discretion.’ He shook his head incredulously. ‘For God’s sake, Joanna, what could she have said to you?’

‘I don’t know.’ Joanna was on edge. ‘Maybe I’d have welcomed her advice.’

‘Her advice!’

Matt tamped down his anger with an effort. She knew better than anyone that they’d tried for years to have a baby. And now, when it had happened, she’d kept the news to herself, because she’d apparently believed he was having an affair.

If she hadn’t killed any feelings he might have had for her months ago, she’d certainly done a good job now. Yet he couldn’t deny her condition suited her. There was a quality about her, that famous pregnancy glow, he supposed, that surrounded her. She was wearing her hair longer, too, and the braid she wore curled sensuously about her breast.

He wondered if she was seeing anyone. Just because she was pregnant didn’t mean there wasn’t a man hanging around. Some men were attracted to pregnant women. And despite his own feelings towards her, he didn’t like the thought of another man in her bed.

Which was stupid, he chided himself. It wasn’t as if he’d been entirely celibate since their divorce. Okay, there’d only been that one occasion when he’d submitted to taking another woman to bed. But the fact was, although she’d been more than willing, he’d left without consummating the affair.

‘So what now?’ Matt asked tersely. ‘I’m assuming from your words that you’ve had some thoughts about the future.’

Joanna hesitated. ‘I’m keeping the baby, if that’s what you’re asking.’

‘It wasn’t. I would have thought that was a given.’ Matt frowned. ‘So, surely you aren’t planning on working until the baby is born. Dammit, Joanna, use some of the money I’ve deposited to your account in the past and give yourself a break.’

Joanna swallowed. Should she tell him she was going to stay with her mother and Lionel? And if she did, would he insist on speaking to them, too? The alternative was letting him think she was going to go on working, and who knew if he’d turn up again when she wasn’t here?

‘Well, I—’ she was beginning, when the outer door opened again and David breezed into the gallery.

He was obviously in a good mood; his face was flushed and she guessed he’d been successful in securing support for the exhibition. Not to mention a few gin and tonics over lunch, which accounted for his florid appearance.

His good humour vanished when he saw Matt, however.

‘Joanna?’ he said, the uncertainty evident in his tone. ‘I didn’t know you were expecting a visitor.’

‘I surprised her.’ Matt’s words overrode any attempt she might have made to explain. ‘As I was in England, I thought I’d check up on Joanna’s condition. It’s not every day your ex-wife finds she’s pregnant with your child after the divorce.’

David gave her a horrified look. ‘It’s his baby!’ he exclaimed, and Joanna wanted to groan in frustration. She’d deliberately not told David who the father was, letting him think it was someone she’d met after she’d returned from Miami.

Matt, meanwhile, was smiling smugly. ‘Of course it’s my baby,’ he said. ‘Why else do you think I’m here?’

Joanna schooled her features. Why was she surprised? All he was really interested in was claiming his child.

How naïve she’d been in thinking he might care about her.

‘So how long has he been here?’ David interrupted her unhappy train of thought with a question of his own. ‘He’s not going down to Cornwall with you, is he?’

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

SO MUCH FOR keeping her plans to herself, thought Joanna resignedly. For heaven’s sake, why couldn’t David have kept his mouth shut?

‘Of course not,’ she said now. ‘I had no idea Matt was in the country until he turned up. Why on earth would you think I’d ask him to do such a thing?’

‘Oh, I don’t know.’ David regarded the other man coldly. ‘As he’s the baby’s father, he probably thinks he has some rights.’

‘I do have some rights.’ Matt regarded him with equal contempt. ‘And now would you mind giving us a little privacy?’

David was belligerent. ‘If Joanna had wanted to see you, she’d have told me.’

‘Would she?’ Matt looked enquiringly at Joanna. ‘She apparently kept the baby’s father’s identity a secret.’

‘Probably because she was ashamed of getting involved with you again,’ retorted David angrily. He turned to Joanna. ‘Would you like me to throw him out?’

‘You’re singularly lacking in imagination if you think you could do such a thing,’ drawled Matt drily. ‘Give it up, Bellamy. This is one occasion when your doubtful talents are not needed.’

‘You can’t speak to me like that.’

‘I think I just did.’

‘Oh, please,’ Joanna said, addressing her remarks to no one in particular. It concerned her that David’s face was much redder now and she was afraid his blood pressure was rising. ‘Can we just calm down?’

Thankfully, her ex-husband chose not to pursue the subject and instead turned to Joanna. ‘Am I to understand that you’re planning to spend the remaining months of your pregnancy in Padsworth?’ he enquired coolly, and Joanna put both hands on the small of her back in an effort to relieve the ache in her spine.

She looked tired, thought Matt, realising that she probably spent a considerable part of the day on her feet. But he was fairly sure she wouldn’t welcome any sympathy.

‘Possibly,’ she said, not wanting to admit it, and David chose that moment to intervene again.

