Secrets of Riverside, page 6
‘What?’ she called out to it, her hands in the air.
Of course she didn’t receive a response.
Groaning, she turned back to her Jimny, and finally saw the problem for what it was. And she instantly felt like an idiot. It was steam, not smoke. The old beast had overheated. She wasn’t defying death by standing here, yelling at a cow. She was just in her regular ongoing mess of a life, watching the next setback on her crazy agenda unfolding. She needed to do something other than standing here, feeling sorry for herself. Because soon, by the looks of the dark clouds eating up the last of the blue, she was going to add getting drenched through to the skin to her list of hindrances. So, stomping back to her Jimny with newfound determination, she tugged the bonnet open and stared into the steamy abyss of the unknown. Not mechanically minded in the slightest, she had no clue what to do next, but she’d just have to wing it. Otherwise, she may end up stuck out here all night. And after watching Wolf Creek too many times, there was no way in hell she wanted that.
* * *
With Tommy having disappeared bang on the 2 pm closing time, Jarrah and his two long-serving waitresses, twin sisters Jenny and Penny, had done the clearing up. It was four by the time they’d finished – an hour later than usual. Even though he was miffed Tommy hadn’t done the right thing by staying to help with end-of-shift duties, he decided to leave his nephew to his sulking until later. Or maybe tomorrow. It was probably a good idea for him to calm down before what was going to be an uncomfortable conversation anyway. So, instead, he headed into town with Scruff as his happy passenger, to put up a notice at the local shop saying that he was looking for a new cook, pronto.
With the gloomy sky having split open half an hour earlier, the tropical storm hadn’t eased, and the heavy downpour was making it hard for him to see the road. This trip into town was going to take him a little longer than expected. Slowing as he approached a cattle grid, he then turned right. Just up ahead, he spotted a little jeep-looking car with its hazard lights flashing. Turning the stereo down, he eased off the accelerator and went down a gear. Checking his rear-vision mirror, he made sure he didn’t have anyone travelling too closely behind him. Indicating, he then began to pull to the side of the road. The older style Jimny four-wheel drive was parked up on the shoulder, and from what he could see, there was nobody inside. Rolling past the front end, he spotted a very nice butt captured in a pair of diamante-studded denim shorts, with the woman’s head hidden beneath the open bonnet. It was all he could do to respectfully drag his eyes from the pleasant sight.
He looked to Scruff, who was getting antsy beside him. ‘You stay put, mister, or there’ll be trouble, okay.’ Then he rolled his window down, copping a spray of raindrops to his face as he called out, ‘Hey there, do you need a hand?’
Caught unawares, the petite woman bumped her head then unfurled from where she was tinkering. ‘Ouch, damn it.’ She spun to him while rubbing her head, a shifter clutched tightly in her hand. ‘I didn’t hear you pull up.’ Not moving a muscle now, she stared him down.
With buttercream blonde hair, rosy full lips, and womanly curves in all the right places, her natural beauty momentarily struck Jarrah speechless. She was striking in a very ethereal kind of way. Then, before he had a chance to say a single word, a sense of familiarity whacked him fair and square in the chest, and he had to take a quick breath to recover. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.’ Thank god he’d finally found words.
She half-smiled. ‘Of course you didn’t.’ The blowing rain had drenched her to the skin, and her blue T-shirt clung to her.
‘Engine troubles?’ he said, unable to stop staring at her.
‘Hmm …’ With her half-smile turning a little cheeky, she wiped locks of long, wet hair from her face, succeeding in smearing grease all over her cheeks. ‘Whatever gave you that idea?’
Well, hot damn, she had sass, and he liked it. ‘Wild guess, I suppose.’ Her hint of a smirk was both cute and challenging.
‘Well then, you guessed right.’ She threw a quick glance over her shoulder. ‘And as much as I’d like to say I don’t need any help,’ she flung her reflective gaze back to him, ‘I’ll have to humble myself and say I do.’
‘In that case, I’m at your service.’ He offered her a smirk in return before grabbing his hat from the dashboard – it would help keep his face somewhat dry. He tugged it on, shoved his door open and stepped out. ‘You can come too, buddy, if you don’t mind getting wet.’ Scruff didn’t need any more of an invite to follow him.
