Fool Me Once

by Karly Lane

  Michael shifted in his seat. Which one?

  When he hesitated, she sent him another of those looks that said she clearly thought she was talking to someone a little slow on the uptake. ‘I’m assuming if this one will be a fattening property, then you must have another one somewhere you’re sending them from?’

  ‘Oh. Yeah. It’s ah, pretty big.’ Pretty big? What the hell was wrong with him? Why couldn’t he just tell her upfront what his business really was? Because you’re worried you know what she’ll say, a little voice whispered back at him.

  ‘I knew it. You’re such a city boy. You probably have a manager on your place, don’t you?’ she chuckled.

  ‘Ah, yeah, actually I do.’ He did. Several managers actually … over a number of different properties.

  ‘I knew it from the moment I saw you in that suit. Bigshot city boy who decided to dabble in some land and cattle. What kind of business are you in anyway? You know … your day job?’

  Shit. ‘Import, export. Finance. That kind of stuff.’

  ‘And you’re based … where?’

  ‘Brisbane, mainly. That’s where the head office is.’

  ‘So why buy a property down this way?’

  ‘Brent had a friend recommended it. Figured we’d check it out.’ He needed to shut this line of conversation down now. Lying had never sat well with him, but damn it, he really liked her. If she could just get to know him first, see what kind of man he was, maybe she wouldn’t immediately shut him out once she heard the truth.

  Lying to her wasn’t exactly showing her what kind of man he was, he conceded silently, but the fact was, after hearing the loathing in her voice when she’d told him about the corporations who’d bought out her father, he decided it was probably smarter to keep his mouth shut for the time being until he could prove to her that not all corporations were the same.

  He was proud of his business. He’d built it from scratch. He’d thrown everything into it to make it the success it was today and he had nothing to feel ashamed about. Whatever corporation had bought Georgie’s family’s place wasn’t run with the same integrity he prided himself on, and he knew that once he showed her how he did business, she’d understand. But he also wasn’t stupid. Her past was still a painful issue and he’d need to tread carefully if he wanted to see where this thing between them could go.

  ‘Tell me about your family,’ she prompted, bringing him back to the present with a thud.

  ‘There’s not much to tell.’

  ‘Do you have any other siblings?’ she prodded.

  ‘No. My Mum married Derrick after my father died. It was just him and Brent before Mum and I came along. I guess technically Brent’s my stepbrother, but we don’t think about it like that. To me he’s always just been my younger brother.’

  ‘I’m sorry about your dad,’ she said softly.

  Michael gave a brisk nod. He’d had a lot longer to adjust to the death of his father than Georgie had, but it never really got any less lonely thinking about him not being around.

  ‘I often think about how things might have turned out if Dad had remarried after Mum passed away. I can’t actually imagine it though.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I used to sometimes wonder what it would have been like if Mum hadn’t remarried … but then I wouldn’t have had Brent. Although there are days when I reckon I would trade him in, given half a chance,’ he said with a lopsided grin.

  ‘You don’t get on with your stepdad?’ she asked curiously.

  ‘We’re not close,’ he said, trying for a diplomatic response. It was grossly understated. His mother’s second marriage had made him highly cynical about love and relationships. He’d struggled for a long time over the fact that his mother, who had supposedly loved his father, had remarried barely a year after his death, to a man who was the complete opposite.

  Derrick Matthew had never made a secret of the fact he found Michael lacking, almost completely ignoring him in favour of Brent, his own flesh and blood. It should have driven a wedge between the two boys and maybe it would have if Brent had been any other kid. His little brother had led a sheltered and isolated life after his mother had died, so gaining a big brother had filled a hole in his lonely kid’s heart.

  Anger simmered away inside Michael’s gut as he thought about the man who had made his younger years so miserable. Still, had it not been for Derrick Matthew, Michael probably wouldn’t have felt the burning desire to prove himself and work hard in order to become every inch as successful as his stepfather.

