Page 193 of Modern Romance Collection December 2024 Books 1-4

‘I thought,’ he continued with searing honesty, ‘that I might have been looking back to those few days through rose-tinted specs but the minute I saw you again... You’re as sexy as I remembered.’

‘I don’t know what to say.’

‘You don’t have to say anything at the moment. You can let me do the talking.’

‘Hmm.’

‘I still want you and, if you’ve come here because you think I’m a good bet, then I get that. You wouldn’t be the first to be attracted to me because of my bank balance and you won’t be the last.’

‘That’s a very sad statement, Mateo.’

‘What are you taking about?’

‘Assuming that your bank balance plays a part in why a woman would want to go out with you.’

He spread his arms expansively. ‘I’m a realist. You know that. And I’m not too proud to admit that I still want you. The weeks haven’t changed that.’

He lowered his voice ominously. ‘Although, the rules remain the same. I’m not up for anything but fun, be that fun for days or weeks. And, while we’re having fun, the world will be your oyster. Whatever you want, you can have, no expense spared. Diamonds, pearls and sapphires, cars and clothes... You’ll find that I’m a generous guy.’

‘Diamonds, pearls and sapphires,’ Alice murmured. ‘What dazzling temptation.’

‘Am I missing something here?’ He frowned and Alice didn’t say anything. She just met his frowning gaze steadily.

‘I haven’t come here to try and reconnect with you, Mateo. Believe it or not, I’m not the type of person who finds out someone’s worth and then decides that they’re worth cultivating.’

‘I don’t understand.’

‘I’ve come here...’

‘You maybe want me to donate something to your school?’

She laughed. It was too absurd. ‘Well, St Christopher’s could certainly do with an injection of cash, but I haven’t come here to ask for funding. I came here to tell you...to tell you...’

‘I’m all ears, Alice. Take me somewhere new and challenging that explains your presence here.’

He sat forward, shot her a darkly wolfish smile, rested his arms on the desk and in a rush Alice said what she had come to say.

‘I’m pregnant, Mateo. I came here to tell you that I’m having a baby.’

A deathly silence greeted this. It stretched and stretched and she could see his expression moving rapidly from shock to incredulity to outright disbelief.

‘You can’t be! Why would you come here and tell me something like that? Absolute nonsense!’ He stood up, his body as tense as a bowstring, dark brows furrowed in arrogant disbelief, every inch of him simmering with furious denial. ‘I refuse to believe a word of what you’re saying!’

Alice stared at him in silence. She’d wondered how he would react but complete denial hadn’t been one of the options—although she’d been spot-on with the anger.

She took a deep breath to steady herself and offered him a tight, indifferent smile.

‘Okay.’

‘Okay?Okay?’

‘I came here to tell you because it was the responsible thing to do.’ She stood up and snatched her coat and backpack from where she had dumped them by the side of the chair. ‘If you don’t want to believe me, then no one’s forcing you to. I didn’t expect anything from you, anyway. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to carry on with my day.’

‘You’ll do no such thing! You can’t just waltz in here and drop a bombshell like that and then tell me you’re leaving! Alice...don’t you dare!’

Alice ignored him. She didn’t look back. She began walking briskly out of his office, leaving him rising to his feet behind his desk. She could feel the sting of tears behind her eyes, because if she were certain of one thing it was this: never in a million years had she dreamt of having a baby by a guy who not only wanted nothing to do with her, but didn’t even believe a word she said.

What was the opposite of ‘happy ever after’? Whatever it was, she was definitely now living in that world.

---