He held her furious golden gaze.
He’d direct all her wrath his way and spare Connor. Worry had already creased the older man’s brow.
‘Does sorry pass muster? Your phone is by your bed, you could have texted and I would have carried you down to save you walking.’
She hobbled into the kitchen, wearing white shorts, a fitted grey tee and the black hospital boot, and leaned her hip against the kitchen table to take the weight off her foot. The hard stare that she pinned the two of them with said an apology definitely didn’t pass muster and how she got downstairs was the least of her issues.
‘Stop the games, Tait,’ she said, voice terse. ‘I know why you’re really here.’
‘Do you now?’
‘Yes.’ She looked at Connor. ‘Dad, what have you got to say about a financial consultant conveniently coming to stay?’
‘I’m sorry, Possum. It’s me you should be mad at, not Tait.’
Her eyes flicked toward him. ‘It’s a little too late for that.’
‘I asked Tait to come and asked him not to tell you why he was here,’ Connor explained as he rolled toward his daughter. ‘It seemed like a good idea to have someone else do a farm business plan.’ He took Paige’s hands in his. ‘It would be one less thing you’d have to worry about, that’s all.’
‘So that’s why all the paperwork was missing?’
Connor nodded.
Her gaze pinned Tait’s. ‘And that’s why your PA couldn’t possibly have found out about us from the net.’ He nodded. ‘And why I felt like I was on a quiz show with all your questions about where I saw Banora Downs heading. And why for a city boy you know far too much about olives, alpacas and farm dogs called Jim Beam.’ Tait repressed a wince. Paige hadn’t missed a trick. He was going to have to double his efforts to be careful around her. His business reason for being in the outback might be out in the open but his other more personal reason had to stay dead and buried. He nodded again. ‘Exactly.’
The anger dimmed in Paige’s eyes as she pulled her hands out of Connor’s and slumped on the nearby wooden chair. Connor examined her face before moving towards the toaster and putting some bread in for her.
She looked across at Tait, the fury in her eyes now dull embers. ‘So how much does an AgriViz financial plan cost?’
‘It doesn’t.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I’m doing the plan pro bono in exchange for a testimonial from Connor. My marketing department will never forgive me if I don’t make sure Banora Downs’ name appears on AgriViz’s promotional material.’
But Tait’s answer didn’t ease the tension whitening her lips. ‘The money you paid,’ she breathed, ‘we can’t accept it. You can’t pay to stay and then do the plan for free.’
‘Yes I can. I’m not normally out in the field, but the agronomist or financial planner who is, rarely stays on farm. They usually stay in a hotel in the closest town. So my paying you to stay here is no different from paying for town accommodation.’
‘But you paid triple,’ she said.
‘So what? I’d pay quadruple. You and your father have looked after me very well.’
The angle of her chin told him his words hadn’t been heeded.
‘I have to pay you back.’
‘No you don’t.
‘Yes I do.’ She stopped and colour flared in her cheeks. ‘The money you’ve paid has already been spent but once the drought breaks and we’ve a cash flow established again, I’ll send you a cheque.’
Tait took a sip of coffee, knowing arguing would be futile. ‘Fair enough.’
Paige could send him as many cheques as she liked, he wouldn’t be cashing them.
‘Actually you’d better leave me your bank account details, as then I can transfer the funds electronically and know you would have received them.’
‘No worries. Remind me to give you my bank details when I go. I’m sure I’ll forget.’
Her eyes narrowed. ‘You might, but I won’t.’
‘Here, Possum,’ Connor said as he placed some Vegemite toast before her, ‘have something to eat. You must be hungry.’
‘Thanks,’ she said with a sweet smile at her father.
As Tait picked up his own toast Paige shot him a sharp look. Connor might be off the hook but he sure as hell wasn’t.
Tait stuck his head into the office where Paige had set up camp for the day sorting through paperwork. She had her foot on a chair, papers in neat piles over Connor’s desk and a permanent frown on her brow.
