Outback Flames: Australian Rural Romantic Suspense

by Brandyn, Suzanne

  'You can trust me not to say anything.'

  'Thanks.' She quickly thought of something else and glanced at the scar on her hand, having no recollection of ever doing such a thing.

  Chapter Seven

  Pulling up in front of the house at eight the next morning, Zoe stretched her body and stepped from her ute. She turned, wondering what happened to her furniture, as it was supposed to arrive fifteen minutes earlier.

  She grabbed her suitcase, and hauled it indoors and up the steps. It was unusual that she hadn't spotted Jordan's vehicle parked out front. After returning to her car, she picked up a box and put it safely inside.

  She stopped and glanced about. She had pictured the transformation in her mind. The front door opened to a large foyer with a spiral staircase winding up to the bedrooms. She breathed in the scent of lacquer and paint. Everything looked new and fresh. She walked through to the lounge room, and then on to the dining room, running her hands over the freshly painted cream walls. She spun around, pleased with the restoration, and retraced her steps until she arrived beside the lounge room window.

  She peered out. The fig tree stood tall, green and proud. A stray tear escaped her eye. A noise behind startled her and she turned back.

  'You're here early.'

  A grin edged to her lips. 'It must be all the excitement. Um...I'm sorry about the other day. My emotions are pretty strung out lately.'

  'I understand.'

  For long moments she stared at Jordan, who appeared to have only moments ago climbed from bed. His hair was ruffled, his eyes sleepy and dreamy and all she wanted to do was rush up to him and lean into his shoulders. She swallowed, and drew in a slow composing breath.

  'When are you moving in?'

  'I have.' She grinned. 'I haven't much personal stuff and a delivery truck should have been here.'

  'They'll be here soon. I passed an unmarked truck on the way. I was here earlier, and the guys should be almost finished laying the carpet.'

  'No one else is here.'

  'They only did your room first up. The rest of the carpet hasn't arrived.'

  'I can live with that.'

  When she finished speaking a truck was pulling up directly out front of the house. Zoe's heart leaped to her throat. Finally, though she had some serious shopping to do after they had left. Linen, phone connection, crockery; all the little bits that make a house a home. But she had to be careful she hadn't much left of her savings. It was this point she wondered where she'd ever get the money to buy cattle and to hire help. She had enough savings left to pay Jordan and for necessities. But that was it. She recalled what Jade had said last night about her parents’ fortune and wondered if it could possibly be true.

  'It's really is good to see you again, Zoe.'

  'You too Jordan. I hope we can become good friends.'

  She noticed a flicker of disappointment pass over his eyes, and his muscles went rigid.

  'I thought we were already friends.'

  'I said good friends.'

  'I should get to it. A few more cupboards to go and it's all yours.'

  'Thank you for doing such a great job.'

  'No worries.'

  'I'll write a cheque for you later today. Is that okay?'

  He nodded, and left her gazing at his wide shoulders as he left the room. She directed the delivery men to carry her bedroom suite up to her bedroom, and then a timber dining table and chairs was centred in the dining room. That was about it. It didn't take them long until the truck was heading away from the property.

  Moments later, she wandered up to one of the spare rooms, where she found Jordan hanging cupboard doors.

  'It looks great. Um. I'd offer you a cup of coffee or something but I'm heading into town to grab some necessities. Oh, I've got a refrigerator arriving sometime today. Could you show them to the kitchen?'

  'Will do.' He stopped what he was doing and turned. 'How did you go with your memory last night?'

  She shrugged. 'No dreams. Nothing. It's locked in there. I guess it's as stubborn as I am.' She laughed.

  'It'll come and if you ever need someone to talk to, well I'm here.'

  'Thank you.'

  'I'll also be here when you get back. How about when you return you make that coffee and we can go over a few things?'

  'Sounds like a plan.'

  He grinned and his eyes lit up, warming her belly.

  As she took the stairs, she ran her hand down the timber banister, freshly coated with clear lacquer. She couldn't wait to give her visitor the first cup of coffee made in the new Montagreen.

