by Annie Seaton
Whoa.
She was looking at him, and it wasn’t pretty. Walking up to him with a fuck you-look on her face, she poked a finger in his chest, and he took a step back.
“So what was that all about?”
“What?” He widened his eyes and tried to look innocent.
“He came to see you about the fish and braved the crocodiles, did he? What brave friends you have. You’re all outback heroes. So tell me, why are you so determined to keep me here in your cabin and away from the resort? So much that you lied about it and cooked up some scheme with your friend.”
Before he could answer, Jess pulled a chair out, sat down, and put her elbows on the table, her fingers clenched in front of her chin. “Don’t bother answering. I’ll figure it out. Now I’m going to eat, and then I’m going to bed. Alone.”
The meal was silent. Alex dug deep for conversation to break the ice, but every time he opened his mouth to speak, Jess stared him down. After they’d finished the crab soup, he pushed his plate away. “So what’s really eating you, Jess?”
“I know what you’re up to, Alex.”
His mouth dried, and he stared back at her, waiting for her to say she had somehow found out who he really was. He wasn’t ready to tell her yet.
Tomorrow maybe, after he saw Bartholomew.
“Caught me out, how?”
“Why did you lie about there being no rooms? If you wanted to get in my pants, you didn’t have to go to anywhere near the trouble you did. I’m the easy Yank, remember?”
He reached across the table to take her hand, but she snatched it away.
“Don’t say that about yourself, Jess.”
“In the afternoon, when I come back from the tour, I’m getting a room. One of the many vacant rooms tonight,” she said.
“Jess, I can explain.”
“Pah.” She pushed her chair back. “No more lies. Thanks for the lift, Alex. Have a nice life.”
Her skirt swirled around her calves as she walked to her room, her back ramrod straight, and then she slammed the door.
Alex dropped his head into his hands and groaned. Maybe it was for the best, but he hated the thought that he’d hurt her. The look in her eyes when she’d called herself the easy Yank tore at his heart. He had to make this right.
Chapter Fifteen
Jess slept poorly, with one ear open to listen for Alex leaving, her mind churning, full of her plans for the day. Rolling over, she thumped the pillow and lay still for a minute before giving up on getting back to sleep.
Dawn was about to break. The first glimmers of pink light were tingeing the edges of the dark sky through the window. The back door closed; she heard Alex call to Bowser, and a couple of minutes later the pickup roared to life. The headlights shone on her window as the truck headed past the back of the cabin. Fighting the tears that clogged her throat, she squeezed her eyes shut. It was time she took control.
Crawling out of bed, she dug through her clothes, looking for something suitable to wear back out into the outback. This time, she knew what to expect. The only thing she didn’t have was a decent pair of boots.
By seven o’clock, she was showered and dressed, and her packed bags were lined up against the back door. She still hadn’t decided how long she was going to stay at Cockatoo Springs. It all depended on what today brought. She sipped the coffee she’d brewed. For all she knew, Ricardo could be there already, or if he wasn’t there yet, he would be here soon. You couldn’t believe one word that came out of Alex’s mouth, and besides, Monica had said Ricardo was here having a meeting with Larry Bartholomew of all people.
Jess stepped out onto the back porch to wait for the tour bus. The sun was already burning hot, so she stepped back into the shade. The heat shimmered over the red sandstone cliffs in the distance. All was still and quiet, and Jess smiled as she glanced across at the lush lawn.
Talk about gullible. She’d believed every word Alex had said and had expected to see saltwater crocodiles roaming around. You’d think a journalist would be savvier. Sucked in by bedroom eyes and a sexy smile.
Well, today was a new day and as soon as she finished the bush tucker tour, and got some information for her article, she’d check into the resort and enjoy a few days there before flying home to the North American winter. If Ricardo was here and she did manage to snag some time with him—well, that would be a bonus.