It was only when Jarrah neared her that he caught sight of the mesmeric sea-green of her eyes – he’d never seen a shade so intensely yet calmingly beautiful. In an instant, she innocently dragged him into fond memories of swimming in the ocean off the glorious coastline of Western Australia, without a care in the world, and a twangy country song playing in his heart. And with his next intake of breath, it made him ponder what it would feel like, diving into all that made this stunning woman quintessentially her. Such a deep contemplation made him breathe a little faster and take a little longer to find any decipherable words. And that left them in a strange kind of silence, with him standing in the glow of her flashing hazard lights, with the rain slowing but still falling in a soft sheet. Time seemed to stumble, stall, then stand still. He sucked in a breath, and so did she. Her inquisitive yet cautious gaze went to the burn scar on his left cheek and loitered there. He understood it gave him a scary-looking edge, and he didn’t want her to get the wrong impression of him, so he turned to the other side, blocking it from her view.
‘So who’s your friend?’ Her voice broke through his thoughts and her gaze motioned to Scruff, now sitting on the toes of his boots.
‘Ahhh.’ He ruffled his best buddy’s head. ‘This here is Scruffball, or Scruff for short.’
‘Scruffball hey? Cute name.’ Her diamond-studded left brow lifted a little. ‘Is he friendly?’
‘Uh-huh, he sure is.’ Glancing down at Scruff – who was now keen to doggy-welcome this new person, but unable to because Jarrah had his finger looped through his collar – he chuckled. ‘Maybe a little too much for his own good at times, though.’
‘Hey, buddy.’ She crouched down to give Scruff a ruffle on his head, and he lapped it up. ‘You’re a sweetie pie, aren’t you?’
His tail slapping the gravel by the side of the road, Scruff gave her a sneaky lick up the cheek.
Even though she didn’t seem the least bit put off by dog slobber, Jarrah was quick to remind Scruff of his manners. ‘Oi, you scallywag, you know that’s not cool.’ But too wrapped up in this pretty woman, Scruff didn’t acknowledge his reprimand.
‘Aw, all good, he’s just saying hello, aren’t you, buddy.’ She chuckled as she straightened.
Jarrah noted that she didn’t even bother to wipe her cheek. A person that loved dogs was his kind of human. Especially one as cutely packaged as this woman.
‘So, let’s see what’s happened here, hey.’ He peered beneath the bonnet, thankful for the reprieve from the intensity of her striking gaze. ‘It looks to me like you’ve got yourself a cracked radiator.’ He glanced to where she was standing closely at his side. She was short and petite, and he felt like a high-rise next to her. ‘I’m afraid I don’t think we’re going to get this fixed here, or anytime over the next couple of days for that matter.’ He grimaced at her pained expression. ‘Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but the local mechanic has gone on a fishing tournament for the weekend, and won’t be back until Tuesday, at the earliest.’
‘There’s only one mechanic in Banshee Bay?’
‘With just under four hundred and fifty residents around here, I’m afraid so.’
Her huff could have blown him to Timbuktu. ‘Oh bloody hell.’ Stomping left to right, she kicked the front tyre, and then planted her hands onto her hips. ‘I seriously don’t have time for this crap.’
Jarrah had to stifle a grin, now wasn’t the time, but holy hell she was attractive when she was mad. ‘You got something important to get to?’
‘Yeah, something like that.’ She bit her bottom lip and her brows furrowed in thought.
‘Can I give you a lift to wherever it was you were going?’ It was the least he could do. ‘As long as it’s not an age away, that is.’
‘Oh, that’s really kind of you, but …’ She looked to her broken-down old beast, then back at him, blinking really fast.
Oh lord, was she about to cry. He couldn’t stand here and witness that, especially not when he couldn’t comfort her. Maybe she didn’t have anywhere to be, or to go? He hadn’t stopped to think of that. ‘You can come back to my place and have a hot shower and a good couple of nights’ sleep,’ he said hurriedly, trying to somehow soothe her. ‘And then, as soon as the mechanic gets back into town, we’ll get him on the job as quickly as we can so you can be on your way again.’
Sniffing and squaring her shoulders, she folded her arms and assessed him through her piercing eyes. ‘How do I know you’re not going to take me back somewhere to have your way with me and then murder me?’
‘You don’t.’ He chuckled, but then zipped it when he noted she was deadly serious.
