Snowy Mountains Mistletoe, page 3
Then she blinked and the defensiveness he always associated with her returned. She tossed her long dark hair over her shoulder before heading towards him. Conscious of all the gazes swivelling between them as though their audience were watching a tennis match, he focused on the agitated shake of Bundy’s head. The kelpie appeared to have a foxtail grass seed in his ear.
Trent stepped aside to let Aubrey and Bundy precede him into the consulting room. He took a second to follow and another long second to turn and close the door.
Aubrey accompanying Bundy wasn’t the only surprise. Gone was her form-fitting black lycra, signature red lips and the sassy sway of her hips. Instead, makeup free, she wore a casual shirt and jeans and slip-on shoes with no heels. Purple smudges underlined her eyes, and her smooth skin was winter-pale despite it being summer.
There’d also been an unmistakable look of anguish as she’d gazed at Matt Reynolds as though sharing his deep worry about his children’s pet Jack Russell. Just as Trent had sensed on the day he met Aubrey, beneath all her polish and directness was a good heart.
He kept his expression professional. ‘Hi, Aubrey.’
From her white-knuckled grip on Bundy’s lead, she wasn’t happy about seeing him instead of Nina.
‘Hi, Trent.’
He almost smiled. Only Aubrey could add a snarky edge to a usually polite greeting. He looked away from the curve of her full bottom lip. The feminine huskiness of her voice hadn’t changed.
He tapped the table and Bundy jumped up. ‘So, my favourite patient has a grass seed inside his ear.’
The tense line of Aubrey’s mouth eased now they were dealing with why Bundy was there. ‘No wonder I couldn’t see anything.’
Trent nodded as he examined Bundy. Already the small room smelled like lilacs and he was acutely conscious of every movement Aubrey made. She rubbed at her right hand as though her joints bothered her before taking a step away.
‘Will Turtle be okay?’ she asked.
Despite how she’d moved backwards to put distance between them, he could see the shimmer of gold in her brown eyes.
‘I haven’t heard Nina return to the waiting room to speak to Matt, so they would have found a heartbeat, had Turtle intubated and given him antivenom. Matt got him here quickly which gives Turtle a fighting chance.’
‘Do you treat a lot of snake bites?’
‘We have this summer. There’s been so much rain, the long grass and weeds makes seeing them difficult.’
He moved to the cupboard behind him to take out an otoscope. Aubrey’s intent gaze had assessed him as though she knew exactly how much his animal patients meant to him and how he hated to lose any of them.
‘There’s obviously also lots of grass seeds,’ she said, her voice quiet when he again faced her.
‘Unfortunately for Bundy there is. Now, would you like me to get a vet nurse, or will you be right to hold him?’
She hesitated before nodding. ‘What do I have to do?’
After he showed her the best way to keep Bundy still, Trent used the lighted otoscope to examine the kelpie’s ear. As he’d suspected, the problem was a foxtail grass seed. Nature had designed such a seed to burrow, and he’d also found them in dog paws, noses and under their skin.
When Trent straightened, Aubrey relaxed her gentle hold on Bundy. ‘What’s the verdict?’
When Aubrey had first visited town, she hadn’t been able to pat Bundy. Now she kept a protective hand on his back and the concern in her expression said she’d do whatever it took to help him. Aubrey didn’t only have a good heart but a loyal one.
‘Bundy’s going to be my special guest. He’ll have to be sedated for the grass seed to be removed.’ He gestured for the kelpie to jump off the table. ‘I’m seeing a horse out Grace’s way later today so could drop Bundy back afterwards?’
Aubrey and Bundy swapped a look before Aubrey said, tone dry, ‘Bundy’s staying with me.’
Trent couldn’t stop his brows from shooting upwards. The quilting club would have a field day if they discovered where the kelpie was. They would see his presence as proof their plans for Aubrey were heading in the right direction. With every person that ended up spoken for after a visit from the kelpie, the local belief in his matchmaking prowess grew. Trent’s brows swiftly lowered as he remembered he was the other single person with a target on their back.
