Looking beyond the personal, and functioning as a team. A self-contained unit, relying on each other and seamlessly compensating for each other’s weaknesses. That was so easy to do with Sophie, and so very challenging with Matt. Relying too much on him seemed like stepping into a vortex, which would claw her down into the kind of relationship that she’d promised herself she’d never have with a man again.
So don’t look at him as if he’s a man. He’s a person, a fellow competitor.
As soon as the idea occurred to her, Hannah dismissed it as ridiculous. Matt was all man, and every nerve ending was urging her to be all woman in response.
‘Perhaps for a start we should tell each other our greatest weakness.’ Hannah puffed out a breath. You couldn’t just ask that of someone without being willing to go first. ‘I’ll start—’
He shook his head, laying his hand on her arm, and suddenly her greatest weakness wasn’t her tendency to plan everything down to the smallest detail. Her greatest weakness was Matt’s touch...
‘Why don’t you tell me what my greatest weakness is? When you find it. In return, I’ll tell you yours.’
That was a great deal more challenging. But this was supposed to be a challenge after all.
‘Okay. That could
work.’
‘And in the meantime, concentrate on our strengths. We’ll need those if we’re going to win.’ He gave her a gorgeous smile. ‘And we are going to win, aren’t we?’
‘Yes, we are. Do you want a high five?’ Hannah had just seen the greens do it again, and this time it seemed a little less confident than it had before.
‘Is that your thing?’ He turned his gaze on her, and she shivered as the vortex seemed to beckon her once more.
‘No, not really.’
‘Right, then. Let’s disappoint Human Resources and dispense with that.’
She liked his quiet humour. The way he looked for real answers, and didn’t just follow what everyone else did.
Then she saw it, glistening in his eyes. Despite all of his outward unconcern, Matt wanted to win too. He wanted to make them into a team that could win together. She’d been too quick to jump to conclusions about him.
‘How long do you suppose we’ll have to wait?’ There was obvious activity going on amongst the production crew, but no one seemed very interested in rounding up the contestants yet.
Matt chuckled. ‘Probably until our nerves are just hovering around fever pitch.’
He didn’t seem to be anywhere near fever pitch at the moment. If Hannah hadn’t known better it would have infuriated her, but Matt was obviously working things through in his own way. Maybe they’d just taken the first step in their team-building exercise.
* * *
Matt was used to waiting. The quiet, measured activity of the operating theatre, where lives hung in the balance and the slightest slip could make a world of difference to a patient, had taught him that being ready wasn’t a matter of straining at the leash.
The competitors had been called to a roped-off area to one side of the tent, but it didn’t look as if anything else was going to happen any time soon. Matt sat down on one of the benches that had been provided and Hannah sat next to him, fidgeting. He could almost feel the tension radiating out of her.
‘The little boy you were with last week. He’s your son?’ Maybe talking would calm her a little.
‘Yes.’ She smiled suddenly, that wide open, joyful smile that he’d seen last week. ‘His name’s Sam.’
‘How old is he?’
‘Six.’
That got the basics over. ‘Where is he today? With his father?’
Hannah’s smile slid from her face. That clearly hadn’t been the right thing to say, and Matt wondered why on earth he’d made the assumption. He should have just come out and asked if Hannah had a partner, if he’d wanted to know so much.
‘No, with my mum. She’s going to bring him along here later to hear the results announced. It’s just me and Sam. His father isn’t on the scene.’
‘I’m sorry... I didn’t mean to pry.’