Return to Riversleigh

by Anne Ashby

  “As long as you’re not bailing out on me, we can sort anything else out. I promise.”

  Is he crazy? The dynamics have changed. We’ll never return to what we’ve been. She shook her head, chewing on her bottom lip at the same time. Can we go on working together?

  “It’ll be fine.” His attempt to reassure her fell short of whatever she needed. Not that she knew what that was.

  “Let’s do something special with the kids tomorrow. The five of us, all together.” He cupped his hands around her face and gently, very gently, laid his lips on hers.

  She didn’t have a chance to respond or to flout his touch because he’d turned aside so quickly. “Good night Shannon,” he whispered over his shoulder as he disappeared into the night.

  Shannon stared after him. He didn’t go back into the house. In the dim light she wasn’t sure where he headed, but it appeared he wasn’t on his way to bed any time soon. Somehow that knowledge made Shannon feel a little easier. Perhaps she wasn’t the only one feeling the world had lost its axis. Has this encounter left him feeling uptight and edgy, too?

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The next morning, as she approached the farmhouse’s front door, butterflies the size of pigeons flapped around inside Shannon’s stomach. With each step she prayed they wouldn’t attempt escape.

  Thomas had disappeared earlier and she could hear noise behind the sheds. She was tempted to head in the boys’ direction. Meeting Luke with the children in attendance wouldn’t be near as nerve-wracking as meeting him alone. Her gaze swept the yard. It would also be cowardly. And Thomas would fuss if she searched him out.

  She stopped at the garden gate, closed her eyes, and took what should have been a calming breath but wasn’t. This needn’t be difficult. She’d convinced herself, during the long hours she couldn’t sleep, that their working relationship needn’t change.

  They’d developed a solid friendship. What’s a little kiss between friends? Just put it behind us and forget it. She scraped her fingers through her hair, no doubt making herself into a bedraggled scarecrow in the process. Shannon marched to the house’s front door and banged on it.

  The door swung open so swiftly Shannon jumped. Was he watching me out the window? Has he been waiting for me? She swallowed a groan and managed a croaky greeting.

  “Good morning.” Something in his voice forced the pigeons into flight—something soft, knowing, and intimate.

  A glance from his left ear to his eyes confirmed he might not be on the same page as she. She checked out his right ear as her dry mouth denied her speech.

  “Did you sleep okay?”

  Her gaze bounced back to his eyes. She detected no suggestion of amusement. Instead he appeared concerned, anxious, and perhaps a little apprehensive.

  Of its own volition, her head shook.

  His lopsided smile was wry. “Me neither.”

  A soft gasp escaped her lips.

  “Hey, Shannon,” chirped an excited voice from the depth of the kitchen. “We’re going to the beach. I’m making a picnic. You can help if you like.”

  With a wobbly smile toward Luke she stepped past him. “The beach?” she queried over her shoulder. “But Amy—”

  “She doesn’t seem to mind. And I can carry her.”

  Giving Amy a quick hug, Shannon settled beside her, and took over Luke’s sandwich making.

  So he wasn’t watching for me. Shannon wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or not.

  “I wondered about taking a couple of the sand yachts with us. The tide will be out.” He rubbed his hands down the sides of his shorts. “But only if you agree.”

  “Why wouldn’t I agree?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t want to suggest Thomas do anything you’re not—”

  “I don’t care about a few bumps and bruises. That’s all Thomas might possibly suffer on a sand yacht.” She looked up at Luke, on safer ground now they were over that initial awkward greeting. “I doubt he’d hurt himself.” She explained, “He did a little bit of sailing in Auckland.”

  “Okay, then. I’ll load them.” He paused halfway out the door remembering the food preparation going on. “Ah,—”

  “Go on.” Shannon laughed. “Amy and I can finish the picnic. You can be in charge of the entertainment.”

  A smile remained as she continued with the picnic food. It was considerate of him to check with me first. Then her smile faded. Am I so rigid he thinks I wouldn’t let Thomas enjoy some fun on a sand yacht?