Aubrey gave a nod. ‘I know Bundy’s reputation, but he’s only staying to play with Bagel. Trust me … whether it’s Bundy or the notorious quilting club, there’s a better chance of me enjoying Christmas than of being railroaded into a relationship.’
Before Trent could fully gauge her expression, Aubrey bent to give the kelpie a farewell pat.
‘Thanks for helping Bundy,’ she said with a brief look in Trent’s direction before heading for the door.
That afternoon, when the waiting room had finally emptied and the grass seed had been removed from Bundy’s ear, Trent made himself another strong coffee. Not only had every conversation since Aubrey left been about how pretty she’d looked, there’d been countless questions about who Bundy was staying with. Not wanting to lie or say something incriminating (Aubrey was more than pretty), he’d either deflected or asked his own questions.
Once his mug was empty, he checked on Turtle, who would make a full recovery, and secured a still sleepy Bundy into the back seat of the vet vehicle. The grass seed had perforated his eardrum but otherwise all had gone well.
After he’d left town, Trent took the road that ran around the valley edge to treat the injured horse. After he’d clipped, cleaned and bandaged the back fetlock, he gave the chestnut a tetanus shot. He left powdered antibiotics and pain relief with the owner before heading for Crookwell Park. By now Bundy’s sedative had worn off and he was his usual alert self.
‘Almost there, mate,’ he said as Bundy moved around on the back seat as far as his harness would allow.
The ring of his mobile filled the ute. It was early evening and the vet surgery had shut so this wouldn’t be a work call. He smiled when he saw Clancy’s name and answered by Bluetooth.
‘Hi, Clance.’
The peony flower farmer had become like another sister to him and was one of the few people in town who knew the whole story about what had happened with Eva. When the man Clancy loved had returned to paint the water tower, Trent had done everything he could to make sure Heath didn’t break her heart.
When they finally ended up together, he’d felt immense relief but also regret. After seeing the depth of Clancy and Heath’s feelings, he should have realised earlier that he and Eva hadn’t ever felt the same way about each other. He rolled his shoulders against a familiar surge of guilt. If he had, Eva might still be alive.
‘Hi,’ Clancy responded. ‘You and Bundy almost at Grace’s?’
Trent didn’t question how Clancy knew where he and Bundy were going. Rowan was Clancy’s brother and while he and Grace had restored Crookwell Park, they’d lived in the coach house in the back garden of Clancy’s farmhouse. Clancy and Grace were close.
‘Just about.’
From Clancy’s pause he got the impression this wasn’t a random chat. ‘I heard you had a busy day.’
‘Let’s just say I think I pretty much saw every animal owned by the quilting club.’
‘No wonder Vernette called to see if either Iris, Monet or Primrose were due to see you. If they were, she insisted on coming to help.’
Trent didn’t silence his groan.
Clancy laughed softly. ‘It could be worse … At least the Christmas tree lighting, harvest festival and rodeo will be good distractions.’ Clancy paused. ‘Sorry you didn’t have a heads up Aubrey was in town. Grace wasn’t sure she would actually come, let alone be willing to leave her laptop behind.’
Trent suppressed his question about what was going on with Aubrey, especially if she was planning to not do any work. He didn’t want to pry, plus Aubrey wouldn’t appreciate either his curiosity or his concern.
Clancy spoke again. ‘You must be nearly there, I’ll make this quick. Trent … I know how hard it was for you to make a new life here and the last thing you need is any drama. If you need me to, I’ll tell the quilting club to back off.’
‘Thanks, Clance, but Aubrey won’t want anything to do with me. Let the quilting club have a little harmless fun if it makes them happy. All will be well.’
‘Make sure you tell me if it isn’t.’
‘I will.’ Trent turned off the bitumen onto the gravel road that led to Crookwell Park. ‘I’m here so had better go. Say hi to Heath.’
‘Will do and give Bundy a cuddle from me.’
Trent ended the call and glanced over his shoulder to see the kelpie wag his tail.
By this late in the day, Grace had put her small herd of goats in their paddock beside the stables. Which meant the automatic front gate was open and that Rebel, a tiny goat who Aubrey had given a very apt name, wouldn’t be around to jump onto the ute bonnet. At the fork in the road, Trent deliberated and chose the direction that would take him and Bundy to the main house. Even though the kelpie was staying with Aubrey, this way Aubrey would be spared from seeing Trent again.