  So how, then, had he suddenly found himself captivated by a woman he’d only just met? What had happened to Mr Keep Everyone At A Distance? He was renowned for not having had any long-term relationships, but that didn’t mean he didn’t respect women—he did, a great deal. He simply didn’t want to hurt anyone with false expectations. He’d never found someone he could imagine himself waking up next to for the next fifty years. His gaze fell on the woman beside him and his heart gave a lurch. Until now. The words seemed to echo around him. What the hell? He wasn’t even sure where the thought had come from. And yet, here he was, acting like a lovesick fool over the woman.

  After the initial surprise, he found that he wasn’t as alarmed as he’d expected to be. Over the years he’d learned to trust his gut when it came to making decisions—hadn’t it always served him well in the past? Whatever this was between them … was right.

  There was only one aspect that continued to niggle a warning, but he was working on that and confident he could sort it out before it became an issue. If he couldn’t … well, that didn’t bear thinking about. Once Michael Delacourt set his sights on something, he’d move heaven and earth to make sure he got it.

  That night they cooked their meal on the barbecue. There was a nip in the air, but it was too nice to stay inside. Coming over to stand beside Michael as he cooked the sizzling meat, she teased him lightly. ‘You look so big and manly with those barbecue tongs in your hand.’

  ‘I feel so big and manly with them in my hand. How’s the salad coming, wench?’

  Wrapping her arms around his hips, she felt him go still before he turned to look down into her smiling face.

  ‘Am I crazy or do you feel it too?’ he asked roughly.

  She didn’t bother asking what he meant, she knew. ‘I feel it. I don’t understand it, but I feel it.’

  Snuggled against his chest she heard the beat of his heart and wondered at the unexpectedness of it all. She’d been working so hard over the past four years she’d rarely given any thought to a serious relationship. She’d supposed sometime in the future she’d eventually have a husband and kids, but it really hadn’t been anything she’d wanted right at this moment in her life. She still had so far to go. Maybe her dream of buying back Tamban wasn’t going to eventuate, but it was something that kept her focused and working hard. It was her dream. How would a husband and family fit into that plan? How could her dream possibly be as important to the man she married? No matter how she’d looked at it, that scenario just hadn’t fitted into her life … until now.

  The thought brought her back to earth. Would Michael be the kind of man who would allow her to continue to follow her dream? In theory, he seemed like a very supportive kind of person. Maybe, being a businessman, he’d understand her need to continue to run her own business, make her own decisions … but as a husband, would he be so understanding? Getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t you, Henderson? Yes. Yes, she was. She’d just met the bloke, for goodness sake. That’s what was so scary. She barely knew anything about him and yet she felt as though she’d known him forever. He just felt … right.

  There’d be time for reality to hit once he returned home, but for now there was just the two of them and if this was her momentary escape from real life, then she intended to enjoy it while it lasted.

  Seven

  Georgie glanced over at her phone on the bench and saw Shannon’s name flash across the screen as it rang.

  ‘Georgie, it�
�s me.’

  ‘Shannon? You made it back to the city safe and sound, I take it?’

  ‘I did … but I have some news.’

  ‘Oh? What news?’

  ‘I’m moving to Brisbane.’

  ‘You’re what?’ Georgie saw Michael’s head snap up at her startled reply.

  ‘I know, I know, it sounds crazy … but I’m so excited.’

  ‘Shannon,’ Georgie put down the spoon she’d been stirring the coffee with and sent a swift glance towards Michael on the lounge nearby, ‘what are you doing?’

  ‘I’m going to work for Brent. You know I’ve been looking for something else—I’m sick of my old job and Brent offered me a management role in admin. It’s too good an opportunity to turn down.’

  ‘But you hardly know the guy,’ she all but hissed, lowering her voice a little, mindful that the guy in question’s brother was sitting within hearing distance.

  ‘I know enough—besides, it’s the job I’m moving for … the hunky boss is just an added bonus.’

