Return to Riversleigh

by Anne Ashby

  “Does he really have unlimited money? He insists he has no financial constraints for this park, but it worries me. What if he gets halfway through his plans and, bang, there’s no more money? What’s going to happen then?” What’s going to happen to Thomas and me? She could have added.

  “What or how he’s acquired his fortune is beyond us. He paid off most of the huge mortgage on the farm without turning a hair. He just grins and says he has an impressive portfolio and an amazing accountant who keeps it growing.”

  “She’s amazing all right.”

  Shannon hadn’t meant envy to creep into her tone but Marcia’s rising eyebrows told her she’d failed. “Her name’s Emma and I’ve video-called her a couple of times. She’s absolutely gorgeous. I’d expect to see her on some catwalk or billboard somewhere, not behind an accountant’s desk. She and Luke seem close.”

  Marcia frowned. “He’s never mentioned her name around us, just called her ‘his accountant.’ In fact I didn’t realize she was a woman. I wouldn’t worry. That doesn’t sound close to me.”

  “Worry?” Shannon gasped. “I’m not worried. Why would I be worried? It has nothing to do with me.”

  Marcia’s sneaky smile spurred Shannon into further speech. “Don’t you go thinking what you’re thinking,” she warned.

  “Why not? Now Luke is settled he’d be a fine catch.”

  “Maybe for someone who’s fishing, but I don’t even own a pole.” She glared across the table. “I’ve been there, done that, and you can sure as hell believe I’m never going there again.”

  “Oh Shannon, you’re far too young to feel like that.” Marcia gazed into space. “I can just see you and Luke together.”

  Agitation drove Shannon to her feet. “No, you can’t,” she snapped. She stormed to the bench. Luckily her mug didn’t shatter as she slammed it into the sink. Some deep breaths gave her the nerve to turn and face Luke’s narrow-eyed aunt.

  “Please Marcia, don’t make things unbearable. I’m enjoying working for Luke. Thomas is…well, I don’t know what Thomas is, but he’s a damn sight better-behaved than a couple of months ago. We’re so lucky to live up here with you all. But we c-couldn’t stay if you started m-match…” She hated that her voice trembled and faded away.

  Marcia rose and patted her on the shoulder. “Don’t mind me. I’m just a silly old woman—although you and Luke would make a great couple. All right, all right.” She chucked Shannon under the chin. “I won’t go there again.”

  Shannon headed back to the office before Marcia’s voice halted her.

  “Don’t let one sour relationship color your thinking forever, Shannon. I gather your marriage wasn’t ideally happy?”

  “Not for a long time,” Shannon muttered. She swung around to face Marcia. “Although I didn’t understand how great a lie we were living until Eric died. He’d gambled everything away, our savings, our home, all our security. He even gambled with his life.”

  Her voice broke. “He had no right to do that. He had a wife and son relying on him. How could he throw his life away? How?”

  Burning in her throat leaked a sour tang into her mouth. “Everything he did, he did for an adrenaline rush, to get high on the excitement. He didn’t leave much excitement for me and Thomas. Lousy, selfish bastard.”

  Aghast at what she’d just shared, Shannon allowed herself one last glance at Marcia’s sympathetic expression before she turned and tore down the hallway to the flat. Slamming the door behind her she sank to the floor and buried her head in her arms.

  Cramped muscles told her she’d been sitting there for some time when a tap sounded above her head.

  “Lunch in ten minutes.”

  Shannon struggled to her feet and limped to the bathroom. Handfuls of cold water splashed on her face did little to erase the memory of her embarrassment. There had been no reason for her to blurt out her feelings about her marriage. Marcia had already suspected something, but why did I confirm it?

  Shannon groaned. She wasn’t looking for sympathy, or understanding, or pity from anyone, least of all her employer’s relatives. I don’t want to think about the past. I just want Thomas and me to move on with our lives.

  Amy, sitting at the table when Shannon slipped into the kitchen, did little to stop Marcia clearing the air between them. “I’m sorry I intruded, Shannon.”

  She blocked Shannon from taking her usual seat. “I didn’t intend to upset you.”