The sound of an engine reached her and for a moment, her heart picked up a beat. She stepped to the front of the porch and grasped the low railing, peering up the road. But it wasn’t the pick-up. A high vehicle emblazoned with Cockatoo Springs Tours on the side trundled up the narrow roadway and pulled on to the lawn across from the cabin. Jess turned and lifted her bags out. Hopefully, Alex would still be off fishing or crabbing or wrestling crocodiles for a while yet.
“Morning, love.” The wide smile of the Aboriginal bus driver greeted her. “You’re the last one on.”
“Is it okay if you drop me back to the resort after the tour? Do you have room for my bags?”
“Not a problem.”
First hurdle overcome.
The bus had one empty seat at the very front. Jess tucked her small bag under the seat, sat down, and reached for her seatbelt.
“Whoa, love. Do you have closed in shoes in your suitcase?”
Jess looked down at her leather sandals. They were the most substantial footwear she had with her, apart from the closed in stilettos she’d worn with her suit on the trip over.
“No, this is all I have.”
“You can’t get off the bus at the gathering site unless you’ve got closed in shoes.” The bus driver shrugged. “Sorry, safety regulations.”
Jess leaned over and spoke in a low voice. “I don’t have any other shoes with me.”
He shook his head. “You’re welcome to come along for the drive and see the sites, but you won’t be able to get off the bus when we gather, and I’ll have to give you your morning tea on the bus.”
Jess chewed her lip. “I’m sorry, I didn’t realize. My…er…friend here booked the trip for me.”
What to do? She reached over and leaned on the driver’s seat.
“I’ll change my trip to another day, then.” She put on the best persuasive smile she could muster. “Would you have time to give me a ride to reception before you leave?”
“Not a problem.” He turned the motor off and picked up his microphone. “Just a slight detour back to the resort, folks, for this beautiful young lady. Have a read of the brochures in your seat pocket. There is a map of our trip up the coast.”
“I really appreciate this.” She looked out the window in amazement. She’d read up briefly on Cockatoo Springs after the restaurant had won the award in Cuisine and she had been trying to find more information about Alessandro Ricardo and the unique concept of the bush tucker chef school. But this luxury was beyond her expectations. The bus passed through the gates and around a high rectangular fountain with sandstone edges, which reflected the colors of the cliffs she had noticed in the distance earlier. Welcome to Cockatoo Springs was written in large gold letters on the side of the sandstone edge. A water spout cascaded in the center of the pool, and the flowing water glistened in the morning sun. It reminded her of the pool and the waterfall at the campsite, except this one had cute ducks paddling on the water.
Don’t go there. Move on.
It was early, and workers swept the leaves up around the water feature. Jess looked on curiously as a man in a white jacket followed a waddling duck and bent down.
“What’s he doing?” she asked as she pointed to the man following the ducks.
The driver laughed. “He’s got a great job. Duck pooper-scooper.” He changed up a gear, and the bus climbed a slight incline. The sparkling ocean opened out in front of her.
Low-level villas on the low slope were almost hidden amongst a profusion of palm trees and brightly colored tropical plants. A series of paths led down to one of the biggest swimming pools
she had ever seen. It was hexagonal-shaped with wide walkways through the pool.
“How beautiful is that?” she whispered to herself.
The driver pulled up outside a building marked Reception and opened the door.
“You haven’t been over yet?” he asked.
“Er, no, I stayed at my friend’s cabin last night. I’m checking in today.”
Once her bags were unloaded and the concierge had loaded them onto a trolley, the driver climbed back onto the bus, and Jess waved.
The automatic doors to the building opened, and she welcomed the blast of cold air from the air-conditioned reception area. Small palm trees filled the interior in large colorful pots on the shining marble floor, and she crossed the room to the desk.
“Good morning,” the male receptionist said. “Checking in? I didn’t hear the helicopter.”
“No, I came by road.” Jess reached down into her bag and removed her credit card. “I don’t have a booking, but I rang earlier and I was told there were rooms available.”
