Her Outback Surprise

by Annie Seaton

  He stepped back and she dropped her head, letting her hair fall over her face.

  “Why did you have to go and kiss me like that?”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Liam dropped the large food cooler on the side of the rug and stood staring at the sky. It had turned dark in the time it had taken to retrieve the coolers and walk back to the showground. Angie strode ahead of him carrying the smaller cooler. She’d dropped it on the side of the rug, made a quick excuse to Lucy about having to see someone, and disappeared without another word.

  “Is everything okay, Liam?” Lucy asked quietly. Garth was holding the baby and she reached over and opened the lid on the cooler.

  “Yes. All good.” His words were clipped and he waved away the plate she offered him. “I’m going over to the beer tent to grab a drink. What time do you think you’ll be driving home?”

  “After the eight o’clock fireworks I think. Is that okay?” He must have been giving off some sort of vibe because Lucy was subdued and not in his face as she normally would have been.

  “Yep. I’ll make sure I’m back here before then. I’ll help Garth load up when you’re ready.” He nodded and strode off to the beer tent, conscious of the disappointment on Lucy’s face.

  Stupidest thing he’d ever done—well up there with one of the most stupid—coming to the show and then finishing it off by kissing Angie. When she’d held his arms and pulled back, regret had ripped through him. Not regret that he’d kissed her, but regret that she’d wanted him to stop. He stopped beside the ring where a rodeo was underway and gripped the timber rails. She had kissed him back and for a brief moment he’d thought—and hoped—that everything was going to be okay. That everything would go back to the way it had been.

  But how could it? He was a fool. He was leaving town in a few weeks. He closed his eyes, still able to feel the soft warmth of her lips beneath his. If he’d had his own car, he’d jump in, make sure the farm was secure, and drive to Sydney. As far from Prickle Creek Farm, and Spring Downs, and Angie, as he could get.

  London would be good.

  He’d done the wrong thing. He’d been foolish to tease her when he couldn’t resist her response. Her eyes had said that she wanted him, otherwise he wouldn’t have kissed her. It had been a low act when he wasn’t prepared to make a commitment to her, but for the love of God, he’d not been able to help himself. And to make it worse, he knew he’d do it again if she looked at him like that. The only solution was to get away. And that brought his thoughts around in full circle. He’d be going away again soon, and she’d be staying here, so there was no point in trying to start anything anyway. The interview for the ABC job was next week; they’d agreed to do it on Skype. Greg, his mate from Sydney who’d lined it up, had told him the interview was a formality and as far as he was concerned the job was Liam’s.

  There was no future with Angie. There was no point dreaming about one. She had whatever-his-name-was, a successful vet practice, and her own future stitched up—here.

  And what did he have? A love for Angie that he’d never admitted to himself and had certainly never showed her. He’d let her slip through his fingers when she’d come back to Australia, kidding himself that his career was more important to him than she was. And he wasn’t going to be here, anyway. He’d let her leave England without him, and now they’d come full circle. This time he’d have to leave her here in the country.

  But he couldn’t go anywhere yet. He had responsibilities here. At least until Sebastian came back. Gran and Pop were flying home for a while next week and were going to rejoin the cruise until they came home for Christmas. He couldn’t leave until Sebastian was settled in.

  Damn it, Sebastian was still in Europe or he’d get him to come back to Prickle Creek Farm sooner.

  And double damn, there was the blasted dog, too. What the hell was he going to do with Willow when he left? He’d made a right royal mess of his time here, and all it had taken was one simple kiss to show him that.

  “Liam.”

  He turned as his name was called. Jim Ison was leading a horse out of the enclosure.

  “Jim.”

  “I just have to rub down Molly, and I’ll be over to have a beer. Have you got a spare half hour to catch up?” Jim waited at the wide gate as Liam opened it for him.

  “Yes. Perfect timing. I was just heading over there myself.”