‘Don’t look so happy,’ he said.
‘That’s easy for you to say. You’re not stuck in here.’ Her voice contained a bite Bundy would be proud of.
He lifted his hands and walked into the office. ‘I come in peace, oh cranky one. I need to check what I feed the chooks. Is it the stuff from the bag that has laying mash printed on the front?’
‘I’m sorry, I do sound cranky. Yes, that’s right and don’t forget to collect the eggs. There should be five.’ She tucked a loose strand of brown hair behind her ear. ‘Thanks for doing the chooks and for feeding Gidget and the cattle this morning. Surely by tomorrow I can start to do a few things?’
‘It’s no problem helping out. But I think Miss Princess Polly will be glad to see the back of me. I still can’t seem to find the right spot for her morning rub.’
‘Her tiara is still sparkling, then?’
‘Brighter than a paparazzi’s camera flash.’
Paige smiled.
‘It won’t be long, and you’ll be back on your feet. Just remember what Dr Lee said. The more rest you have the quicker your foot will recover.’
She sighed. ‘I know. But another day in here with farm records and budgets will kill
me. I don’t usually mind going over them, but I then don’t usually spend a whole day sitting still.’ She paused. ‘I read over your plan. You’ve done an impressive job.’
‘Thanks.’ He moved closer to the desk. It was her forgiveness, not praise he needed. ‘Listen, Paige, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you about what I was doing.’
‘It’s no biggie. I’ve had time to calm down.’ Her fingers played with the edges of the closest paper pile before her. ‘I understand why Dad felt he had to keep the business plan a secret. He thinks I work too hard. It’s like what you said in the car, secrets aren’t all created equal. But …’ her eyebrow kinked, ‘you’d better not have any more up your sleeve.’
Connor placed the wrench he’d been using onto his lap. He could only hope Tait was taking so long to return to the shed because he was talking to Paige. Connor stared at the navy Jaguar before him in which he and Tait were replacing the water pump. It’d been Tait’s idea to surprise Paige and have her grandfather’s car operational for the ball. That’s if she’d still be going.
After this morning’s events he didn’t know if his plan to bring fun and companionship back into his daughter’s life was still on track or blown to smithereens. That bastard, Chris, had sure done a number on Paige and she didn’t trust easily. He’d seen the heated look she’d speared Tait with over the business plan, even though it had been Connor’s idea to hide its existence. What would happen when she discovered that Tait had a further reason for being out west? Tait had no idea he and Anne knew his true identity and they’d both protect his secret out of respect for the dead. Connor could understand why Tait felt he had to keep his past hidden and it would be up to him to let Paige know the truth when he was ready. Connor swallowed. But when all was revealed, could Paige accept that Tait had concealed yet another thing from her? A thing that was far more personal and important than a financial plan.
‘My old boots have to be in here somewhere, Bundy,’ Paige said to the pup as she pulled another shoe from the trunk in the mud room. ‘I know I didn’t throw them out.’
Bundy’s only answer was to look up from the sneaker he had trapped between his paws and cock his head.
She dug to the bottom of the trunk but all she retrieved was a black gumboot. She flipped it onto the floor. The boot slid along the tiles and collided with a shelf of gardening items. A small, green watering can toppled from the top shelf. Bundy growled and pounced on it.
Paige laughed and eased herself into a more comfortable position on the stool. ‘I’d hate to be a snake when you’re fully grown.’
Bundy busied himself chewing on the spout.
Paige continued to toss out shoes until hard plastic suddenly cannoned into her thigh. Her laughter filled the narrow room. ‘Bundy, you’re a dead-set goose!’
The pup had stuck his inquisitive head into the watering can and now tottered around
trying to free himself. Still laughing, Paige went to pick him up but he staggered out of reach. She leaned sideways and stretched out her fingers but couldn’t quite catch him. She took hold of the side of the trunk and went to pull herself up.
