JOANNA’S JAW DROPPED and she stopped what she was doing to stare at him. ‘Oliver—has had another stroke?’ she echoed faintly. She had always been fond of Matt’s father. ‘I—I’m so sorry. I had no idea. How is he? Not—not—’
‘Dead?’ Matt’s voice was bitter now. ‘No, he’s still living. Barely, at the moment, but that’s more his fault than anyone else’s.’
Joanna frowned. ‘Surely he wants to get better?’
‘You’d think so, wouldn’t you?’
Matt shook his head, wondering if she deserved an explanation. He wandered over to the windows that overlooked the parking lot, staring out with unseeing eyes.
Then, when the silence in the apartment had become almost palpable, he said flatly, ‘The stroke has left him partially paralysed this time. He has little feeling in the left side of his body. He can’t dress himself or drive, which means there’s no way he can live alone, as he’s been doing while I was ill. Consequently, he can’t carry on the pretence of running NovCo.’
Joanna’s own problems were briefly diverted by his words. ‘But why would he want to? I thought you would—’
‘What?’ Matt turned to face her again, hands pushing his jacket aside to slide into the pockets of his pants, pulling the fabric taut across his groin. ‘What did you think, Joanna? That I’d be taking over again, now that I’ve recovered from the bug?’
Joanna swallowed, her eyes irresistibly drawn to the bulge beneath his zip. Forcing herself to look away, she struggled to stay focussed. ‘I—I assumed you would.’
‘Well, you were wrong.’ He shook his head. ‘I’m leaving the company. Sophie’s going to take over as CEO.’
‘Sophie!’ Joanna was staggered.
Matt shrugged. ‘She was always more interested in making money than I was, but Dad never took her seriously before. Talking to you seems to have given her the incentive to do what she wants for a change. She only got married to please my mother, but now that she and Jon have split up, and Dad’s not in a position to object, she’s getting her chance.’
Joanna could hardly believe it. Occasionally, when they’d still been together, Matt had spoken of leaving NovCo and doing something else. But she’d never believed he would.
‘I’ll maintain an interest, of course, and so will my father,’ he continued. ‘It will still mainly be a family concern. But I’ve realised I want more out of life than spending my days sitting in boardrooms, and my nights socialising with people who are only interested in me because of what they think I can do for them.’
Joanna tried to make sense of what he was saying. ‘And—and this is why your father isn’t recovering as he should?’ she asked, picking up a thong with hands that weren’t quite steady.
‘Partly.’ Matt’s eyes flickered over the scrap of lace she was holding, and Joanna thrust it back into the basket in the hope that he hadn’t seen what it was. ‘I’d warned him weeks ago, when I first got back from Venezuela, that I was considering retiring from the company,’ Matt continued, as if that little embarrassment hadn’t taken place. ‘But he didn’t believe a word of it until now.’
‘I’m sure.’ Joanna was grateful for the chance to distract him. ‘Poor Oliver.’
‘Well, I can’t take all the blame.’ Matt’s lips twisted. ‘The old man wants his independence back and it’s not going to happen. But he will improve if he listens to his doctors and the physios who are trying to help him.’
Joanna shook her head. ‘He must feel so helpless.’
‘Yeah. I guess. But once he realises I’m serious about moving down to the Bahamas, and he sees that Sophie’s doing a good job, he’ll come around.’
Joanna stared at him disbelievingly. ‘What on earth are you going to do in the Bahamas? You’ll be bored stiff.’
‘Hardly.’ Matt was impatient. ‘I’m thinking I might write a novel. Goodness knows, I’ve got plenty of ideas after recent events. But for now, I’m planning on catering to weekend yachtsmen and those who enjoy deep-sea fishing. I intend to buy a couple of franchises. It’ll be a change of pace, if nothing else.’
Joanna had to admit, she was shocked. ‘So, you’re giving up running NovCo altogether,’ she said, still trying to get her head round the idea. ‘I always thought it was your life.’
‘You were my life.’ Matt’s dark gaze was compelling. ‘When you left, I started to realise how narrow my world had become.’
‘Are you saying I did you a favour?’ she asked incredulously, and Matt gave her a scornful look.
‘It was a wake-up call,’ he answered. ‘I suppose Angus did me that service at least. Hell, Joanna, I had hoped you’d have come to your senses before now.’ Matt expelled a weary breath. ‘But I guess I should have known better. You are your father’s daughter, after all.’
‘What’s that supposed to mean?’ Joanna spoke defensively, and Matt groaned.
‘Joanna, thanks to NovCo, the millions of dollars in compensation resulting from Carlyle’s botched construction have been paid. Something your father couldn’t have done, even if he’d wanted to. Do you honestly think we’d have bought your old man’s company if we’d known he was cheating on his contracts? For God’s sake, Joanna, have a bit of sense.’
‘It was the rig NovCo installed that caught fire.’
‘NovCo installed it, but they didn’t build it.’ Matt was bitter. ‘When the salvage operators got down to the wrecked platform, the spec on the burned outer casing proved it had come from your father’s workshop.’
‘Daddy said you’d changed the records to protect yourselves.’
‘As he would. But how do you change something like a bar code? That’s something I’d like to know.’
‘Well, if Daddy was still here, maybe he could tell you.’
