Worth Fighting For (Hope Harbor Book 4) Read online

  Ryan gave him a weak smile. “Ah, Atticus’s son. Nice to meet you. Your father is a good man.” His voice was thready and his skin pale, but the monitor showed a strong heart rhythm.

  Matt took his hand, gave it a shake. “We’ll be waiting to see you after surgery, Ryan. Don’t worry about a thing, okay? I’ll stay with Mia as long as she needs me.”

  “Appreciate it. Thanks.” He closed his eyes just as the orderly came in to take him.

  Matt breathed a sigh of relief and Mia clung to his arm as the orderly wheeled Ryan away. Everything was going to be alright. Maybe when her uncle recovered fully, Mia would give some thought to going back to the island. They still had so much to learn about each other. But this could also spell the end of that if she decided Ryan couldn’t continue with the company anymore. What if she wanted to stay and convince the board that she could manage without him?

  Where did that leave her and Matt?

  Chapter 12

  Once Ryan was out of surgery and they’d had a chance to see him, Matt drove them to Mia’s apartment and carried their bags up in the elevator. “Are you sure about this, Mia? I can get a hotel or just go home.”

  She held his hand. “Yes, I’m sure. You were there for me when I needed you, Matt, and I’m not letting you go home so tired you can hardly see straight. We both need some good sleep and my apartment has a spare room. We can talk more later, okay? I have lots to consider. So many things to think about and I wouldn’t mind having you for a sounding board, if that’s okay with you?”

  “Sure.”

  She led him into the apartment, showed him the guest room, and then poured them both a shot of whisky, taking their drinks out to the living room where the big windows gave an uninterrupted view of the city skyline. “A nightcap and then I’m sleeping. I don’t think I’ve ever been so tired in all my life.”

  Matt took his glass and wandered over to the window to look out over Seattle. “It’s been a stressful day, that’s for sure. I’m so glad he’s going to recover. You will do what the doctor says and get checked, yes?”

  She glanced away. “Of course.”

  “I mean it, Mia. I researched the condition the doctor told us about when you were sleeping last night. Not everyone is as lucky as Ryan was. Plenty of people never know what hit them. I’d hate for that to happen to you when we’ve just met. I’m hoping there’s more to us than a few weeks of enforced R&R.”

  “Really? You’d want to pursue that even knowing that I could be ill? And you seem to forget I have my career here.”

  Her possible illness wasn’t even an issue for him. “Yes. Even knowing that.” He sipped his drink and then put his glass down.

  Mia held her glass between her hands, watching the golden liquid rather than looking at Matt. “I don’t know if it’s possible. With Ryan out of commission, I have to take over the company again. Nobody else has the experience I have. That’s going to take some work to pick up again. Plus with what I already do, I don’t know that I can give you anything at this stage.” She tossed back her drink and put the empty glass down. “I’ll say goodnight now.” Mia stepped over and went to kiss his cheek.

  Matt moved his face and caught her full on the lips. His hand went around the back of her head and held her while he tasted the whisky on her tongue. Mia’s eyes fluttered and then closed as if she had no will of her own. Her arms snaked around his back, one moving up to the back of his neck to toy with his hair.

  He was lost in her kiss. Lost in the moment that promised so much if only they could find a way to make it work.

  * * *

  Mia pulled away, her heart pounding. What had she done that for? Telling him there wasn’t time for him in her life and then kissing him senseless. What a foolish thing to do.

  Fire burned in his eyes and she regretted leading him on but it was done now. She had more to think about than her own feelings. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”

  He wiped a finger over her swollen bottom lip. “But it did and I, for one, loved it. I knew there was something between us and that just proves it.”

  She broke away from him, hating that he was right. She wanted him more than she was prepared to admit, even to herself. But she didn’t have time for a romance, not now. Not until Ryan was well on his way to getting better and she had the business under control. What the board chose to do to replace her uncle was up to them. In the meantime, she had to step up and keep the company afloat.

  “The timing is all wrong, Matt.”

  He smiled. “What if the timing was all right?”

  She frowned, not understanding his play on words. “I have to go and sleep before I fall at your feet. We’ll talk tomorrow. Night.” She walked away, aware that his eyes followed her every step.

  Mia went into her bedroom and shut the door. How the heck was she going to keep it together? Seeing Ryan like that, so weak and helpless, tore her apart. When he came out of hospital, she was going to make him retire. There was no question about it. Mia wasn’t about to lose the only relative she had left—not even for a business she adored.

  She paced up and down the carpet a few times, arguing with herself before giving up. He’d argue; he always did. Ryan thought he knew better and maybe that was true where business was concerned but this was different. This was personal and her heart was involved. That trumped anything as far as she was concerned. The big question was, how was she going to manage things when he left?

  She stripped off her clothes, threw them into the basket in the bathroom before standing under a scalding shower. Once she was dry, dressed in an old T-shirt and panties and in between the sheets, she closed her eyes and willed sleep to take her but her mind wasn’t ready to give up. Scenarios where he refused and came back to work plagued her. Even as she drifted off to sleep, the what ifs kicked in.