Her suspicious eyes narrowed. ‘That’s not funny.’
‘Sorry.’ Grimacing, he held his hands up. ‘I’m not trying to be.’
More thunder rumbled overhead, and a crack of iridescent lightning shot across the sky. She glanced upwards, into the soft pitter-patter of rain, cursing. ‘Oh, for god’s sake, really? Haven’t you watered your garden enough already?’
‘What did you just say?’ He couldn’t hide his chuckle now.
‘Oh, that.’ She looked a little embarrassed. ‘My mum always told me that when it rained, it was God watering his garden.’ Her shoulders lifted in a little shrug. ‘Not that I believe in all of that religious stuff much these days.’
‘I like her analogy, it’s very sweet.’ Jarrah noted she was talking about her mum in the past tense, and his heart squeezed for her loss. He knew all too well what that felt like, to lose a mother. ‘I don’t think this is the safest place for you to be camped out all night.’ Grabbing his wallet from his back pocket, he plucked out a business card. ‘Here, this might make you feel a little better about coming back to mine.’
Taking it from him, she read the front, and when she looked back at him, her eyes were wide. ‘You own Riverside Acres?’
‘I sure do.’ He was a little thrown by her reaction, but shrugged it off.
‘Okay, well, in that case, I’ll gratefully accept your offer.’ She motioned over her shoulder. ‘Just let me go and grab my bag.’
Well that was a quick change of heart. ‘I can get it for you.’
She shook her head. ‘You could, but I don’t need you to.’ Going to the passenger side of her car, she fumbled about then hauled a duffel bag from the back seat and tossed it over her shoulder, along with a tasselled handbag. Going door to door, she made sure the car was locked up nice and tight, then turned to him with a determined look on her face. ‘Will my Jimny be safe left here?’
‘It will be, yes.’ He hooked his thumbs into his belt loops. ‘I’ll come back tomorrow and tow it to the mechanics; we can leave it parked there until Macca gets back from fishing.’
‘Sounds like a plan, thank you.’ Rising to her tippy toes, she eyed him a little uneasily. ‘Right then, let’s do this then.’
‘Yes, let’s.’ He completely understood how it would feel for a woman to be getting into a car with a stranger, and he hoped she’d relax in time, once she totally believed he wasn’t a weirdo.
Although he’d come to her rescue, Jarrah knew without a doubt that she was the furthest thing from a damsel in distress. Sassy as hell, and obviously independent and strong-minded, this little package of captivating woman was a livewire. He led her around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. She thanked him with a smile as she climbed up and in. As he headed back to the driver’s side, Scruff leapt up and planted his now wet rear in the middle of the bench-style seat.
Revving his four-wheel drive back to growling life, Jarrah waited for her to tug her seatbelt on, checked his mirrors, and then eased back onto the road, towards home. The ad for the cook would have to wait until tomorrow now. ‘So where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?’ He shifted up gears.
‘Everywhere.’ Her reply was a little distant as she stared out her window.
Jarrah found her air of mystery captivating. ‘Okay, well, will you at least tell me your name?’
‘Millie.’ She turned to him now, and offered a tight smile.
‘Nice to meet you, Millie, my name’s Jarrah King.’ He made sure his smile was warm and welcoming.
‘I know, I read it on your business card.’ She responded with another tight-lipped smile, and then looked back at the roadside flashing past.
He was about to turn the radio up, to drown out the sense of unease, but thought better of it. Conversation was the way forwards. ‘So where you heading to, Miss Millie with no last name?’
Her shoulders lifted casually. ‘Wherever my heart desires.’
‘Wow, now that’s freedom.’ He chuckled. ‘I have to say I’m jealous.’
‘Jealous?’ She finally turned all of her attention towards him. ‘Of my freedom?’
His nod was exaggerated. ‘Hell yes.’
‘Trust me, freedom is not all it’s cracked up to be.’ She paused as if considering what to say next. ‘Having a place to call home, somewhere that’s yours and yours alone, now that’s something to be jealous of, in my opinion.’
‘Yes, I suppose so.’ Rubbing his five o’clock shadow, he took a moment to choose his words wisely. This woman wasn’t one for small talk, he knew that right off the bat. He got the gut feeling she was a drifter, with no fixed address, and no permanent job. ‘You wouldn’t be looking for work while you’re around these parts, would you?’ He was going out on a limb, but why not?