  ***

  Zoe couldn't believe two hours had passed while grocery shopping. She should have expected it. Starting from scratch was expensive. She paid the shop assistant and pushed the trolley towards her ute, only to be stopped as someone called her name.

  Her gaze flicked in all directions. The thought of her aunt sending someone to find her and drag her back haunted her. She dropped her shoulders, reminding herself that he aunt had no hold over her, and she didn't know where she'd gone. For all she knew she could be overseas. Zoe turned on the heel of her boot, facing the direction she'd heard the voice.

  'Zoe Montgomery.'

  'Yes, that's me,' she said to a man in his fifties, who was apparently trying to catch his breath as he stood before her.

  'I'm Daniel Stanford. I was a friend of your mother and father. I was told you were back in town and I thought it might be you in the supermarket.'

  'Hello Mr Stanford.'

  'Dan will do.' He smiled.

  'Dan.'

  'I never thought I'd see you again. You were listed as missing.'

  'I know, but I'm not now. I'm here. I ended up living with an aunt.'

  'Was it the aunt who met with your mother a few days before the fire?

  Zoe screwed up her face. 'Met with my mother, a few days—'

  'Yeah. I'm not sure what the meeting was about.'

  'That does sound weird. How come you know so much?'

  His cheeks flushed. 'I'm your parents’ solicitor. Your mother changed her will three days before her death, the same afternoon after she met up with her sister.'

  Zoe stilled, her mouth gaped and all the blood drained from her body. What had her aunt been scheming? 'I thought Mr McPherson was my parents’ solicitor. He's the only one listed in the phone book.'

  'He was your parents’ solicitor up until about two months before the fire.'

  'That's interesting. I had no idea my parents had a will. I picked up the deeds to the property a while back.'

  'McPherson kept the deeds to the property as your parents instructed. They updated their will as I said, but lodged it at my office three days before the fire. They were going to move the deeds in my care, but it didn't happen.'

  'Thank you for letting me know.'

  'As I said no one knew where you went. We contacted your aunt, although it took a while. She told the authorities she hadn't seen you. That she had no idea where you were.'

  Zoe frowned as heat surfaced over her face. That was typical of her aunt. But why would she do such a thing, especially lie to the law?

  'There's one problem though. I have their old will, and the new one has been misplaced.'

  Zoe screwed up her face. 'Misplaced?'

  'I am sorry. But we can go off the old one until it's located. Listen, I have to go. Could you make an appointment with my secretary to see me regarding the will?'

  He dug into his suit jacket and handed her a card.

  Zoe reached out and took his card. 'Thank you.'

  'I'm glad you returned. I've been hanging onto everything. I've been waiting for this day but discovered yesterday that the recent one is missing. I'm sorry about that.'

  'I'll give your secretary a call.' Zoe watched him rush off, feeling as though her feet were glued to the spot. A will. It seemed mighty important, and as for her aunt, Zoe was horrified. Why the meeting, and why three days before her mother's death?

 
As she pulled up in front of Montagreen, Jordan was packing some tools into the back of his four-wheel drive.

  Zoe stepped from her ute as he approached.

  'Need a hand?'

  She glanced up. 'Yes, if you don't mind.'

  'Looks like you bought the entire supermarket.'

  'It does, doesn't it? I can't believe the price of things, but most are necessities.'

  The bags were placed on a granite bench top. Although her mother had timber, Zoe had insisted on durability. Zoe rummaged around in one of the bags and drew out a tin of coffee. She turned to face Jordan who stood on the opposite side of the bench.

  'I ran into a man called Daniel Stanford. Do you know him?'

  'Everyone knows Dan. He was a solicitor here in town, but he said he wasn't taking on any more clients. He's a good bloke.'