  “Good. I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

  Liam closed the gate behind Jim and the horse, and headed past the main ring, down the back of the sideshow alley, and across to the open-air beer tent. Even though he wasn’t really looking—he was kidding himself, his eyes were scouring every dark corner—there was no sign of Angie. Despite what she’d said about seeing someone, he was sure she’d gone home. It was only a few hundred metres from the showground to the main road into town. Laughter and voices filled the air as he walked across to the bar. He bought two cans of beer and waited for Jim to join him.

  At least talking about the alliance would take his mind off Angie.

  Guilt tugged at him. He should call her later just to check she was okay.

  He might call her just so he could hear her voice. It didn’t matter that they weren’t meant to be. He could still spend time with her—while he could.

  …

  Angie pushed open the door of the surgery. She’d sent Lucy a text saying that she’d had to come back to town, implying that she had a patient without actually lying about it. She couldn’t stay there a minute longer. Liam’s kiss had set a fire in her belly, and regret in her heart, and she didn’t trust herself around him. She might be forced into his company, but she would move hell on earth to ensure they were never alone. She trusted Liam. It was her emotions she couldn’t trust. When he’d kissed her, she’d almost cried.

  Poor Lucy. Angie hoped that she and Garth had enjoyed the picnic alone because she knew that Liam hadn’t stayed with them either. On her way to the exit gate, she’d stepped behind one of the temporary buildings as she’d seen him striding along. He’d stopped at the ring and watched the horses for a while and she’d taken the opportunity to slip away. It had only taken her half an hour to walk back into town. Luckily, she had her keys, purse, and phone in the pocket of her dress.

  Her phone beeped as she headed out to the back. While she was here she might as well check on the two patients she had in the dog hospital. She opened her purse and pulled out her phone. The text was from Lucy.

  Hope U R ok. I know something happened. Liam had a face like thunder. Coffee soon?

  Her fingers flew over the buttons as she texted back.

  I’m okay see U soon.

  If Lucy hadn’t sent them off to the car together, nothing would have happened. But Angie knew she was as much to blame as Liam. Dammit, she just couldn’t resist him. She’d never been able to; not since the first minute she’d laid eyes on him. That lazy smile, the special look in his eyes when he gazed at her, and the full lips that enticed…

  But this time she had her eyes wide open. She was simply a convenience to him. She was here in Spring Downs, and Liam was obviously going to make use of that until he left.

  And he would go. Anger began to simmer in her chest. How dare he? When he knew—or thought—she had a boyfriend. It didn’t matter that she didn’t. For all intents and purposes, he thought she was involved with someone else. Angie was pleased she hadn’t set him straight. He would have seen it as more of a green light.

  …

  “Mate, that’s great. What you’ve discovered, in less than a week, is more than we would ever have imagined. Bloody dishonest bastards. Not only are they pulling the wool over the eyes of everyone with their environmental statement—‘minimal and manageable risk to the environment’ be damned—they’ve lied to their shareholders, too.” Jim was pleased with the information Liam had unearthed.

  “So what’s the next step?” Liam took a swig of his beer.

  “We’ll take it slow and easy. We’ll keep consol
idating our position, gather more information. Most of the farmers have put locks on their main gates, so the pipe layers can’t have access to their properties and it’s only a matter of time—”

  Liam tuned out as Jim continued. The sky lit up, accompanied by a loud whoosh that was followed by a bang as the first sky rocket was launched. A myriad of red and white stars exploded and drifted to the ground in the middle of the main ring, accompanied by the oohs and aahs of the crowd.

  “So, we’ll meet the week after next and plan our next step.” Jim held out his hand and shook Liam’s firmly. “Thanks for all your work. Appreciate it.”

  Liam finished his beer and put the empty can in the bin next to the door. As he made his way back to the picnic area, he kept an eye out for Angie but there was no sign of her. Garth and Lucy were sitting on the rug, and James was asleep in his pram. The coolers and the picnic baskets were packed up.

  “We’re ready to go, if you are.” Lucy’s voice was subdued. “No point staying for the second show, we’ve seen the fireworks and James is sound asleep. He’ll be due for a feed by the time we get home.”

