Elizabeth made up her face just perfect and she did her nails. Seriously she needed a professional manicure and though she'd never admit it a pedicure too. Her tootsies just looked ghastly right now. If she and Matt were to get married…she needed a whole body makeover.
But first she had to run something past her closest friend.
"Delilah…what am I going to do? I want to look perfect. I just know his press conference is all about us."
Her friend sat at her desk in front of her, trying to make the deadline for the next issue of the Daily Mirror. The eight page spread on C.J.'s lovechild…with its jailhouse father.
"Us?"
"You know Matlock and me. I just know he's going to announce that he's seen the error of his ways and I'm the one he loves and wants to marry…not anyone else."
Delilah sighed.
"He's a busy man indeed. I just finished an insert where billionaire heiress Serena Gambacci wanted him to sire her an heir."
"Really…I think I heard about that. She's gutter trash, hanging onto her father's coattails. At least he got blown up at last."
"You don't sound like you like him much Lizzy. Any reason why?"
The other woman hesitated.
"No reason….he just tried to blackmail me claiming that I was in love with him," Elizabeth said, "We didn't sleep together. I wouldn't touch his wine."
"Ah…yes quite the scandal. Drugging pretty women and then having sex with them on camera. He blackmailed them too."
Elizabeth shivered.
"When I think of what could have happened," she said, "And back then I didn't have Matlock to rescue me from danger."
Delilah snorted.
"Elizabeth, he's not planning to marry you. He's going to make an announcement about his new company. The one he's started with his associate."
Elizabeth rolled her eyes.
"C.J…I told you she's no threat to what Matlock and I shared together," she said, "He and I will preside over Houston Enterprises together….we will rise to the top of the business world and we will own it."
Delilah sighed.
"You can barely handle his company and keep it from sinking. What's this silent partner of yours supposed to be doing?"
Elizabeth felt irritated.
"We're doing just fine. Matt will see the error of his ways and come back to me. I just know it."
Delilah paused.
"I'm putting the paper to bed and I just finished up writing the lead story on C.J.'s illegitimate child."
Elizabeth frowned.
"You still claiming it's Robert Tyler's? If you do, I'll let you know he's denied being its father."
Delilah narrowed her eyes.
"How do you know?"
"He called me. I think he was trying to reach Matt and didn't know it was me at his corporate office. But he was emphatic that he didn't receive a conjugal visit from his ex."
"He could be lying. You know he'd get locked up in solitary if he was caught with a woman in prison."
Elizabeth sighed.
"I think he's telling the truth. He really seemed to have loved C.J. I think he still does love her. Of course with her having sent him to prison it might not work out but I think someone else is the father."
Delilah thought quickly. Damn, if Elizabeth turned out to be right. It'd blow her whole spread but who else could it be?
"I still think he's lying. It's not like she'd attract a lot of boyfriends. I mean if she were beautiful like you perhaps…"
Elizabeth furrowed her brow.
"Anyway I know he's going to be talking about me," she said, "I wonder if I should wear the violet dress or the blue one?"
Delilah just thought, I'll still run my story. After all, maybe Robert isn't telling the truth out of trying to protect his beloved.
She wasn't sure what Matt was going to discuss at the press conference but she thought she might know. She just didn't think Elizabeth was going to like it.
Matt went to answer the door and his eyes widened as he saw Serena standing there. She wore one of her slinky numbers and the usual petulant look on her face.
"Oh Matlock…"
C.J. rolled her eyes.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
Matt glanced at her. Serena looked at C.J. in that way that made her feel like the heiress viewed her as a bug.
"I'm not here to see his latest plaything. I'm here to see him."
Matt sighed.
"She asked you a question Serena, what do you want?"
She looked a trite miffed.
"Mi amore how could you do this to me?"
"Do what? Refresh my memory."
She folded her arms.
"Hold a press conference and not invite me."
Matt leaned against the door.
"You're not media Serena. That's why you weren't on the list. One of the reasons."
She put her hands on his chest looking up at him.
"Mi amore you know I'm so much more than a mere media outlet," she said, "Besides isn't that what she's here for? To take care of such little things?"
C.J. stepped forward not liking the fact that this spoiled brat of an heiress had her hands on her man's chest.
"Serena I think it's time for you to go."
The other woman shook her head.
"I'm here to see Matlock," she said, "I know he's had some time to think about what I need him to do. This child, I really need it and he can give it to me."
Matt extricated himself from Serena's hands.
"I'm not interested Serena," he said, "Don't you think it's cold to try to have a child just to collect an inheritance?"
She shrugged.
"Not really…I'll hire a nanny or two to raise it for me. It'll want for nothing with a billionaire for a mother. I don't need anything from you except…well it was good between us wasn't it?"
"It was only that one time Serena…and I had been drinking."
She shrugged again.
"Oh Matlock…you were one of the best I'd ever had. Who knows, maybe a few more times and you can be on my top five list of passionate consorts."
"No thanks Serena I think I'll pass."
She didn't look too happy about that.
"Matlock…you'll be hearing from my lawyer," she said, "Before the end of the month, I will be expecting your child."
"Serena, you do what you must do but I don't think any judge in the country's going to force me to serve as your…stud. Why don't you put out an ad on the internet?"
She scowled and pointed a talon in C.J.'s direction.
"It's her…her fault. She's to blame for your refusal to help me," she said, "She's…"
"My girlfriend and we've got a lot of work to get done before the press conference," he said, "Goodbye Serena."
"But…"
He shut the door on her face. Then looked out the side window to see her stomp off to her car. C.J. walked up to him sliding her arms around his waist.
"Wow…she's more delusional than usual," she said, "Must have been hitting daddy's wine cellar."
He kissed her on the mouth because he just couldn't get enough of doing that and then they went back to finish breakfast.
"Houston…I feel sorry for that poor child."
He forked some food.
"She won't go through with it."
"How do you know?"
He paused.
"She's too vain for one thing. She'd be too worried about what pregnancy would do to her figure. Unless she hired a surrogate."
C.J. sighed.
"Yeah it does change the way a woman looks doesn't it?"
He smiled.
"Makes them look even more beautiful I heard."
She warmed at that. After reading the half dozen or so pregnancy and childbirth manuals, she'd read about weight gain and varicose veins. She wondered if she'd even recognize herself in the mirror.
"You think so?"
"I know so…can drive a man crazy."
She suppressed a chuckle.
"Oh really Houston."
His face, all seriousness.
"I can prove it to you."
She arched her brow.
"You sure about that?"
Oh he was and by the time they hit the office, she'd be too.