  The nibbling on her lower lip was so agitated Shannon immediately leaned forward and gave her a hug. The comfort of arms squeezing her for a moment reminded Shannon of the many years long gone since anyone had cared enough to provide her with such warmth.

  “Forget it.” Both sets of eyes were slightly misty as the women parted and settled at the table. “But no matchmaking, aye?”

  “Cross my heart and hope to die.” Marcia matched her words with the appropriate action across her chest. Her guileless expression momentarily worried Shannon. The hand out of sight might have its fingers crossed. Then she chided herself for being silly.

  If Marcia appreciated her assistance to Luke, she wouldn’t do anything to upset Shannon’s chance of staying here. Everything’s all right. She accepted the bowl of soup from Marcia and they began discussing the forthcoming netball test between the Silver Ferns and Australia.

  ****

  Marcia’s prediction proved correct. This morning’s meeting must have gone well. Luke usually returned from the council swearing and griping, but not today. Instead he waltzed into the office whistling.

  “At least today I managed to find someone intelligent to talk to.” Luke deposited some papers on the arm of the armchair as he flopped into it. “Keith Johansen competed in triathlons, so I’ve found an ally. I reckon with his help we’ll be able to work our way through the red tape.”

  He leaned forward and rubbed his hands together. His eyes glistened like sunshine on a calm sea. “Tomorrow we’re going to start.”

  As if unable to stay still a moment longer, Luke leapt up and strode across the room. He swung around and grinned at Shannon. “We’re set to go.”

  His excitement was infectious. Shannon’s mouth dried and her pulse hiked up as she grinned back. Excitement surged as she moved aside the papers she’d recently printed off and pushed the keyboard to one side.

  After weeks of serious planning Luke had been tied up tighter than a ship’s hawser. While his forays into the rules and requirements of the council had bewildered and bemused him, his confidence had taken a hammering with the unexpected red tape.

  Shannon had sometimes wondered if he’d ever concluded he might not be able to build his park. “What’s the first thing then?”

  “I need to decide where to start. I have so many things to do now. I have to peg out the courses. And see if the ground’s dry enough for the earthmoving machines.”

  He tossed the papers he’d fetched from today’s council meeting at her desk. “Thank goodness we haven’t had much rain this winter. I need to hunt up some guys to help with the heavy work, too. We need to start things rolling.”

  The council papers slid, unheeded, onto the floor. A sudden chill hit Shannon. This was awfully sudden. “Luke, do you have permission? Has the council actually given you resource consent?”

  Luke refused to meet her eyes. “We don’t need to worry about that. I’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” He unrolled the plans and spread them flat over her desk.

  Shannon eased back as he switched plan after plan to the top, studying each for a moment before shuffling it to the bottom of his pile.

  “First thing tomorrow we’ll head out and see where to start.” He smiled. “You’ve been stuck inside too long, its time you got out of the office.” He paused, his brows drawing together. “You do want to be involved in the actual work as well, don’t you?”

  Shannon arched an eyebrow. “But you wanted a business plan?”

  His smile broadened. “Debra McEwan wanted a business plan, n
ot me.”

  The mention of the other woman’s name drew a frown. Shannon asked, “Actually, Luke, I’ve been meaning to ask, how involved is she with your park? Is the hotel helping to fund it? Do we need to meet with―”

  “Nobody has anything to do with my park but me. Jase figured I could do with some business advice. That’s how come Debra got involved.”

  Shannon wished she could ask again how Luke could bankroll such a huge venture, but bit her lip. He’d made it clear at the outset that was none of her business. Emma, too, avoided any discussion about actual finances and Shannon decided the accountant was following Luke’s instructions.

  Even when Shannon had approached Luke for some detail of his working capital for her collated paperwork, he’d told her it was unlimited.

  “What can I say?” He’d grinned at her, wriggling his eyebrows. “I’m thrifty.”

  Thrifty? He didn’t appear to know what the word meant, let alone be able to apply it to himself. His blasé attitude toward money worried her. It reminded her too closely of her late husband.

