Fool Me Once

by Karly Lane

  ‘That’s not the case with us. I never wanted to keep my distance, I just did, to allow you time to come to terms with our relationship.’

  ‘Our relationship? We had a handful of days together,’ she said bitterly. ‘And as far as relationships go, I’m fairly certain honesty plays a big part in having one, which you conveniently decided to overlook.’

  Slipping her hand from beneath his, she pulled off her work gloves and headed back to the ute, throwing the gloves in the crate she kept in the back.

  The toolbox made a loud bang as Michael deposited it in the rear of the vehicle. ‘Is it seriously easier to stay this angry rather than face the real reason you keep running?’

  ‘And what would that be?’

  ‘That you want our relationship to go back to how it was, but your pride won’t let you. Seems a waste if you ask me.’

  ‘I wasn’t asking.’

  ‘No,’ he said with a long sigh. ‘I guess you weren’t.’

  They drove back to the house in silence. A quick glance from the corner of her eye revealed he was lost in thought as he stared straight ahead through the windscreen. She tried to ignore the little voice that seemed to be shaking its head in disappointment that she’d hurt his feelings and should be ashamed of herself.

  Twenty-Three

  Usually Georgie had something prepared for the evening meal so all she needed to do was cook it, but today her routine had been thrown off by Michael’s appearance and she had to start from scratch. Luckily it was a warm afternoon, so she could get away with a simple barbecue. Once she’d made a salad and had the potatoes peeled and cooking for a potato bake, she went to set the table on the verandah to eat outside.

  After a quick shower, she headed back to the kitchen to check on dinner. Smelling something burning, she panicked, quickly opening the oven door and grabbing the pan without thinking. She yelped as her hand came into contact with the hot metal and she dropped the pan into the sink with a clatter. Matt came inside at the same time, rushing to her side at her cry of pain.

  ‘You okay?’ he asked, shoving her hand beneath the stream of cold water from the tap.

  ‘Yeah, I don’t think it’s too bad. Just gave me a fright.’

  Matt stood close, holding her wrist to keep her hand steady beneath the cold water. A movement from the corner of her eye caused her to look up to find Michael standing in the doorway watching them with a tight expression on his face.

  ‘Am I interrupting something?’

  ‘I just burnt my hand. I’m fine.’

  Michael’s face instantly turned to concern as he came towards her. ‘I can take it from here thanks, mate,’ he said to Matt, reaching out to take hold of her arm to inspect the damage.

  ‘It’s okay. We’ve got it under control,’ Matt replied, keeping her hand under the stream of water and ignoring Michael’s dismissal.

  She saw Michael’s gaze narrow slightly as he stared at the other man’s back. ‘You mind stepping away from my wife?’ he snapped, his voice losing its earlier coolness and turning quietly serious.

  Matt turned his head to stare at him in surprise. ‘Your what?’

  ‘Wife,’ Michael bit out impatiently.

  Georgie shut her eyes and groaned. ‘It’s okay, I think the worst of the pain is gone now … thanks,’ she said lightly.

  Slowly Matt released her wrist and stepped away from her side, eyes locked on Michael’s suspiciously.

  ‘Matt, can you take the meat out to the barbecue and start cooking?’ she asked, shoving a plate of steaks into his hands without waiting for his answer, then opening the fridge door and pulling out a bottle of wine.

  ‘Michael, would you like a drink?’

  Dropping his gaze to hers as the other man left the kitchen, Michael ignored her question, his expression remaining tight. ‘Is he your lover, Georgie?’

  She almost dropped the wine bottle in surprise. ‘That’s none of your damn business,’ she managed to splutter.

  ‘I’m making it my business.’

  ‘Are you telling me you haven’t slept with another woman since we were together?’ she taunted.

  ‘Would it bother you if I had?’ he asked, taking a small step closer. ‘Would you care if another woman touched me the way you used to?’ His voice dropped and he stood within touching distance.

  ‘Stop it,’ she snapped, moving away from the tantalising scent of him. ‘Just … stop it.’