  ‘What happens when this whole thing blows over? Do you really want to be stuck working for a guy you once … dated?’ For want of a better word.

  ‘Who said it will?’

  Georgie hesitated. Who was she to be lecturing anyone? She was acting just as irresponsibly. Although moving to be with him was going above and beyond a weekend fling.

  ‘Are you sure you’ve thought it through? Maybe you should give yourself a week or so to decide. See if it’s still a good idea once everything’s back to normal.’

  ‘You’ve got to take opportunities when they present themselves, George,’ Shannon said in a soft, solemn voice, and the use of her father’s nickname for her hit home hard. ‘I’m excited about this. I need a change. There’s just one small problem,’ she added hesitantly, and Georgie waited for the bad news she knew was coming. ‘I’ll need to go to a conference … and it’s on the same week we were going to New Zealand.’

  ‘What!’

  ‘I know. I’m sorry,’ Shannon said with a groan. ‘I feel shitty about it, but at least we hadn’t booked the flights yet and the accommodation can be cancelled without a drama.’

  Georgie let out a small sigh. ‘It’s okay. I guess we can do the trip some other time.’

  ‘I promise we’ll rebook it as soon as I’m settled. I’m really sorry.’

  ‘Don’t worry about it,’ she said, then gave a frustrated shake of her head. It was Shannon’s life; she was an adult and could make her own choices. There was no denying she sounded excited, so who was Georgie to put a dampener on things? ‘It’s okay. If this is what you want, then I’m happy for you.’

  ‘I love you, George.’

  ‘Love you too. Call me when you’re there.’ She hung up and let out a long sigh.

  ‘Who was that?’ Michael asked, watching her from the lounge.

  ‘That was Shannon, and your brother just offered her a job and she’s moving to Brisbane. Can he even do that? I thought you were the boss?’

  ‘Well, technically Brent runs his own division,’ he said with a grin. ‘But I could overrule him if you want me to,’ he added. She wasn’t altogether sure he was joking.

  ‘No, Shannon reckons this is the best thing that’s ever happened to her. She’d never forgive me if she found out I’d sabotaged the whole thing.’

  ‘If it makes you feel better, when it comes to the business, Brent’s a professional. He wouldn’t offer her a job if he didn’t think she could do it. He’s clearly seen that Shannon’s got talents we could use.’

  ‘Oh, I’m certain he knows all about her talents,’ she scoffed, then rolled her eyes. In all fairness, when it came to her career, Shannon was a perfectionist and whoever employed her always went out of their way to accommodate her because she was great at her job. And she had been starting to get restless. She loved her job working in the finance sector, but she’d gone as high as she could in her department and the job she wanted was held by a woman who’d been there for twenty years and wouldn’t be going anywhere until she retired. Still, this job must have something pretty impressive to have lured her away.

  ‘Just how big is this import–export business of yours anyway?’ she asked, eyeing him curiously. Over the past couple of days, she’d almost forgotten about her initial impression of him in that expensive suit.

  ‘It’s a little more complicated than that. I mean, the export side of things is only a part of the overall business,’ he started to explain, after a brief hesitation that made him look almost uncomfortable. Her phone rang, cutting him off, and she glanced down to see Matt’s name on the screen. ‘Sorry, just a sec,’ she apologised, turning to take the call.

  Michael let out a slow breath as she turned away to take the call. He wasn’t sure if he was grateful or annoyed by the interruption. She’d put him on the spot with her question, and for the briefest of moments he’d been ready to explain exactly what his company was. It’s what he should have done straightaway and would have done without even thinking if she hadn’t made it clear how she felt about corporations.

  It was stupid really. He needed to come out and talk about it. He knew putting it off was going to make things seem weirder the longer he took to tell her, but his gut was still warning him not to bring it up yet. Something wasn’t right; he just wished he knew what it was. Just because he ran a business—some might refer to it as a corporation, he conceded—didn’t mean it was anything like the unscrupulous ones she viewed with such open hostility.