  Her hands stilled as she remembered occasions, within Luke’s hearing, when she’d adamantly refused to allow Thomas’s requests to do things. There were the horses, the quad bike, climbing the huge trees out the back, and now the zip line platforms.

  Heat warmed her face. She’d even doubted his ability to use the lawn mower without hurting himself—all in front of Luke.

  Am I being unfair to Thomas? Thomas hated the way she shied away from allowing him to do anything daring. But I can’t risk losing him. I can’t.

  Shannon’s head shot up when a little voice pummeled inside her head. You’re losing him anyway. She smothered the painful groan rising from the depths inside her.

  Amy stared at her with a definite frown creasing her little forehead. Shannon leapt up, turning aside from the inquisitive child, grabbing at the need to locate a plastic box for the sandwiches. She swallowed.

  It had been Amy’s comments to Luke yesterday that had started this insecurity for Shannon. She couldn’t chastise the little girl for talking out of turn. It was up to Shannon, the adult, to ensure there was nothing else Amy might want to share with her uncle.

  Thankfully Thomas, on Jake’s heels, burst into the kitchen moments later. Although he didn’t look her way, her heart lightened to see something more encouraging than a scowl covering her son’s face.

  “Are you finished?” Jake ran smack into the table in his haste. “We’re loaded and ready to leave. Do you have the picnic ready?”

  Jake’s excitement was infectious. Instead of suggesting he’d missed a couple of polite words from his demand, Shannon slid a box of sandwiches across the table with a smile. “Here’s some biscuits, too.” She slid another box across. “Thomas, you carry these drinks.” She took a last look around the kitchen and entrance way. “Has everyone got jackets and hats?”

  “Aw, Shannon, it’s warm as outside.”

  “Coats and hats, boys.”

  “Okay, okay.” Thomas mumbled under his breath as he grabbed an array of jackets.

  “Thank you, Thomas.”

  She watched an exchange between him and Luke at the gate. They spoke, looked her way, then shook their heads in unison.

  Thomas smiled when Luke clapped him on the shoulder and said something. The way things were at the moment, Shannon had despaired she might never see her son smile again.

  “What was that about?” she demanded as Luke walked in.

  “Men’s talk.” Luke glanced over his shoulder before turning a sly smile her way. “Do you really want to know?”

  Don’t destroy the day before it’s even begun. Shannon swallowed, taking the hint, and shook her head.

  Luke flicked a finger across her cheek. “I wouldn’t do or say anything to hurt you or Thomas. Trust me on that, at least.”

  His fingers cupped her chin for a second and his eyes drew hers. The breath caught in her throat as his gaze dropped to her lips and she ran her tongue over them in an attempt to alleviate the sudden dryness.

  “Uncle?”

  His frustrated grimace sent a blast of warmth through her. If Amy wasn’t here…

  “We’re heading to the beach. Let’s make it a fun day for the kids, shall we?”

  Before Shannon responded to his less-than-subtle inference that later it would be their turn, he turned and picked Amy up. “You ready, my lady?”

  Shannon gripped the table edge and began slowly counting to ten. She couldn’t leave the room until she had more control over her emotions. Even the child
ren would pick up something is different about me if I go out in this state.

  God help me, I want that man. She thumped the table. But is the threat to our future worth taking the risk?

  “Where’s your cuddly, Amy?”

  Shannon kept her back to Luke and the little girl. He mustn’t witness me in a confused state, although his attention is focused on his niece.

  Luke’s move up the hallway was halted by a definite shake of her head.

  “I don’t want my cuddly today.”

  Shannon turned in time to see shocked surprise on Luke’s face. Conflicting emotions ran across his face and he struggled to swallow a couple of times.

  His voice was a bit gruff as he bounced Amy a little higher in his arms. “Why are we hanging about here then?” He snuggled his face into her neck, causing a burst of giggles as they left the kitchen.

  Shannon marveled at the change in both of them. Amy’s arms wound around her uncle’s neck and a delighted smile covered her face as she nodded. There was softness in Luke’s expression as he shared his own smile with the little girl. Shannon marveled how much Amy’s accident had impacted Luke’s attitude toward the children.