  ‘That’s exactly how I feel when I picture another man where I belong,’ he said in a husky whisper that made her shiver, despite the throb of her burnt hand.

  ‘You stopped belonging anywhere near me the day I learned the truth about you,’ she told him as she took down three plates from the cupboard and put them on the counter.

  ‘You wouldn’t even give me the chance to explain,’ he countered, and his voice came out in a low growl.

  ‘Explain?’ She turned to face him incredulously. ‘Were you or were you not working for your stepfather when Matthew Enterprises bought Tamban from my father?’ She saw his frown deepen, then jumped in quickly. ‘Did you or did you not speak up when I told you about my father losing Tamban and how much I detested the corporations who took over family properties?’ Her own frown deepened between her eyebrows. ‘You did not,’ she supplied, refusing to give him the chance to reply, picking up the plates and shoving them into his hands to carry outside.

  Michael took the plates reluctantly. ‘I’ve already admitted that I should have told you about my business from the start. You’re right. There was no excuse for that, only that I couldn’t risk losing you over something that had nothing to do with me.’

  Georgie stared at him. ‘Nothing to do with you?’

  ‘Yes, I worked for my stepfather, but it wasn’t my decision to buy your father’s place. I left and started my own company because of the crap Derrick used to pull. You don’t know the first thing about my business, and you wrote me off before I could even defend myself. I’m not Derrick Matthew.’

  ‘Really? You covered up the truth in order to get what you wanted. Sounds exactly like something he’d do.’ Georgie caught a brief flicker of something that resembled uncertainty but in an instant it was gone and once again Michael’s face became unreadable. ‘Why won’t you just let this go, Michael?’

  ‘Why won’t you?’ he shot back.

  Georgie gave a frustrated sigh. ‘This is getting us nowhere.’

  ‘Then drop the “poor me” attitude and listen to my side of the story for once.’

  Her eyes flashed white heat at his harsh tone. Further discussion was interrupted as Matt appeared in the doorway and announced the meat was ready.

  Georgie saw Michael straighten his shoulders as he turned a ferocious glare on her foreman, the two men staring at each other and reminding Georgie of two dogs circling warily. Well, they’d better both just zip up their trousers and get out of her way. She had enough on her plate without the added drama of two men marking out their territory.

  As far as awkward meals went, it had to be right up there with the all-time greats. Matt made short work of his food, keeping his head lowered and scooping his food into his mouth.

  Michael, on the other hand, ate slowly, seeking out her gaze and holding it with deliberate provocation. Her feeble attempts at conversation flickered and died like kindling that refused to catch light. Even though the meat was tender, it tasted like sawdust in her mouth and she ended up moving it around the plate without eating any of it. The clink of cutlery on plates scraped against her nerve endings like fingernails down a chalkboard and she took refuge in her glass of wine, tossing it down her throat in an effort to escape the uncomfortable tension at the table.

  Georgie jumped when Matt scraped back his seat and stood up a few minutes later, breaking the awkward silence. ‘I think I’ll head off early tonight,’ he said, looking at Georgie. ‘If everything’s okay here?’

  ‘It’s fine, Matt. Thanks,’ she added. She knew it probably didn’t seem fin
e—he’d just discovered his boss was married and she and Michael weren’t exactly sending out marital-bliss vibes.

  He sent her a brief nod before walking away from the table.

  ‘He seems a little surprised by our relationship,’ Michael commented, leaning back in his chair and linking his fingers behind his head casually.

  ‘Why would I have mentioned it to him? It’s not like I ever expected you to turn up here again.’

  ‘So, he’s more than an employee then?’

  While he didn’t change his position, she saw his body had tensed.

  Standing abruptly, Georgie leant over the table and stacked the plates and cutlery.

  ‘Yes, he is more than an employee.’ How dare he sit there and demand answers to questions he had no right asking. Matt was also her friend. She knew by his tightly clenched jaw that Michael was thinking more along the lines of lover, but she decided not to correct him. Let him stew.