  ****

  Luke ignored conditions the council kept raising. He was sick of their pontificating. He needed some action. His meeting this morning had gone better than any in the past and he was encouraged enough to break ground.

  He leaned over Shannon’s shoulder and studied the broadest diagram he’d drawn. It showed little detail, but the adventures he’d envisaged appeared before them. He rubbed a finger along his jaw. “You know, I don’t have any idea where to start. It’s forever since I came up with this idea.”

  Shannon’s eyebrows rose.

  “What? You don’t believe me?”

  A hesitant smile played around her lips.

  In that second he wondered how they’d taste. She must have read his thoughts for tiny yellow sparks, visible in the depths of her dark eyes, crashed out a warning.

  He threw himself into the chair, hoping she would decide she was mistaken about his momentary lapse of attention to the job. “I feel like a kid on Christmas morning.”

  If he ignored his attraction to Shannon, it would go away. She wasn’t in the market for any dalliance, and neither was he. He had a park to build and a business to develop. He couldn’t risk losing the lone person who believed in his plan.

  He glanced at his watch and made a decision. “Okay, that’s it for the day.”

  Shannon checked her own watch. “But—”

  “You’ve earned a couple of hours off.” He grinned as he drew one of the plans toward him. “Anyway, tomorrow we might find we go a bit overtime so you can expect to make up the hours. You are coming with me tomorrow, aren’t you?”

  Luke wasn’t aware of his own uncertainty as to her reaction until Shannon gave an emphatic nod.

  “There’s a limit to how much excitement I can find in developing strategies for attracting customers to a service only on paper as yet.” She sent him a cheeky grin. “I can probably put my wondrous marketing tactics aside for a day or two.”

  “More like a couple of weeks,” Luke replied. He touched her arm. “You’ve exerted yourself on this paperwork, and helped me made sense of at least half of it. I wouldn’t have achieved this much without your help. Thank you.”

  He surveyed the tidy piles of papers on her desk. Her methodical approach was the exact opposite of how he rushed in. “Is there anything you can’t set aside for a couple of weeks?”

  He waited while Shannon surveyed her workload. “I’ve emailed my draft plan to Emma. She might have suggestions or additions to add.”

  Although Shannon had kept her curiosity about Emma to herself, Luke had picked up on Shannon’s interest after a couple of online meetings between the two. But Emma would not betray a confidence and he had no intention of discussing their relationship with anyone.

  “It’s the middle of the night over there, you wouldn’t hear from her for hours yet anyway. She might not get back to you for days.”

  “I’ve been wondering if you’d like me to send a copy to Jase once I get Emma’s feedback? Just to get another opinion?”

  Luke didn’t pause. He needed confirmation they were dotting all the I’s. And who better to give that than the woman who first suggested the necessity of a business plan. “That’s a smart idea, Shannon, thanks. Email them a copy and arrange an appointment with Debra to discuss any suggestions she might have.”

  Shannon’s shoulders slumped. Luke turned toward the window as his lips twitched. She hadn’t considered the possibility of meeting with Jase, or his wife.

  “Wouldn’t you rather—?”

  “Hell, no.” Luke swung back with a grin. “I wouldn’t have a clue what Debra’s talking about if she did offer suggestions. It’d be good for you to meet her. I got the impression she’d lend us a little morale support if we needed it, just ’cause we’re friends of Jase. And anything she could guide us on would be the stuff you’re handling.” Luke nodded his head. “Great idea, Shannon. Make an appointment with the McEwans as soon as Emma gets back to us.”

  Luke heard the almost-mute groan escaping her lips. She’s nervous! Luke looked down at Shannon’s bent head, his grin fading. Why should she be nervous? She can match anyone, even someone like Debra McEwan.

  “Jase once assured me she doesn’t bite, you know.”

  Shannon’s head shot up and she glared at him. The fire flashing from her eyes confirmed her fervent desire to retaliate. He waited as her thinned lips opened, but no rebuff escaped.

  Luke hoped his smile was reassuring. Shannon might not like it, but she wouldn’t ignore such a definite directive.