‘You have no part in this, Novak. Why don’t you take the hint and get lost?’

Matt ignored him, and Joanna was grateful. Her ex-husband could be dangerous when crossed, and she wished David would just keep his opinions to himself. It was hard enough dealing with Matt, knowing how he felt about her, without having to cope with the other man’s well-meant interference as well.

Matt had evidently come to the same conclusion. ‘I think we need to talk. Privately,’ he said, echoing her sentiments.

‘We can go to my hotel, if you like, or there’s a coffee bar a couple of blocks down the street that looks okay.’

‘All right,’ she said, avoiding David’s outraged expression. ‘I’ll get my coat.’

‘You don’t have to go with him,’ Bellamy began, following her into the office, and she shook her head.

‘It’s better this way,’ she said, slipping her arms into the sleeves of her heather-coloured tweed duster. ‘And actually, I was thinking of leaving early today. It’s such a horrible afternoon, I doubt anyone else is going to turn up.’

David looked sulky. ‘I wanted to tell you about my lunch with Theo Konstantinos,’ he protested, but Joanna could only shake her head.

‘I’ll hear all about it in the morning,’ she promised, wrapping her coat about her. ‘See you tomorrow.’

A sleek black chauffeur-driven limousine was idling at the kerb outside, clearly in breach of the No Parking zone that operated outside the gallery.

But Joanna had no desire to get into a car with Matt.

‘It’s just a few yards to the café,’ she said, starting along the pavement. ‘If that’s your driver, I’d advise him to move on. The police are pretty vigilant around here.’

Matt scowled. She was probably right, of course, but it was a bloody awful afternoon. He was used to sunshine, to temperatures in the eighties. Even walking maybe a quarter mile in this downpour seemed crazy.

But abandoning any alterative, he stopped at the car and told his driver he’d call him when he wanted picking up. Then he strode after Joanna, amazed that she was still wearing high heels despite her condition.

The coffee shop was crowded. Joanna guessed that a lot of its customers had come inside to shelter from the rain. In consequence, the only seats available were at the counter, tall stools that she had great difficulty in climbing onto at present.

Matt regarded her doubtfully. ‘Do you need a hand?’ he asked, and she gave him an old-fashioned look.

‘I’m pregnant, Matt. Not senile. It’s better than standing, believe me.’

He did believe her. He wouldn’t have been able to stand in those heels. Sliding onto the stool beside her, he steadied himself with his hand on the counter, and his arm inadvertently brushed against her bump. Through the folds of her coat, her belly felt firmer than he’d imagined; solid. Somehow, he’d expected it to be soft and pliable, but it wasn’t.

He realised he wanted to touch her again, to possibly feel a kick from the little person growing inside her. Dear God, it was his child. That reality put everything else into raw perspective.

Matt ordered a coffee for himself, but Joanna said she would just have a diet soda. ‘Do you want a muffin with that?’ he asked, and she gave a reluctant smile.

‘Don’t you think I look fat enough?’ she countered humorously. ‘No, the soda is fine for me. But if you’re hungry—’

‘I’m not.’ Matt wondered if he’d ever feel hungry again.

‘And you’re not fat,’ he assured her. ‘Just—pregnant, that’s all.’

And how incredible was that? Dear God, it was going to take time to get used to the idea.

Meanwhile, Joanna was wondering if he was as nervous as she was. But, no. Matt Novak didn’t do ‘nervous’. Not in her experience anyway. But his lean face did look a little paler than it had done when he’d first walked into the gallery, and she guessed he hadn’t really believed that she was pregnant until then.

Deciding to take the initiative, she said, ‘So what did Sophie say to bring you to London?’

Matt arched a rueful brow as the waiter brought their drinks. ‘Oh, she asked me if I knew if you were getting married again.’

‘Married?’ Joanna looked puzzled and Matt was relieved.

‘I guess it was the only way she knew to get my interest,’ he said drily. ‘She couldn’t be sure I’d do anything about it, but she took that chance.’

Joanna nodded. ‘Knowing what a control freak you are, I suppose she knew you’d resent me doing anything without your knowledge,’ she remarked, pulling her soda towards her.

‘I’ll ignore that and just say, I was concerned about you,’ he retorted. ‘And I have to admit, the thought that you might be marrying Bellamy wasn’t a good one.’

Joanna sighed. If only he knew. Changing the subject a little, she said, ‘Did Sophie know we’d slept together?’

‘Not initially, no.’

‘But you told her?’

‘She asked,’ said Matt flatly, sprinkling sugar into his coffee.

‘But she didn’t tell you I was pregnant?’

‘No. As I say, Sophie is discreet. Or she can be in certain circumstances.’

‘So your mother doesn’t know you’ve come to England?’

‘Need you ask?’ Matt took a mouthful of his coffee, wiping his lip with the back of his hand. ‘What with my father demanding so much attention, she hasn’t had the time to check up on me.’