  Zoe continued to unpack a kettle. 'I found out he's my parents’ solicitor as well, although the deeds to the property were lodged with Mr McPherson. I have to ring and make an appointment with Mr Stanford. My parents have a will. They updated their will three days before the fire. It seems odd though. He also told me that my mother met my aunt here in Munna, on that same day.'

  Jordan rubbed a hand around the back of his neck, and pulled up a chair. 'It does seem odd. Or it's a coincidence. What else did he have to say?'

  'Not much. I'll give him a call this afternoon. They said the phone will be hooked up by then.'

  'Good thing. Living out this way alone, well you never know.'

  Zoe hesitated while she made the coffee. She didn't take into consideration about living so far away from everyone, although Jordan's parents’ house was half an hour’s drive down the road. She glanced up, and tucked a stray piece of hair behind one ear.

  'I've only realised, I don't know where you live.' A light chuckle escaped her lips.

  'I live closer to town. I bought a house on a few acres four years ago.'

  'I imagined you on a property, a cattle station perhaps.'

  He hesitated before he answered. 'I've got my parents’ property to be concerned about. There's enough work there to keep me going until my carpentry business picks up. Although in a town of one thousand people, I can't see myself making a fortune. I may go into cattle in the future.'

  'Why the carpentry work?'

  He grinned. 'I don't mind working for Dad, but there'll come a day when I'll want to break the ties. The carpentry keeps me busy, and I don't mind working with my hands. Take this place for instance. I got such a kick out of seeing the final product. It gives me a sense of achievement.'

  God he hated sitting there. He wanted to rush around the bench and tell her that he'd fallen in love with her all over again, that he'd never really stopped loving her. Although, if she had her memory, he knew things would be a lot different in a bad way, not a good way. For a start, he wouldn't be sitting where he was.

  He cleared his throat. 'So do you want to go over anything, or do you have any questions?'

  She looked up. He loved that certain look she'd give him. It was as though she doubted him, yet at the same time he wondered if she battled some type of sexual attraction she had for him by the way her mouth opened, the way she'd lick her lips. Her body language spoke words. Then again he wondered if he was beginning to imagine it, since after all, he had wanted Zoe for years.

  'Were my parents well off?'

  'Apparently so. But you'd know that wouldn't you?'

  'No. As I said I don't remember a thing.'

  'This was the richest cattle station in the area. My parents had a hard job keeping up.'

  'Really.'

  No wonder Dan was excited to see her, and she wondered if her parents had left her any money. Her aunt had insisted that they hadn't a penny. That was the reason she worked seven days a week since the age of thirteen. To pay her way, her aunt had stated. She cringed, and caught Jordan staring.

  'Are you okay?'

  'Yes. I'm fine. Probably a little tired.'

  He stood and walked around the bench toward her, stopping so close she could swim in the river of his eyes.

  'I care a great deal about you. I'm here to help Zoe. All you have to do is holla.'

  She nodded. 'Thank you. I need all the friends I can get. Um...here, here's your coffee.'

  'Thanks.' Jordan took the cup and walked back to one of the dining room chairs, feeling as though he wasn't and wouldn't get any closer to Zoe than he was at that point. He understood it was only natural she wanted to set things up, start a new life, but he didn't want to be a friend, or a good friend. He wanted more. His gut churned, and his heart squeezed bloody tight.

  'I've got so much to do this afternoon.'

  The sound of a car pulling up was a godsend. She didn't know how to handle anything more than friends even though her heart was tugging her in the opposite direction, a much deeper, dangerous direction.

  'So much for going through the past. I can tell you this though; we had a great time having cut sandwiches your mother used to bring us out under that tree.' He nodded in the direction of the lounge room window, to where the tree stood in its magnificent glory.

  'So my parents didn't mind me seeing you.'

  Jordan laughed, rested an open palm on the edge of the bench top. 'Your father wasn't too happy at first, considering your age, or your mother as well. But seeing I was a neighbour they tolerated it. Your father gave me a talking to one day.'

  Zoe's eyes rounded. 'What did he say?'

  'Men's stuff.' He grinned, and Zoe had an idea what their conversation would have been like.