‘And
you’re
a dead-set goose if you leave that stool. He may be wearing a watering can, but Bundy will still outrun you,’ Tait said from the doorway.
Bundy dashed in the direction of Tait’s voice, only just missing Paige’s injured foot. She sucked in a swift breath. Even with the hospital boot on, her toes felt vulnerable. Tait picked up the pup and carefully prised the watering can off his head. Bundy licked Tait’s hand before sinking his teeth into his thumb. Tait made a face.
‘Ouch,’ Paige said, with her own grimace.
Tait placed Bundy onto the floor, diverted his attention with the laces of a battered sneaker, and shook his hand. ‘Bloody hell, he has sharp teeth. Remind me if I hear laughter and banging again, I don’t come to investigate.’
‘Deal.’
Tait eyed off the shoes strewn across the floor. ‘What are you doing anyway? Creating Bundy Heaven?’
‘No. Much to Bundy’s disgust all these shoes will stay in the trunk. I’m just looking for …’ she pulled out a cracked, worn boot from beneath a tall riding boot and smiled, ‘this.’
‘It’s not exactly the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.’
‘It is to me.’ She examined the hole in the front. ‘My old boot will be perfect for the paddocks.’
‘Paige …’ Tait’s single word contained a mountain of warning.
‘What?’ She flashed him her best wide-eyed, innocent look. ‘I’m just using a little bush ingenuity.’
He groaned as she fluttered her lashes at him. ‘What do you want?’
She lifted the boot. ‘Pretty please, can you take this to the shed and cut out the toe for me?’
‘What’s wrong with the boot the hospital gave you?’
‘It isn’t sturdy enough and the dirt gets in under my toes …’ She stopped. Tait wasn’t supposed to know she’d been outside to see how far she could shuffle.
His eyes narrowed. ‘That’s funny. The last time I checked, the homestead didn’t have dirt floors.’
‘No comment,’ she said as she passed him the boot.
He accepted it with one hand and offered her his other. She curled her fingers around his and stood up. Less than an arm’s length separated them. She breathed in the heady scent of his aftershave tinged with diesel. Her fingers tightened their grip on his hand as she balanced herself. His eyes darkened. Shallow breaths rushed past her lips. It didn’t matter if Tait was leaving on Sunday. It didn’t matter if he hadn’t been honest with her about why he was here. All that mattered was that he kissed her again until her senses melted and until it wasn’t only her self-control that went up in flames.
She swayed forward.
Something shifted behind his eyes, like dense clouds blotting out the sun.
The strong hand she held onto like a lifeline gently pulled from her grasp. ‘So you want the toe …’ Tait cleared his throat. ‘The whole toe cut out?’
‘Thanks.’ She searched his impassive face. ‘That would be great.’
‘No worries. I’ll do it now.’ He looked toward Bundy. ‘Well, after I’ve cleaned up yet another puppy piddle.’
Paige followed his line of sight to where a clear puddle spread behind Bundy. He stopped chewing the sneaker and gazed at them with large eyes as if to say, ‘What?’
‘Bundy,’ she said, ‘you’re nothing but a pee-machine. I only just took you outside.’
Tait disappeared in search of the bucket.
She stared at the empty doorway. That would teach her to be greedy. She’d obviously used up her Tait-kiss quota. The intensity of his eyes may have given her false hope his mouth would meet hers, but there’d been no mistaking his guarded expression or the way he’d pulled away from her.
She withheld a sigh. And if she were honest, he’d done the right thing, for both of them. He may not be the infuriating city boy she once thought him but next week they’d be living in worlds separated by far more than distance. While it also hadn’t been his call to hide why he was at Banora Downs, the fact his polished words had masked the truth troubled her. A ‘been there done that’ t-shirt already sat in her cupboard. She didn’t need another one to remind her that city boys could be the kings of empty promises.
She bent to pick up the closest shoe and returned it into the trunk. She had to get herself together. She couldn’t let yearnings for the tender brush of a man’s lips on hers and for the love her parents had shared cloud her judgement.