  Liam couldn’t help himself. “Where’s Angie?”

  “She had to go back to town.” Lucy stared at him, but he wasn’t going to share what had happened.

  “How did she get there?”

  “I guess she walked.”

  “Okay.” He reached down and lifted the cooler, and Garth picked up a couple of boxes and hefted one onto each shoulder.

  “I’ll wait here till you come back for the rest.” Lucy’s voice was sad. “No one had a very good time, did they?”

  Guilt trickled through Liam and he injected enthusiasm into this voice. “I did. And I also had a chance to talk to Jim Ison. And look, you and Angie won your stuffed toys.” He nodded over at the pram. “And young James looks like he had a great time. You’ve worn him out.”

  “Thanks, Liam. But I don’t believe you.” Lucy finally smiled. “As long as Angie is okay. She looked really upset.”

  “Leave that be, Lucy. I’m going to sort it.”

  And he was. It was time to for him and Angie to talk it out.

  Whatever this thing was between them. He’d go into town this week. He smiled as he thought of the perfect excuse.

  Willow was due for her second vaccination.

  Chapter Fifteen

  As it turned out, Liam didn’t get to town in the first half of the week. The tractor broke down, two steers got stuck in the dam, and the water pipe in the bore took a whole day to fix. Each morning, he started out with great intentions, and Willow looked up expectantly as he ate breakfast at the kitchen sink.

  “I’m sorry, pup. I’ve been ignoring you this week. We’ll go to town and see Angie soon, I promise.”

  Early on Wednesday afternoon, he came in and had a quick shower, planning to head to town to catch her before she closed the surgery for the afternoon. He didn’t call to make an appointment. Knowing Angie, if she knew he was coming in, she’d disappear like she had the time he’d gone to pick Willow up. As he’d dealt with recalcitrant cattle, uncooperative motors, and twisted pipes this week, he’d practised what he would say to her. After Willow had her shots and Angie had finished her appointments for the day, he would take her to the milk bar and they would have a civilised chat. He picked up Willow’s lead. The pup could sit outside the milk bar while they chatted—like two mature adults who knew each other well, and who were going to be friends until he moved away. Liam nodded. He had it all planned. Emotions had been put aside. As he picked up his keys, a vehicle rattled across the cattle grate and he crossed to the window. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and the front gate was padlocked. He leaned forward with a frown, and then a smile spread across his face as the car door opened.

  …

  Angie closed the surgery early on Wednesday afternoon. Cissy had to go to Narrabri to the dentist—that was another service that Spring Downs had lost as the town got smaller—and there had been no appointments scheduled after three o’clock. She picked up the zip drive with the month’s financial records on it and headed home. She’d put off doing the accounts for too long, and it was the perfect opportunity to catch up on her accounting. After a short walk home in the late spring sunshine, she pushed open the door to her small house and put the drive on the desk next to her laptop.

  Spreadsheets and numbers were her pet hate. She couldn’t think of anything she disliked more. She closed her eyes. Yes, she could, but she wasn’t going to go there. She had managed to put Liam nicely into a space in her head where she didn’t have to think about him. Occasionally, he would pop into her thoughts, like a nagging toothache, but she firmly pushed the thought—or image—away and moved on to something else. Consequently, she had kept herself very busy since she had left the show. The surgery was spotless—Cissy had looked at her oddly as she had scrubbed out cages and cleaned out cupboards—her house was clean, the cupboards and drawers were in perfect order, the washing and ironing were up to date, and the pantry was well stocked. Although when she had slipped into the supermarket to shop, she’d kept an eagle eye out for any sign of Liam, but sadly—only because it showed how badly the town businesses were suffering—she had been the only one in the store, along with the cashier.

  It showed how desperate she was to keep her mind occupied that the zip drive was now sitting there looking at her, waiting for her to start work. Angie procrastinated by taking a long shower and washing her hair. Then she sat at the kitchen table and painted her fingernails and toenails and ignored the work waiting for her.

