“Wait for me in the kitchen,” he repeated, his tone stern.
The redhead stomped off. Matt waited until she’d disappeared before stepping back.
“Come in,” he said.
Jesse walked into the house.
She had a brief impression of space, lots of wood and incredible views of the lake and the skyline of Seattle in the distance. Then she turned to Matt and drew in a breath.
“Sorry to drop by without any notice. I’ve been trying to call.”
“Have you?”
His gaze was as dark as she remembered, but much more unreadable. She had no idea what he was thinking. Was he upset? Annoyed? Or was she just someone he used to know, someone who was keeping him from his morning coffee?
Seeing him was unsettling-an odd combination of familiar and strange. The last time they’d been in the same room, he’d been so angry, so hurt. He’d lashed out to destroy her and he’d succeeded.
“You didn’t get my messages?” she asked, sure that he had.
“What do you want, Jesse? It’s been a long time. Why now?”
So much for idle chitchat, she thought, suddenly feeling awkward and nervous. Couldn’t they have started with something easier, like, “How are you?”
There were a thousand things she could say, a thousand excuses or explanations. None of them seemed to matter.
She opened her purse, pulled out the pictures, then handed them to him.
“Five years ago I told you I was pregnant and that you were the father. You didn’t believe me, even when I said a DNA test would prove the truth. He’s four now and he keeps asking about you. He wants to get to know you. I’m hoping enough time has passed that you want that, too.”
She wanted to keep talking, explaining, defending herself. Instead she forced herself to press her lips together and stay silent.
Matt took the photos and flipped through them. At first he didn’t register much more than a small boy. A boy who was laughing and smiling at the camera. Her words had meant nothing to him. A child? He knew she’d been pregnant. His child? Not possible. He’d refused to believe it then and he still didn’t believe it. She was back because he was successful and she wanted a piece of the pie. Nothing more.