  The following morning she opened her eyes, stared at the face on the pillow next to her and froze. When had he gotten into her bed? She tried to think but her mind was mush after yesterday followed by the worst sleep she’d had in ages. Oh how she missed the sound of the ocean already.

  His lips curved into a smile. “You were having nightmares.”

  “I was?” Stupid question. She knew it before the words were out of her mouth. She’d dreamed of Ryan sitting in the boardroom as a skeleton, yelling at her for wanting it all, even to the detriment of his health. She shuddered before smiling at Matt. What a sweet guy—but she already knew that.

  He opened his eyes and grinned at her. “You were. I couldn’t settle you so I lay down and held you and you calmed down. Figured if either of us was going to get any sleep, I should just stay right here.” He lifted a hand and brushed her hair from her eyes.

  “I’m glad you did.”

  Mia licked her lips and stared into his eyes, losing herself in the deep pools of warmth. “Matt …”

  “Yeah?”

  She inched closer, pressing her lips against his. Matt’s hand slid around her waist, sliding down to cup her hip. Mia slid a leg over his and moaned as she devoured his mouth. All the pent up emotions of the last few days erupted into a lust-filled burst of energy she had little control over.

  “Are you sure?” Matt’s words came out raspy as his fingers dug into her scalp.

  “Yes.” She ran a hand up his back, the tension in his muscles rippling under her fingers. She needed him more than she’d thought possible and refused to overthink it in case she talked herself out of it. Mia pushed his pants down and cupped his butt cheeks. “Oh, yes.”

  Afterwards, they lay there, their bodies tangled in the sheets.

  Matt grinned at her and stroked a finger down her cheek. “Go call the hospital and make sure he’s okay. I know it’s killing you not knowing.”

  How did he understand her so well already? Mia slid out of bed and did as he suggested.

  When she hung up her phone, she found Matt standing at the living room window in his pajama pants looking out at the view. “This is so chaotic.
I don’t know how you stand it.”

  She put the phone down and walked over to him, sliding her arms around his waist. She put a kiss on his bare back as she inhaled the scent of him. He calmed her more than she wanted to admit. “I like it. Or at least I did.”

  He turned around and held her against his bare chest. “And now?”

  Mia looked up into his gorgeous brown eyes, wishing she could lose herself in the depth of emotion she saw there. “Well, I have to admit I missed hearing the ocean when I opened my eyes this morning.”

  “About that. How do you like the idea of Ryan coming to stay with me for a few weeks to recuperate? He’s friends with Dad, so it’s not like he’ll be lonely. You can come and visit whenever you like. Maybe even work from there a few days a week. What do you say?”

  Tempting. Oh so tempting. “I’d say you’ve been thinking way too hard about this.”

  Matt squeezed her. “Not really. I like to be ahead of the game and I think it could work for everyone.”

  She sighed. “For Ryan, yes. But I don’t think it will work for the business if I’m not onboard. It’s not really the kind of company I can run away from the city. But I could come over on weekends and see him. Make sure he’s behaving himself.” She tried not to let the disappointment in his eyes affect her decision. They’d just made love, and she was already stepping back. At least, that was how he would see it.

  But the company came first. Too many people relied on her.

  Chapter 13

  Matt settled Ryan in the room that Mia had occupied when she was there. He’d offered him a room downstairs but Ryan had insisted he was well enough to use the stairs and it would be good exercise for him.

  “This is such a pretty place, Matt. No wonder Mia was happy on the island.” There was color in Ryan’s face and a spark of life that hadn’t been there the last time Matt had seen him.

  “Thanks. I like it. Not sure it’s the place for Mia though. She seems focused on the business and that’s not possible from Hope Island, according to her.” It was hard to keep the bitterness out of his voice.

  “Give her a chance, Matt. She has her heart in the right place—excuse my pun. Mia has always been super focused and more so since her folks passed away. She has many other great qualities too once you get to know her.”

  “That’s the problem. She doesn’t seem to want anyone to know her the way I’d like to. It’s all business with her, and I’m afraid if she doesn’t get herself checked out, she’s going to end up the same as you did—in the emergency room. I can’t bear the thought of that.”

  “Didn’t she say she’d get checked out?”

  “She did, but for some reason, I’m half expecting her to forget once she gets sucked into work.” If she could ignore the way they’d explored each other’s bodies, she could ignore her own health.

  “She does tend to do that, but I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen. Trust me.”

  Matt shrugged. “I care about her, Ryan. I don’t want to see her sick or worse.”

  Ryan stood looking out the bay window a moment before answering. “There’re changes happening in the company of which I’m fairly certain Mia will approve. I’m sure she’ll tell you about it once it’s all agreed upon. What I can say though is that I hope you’ll be seeing more of her once things are dealt with. Funny how it takes a near-death experience to make you see what’s important in your life.”

  “I agree. But when you get given a second chance, be a shame not to make the most of it.”

  “Exactly. With your father’s help and the rest of the board members, I think we can get this sorted out fairly quickly.”

  “Dad’s a board member? I thought he was a shareholder.”

  “He is. He’s a member of the board and holds a large amount of shares too.”