  Before following, Shannon sent a heartfelt word of thanks skyward as she flicked a quick glance around to check nothing remained out of place. Amy giving up her cuddly, even for a short time, had shifted Shannon’s thoughts away from her confusion regarding Luke.

  However, approaching the truck with the boys waiting impatiently inside, Shannon faltered. They resembled a family on an outing. Her heart began to race all over again.

  ****

  Luke drove, deep in thought, toward Colac Bay. There wasn’t any need for him to add to the boisterous anticipation filling the cab—the boys were making quite enough noise for everyone.

  He glanced across at Shannon. She’d turned and was talking to Jake, her ready smile making her eyes twinkle. She appears a little more relaxed now, thank goodness. He’d recognized her nervousness when she’d arrived at the door; it had been hard to miss.

  He hadn’t known what to do or say to put her at ease. He needed her to feel at ease. Whatever might be smoldering between them, he needed time to fan it into an inferno—not to have it doused before it could come alive.

  Luke’s glance in the rear vision mirror showed the kids’ excitement. We’re only going to the beach, he marveled. Perhaps they were feeling this could be the beginning of something special, too.

  His gaze flicked across to Shannon again. They were going on an outing like a family—a real family.

  The air sucked from his lungs. A fabricated cough disguised the startled gasp escaping his lips. His heart pounded. He dragged at the T-shirt collar suddenly claustrophobic around his neck.

  Luke hadn’t ever imagined having a family. He looked back in the mirror as he signaled his turn off the main road.

  In seconds he skipped back over many great moments in his life. Conquering the rivers, the mountains, the surf hadn’t given him this sense of warmth. He recalled moments of exhilaration, excitement, elation at varying times, but this emotion was new.

  Warmth radiated throughout his body. He touched a hand to his chest, expecting to feel excessive heat pouring through his shirt. Adrenaline roared through him. He leapt from the truck as soon as it stopped, feeling more alive than on any of his adventures.

  “C’mon.” He flung open the back door and the boys piled out. “Low tide is at eleven so we’ll have a good three hours before the water encroaches.”

  They soon had blankets on the sand next to the little creek with the picnic goody-filled chilly bin close by. Luke carried Amy and settled her in one of the deck chairs. He tied a large plastic bag over her cast and she was soon hobbling across to where she could play in the sand. The boys weren’t interested in such docilities, they were dragging the sand yachts from their bags.

  “Go on.” Shannon grinned at Luke. “You know you want to,” she teased.

  His gaze swiveled from Shannon to the boys and back again. He dithered at the edge of the blanket, not wanting to leave Shannon’s side, but—

  “Amy and I will be fine here.” Shannon sank down beside the girl. “We’re going to make the best sand castle ever, aren’t we?”

  It took Luke two seconds to decide. Sand castle building didn’t hold much appeal, even with Shannon.

  Instead of needing to advise the boys how to set up the yachts, Luke found Thomas already had the task well in hand.

  “You’ve done this before?”

  Thomas shook his head, his fingers deftly threading the mainsheet.

  “Your mum said you’ve done a bit of sailing?”

  Something grabbed Luke’s innards at the devastation on the boy’s face before Thomas jerked his head aside. Luke frowned at the change in the boy’s demeanor—shoulders slumped as his whitened fingers gripped the mainsheet.

  Luke pointedly shifted closer to Jake as Thomas’s chin wobbled.

  Luke smiled as Jake directed his question toward Thomas rather than him. “What’s this called again? Where does it have to go?”

  He pretended an intense interest in the rock formations at the end of the beach while the tone of Thomas’s response strengthened from a distinct wobble back to normal.

  Luke didn’t need to double-check the assembly. Thomas had already done so. Luke rubbed his chin. Thomas had prepared the yachts in record time, but with the care and attention of an expert.

  Luke needed to talk to Shannon a little more about Thomas and his “bit” of sailing.

  “All set?”

  Jake looked uncertain as he settled onto the yacht but Luke sensed Thomas’s excitement.