‘I might be.’ She shifted in her seat a little. ‘Do you know of something?’
‘I have a kitchen job up for grabs, if you’re interested.’ He held his breath, praying for her to say yes, for more reasons than the fact that he was desperate to fill the position.
She seemed to contemplate this. ‘That seems very convenient, that I might be looking for work, and you suddenly have a job for me.’
‘Convenient, yes, I suppose you could say that.’ He deliberated. ‘But I see it more as a wonderful coincidence.’
She regarded him thoughtfully. ‘Fair play, Jarrah King.’ She seemed to smile from the heart, and it suited her.
It made Jarrah happy to think he was the one to entice such a beautiful smile on such beautiful lips. ‘So, you might be interested?’
‘Maybe.’ Even though she was clearly very interested, she also very clearly tried to act nonchalant. ‘Can I think about it overnight and let you know in the morning?’
‘Of course, but make it bright and early, otherwise I’ll have to put up the ad I was on my way to post when I came across you on the side of the road.’
‘Ha, what are the chances of that happening, hey?’ She looked at him like she was trying to read him. ‘Fancy that,’ she added with a shrewd smile, like she was privy to something he wasn’t.
A little confused as to what was going on in that pretty head of hers, he graced her with a small, but charming smile. ‘Like I said, it was a wonderful coincidence.’
‘Sounds like you’re in a rush to fill the position.’ Her tone was inquisitive.
‘Yeah, you could say that.’ He grimaced. ‘My previous cook and I came to a mutual understanding earlier today that she should hang up her apron.’
‘You mean you fired her?’
‘Yeah, after she broke the number one rule when you’re employed at Riverside Acres, by sleeping with my nephew.’ He chuckled, shaking his head at her look of incredulity. ‘And besides this candid bit of information, her food was crap.’
‘Say it like it is, why don’t you?’ She chuckled, addictively so, enticing the same reaction from him. ‘I really like people who are up-front and honest, you always know where you stand with them, so good on you, Jarrah, for doing what you had to.’
Liking how his name sounded rolling off her tongue, he almost blushed with her compliment. ‘Thanks, Millie.’
They fell into a comfortable silence, and only then did he turn the radio up. Waylon Jennings was belting out the lyrics of ‘Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way’. With her foot tapping and her fingertips drumming her leg, her lips moved ever so slightly to the words of the song, letting him know she liked her country music. And only a true country lover would know the words to this particular song. Another tick to his long list of attributes that he liked in a woman.
Dog lover. Tick. Country music lover. Tick. Gorgeous natural looks. Tick. Sassy. Tick. Independent. Tick. And all in a matter of less than an hour.
Thankfully, he’d made sure any woman he had the least bit of interest in had a lot to live up to: that way he always had a reason not to give in to his emotions. Because his emotions ran extremely deep, deep enough to drag him under if he wasn’t careful. He had a lot of love to give, hidden within his shackled heart. That was why he kept it under lock and key.
Apart from what he already liked about her, he couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but there was something special about Millie, something he needed to understand, to know more of. And although it felt bizarre, there was part of him that felt a strong need to protect her, to shield her from whatever, or whoever, she might be running from. In the strangest of ways, he almost wished she was his. And that floored him.
A relationship could spell disaster for him.
In so many ways.
He needed to be very, very, careful.
CHAPTER
5
Millie was glad for the scruffy dog that sat between them – in spite of the fact that its breath stank to high hell and its slobber was dripping onto her legs – and not only because she didn’t know this tower of virile man from a bar of soap, but also because she felt like she did. It was an oddly conflicting sensation. One she didn’t know what to make of. As the highway rolled away, she couldn’t help but wonder if this rugged-looking bloke was the person behind her being here. If he’d been the one to put pen to paper. Or was he the one who would slip up and reveal the truth? There was an addictive air about him, suffused with mystery and determination and an unfathomable depth – a powerfully heady combination. Her heart quivered as she recalled turning to see him for the first time, the shifter in her hand her only means of protection. It was an intense moment, and she’d felt a magnetic attraction to him in that instant, as well as an intoxicating aura of safety within his presence. As if they’d already spent a lifetime together.