Matt blew out a weary breath. They’d had this argument before and he knew he was wasting his time. Even if his desire for her was forcing him to try and reason with her again, he knew he’d never convince her that he was right. But he’d get over it, he assured himself. He’d control that as he’d controlled so much else in the past few months.
She was looking anxious now, and he relented. ‘Let’s forget it,’ he said. ‘What I choose to do now is no longer your concern.’
Joanna hesitated. ‘This novel you’re thinking of writing: it has nothing to do with the accident, does it?’ Joanna dragged her lower lip between her teeth. ‘I mean, I know you hate me—’
Matt expelled a tired breath. ‘I don’t hate you, Jo. I think your loyalties are misplaced, but I’d never do anything to hurt you.’
Joanna was reassured, but there was still another question she had to ask. ‘Why didn’t you tell me what you were planning to do when I saw you?’
‘When?’ Matt replied. ‘When you came to the villa and accused me of ignoring your emails? Or that night at the hotel when you hauled me into bed.’ He shook his head. ‘You had other things on your mind.’
Joanna could feel her face reddening. ‘And if I did, you were more than willing.’
‘There is that.’ Matt’s lips twisted. ‘I don’t deny I was pretty out of it myself. We definitely had something special.’ He paused. ‘If you remember, we always did.’
Joanna did remember. She felt a constriction in her throat and turned her attention back to the laundry. ‘Sex isn’t everything,’ she murmured, half hoping he wouldn’t hear her. But he had.
‘You keep telling yourself that.’ Matt was tired of trying to get through to her. He dragged a hand through his hair and allowed it to rest at the back of his neck. Then he regarded her with disillusioned eyes. ‘You know what? That’s it. I’m out of here.’
He shook his head. He should have realised that if she’d wanted to see him again, she’d have stayed in Miami. But after their night together, he’d actually hoped she might have had a change of heart.
He had to wonder how she’d react if he told her that since the takeover of Carlyle Construction, he’d been protecting her father’s reputation. He doubted she’d believe that either, but the temptation to explode the saintly myth she’d created about her father was almost irresistible.
* * *
Angus was so grateful when Matt rescued the company. He got the old man out of a hole so deep he had to wonder how he’d got there in the first place.
But that didn’t trouble him until later. Businesses did fail, he knew that, and he’d never suspected that it was her father’s addiction to gambling that was to blame. He doubted he’d have found out at all if it hadn’t been for NovCo’s accountants. Naturally Angus’s financial statements had been audited, and his dirty little secret had been exposed.
Of course, when Matt had found out Angus had begged him not to tell anyone, particularly Joanna. And had it not been for the fact that Matt himself had arranged for it to be concealed the reasons behind Carlyle Construction’s collapse would have been disclosed. Even Oliver had been doubtful of his son’s magnanimity. Matt had broken the law himself to give his father-in-law a second chance.
In the meantime Angus promised to give up his online gambling. And because there was no way Matt could enrol him in Gamblers Anonymous without everyone finding out what had happened he’d had to trust the old man to keep his word.
Matt had known how much this would upset his wife if she learned of her father’s addiction. In consequence, Matt had destroyed all the evidence of the old man’s guilt and kept it to himself.
Until he’d discovered for the first time that Angus’s word meant nothing at all.
* * *
Thinking about it now, Matt abandoned any hope of appealing to her. Let her go on believing he had lied to her. He no longer had the will to care.
‘I’ll send you my new address, should you need to get in touch with me,’ Matt said at last, feeling his headache worsening. He lifted a hand as she started to protest, and added, ‘It’s a courtesy, nothing more.’ He squared his shoulders. ‘Have a good life, Joanna. I, for one, intend to do the same. But in spite of everything, I’ll never regret those years we spent together.’
He wondered in passing what she thought her father had done with the millions he’d made out of selling his business to NovCo. Without thinking it through, he let his tongue get the better of his good sense.
‘This apartment’s okay,’ he said casually. ‘But I’d have expected you to spend some of the money Angus left you. He owned his own house, didn’t he? And he was still getting a dividend from his shares.’
‘The solicitor said—’ she started. And then broke off before saying shortly, ‘Don’t concern yourself on my account. I’m quite happy here.’
I doubt it, thought Matt tiredly. But apparently common sense had died along with everything else.
Cursing his conscience, Matt took a step towards her and for a moment Joanna was sure he was going to pull her into his arms. His lean dark face was suddenly too close to hers and she could smell the subtle tang of his deodorant, mingling with the faintly musky odour of his skin.
And right then, all she could think about was how powerful he was and how wonderful it had felt to have his arms around her again. She couldn’t help herself, she swayed towards him, but he put out a hand to keep her at bay.
‘Not again, Jo,’ he said roughly, his fingers curling around her wrist. ‘It’s too late. I’ve got no intention of being your fall guy again.’
‘You were never my fall guy.’ Joanna could feel a sense of panic gripping her at the knowledge that if he walked out of here now, she might never see him again. ‘Matt—’
But he wasn’t listening. Releasing her, he started for the door. Then obviously against his will, he turned back to cup her neck and drag her towards him. He bent his head and took her mouth almost savagely. It was a hard kiss, almost as cruel as his fingers, but her senses swam as soon as he lifted his head.
‘You can have your divorce,’ he told her harshly, despising the urge he still had to take her to bed. ‘I’ll have my lawyers contact yours as soon as I get back to the States. I just hope it keeps you warm on all those cold nights to come.’