He parked and let Bundy out. As they walked up the front steps, the door opened to reveal a smiling Grace. Her flour-covered apron and the aroma of gingerbread indicated that she’d been baking.
She bent to tickle Bundy beneath his chin. ‘You look much happier.’
‘He does.’ Trent held up a paper bag containing the kelpie’s medication. ‘He’ll just need a little follow-up care. The instructions on how to flush out his ear are on the label.’
Grace nodded and stepped to the side. ‘Come on in. Aubrey’s so busy making the perfect gingerbread man she will barely register you’re here.’
When he didn’t move, Grace gave him an understanding smile. ‘As I’ve said before, Aubrey avoiding you is just an Aubrey thing; it’s nothing you’ve done. The least I can do is make you a cuppa for dropping off Bundy.’
Trent reminded himself of Grace’s words as the smile that shaped Aubrey’s lips when she saw Bundy fled as soon as Trent walked in.
Earlier at the vet clinic he’d felt concern about what Aubrey might be going through, along with the usual pull of attraction, but he’d been in work mode. Now there wasn’t anything to distract him. Just like on the day he’d seen her across the street while he’d sat at The Book Nook Café, it was as though everything around him faded. She was all he could focus on.
Her dark hair was piled in a messy bun, flour dusted her cheek, and she wore an oversized floral apron. Whether dressed up or dressed down, she made his senses burn.
Bundy went straight over to her.
‘Hi,’ she said. ‘I can’t pat you.’ She wriggled her fingers, which were covered in dough. ‘I’ve got a gingerbread man mutiny on my hands. But it’s good to see you.’
Her brown gaze lifted, cooled and locked with Trent’s.
He arched a brow. If she thought he’d be intimidated and look away she was mistaken. He wasn’t some corporate city boy she could bluff.
For the next fortnight he’d keep his distance as much as possible because that’s what he and Aubrey did, plus there were matchmaking plots to foil. But that didn’t mean he’d let her dictate how they interacted when they were together. The dynamics between them had changed.
It didn’t matter how much her icy stare had become a glare, she didn’t fool him. She was a master at hiding her vulnerability. He knew more than anyone that it was those who never asked for help who often needed it the most.
Chapter 5
The worst was over. Yesterday she had seen Trent not once, but twice.
Aubrey slipped on a pair of white slides to walk over to the main house for breakfast. She opened the cottage door and Bundy bolted outside as though she’d offered him a green smoothie. She followed at a slower pace. She hadn’t soaked him that much when she’d washed out his right ear as per the instructions on the bottle Trent had left with her.
She briefly closed her eyes to banish her tension and fatigue. She didn’t know what it was about the vet that continued to make her feel as though she were floundering. Such a feeling was as alien to her as being woken by the screech of cockatoos. She was always in control, of herself as well as her environment.
But yesterday in the kitchen, despite her never-fail stare, not only had Trent raised a brow, he hadn’t looked away. She could have sworn the corner of his mouth had quirked as though he were fighting a smile. She’d never had anyone challenge her in such a relaxed and nonconfrontational way before. When it came to the opposite sex, she was an expert in making sure she never came off second best. But for all his easygoing likability, Trent could prove to be her most formidable opponent yet.
The trouble was, the longer she’d held his deep whisky-coloured gaze, the harder it had become to breathe and the more she’d wanted to run her fingers through his thick russet-brown hair. It had only been by Grace asking if they’d like some shortbread with their tea that the intense connection between them had been broken. Such a demolition of her boundaries couldn’t happen again.
By now Bundy had crossed the plush green lawn and was loping up the front steps of the main house. At least the kelpie wasn’t living up to his matchmaking reputation. He wouldn’t have planned to have a grass seed in his ear or for poor Turtle to be bitten by a snake. Aubrey seeing Trent yesterday had just been bad luck. From now on she’d make sure she wouldn’t walk under any ladders or break any mirrors.