  It all made sense. The reason his dad had mentioned the idea of franchising. Matt had thought his dad had taken on a personal interest in the company that went over and above the investment he’d made. Matt had no idea of where most of his investments were.

  “Does Mia know that Dad’s on the board?”

  Ryan shook his head. “No. She doesn’t really get involved with that side of the business. That’s my gig. Besides, he’s always given me proxy to vote on his behalf. Prefers to stay out of the limelight and I understand that. Not everyone who invests in a company wants to be public about their involvement.”

  “Are you going to tell her?”

  “Eventually when we have the details at hand. When Mia decided to go public, she left the running of the company in my hands knowing that one day, the board might decide to dispose of the assets. She trusts me to do what’s best for everyone involved, including her and that’s what I intend to do. I’m going to take a few weeks off and then make contact with the other members and call a meeting. In the meantime, your father and I will hash out what we think is a good proposal, put it to the board, and see where it goes from there. Once we get a clearer picture, Mia will be brought in.”

  “I see.” Matt rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. This was getting too personal for him. He didn’t want to know unless Mia chose to tell him. “Well, I’ll go along my merry way and keep out of it if you don’t mind. Now, is there anything I can get you? How about a coffee on the front porch? It’s a nice spot to sit and do nothing.”

  * * *

  Mia rubbed her eyes. She was so over the management side of this business already. It’d been fun when she first started the company but now after years of leaving it someone else and concentrating on other aspects of the business, it was the last thing she wanted to be doing. How on earth had Ryan put up with it for so long? She closed down her computer and glanced at her nightstand. He’d only been gone a few days and she was struggling to deal with the workload.

  Mia checked the time. It was after eleven—too late to call her uncle. With any luck, he’d be asleep with the crashing of the waves soothing his dreams. She picked up her cell phone and sent a message to Matt.

  Mia: Hi, stranger. How’s Ryan? Let me know when you can. xoxo

  Her cell pinged almost immediately.

  Matt: Doing great. Drew came and saw him today and is very happy with progress. Dad came and took him walking down to the wharf and back.

  She smiled. She knew she could rely on Matt and his family to look after her uncle.

  Mia: Thank goodness. I’ve been worried about him.

  Matt: Don’t be. He’s doing great. How are you going?

  Mia: Getting there. I can’t believe how much work there is to do. This company has grown since Ryan took over management. I didn’t realize how much he does.

  Matt: Maybe it’s time to let it go.

  He just didn’t get it. This was her baby. Could he let go of his house that easy? She doubted it.

  Mia: It’ll all get sorted out.

  Matt: When are you coming over?

  Mia: Friday night if I can swing it.

  Matt: Please do. I miss you.

  Mia paused. She missed him too and that knowledge sat heavy on her heart.

  Mia: I miss you too. Goodnight.

  She turned her phone off and put it on her nightstand before turning out the light. She snuggled down in her bed but sleep eluded her. She’d worked so hard to get this business up and running and it had paid off. Could she do what Matt suggested and walk away? How could she? It didn’t make sense personally. Not to her. It’d been part of her life for so long, it would be like cutting off her arm. But the thought of being with Matt played in the back of her mind.

  Mia thumped her pillow and rolled over. Matt was such a nice guy. The only one she’d slept with in ages. The only one who didn’t care that she was famous among renovators and decorators. Or that she was wealthy. He was a fan of her work but still treated her normally, not like she was a celebrity like some people did. Money had never been mentioned. He didn’t need anything from her. His whole life was wrapped up on the island with his family and business around him.

>   A small seed of jealousy grew in her mind. What she’d give to have brothers and sisters to tease her the way his teased him. Her parents had given her a good life but things had turned out badly due to no fault of their own.

  Mia had the chance to make sure that didn’t happen to her. As she drifted off to sleep, she reminded herself to make that doctor’s appointment so she could set Ryan’s mind at ease about her health. Plus she’d love to be with Matt. They’d proven they had a connection already. The sex was great, and the man was incredible in every way. Sure, the relationship was new and it might work out. What if it didn’t and she gave up the business to be with him? To let go of everything she’d built would be like saying goodbye to a piece of herself with no guarantees. She didn’t know if she had it in her to take that step, even for Matt.

  Chapter 14

  On Friday night, Mia drove off the ferry and up to Matt’s place with a smile on her face. She’d been looking forward to this visit all week. Not only to see how Ryan was doing but also to touch Matt again. She’d missed him more than she wanted to admit. Nightly phone calls and text messages didn’t quite cut it.

  She pulled into the parking lot by the rear garden and before she could get out of the car, Matt was there. He opened her door, helped her out and held his arms wide.

  “Hey, gorgeous girl. Missed you.”

  Mia smiled, unable to help herself. “Missed you more.” How was that even possible after she’d told him that a relationship wasn’t in the cards right now? She lifted her lips for a kiss and let her body relax into his. This was worth waiting for. When he broke away, she felt the disconnection immediately, as though someone had cut the ties between them.

  “Ryan’s in front of the fire with a small glass of sherry. He can’t wait to see you.”