  The house was quiet and empty. For the first few months back in Melbourne from London, she’d kept herself busy working as a locum across the city, and by the time she’d driven home each night, it had been time for dinner and then she’d crash into bed, exhausted. From her work, and from her emotions.

  It had taken a long time before she’d regained control. It would be good to get to know some of the young people in this town.

  After Liam leaves. She wasn’t going to risk going out while he was still around. Sally had called about a meeting for the Bachelor and Spinster ball this morning, and Angie had promised to attend the meeting at the RSL on Monday night.

  But now she was bored.

  Angie walked into the living room with her computer beneath her arm and flicked the television on. Maybe some background noise would make the idea of doing accounts more attractive. Her gaze settled on the small Christmas tree next to her chair and loneliness stung afresh. Cissy had decorated the surgery for Christmas yesterday, and it had inspired Angie to go and buy the small tree from the two-dollar section at the back of the grocery store.

  Stupid really, when I’m the only one who will see it.

  She went back to the kitchen and put the jug on to boil. When she’d made her coffee, she fired up the computer. She couldn’t put it off any longer. As she was about to launch her business program, her phone rang from the kitchen benchtop.

  She glanced at the number and pressed answer. “Hi Lucy.”

  “Angie! How are you? I tried to call the surgery but there was no answer. Are you okay? You’re not sick, are you?”

  Angie laughed. “No. I’m playing hookey. Cissy had to go to Narrabri, and I decided to take an early mark. It’s a bit of a worry actually. It’s been really quiet this week.”

  “Don’t worry. Enjoy the time to yourself. It’s always quiet in town after everyone recovers from show weekend.” There was a pause and Angie waited as Lucy’s voice softened. “I rang to make sure you weren’t cross at me?”

  “Why would I be cross with you?” Angie crossed to the window and looked out as a car screeched down the street, its tyres screaming on the bitumen as it came to a sudden stop and a group of school children stepped off the kerb. “Silly idiot!” she muttered under her breath.

  “I know I was and I’m sorry.” Lucy’s voice was contrite.

  “Don’t be silly. I was talking about the idiot who almost ran down some
kids from the primary school.” Angie laughed as she reassured Lucy. “And what do you have to be sorry for?”

  “Last Friday. Trying to push you and Liam together at the show. I know it didn’t turn out well. You took off and he looked really upset.”

  “Did he?” Angie said slowly.

  “He did. I won’t ask what happened. Garth got stuck into me when we got home and told me to mind my own business. He said if you two are meant to be together, it’ll happen and I don’t have to help it along. I promise I’ll pull my head in.”

  “It’s all okay, don’t stress yourself. I’ve had such a busy week I’ve barely given Liam a thought.”

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “Oh, that’s fabulous. I really didn’t want to hurt our friendship.”

  “Don’t worry. Everything is good. We’re fine, you and I.”

  “Now that I know that, I was hoping you’d come out and have dinner with us tonight. As long as you don’t mind driving all the way out from town.”

  Angie pursed her lips and frowned. “Us? Don’t think I don’t trust you, but who else will be there?”

  “It’s okay. I’d be the same if it was me. It’s just me and James. Garth is at a meeting in Coonamble. I could do with the company. Some girl time!”

  Angie nodded. “Sounds good to me. Girl time is just what I need. What can I bring?”

  “Nothing. I don’t need anything and you can talk to me while I cook. Do you like pizza?”

  “I do. I’ll bring a bottle of wine.”

  “Oh, Angie, I’m so pleased you said yes. Why don’t you come out now before it gets dark?”

  “I will.”

  Angie looked triumphantly at the zip drive sitting on the desk. “I guess you’ll have to wait.”

  …

  Liam ran down the back stairs, followed by Willow as the door slammed on the unfamiliar car. “What are you two doing at home? We didn’t expect you till next week?” He reached out and hugged his grandmother and then shook Pop’s hand, before he turned back to Gran.