  “What else do you have on?”

  After a moment, Shannon leaned forward to check her diary.

  “I have what should be the final planning meeting with the architect on Friday. We wanted to add those hot tubs in the reception building. Were you going to come to that meeting, too?”

  Luke shook his head. “The indoor stuff is your baby. You can finalize the planning stage with him.” He put on a mock frown. “You have told me everything you’re organizing for the reception hall, haven’t you?”

  Luke had been relieved to hand the design of the new building near the farm’s entrance over to Shannon after she’d come up with numerous ideas. His vision had been for a basic structure with the bare essentials—a counter with a cash register, some showers, and equipment storage had morphed into something up-market and welcoming.

  He’d initially balked at the idea of an indoor trampoline gym, but Shannon’s pitch had been very persuasive. The hot tubs had been another of her many ideas. She’d suggested customers might relish a soak in a hot tub after a day of rugged, adventure-type activity.

  “I may have forgotten to mention a couple of them,” she teased.

  The grin they shared was full of the friendly give-and-take they’d established working together. Luke had to remind himself to ignore the physical attraction which reared its head at the most unexpected times. He wasn’t jeopardizing such a terrific working rapport.

  Shannon slid back from her desk. With a flick, the computer closed down. “You’re on, I’m out of here now, but don’t forget I’ll owe you a couple of hours.”

  “You’ll pay me back, I’m sure.”

  “You can bet on that.” She gathered her project together and leaving it on a shelf away from his messy paperwork she frowned across at him. “Are you sure?”

  Luke nodded, suddenly finding something riveting to study on his plan lest he drown in her dark, luminous eyes. “Enjoy a couple of hours on your own.”

  “Thanks.” The smile she threw his way kept him warm for the rest of the afternoon. “I’m going to prepare a special tea.”

  Luke didn’t wait for an invitation to join her and Thomas. That wouldn’t be forthcoming.

  ****

  Next morning dawned clear and frosty. Luke hurried his breakfast and went out while the dew was still crisp on the ground. He saddled two horses ready for the day. Riding would be easier t
han negotiating the hills and gullies on wheels.

  He hooked a bag full of stakes over the saddle horn, secured the overall blueprint under the saddle cantle, and he was ready to go. He glanced at his watch, impatient to be away, but it was still thirty minutes before the boys would head out to the school bus. Thirty minutes before Shannon’s start time.

  Returning to the kitchen he grabbed another cup of coffee while he waited. With gratitude, he spied a box of bacon-and-egg pie and a Thermos flask sitting ready on the table.

  “We’re lucky you and Shannon have your coffee the same way,” Marcia commented as she clipped down the lid on the pie. “That saves us having to send out separate milk and sugar.”

  Luke sat opposite his niece munching on some marmite toast and caught her unblinking stare. He gave her a smile but as was recurrently the case, her expression didn’t change.

  Her tendency of following him with large, anxious eyes worried him, but Marcia kept reassuring him. To her mind, Amy was a shy, wee thing who hadn’t yet adapted to the huge changes in her young life.

  Luke had no clue what, if anything, he should be doing to bolster the little girl. But as long as Marcia was around, he guessed Amy was getting the parenting she needed.

  “Jake,” Marcia yelled, “your lunch.”

  The tornado that was his nephew grabbed the box and stuffed it into his backpack while running out the door.

  “How that boy ever catches the bus is a mystery to me.”

  “Probably the same way you and your brothers did, with fast horses.” Marcia chuckled and gave his shoulder a pat as she turned to the sink. “I’m not expecting you back for lunch today, am I?”

  Luke shook his head. “I want to go up through the bush to the old sawmill. I’m hoping to find a stand of trees for a few walkways and figure out where best to put the bike tracks. I expect we’ll need the rest of the week.”

  “And Rod has gone into Invercargill so Amy and I will amuse ourselves for the day, won’t we, my little princess?”

  Something tightened inside Luke at the sweet, little smile Amy gave her aunt.

  Marcia caught Luke’s frown and shot him a reassuring smile. “Give her time,” she mouthed.