  ‘Georgie.’

  His low voice stopped her as she reached the back door with the plates stacked in her arms. She waited without turning around for him to speak.

  ‘We will resolve this before I leave,’ he warned.

  Withholding a weary sigh, she closed her eyes before forcing herself to walk through the door.

  When Georgie went back outside to finish clearing the table, after delaying as long as she could, Michael was no longer there.

  The door to his bedroom was open and he wasn’t inside, she noted, after she finished cleaning up and headed for her office to deal with a few last-minute emails and accounts.

  Two hours later when she walked up the hallway his door was closed, and she told herself the tiny rush of relief was no more than she would feel for any of her guests if they’d been wandering outside in the dark and were finally back, safely in their room.

  The cool air felt good on his face as Michael walked along the track leading away from the house. He had no idea where it went to, he didn’t care, he just needed to blow off some steam. The moon was bright, bouncing off the gravel and making it glow slightly so he could see where he was going. He was enjoying the feel of the wide-open spaces around him bathed in shadows. It matched his mood.

  The minute he’d walked into the kitchen and found Matt standing close to Georgie, he’d seen red. Deep down he’d always feared there could be something serious between the two of them—even before he and Georgie had got married, Matt had been there, lurking on the fringes, and Michael had never quite been able to shake the feeling that the guy was a threat. He had nothing concrete to base his fears on except the fact that Matt lived here with Georgie and Michael didn’t.

  Why had he opened his stupid mouth and asked Georgie about her relationship with the guy? Hearing her answer had only made things worse. He hadn’t been kidding earlier—the thought of her with another man was like a knife to his soul. Maybe he’d been naïve to think she’d never find what they had with anyone else.

  He wasn’t sure what this meant. Part of him wanted to stay angry at her, but there was still a small, sane part that cautioned him to calm down. Something hadn’t rung true about her answer. Matt didn’t act like a guy who was sleeping with her. If that had been him, he’d have been up at the house on the first day demanding to know who he was. He sure as hell wouldn’t have sat quietly and eaten his meal with some other man at the table if he was having a relationship with her, certainly not if he discovered the man was her husband. It didn’t add up. Of course, they could be casual lovers … friends with benefits. But even that didn’t feel right. He knew casual wasn’t Georgie’s thing. So she’d lied to him. That was the explanation that made the most sense. Or was he just clutching at straws? Michael gave a frustrated groan and kicked at a rock on the track, letting out a long string of profanities as pain shot up his leg. It was a bigger stone than he’d realised. He did, however, feel better afterwards, having released some of the built-up tension he’d been carrying since dinner.

  He eventually turned around and headed back to the house, noticing the office light was on but choosing to avoid it, unwilling to get into any further arguments. There’d be plenty of time for that tomorrow.

  ‘So, this guy—he’s your husband?’

  Georgie glanced over at Matt as they loaded the ute early the next morning. In the tray was the quad bike and several large drums of petrol they’d need in order to bring the cattle in from the far, back paddocks for the upcoming sale.

  ‘It’s … complicated,’ she finally muttered, after trying various explanations in her head.

  ‘It usually is,’ Matt grunted. ‘When did that happen?’

  Matt wasn’t normally one for small talk, and today, more than any other day, Georgie had hoped he’d keep the conversation to a minimum. But then, when did anything in her life run smoothly these days?

  ‘When I went to Hawaii. Look, can we not talk about it? It was a stupid mistake and I just want to forget about it.’

  ‘I figured something had happened when he turned up here ready to rip my head off that time lookin’ for you.’

  Georgie didn’t reply, but she shut the tailgate with a little more force than was necessary.

  ‘You know,’ he continued, and she smothered a growl of irritation that her usually tight-lipped foreman suddenly seemed set on getting in touch with his conversational skills, ‘I can’t say I like him any more now than I did back then. He never really seemed your type,’ he announced with a confused look.

  ‘I thought he was … different. It was a stupid mistake,’ she said, bending to lift a bag of tools into the back of the vehicle.