The telephone rang from the office. She went to stand before remembering she was as slow as a one-legged galah. The phone stopped ringing and she heard the indistinct rumble of Tait’s deep voice. She sat back on the stool and busied herself with packing away the last of the shoes. Whoever had called, Tait would either take a message or bring her the phone. His boots sounded in the hallway before he appeared, hands empty and a furrow between his brows.
‘That was Dennis from next door,’ he said.
She straightened, a gumboot hanging forgotten in her hand. ‘Was he calling about the feral dogs?’
Tait slowly nodded. ‘He’s just seen them heading north. He said they’d either go left to Killora Downs and water or go right to … here.’
She dropped the gumboot into the trunk and started shuffling toward the door. ‘Well, they’re
not
going to snack on our cattle.’
Tait’s hand settled on her arm, halting her. ‘He also said you’d have a few hours. He reckons, if they do come your way, your cattle might be in trouble late afternoon or tonight when it cools down.’ His fingers slid up her forearm to cup her shoulder. ‘What can I do?’
The word ‘nothing’ formed in her head but didn’t make it past her lips. The warmth and strength of his touch flowed through her. If there was a time she needed Tait by her side, it would be now. She might be able to shoot a rifle – she flinched as she put too much weight on her broken foot – but she couldn’t drive.
‘Go pack your toothbrush and then we’ll get the swags.’ She gave him a grim smile, ‘Tonight, we sleep under the stars.’
Paige settled herself into the camping chair. The smell of meat cooking on a campfire might tease her taste buds, and her father’s rifle might be within reach behind her in the ute, but unease continued to fray her nerves. She scanned the trees to the left of the holding paddock. Had there been movement? She leaned forward and peered through the fading light. Her hands gripped the side of the chair. Dog? She unclamped her hands from the chair as a small, grey form emerged from the bush and stood on its hind legs, ears twitching as it scented smoke. Wallaby.
‘Paige, you’re wound up tighter than a toy car,’ Tait said from where he stood beside the fire, turning kebabs on the wire grill. ‘If the dogs come, we will handle them. Just relax.’
‘I can’t.’
‘Yes you can.’ Tait used tongs to move the kebabs onto two plates. He walked over to her. ‘These usually go with a good bottle of red, but here, try these. They are my speciality.’
She glanced at the scrub again before accepting the plate. Despite her tension, her mouth watered as she inhaled the aroma of the kebabs.
‘Thanks.’ She looked down at green capsicum, cherry tomatoes, onion slices and beef chunks Tait had threaded onto a skewer. Simple, inexpensive ingredients he’d turned into a gourmet feast. ‘You didn’t tell me you could cook.’
He grinned. ‘There are lots of things you don’t know about me.’ His smile suddenly slipped and he swung away.
Did he not even have a single brain cell in his head? What was he doing saying such a thing to Paige? He had to keep everything she didn’t know about him under wraps. Both she and Connor couldn’t discover the real reason why he’d come to Banora Downs. A reason that stemmed from just one deep-seated emotion. Guilt. Guilt for what he’d done. But most especially for what he
hadn’t
done. He placed some small logs on the fire with unsteady hands. And in now trying to assuage the guilt that kept him awake at night, he was forced to conceal who he was.
He looked across at Paige as she ate a piece of kebab. But it wasn’t only his identity he struggled to hide, he also battled the magnetic pull she wielded on him. It had taken the last ounce of his willpower this morning not to kiss her when he’d pulled her to her feet. He couldn’t let her gain any more ground into his private world. The closer she got to him, the greater the chance she’d uncover his secret. He collected his plate of kebabs and walked towards her on heavy feet. He had answers to find and the past to repair and only then would he be free to be the person he really was.
Paige licked a finger as he took his seat in the camping chair beside her. ‘These kebabs are really, really good.’