  'Hello, anyone here. I know you're here, the cars. Zoe, Zoe.'

  'Coming Jade.'

  'Don't tell me the family has arrived.'

  Zoe smiled. 'She was invited.' She turned and walked toward the door.

  'This place is beautiful. I told you Jordan was good.'

  'Thank you.'

  Jordan strolled toward them. 'I guess I should head off. I want to make sure the garden is completed within a few days.'

  'Yeah, sure. I gave you a list of those plants didn't I?'

  'All written down in my diary.'

  'Thanks, Jordan.'

  'Thanks for the coffee. I'll see you tomorrow.'

  And it was the first time Zoe felt uncomfortable when he said goodbye. She didn't know why, and suspected it was because Jade was there.

  As Jordan walked by, he playfully tapped Jade on the shoulder. 'Don't forget sis, Mum’s special dinner tonight.'

  'I won't. See you then.'

  After having coffee with Jade, and giving her a two-hour tour, she waved goodbye. Zoe was thankful for the friendship. It made life a little better. She closed the door, and locked it behind her recalling the mention of the special dinner. It would be a dream to sit around a table with family, to feel wanted, to belong, and chat about day to day things in general.

  Zoe had no idea what that feeling felt like, even though she tried to please her aunt. Her aunt had never been satisfied with the hours of hard work she had tirelessly undertaken without complaint. Her chest filled with a hollow ache, and her eyes glazed with tears as she glanced about the house. To hear her mother's voice one last time, or even a memory she could hold onto would be all she needed...for now.

  What made things worse, was that she couldn't sense that her parents had lived in this house. She couldn't smell her mother and even if she could, it wouldn't mean anything. Zoe shrugged and concluded that when she had cattle on the property she'd be more than busy. There would be so much work to undertake she wouldn't have time to miss something she didn't have and no time to dwell on her emotions. At least she wouldn't be a failure in anyone's eyes. Her aunt repeatedly informed her she was cold, and incapable of knowing or feeling any type of love. Being so young, how could she give love when none was shown?

  Zoe sank onto the chair and tried to blink her tears away. There was no one around to accuse her of not returning love, when to this day she didn't truly understand what love was or what it
was about. She may have had a couple of male friends, but it didn't venture further than a few months of dating.

  Oh sure, she'd get that warm kick up feeling inside when Jordan was around, but hundreds of women would. His easy relaxed attitude made her feel comfortable. Her list of fine qualities that Jordan held was growing. She'd added well-mannered and gorgeous to that list over the last few days.

  She released a shaky breath she hadn't realised she was holding. How could she please a man like Jordan? Imagine the conflict, the difficulty she'd stumble upon as the big letter 'F' sat in her mind? And the last person she wanted to disappoint was Jordan.

  'Well Mum, Dad. Here I am back home. I did it. I know it's not finished yet, but I have to slow down a bit on the money side of things. Jordan is here too. I think you'd like that. You must remember him. He's turned out to be a really nice guy. You would have liked him. He's a good friend.'

  She rang the solicitor, made an appointment, and then unpacked a new set of lilac satin sheets. She walked up to her bedroom and stood at the door in a state of disbelief. Jordan had set up her bed and mattress, and positioned the room the way she would have wanted the arrangement. She screwed up her face, gave her head a shake and made up the bed.

  Chapter Eight

  Jordan gave Mark, his friend, a wave as his four-wheel drive pulled up in front of the house. Mark scramble from the driver’s side and rounded the back of his vehicle, to open the passenger door for his wife. Jordan grinned.

  He stood from his chair, a stubby bottle in one hand. 'To what do I owe the pleasure?'

  Mark chuckled. 'You'll find out.' After helping his wife from the car, he headed up the six timber steps toward Jordan. 'We've finally caught you doing nothing.'

  'One hour and I'm heading into town. Have a seat. I'll get us some beers.' Jordan shook hands with Mark and kissed Samantha on the cheek.