The clerk tapped on the computer and looked up with a smile. “Yes, I can give you a pool room. Your name?”
“Jessica van Lund.” She hated using her father’s name, but all her bank accounts were in her real name.
He ran her card through the terminal and handed her a plastic card. “You’re in room two over near the beach side of the pool. Would you like to walk over or shall I order you a cart?”
“Oh, I’ll walk. I’ll explore on the way.” It was too soon to do any digging about Ricardo. She’d get settled before she started work. Once she logged onto her computer, she knew there would be a mountain of email to clear, but that could wait.
“I’ll send your luggage over. Enjoy your stay with us, Ms. Van Lund.”
A burst of noise and activity came from behind her as she turned around. Two toddlers with black ringlets and wide brown eyes ran across the marble floor, chased by a tall man in black jeans and T-shirt.
“Allegra! Luca! Come back here.” The toddlers hid behind one of the sofas and giggled.
“Tomas, they’re okay. Chill out.”
Jess looked with curiosity at the woman with the Scottish accent who walked over to the reception counter. She was tall with a long dark braid, dressed casually in khaki shorts and a T-shirt.
“They’ve been cooped up in a helicopter and a bus for two hours.” The woman turned to Jess with an apologetic smile. “Just watch you don’t get ambushed on your way out. They think they are Dora and Diego in the jungle.”
The man shrugged and walked over to join his wife. Jess smiled as she watched the children. The father had an Aussie drawl, the mother, a strong Scottish burr, and if she wasn’t mistaken the children were chattering away in Italian.
The receptionist held his hand out to the man standing next to her and shook it vigorously. Jess reached down to collect her handbag from the counter.
“Tom, great to see you! Can’t believe it’s been a year since you were here for Alex’s birthday last year.”
Jess froze and snuck a look at the man beside her.
Yep, she could see the resemblance. Alex’s family had arrived.
…
After Jess got to her room, she stood at the window looking down at the large swimming pool in the center of the resort. She’d enquired about meeting the chef, but the guy at the reception desk said he wouldn’t be in the restaurant until this afternoon. She’d go over and see this Clayton guy as soon as he was over there. If she couldn’t work there, maybe he’d do an interview and show her around…or at least set up an appointment for one.
Jess bit her lip, trying to ignore the heavy feeling in her chest. Once she’d realized Alex had been lying to her, and she’d lost her temper, things changed. She had to accept he’d been playing with her all along, and as usual she’d been sucked in. For a couple of nights, there’d been a connection between them. It wasn’t just sex…or that’s what she’d thought.
When will I ever learn?
She brushed the tears away angrily before they could fall. Now that she was here she’d make the most of it. On the desk beneath the window a glossy covered compendium listed the services provided by the hotel. First stop, the beauty salon to restore her confidence. Second stop, the pool.
Alex could go take a flying leap.
Chapter Sixteen
The hairdresser lifted the black cape off Alex’s shoulders with a flourish.
“Voila, a new man.” She ran her fingers along his hairline. “Alex, you have a white mark on your neck where your hair was so long.”
Alex stood and brushed the remaining hair from his suit trousers and tucked his shirt in as he looked in the mirror.
Christ, he hated this part of the job.
All dressed up and looking like a businessman did not sit comfortably with him, but it was a necessary evil. This deal was important, and it was the last meeting he’d be having as the managing director. As soon as he signed the contract with Bartholomew, he’d go back to the cabin, get changed, and wait for Jess to come back from the tour. By the time his family descended, he would have made his peace with her, and hopefully she’d be happy to move into the villa with him until she went home. There was no reason they couldn’t spend some time together before she went back to the States once he explained why he’d not told her the truth. And he’d give her his first ever interview about Cockatoo Springs and the award-winning chef school. But not about him—he wasn’t prepared to go that far.
“Thanks, Wendy. I did leave it a bit long this time.” He strolled across the salon and looked across at the doorway to the day spa. “Busy day ahead here? I have a friend staying here who’d like a manicure.”