Of the two kebabs he’d given her, only one remained. ‘Someone was hungry.’ He picked up a kebab from off his own pile. ‘Here.’
But she didn’t lift her plate, instead her head whipped around as she stared into the darkness to her right.
He placed the kebab onto the plate on her lap. ‘Paige,’ he said softly, ‘it’s nothing.’
‘How do you know?’ she asked without turning her head. ‘I heard a noise.’
‘That’s because there’s a mob of kangaroos over there. I saw them when I was cooking.’
‘Are you sure?’ She slowly faced him.
‘Yes. Now eat up. Something tells me we’ll be in for a long night.’
She looked at the extra kebab. ‘Thanks.’ But by the way she picked at the meat he knew her appetite had deserted her.
She peered to her right again. ‘I wish we could have brought Dusty but he’s too old to take on a pack of feral dogs.’
‘I’m sure Miss Princess Polly will let us know if anything disturbs her beauty sleep.’
‘True.’
Paige gazed into the fire and started her kebab. ‘So where did you learn campfire cooking?’
He concentrated on chewing and not on Paige’s mouth as she again licked her fingers.
‘As I said on the day I arrived, I’m a good boy scout.’
‘Somehow I can’t really see you as a boy scout and following orders.’
‘True. I actually only lasted a few weeks. Let’s just say the scout leader and I didn’t see eye to eye.’
Paige’s laughter was gentle. ‘So even as a child you liked getting your own way?’
‘I think the politically correct word my mother used was headstrong.’
‘You know, I’ve heard that word a few times myself.’
He kept his expression straight. ‘I’ve no idea why.’
‘Neither do I.’ She giggled again.
He reached across to take her empty plate. Firelight splashed over her fine-boned features and clung to the lustre of her smooth skin.
‘We might come from different worlds, but you and I, we’re not that much different.’ His gaze dropped to her lips that would taste of kebabs and the sweetness that was Paige Quinn. ‘But there are still enough differences to make life interesting.’
A log cracked on the fire. The loud noise ricocheted in his head like a gunshot. What was he doing? He couldn’t kiss her again, no matter how much he yearned to close the distance between them. He jumped up. ‘Any room left for marshmallows?’ Even to his own ears his voice sounded husky.
‘I’ve always room left for marshmallows.’ She leaned over the side of her chair to pick up a lantern. She turned it on and a pool of light enveloped them. She set the lantern behind her in the ute, then stood and hobbled over to join him at the fire. The boot he’d cut the toe out of earlier was now paired with her usual work boot.
He passed her a stick with two marshmallows stuck onto the end.
She examined the white puffs. ‘Where on earth did you get these?’
‘Glenalla. I know my way around the grocery store now.’
‘I bet you do. Just like everyone there now would also know your name.’
‘They do. And don’t worry, they always ask after you too.’
‘Always?’
‘Well, Sarah does.’
She grinned. ‘I bet the other very single checkout girl, Monique, wouldn’t ask after me.’
‘Don’t worry, I do mention you at least three times per conversation as any besotted internet-boyfriend would.’
She groaned and lowered the marshmallows into the fire. ‘Just great. You know at the ball everyone will expect us to act like a couple?’
‘It’ll be fine. You worry too much. I’m sure we can be nice to each other for a few hours.’
‘Do you think we need to set some ground rules?’
‘Ground rules? We’re going to a ball not moving in together.’ He examined her cheeks, unsure if her high colour was the result of a blush or the heat of the fire.
‘Okay. But if you step out of line, I’ll let you know.’
‘I’ve no doubt you will.’
Silence settled between them.
‘I don’t think I can remember when I last roasted marshmallows,’ she said. ‘I’d forgotten how much fun it is.’
Tait jerked his marshmallows away from the flames as they incinerated. He’d been too busy watching memories play across Paige’s expressive face to watch what he was doing.
She removed her own perfectly toasted treats and inspected the charred blobs stuck to the end of his stick. ‘I hope you like crispy-critters.’