  But would she hear him out? If he told her about his company, would she listen to him or would she immediately shut him down? From what she’d told him about her father’s experience, he knew she was justifiably angry. The wounds were still raw, but surely she would understand that corporations were run by different people adhering to different morals and his company didn’t run people off their properties or intentionally do harm.

  He disliked the fact he wasn’t being openly honest with her. Honesty was something he prided himself on, and it hurt to realise that despite the fact he hadn’t lied to her, he was treading a very thin line by omitting certain facts. The company did deal in export … his livestock export trade was a major part of his business. He just hadn’t revealed the scale of it to her.

  She assumed he dabbled in cattle on a smallholding somewhere as some sideline interest and ran his actual moneymaking business separately. That wasn’t the whole truth. His smallholdings were, in fact, vast holdings. His company, Delacourt Holdings, owned large tracts of land—and most of it had at one time been family farms just like Tamban. Only, he knew that he’d never resorted to strong-arm tactics or shady deals to acquire any of his properties. But would she listen to that if he told her now? He could still hear the pain in her voice when she’d spoken about her dad, and he daren’t risk it … not yet. He needed time to show her the kind of man he was. They’d only had a few days to get to know each other and he needed more time for her to trust him. To believe him when he showed her the proof—let her see with her own eyes how this kind of business was run when it was done the right way.

  ‘Sorry, I just had to tell Matt something before I forgot,’ Georgie said when she came back.

  ‘All good.’ He caught her hand as she moved closer and she curled up on the lounge beside him. ‘So what trip were you talking about with Shannon earlier?’

  ‘We were going to go to New Zealand for a holiday next month, and now thanks to your brother,’ she said with added emphasis, ‘she isn’t going.’

  ‘Are you disappointed?’

  ‘A little. Although if I’m honest, I’m also a little relieved. I didn’t want to fork out money on a holiday when I could have been saving it.’ She’d been on such a strict budget for so long that Shannon had practically had to force her to use money from her savings to set aside for the holiday.

  ‘There’s my practical girl,’ he chuckled.

  She lightly elbowed him in the ribs. ‘It’s all right for some.’ She snuggled
back into his body and wriggled her hips provocatively in order to get a response, then added as an afterthought, ‘I wanted to go to Hawaii anyway.’

  ‘Well, I don’t know about Hawaii, but I can take you to heaven and back,’ he growled in her ear and turned her swiftly so that she lay beneath him.

  ‘That is the worst pick-up line I’ve ever heard,’ she scoffed.

  But she soon found herself biting her lip as he went on to prove it. Clearly she wasn’t above falling for a corny line or two.

  The long weekend came to an abrupt end and the thought of saying goodbye to Michael was every bit as miserable as Georgie had anticipated.

  The drive back to Armidale was in stark contrast to their trip out. Had it really only been a few days? She felt as though it had been so much longer. How could one person, a complete stranger until days ago, suddenly become the centre of her world? She had never felt like this before. She was always the first to scoff at movies that pushed the idea of love at first sight; she usually wondered why the heroine never worried the guy could be a serial killer or something. And yet here she was …

  ‘Change your mind and fly to Brisbane with me,’ Michael said as large billboards began appearing by the side of the road, advertising Armidale businesses. She felt it too—the approach of reality.

  ‘I can’t,’ she said sadly. She was pretty sure it wasn’t a serious request, just a last-minute attempt to hold on to whatever this crazy moment had been.

  He was quiet for a few minutes as the airport came into view. ‘I’ve got two important meetings coming up this week that I can’t get out of, but I’m going to get my assistant to juggle the rest of my schedule so I can be back here by the weekend.’

  ‘You’re coming back?’ She hadn’t meant to say it with quite so much alarm.

  ‘That’s not what you want?’ he asked hesitantly, which Georgie was pretty sure was not a common reaction from this man.

  ‘No, I mean, yes, that’s what I want,’ she said feeling flustered. ‘It’s just … your business … don’t you have to, I don’t know, run it?’