“Send her over. We’ll fit her in.” Wendy raised her eyebrows. “Friend or family? Having friends at your party this year for a change?”
He grinned. “Friend. Family doesn’t arrive till the weekend.”
Wendy shook her head. “How long have you been out fishing in the outback? It is the weekend.”
“Shit. What day is it?”
“Friday. Your party is tomorrow night. The staff is looking forward to it.” She gave him another smile and nudged his ribs. “Your sister-in-law is booked in for a treatment this afternoon. You do know your secret is out, don’t you.”
Alex narrowed his eyes. “What secret?”
“Clayton let it slip in the kitchen last night, and it went around like wildfire.” Her grin got wider. “You have no idea, do you…Alessandro?”
“Oh, shit.”
“We’ve all suspected for ages. Wondered why a simple barramundi fisherman had the luxury villa on the beachfront kept vacant for him.”
Okay, he’d known this would happen one day, but now Jess being on the scene complicated matters. He’d have to get to Jess the instant she got off the tour. He hoped like hell his name wouldn’t come up in discussions. Surprisingly, it just didn’t seem to matter that much anymore. The only thing that worried him was Jess being upset. His secret was out, the contract was almost over, and he needed to get to Jess before she found out through someone else. She was pretty pissed with him, so he didn’t think she’d ask about him. But she might try to ask around about Alessandro.
He reached into his pocket and passed Wendy a tip. “Look after my sister-in-law. Which one is booked in today?”
“Lissy.”
Alex stepped out onto the covered walkway that crossed the pool. It was the quickest way to the executive suite where Bartholomew was waiting for him. As soon as the contract was signed he’d seek out whoever of his family had arrived, and then he’d wait for Jess. If it all worked out to plan, it would be a great weekend.
…
Larry Bartholomew was dressed casually in white jeans and a bright yellow T-shirt stretched tightly across his huge paunch. He took Alex’s hand in his large beefy grasp and spoke in a booming voice.
“Good to meet you, son.” Alex stiffened, taking an instant dislike to the gregarious American.
“Now before we look at the paperwork, I want to see all around this place. Your man showed me the contract, and it looks all fine and dandy, but I want to see what you think makes this place so special. Maybe I could meet the new chef from London? What do you say, boy?”
“Good.” Alex headed for the door. The quicker he did the tour, the sooner the paperwork was signed, and he could get away from business and find his family before Jess got back. “Come this way. We’ll do the kitchens first, and then I’ll show you the grounds.”
Alex strode out, and the big man hurried along behind him, huffing by the time they reached the kitchen. A couple of the sous-chefs were filleting barramundi at the big sink under the window.
“Another fresh shipment in?”
“Yes, they came in on the helicopter about an hour ago.”
“The helicopter’s in already?”
“Yes, they put on three extra trips this morning. Remember, your family are all arriving today for the party tomorrow night.”
“Yes.” All the more reason to get this tour over and done with. “Clayton’s not around?”
“No, he went back to Darwin on the chopper to collect some Asian spices he couldn’t order through the supplier. He’s coming back in the last helicopter after lunch.”
Alex turned to Bartholomew. “Clayton’s not here. You’ll have to meet him later. We’ll take a quick tour. One of the vehicles should be there so you can see the level of comfort we’ll offer your clients.”
“Great!” His loud voice echoed through the large kitchen. “Then we’ll get this signed and we can have a drink, boy.” Larry slapped him on the back, and Alex clenched his jaw, counting to ten silently before he lost his temper and blew the deal. If it hadn’t been for Mitch telling him what a great opportunity it was to break into the overseas luxury market, he would have put the skids under this obnoxious guy straight up.
Alex led him across to the pool area, pointing out the unusual bar located in the middle of the water.
“How about a drink, now?” Some sunbathers lying on the pool lounges near the bar looked across as Larry’s voice carried loudly across the water. Alex shook his head.