  ‘So, what are you going to do? Is he planning on moving here?’

  Georgie gave a snort of impatience. ‘No, he’s not planning on moving here—he’s just … out to prove some kind of point. He’ll get sick of it soon enough and be hightailing it back to the big smoke.’

  Matt shook his head thoughtfully. ‘I don’t know, Georgie, he seems to be settling in.’

  ‘Well, he can just unsettle—I don’t have time for his crap at the moment. I’ve got a business to run. So, if you’re finished giving me the third degree, can we get on with it?’ she snapped, turning towards the ute and climbing inside.

  She felt a small twinge of regret for her harsh reply, but she was pretty much on her last nerve and hadn’t been able to get anywhere near the amount of sleep she needed in order to function civilly. The sooner Michael bloody Delacourt went back to his life and left her the hell alone, the better.

  Georgie wiped the sweat from her brow with her forearm and took a drink from her water bottle. In the distance, she caught a brief glimpse of Matt as he rode the quad bike, searching out stragglers and bringing them back to join the main mob.

  A broken fence had allowed the livestock access to some of the rougher terrain on the property and made the task of finding them a lot more difficult. Usually they used the quad bike and the ute for mustering, but upon discovering the herd’s location they’d been forced to reassess the plan. The terrain wasn’t suitable for the quad and there was no way her ute would make it up some of the rough tracks beyond the ridge. They’d need the horses and so Georgie was about to head back to the homestead to bring them out.

  Michael’s door had been shut when she’d left earlier. It’d been an extra early start to the day. His breakfast was set out ready for him, and all he had to do was cook his bacon and eggs, something she was positive he’d be able to figure out.

  The rev of the quad rose in a shrill scream, making Georgie spin around in alarm. Without taking time to think about it, she jumped into the ute and headed back towards the last place she’d seen Matt and the bike.

  She pulled the ute to a stop and scrambled from the vehicle.

  ‘Matt! Oh my God, are you hurt?’

  As she ran across to where the quad lay on its side, she breathed a sigh of relief when she found her foreman on the ground nearby, sitting up.

  ‘I’m okay,’ he said, wincing as he tried to get to
his feet.

  ‘You don’t look okay,’ she said doubtfully, as she leaned down and he put an arm around her shoulders so she could help him stand.

  He let out a sharp breath and went pale as he attempted to put weight on his right foot.

  ‘Sit down,’ Georgie ordered, lowering him back to the ground.

  ‘I’ll be all right once I catch my breath a bit,’ he said, closing his eyes and dropping his head on his other raised knee.

  Georgie knelt beside him, placing a hand on his shoulder. ‘We need to get you checked out. Do you think you can make it to the ute?’

  She saw him give a nod, before taking a deep breath to brace himself to stand again. Using her to support his weight, Matt hopped his way to the car and eased into the passenger side, grimacing as she tried to carefully move his leg into the footwell.

  ‘What about the quad?’ he protested as she headed back to the house.

  ‘Don’t worry about that, I’ll come back later and get it. I just want to get that foot looked at.’

  ‘It’s probably just a sprain or torn ligament,’ he told her, bracing the leg with his hands as she tried to avoid the roughest part of the track.

  Georgie didn’t need a medical degree to know that it was most likely not going to be a sprain or a torn ligament. She’d be very surprised if it wasn’t broken.

  When they arrived at the emergency department a little over an hour later, Georgie waited as the doctor ordered an X-ray. They were told Matt did have a fracture and he’d be off work for at least six weeks.

  ‘I’m sorry, Georgie,’ Matt said after the doctor left to prepare the cast.

  ‘It’s not your fault, it could have happened to anyone.’

  ‘Yeah, but we need to get the cattle in and you won’t be able to do it alone.’

  She knew he was feeling bad, but there was nothing they could do about it. She was just relieved it hadn’t been a lot worse. Quad bikes were notorious for causing very serious injuries, and even if all the correct procedures were followed, as was the case with Matt, accidents could still happen to the most experienced riders.