  He touched Thomas’s shoulder. “See those buildings along there?” Luke pointed to where the surfers hung out a way down the long beach. “Don’t go any farther than those buildings.”

  Thomas’s grin was all the answer he got as the boy tugged his mainsheet and was gone in a gust of wind.

  Instructing a seven-year-old how to move a land yacht wasn’t near as uninspiring and tedious as Luke might once have imagined. Running alongside Jake as the boy circled the yacht close to the creek, he shared Jake’s sense of achievement as he slowly acquired some of the necessary skills.

  Now and then Luke glanced along the beach. The sail of Thomas’s yacht sped across the sand leaving no doubt Luke might still harbor about the boy’s ability. His tacking into the breeze showed an expertise Luke hadn’t expected from someone so young.

  Jake had wearied of the yacht and was now building a dam across the creek.

  Luke sank onto the blanket next to Amy and helped with her sand construction. “How long has Thomas been sailing?”

  Shannon shrugged. “Oh, couple of years, I guess.”

  “He’s skillful.” Luke’s gaze returned to the white sail, now barely the size of a handkerchief. “Did he sail competitively?”

  He’d caught Shannon’s attention now. “I guess so. He used to go to Narrow Neck every weekend in summer with a neighbor and his son.”

  Her body stiffened, as if sensing Luke’s surprise. “I normally worked weekends…especially in the summer.” She too looked along the beach. “Yes, of course he competed. What else would they do?”

  Surprised at Shannon’s apparent lack of understanding of what he suspected sailing meant to Thomas, Luke kept his voice even. “I guess he’s been missing it a lot.”

  Shannon appeared to need time to assimilate this, so he continued, “I wish he’d mentioned it sometime. We could have come down here a few times.”

  He patted the side of an addition to Amy’s castle and mused aloud for Shannon benefit. “I know it’s not sailing, but at least he’d have the sea breeze blowing through his hair.”

  Color drained from Shannon’s face.

  Luke busied himself adding a flagpole on top of Amy’s masterpiece, pretending not to notice the distinct tremble in Shannon’s hands as they fell back into her lap.

  Amy’s woebegone expression
drew a smile. “Can I help Jake?”

  “Why not?” Luke helped the girl to her feet. “As long as you don’t decide to go swimming.”

  He smiled and grabbed a folded blanket. Lending a steadying hand as Amy limped across the sand to the creek, he settled the child.

  “If you sit here, you can reach some of the stones. Be careful how you throw them though, won’t you? Don’t hit your brother.”

  Luke stayed beside Amy for a few moments, giving Shannon extra moments alone. Her expression when he glanced her way suggested her thoughts weren’t pleasant.

  He backed away from the creek, keeping an eye on the children. He spoke to Shannon over his shoulder, indicating the sand yacht Jake had abandoned. “You want a turn?”

  The emphatic shake of her head didn’t surprise him. Her wrinkled brow and one hand repeatedly pinching at the skin under her chin clearly showed her agitation. For heaven’s sake, her eyebrows are almost touching each other.

  Uncertain whether he should offer to listen or just ignore her angst, the latter finally won. Perhaps if we have our picnic now, she’ll feel better.

  “It’s close enough for lunch. Are you hungry?” When she didn’t answer he continued. “Keep an eye on the kids while I chase Thomas?” His smile sailed over her head but she did acknowledge his request by rising to her feet and moving closer to the children.

  “I’ll only be two ticks.”

  An increase in the breeze sent the yacht skipping across the sand and within minutes he’d arrived where Thomas was tacking toward him.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  “Let’s go back for some kai, boy,” Luke called as he turned alongside Thomas.

  The boy released the mainsheet and let his sail flap. He threw back his head and closed his eyes, his face glowing.

  “Having fun?”

  The eyes turning to Luke were sparkling. He wasn’t surprised when Thomas burst out laughing.

  “This is sweet as.”

  Luke grinned. He’d often seen similar exhilaration on men’s faces. “Not quite as good as sailing but—” Luke let his voice fade.

  “It’s as close as I’m likely to get for now.”