There’d been more rain overnight and the garden glistened as though it had been washed clean. The early morning sunshine warmed her, and she inhaled the calming floral perfume of the nearby pink roses. Today she’d clear her mind of all thoughts of Trent and concentrate on stopping herself from logging onto work.
Numbers had always been her thing and working with them had taken her into a world that made sense to her. Except after she’d had surgery to fix her broken ankle last year and been forced to rest, the suspicion had grown that work wasn’t only her life but also her escape.
The heavy wooden door opened before a cream kelpie puppy bounded out and with an excited yip launched himself at Bundy. Rowan followed. The cattleman, who moonlighted as a stonemason, had arrived home from Khancoban last night. Aubrey had heard the rumble of his Land Cruiser as she’d fallen asleep.
Rowan gave her a broad grin and opened his arms wide for a hug. He knew she wasn’t a fan of having her personal space invaded, but it had become a habit to greet her this way. And, to be honest, not that she would admit it to him, she liked how he was always happy to see her.
‘Morning, Aubrey, of the killer handshake.’
She couldn’t hide her smile as his arms encircled her. ‘Morning, Rowan, hefter of heavy rocks.’
He pulled away with a mock frown. ‘Stones, remember? No self-respecting stonemason would call them rocks.’
They had a similar conversation every visit. ‘Okay then, Rowan, hefter of heavy stones.’
He nodded his tawny head in approval, his concerned grey gaze skimming over her.
She’d dressed for comfort in an oversized striped T-shirt and black denim shorts. As she’d climbed out of bed half an hour ago she had no idea what her hair was doing. She half lifted a hand to check and then lowered it.
To her surprise, Rowan pulled her close for a second hug. ‘I’m glad you’re here. Just a heads up, Grace’s determined to make you better through her baking.’
Aubrey eased herself away. As much as she knew Rowan was the real deal, she was yet to feel comfortable with someone seeing her as in need of help. She’d always had to stay strong for her mother, and in the workplace any so-called support was a case of quid pro quo, usually with strings attached.
‘Well then, I’m counting on you and your sweet tooth. I could only eat a slice of Grace’s carrot cake and feel bad for not eating more.’
Rowan winked. ‘The mission to eat my body weight in baked goods is accepted.’
Aubrey patted his flat stomach as she walked past. ‘Your sugar intake will be safe with me. If Taite found out, he’d be dragging you up coronary hill for a run.’
Rowan’s groan caused her to smile as she walked through the doorway. She moved to the side as a flash of cream raced past, with Bundy close behind. She couldn’t blame the two dogs. Whatever Grace had cooked for breakfast made her stomach rumble. Not that she would be telling Bundy anytime soon, but green smoothies were starting to lose their appeal.
Grace’s eggs benedict tasted as good as it had smelled. She had also cooked some crispy bacon strips just how Aubrey liked them to add on the side. She tucked in. She’d only been there two days and her appetite had improved.
When Grace left her seat, Rowan reached over to swipe a piece of bacon from Aubrey’s plate.
She gave him her best death stare. ‘Bacon is not sugar,’ she hissed. ‘I don’t need any help eating protein.’
Rowan, expression innocent, shared the bacon with Bundy and Bagel. Not to be outdone, Aubrey reached over and swapped Rowan’s full glass of orange juice with her empty one.
‘I’m blaming you if I get scurvy from a lack of Vitamin C,’ Rowan said with a side eye that he ruined with a grin.
‘Don’t worry, Grace will still love you when your teeth fall out.’
When Grace joined them, the laughter in her eyes said she hadn’t missed a thing. When she exchanged an adoring look with Rowan, Aubrey glanced away.
It had to be parvovirus making her feel so emotionally unsettled. Seeing the depth of Grace and Rowan’s connection had always left her feeling like there was something missing from her life. But now that vague sense of unfulfilment had turned into a noticeable emptiness.
‘If you don’t have any plans for the morning,’ Grace said to Aubrey, voice bright, ‘I’m popping into Bundilla to sell Christmas puddings to raise money for the town’s new Christmas tree decorations.’
Aubrey looked over at the box of calico-wrapped puddings sporting red-and-green tartan bows. A vague and happy memory stirred of her grandmother setting a pudding alight so that blue flames danced.
