by Jennie Adams
Which meant Alex could leave Sydney from time to time with peace of mind. ‘I know and I appreciate it. Was that the lovely Cecilia you were speaking to just now?’
‘Yeah. She’s a good plant nursery manager,’ Linc growled. ‘If I could just get it through her head that I’m not trying to take over when—’
‘—you’re there and you take over. I know.’ Alex had just started grinning when his brother spoke again.
‘How are things going for you with Jayne Cutter? You sounded as though this deal possibility had hit you right between the eyes the last time we talked.’
‘Fine. It’s going fine.’ Kissing Jayne had been quite fine. More than fine. As for what was ahead, his research in Alice Springs— ‘Linc, I need to tell—’
‘Hey, Alex. Would you mind if I let you go?’ Linc sounded distracted. ‘I can hear Cecilia on the nursery’s phone. It sounds as though there might be a problem. I’d better be on hand to help with it.’
‘Sure.’ It wasn’t relief that Alex felt. He would tell Linc, and Brent, about his situation. That would just have to wait a little longer.
Maybe it would be best to hold back on that discussion until after he did his research in Alice Springs, anyway. That way, he’d be able to share any answers he found at the same time. ‘Bye, Linc. I’ll call you again when I have time.’
Alex glanced at his watch and scooped up his room key. Maybe, once he saw Jayne face to face, he would settle down about last night’s kiss, too. He’d probably blown it out of proportion in his memory.
Jayne was at a dining table, trying to absorb the news she’d just received, when Alex came to join her. She offered a quiet greeting.
‘Morning, Jayne.’ Alex searched her face and frowned. ‘What’s going on?’
That quickly, he worked out there was a problem and straight away Jayne confided in him.
‘The tour guide, John, is quite sick.’ She uttered the words in an undertone while people around them sat at their dining tables eating the buffet of breakfast cereals and sausages and ham and eggs with toast, and sipping hot tea and coffee and orange juice. Well, she had to tell Alex. This wasn’t something she could keep from him. ‘It’s his gall bladder.’
Jayne felt a little ill herself, but that was the result of having the bus driver come and dump this news on her. ‘John’s been taken to the hospital and he is going to be fine, but he’s got to have an operation and he’ll be laid up for some time after it.’
‘Which leaves the tour without a bilingual guide until another one can be brought in.’ Alex frowned.
‘Yes. And that won’t happen before well into this afternoon. The company can’t get anyone faster than that.’
Jayne and Alex were supposed to bus out of the resort area this morning, then leave this tour and catch a flight to Alice Springs at lunchtime.
‘While I was waiting for you,’ Jayne went on, ‘the driver came to me and broke the news about John getting sick. They both knew from the start that I was a Cutter.’ Jayne hadn’t been thrilled to hear that. ‘They recognised me from company photos, apparently.’
‘And the driver told you there’s a need for a bilingual guide to cover today, otherwise he has to try to manage by himself? Is that even allowed?’
‘It’s not on. There has to be a guide as well as the driver for our tours,’ Jayne murmured and fought with herself because her mind and her thoughts wanted to go in too many directions at once.
Don’t think about kissing Alex!
But it was all she could think of, with his closeness making her so aware of him.
‘Will you do it?’ Alex asked in a quiet voice.
For a moment Jayne thought he was asking if she’d kiss him again. The yes that rose in her thoughts was instant, despite what she’d said to the contrary after their kiss. What did Alex think about last night? Had he half forgotten it already? Had he been quite comfortable with Jayne’s withdrawal? Had he perhaps been relieved, hoping she wouldn’t take one insignificant kiss and want to pursue him as a result of it?
The tour, Jayne!
She had to guide the tour today. ‘I’ve never been in charge of a tour group, but I can’t leave them in the lurch. I can speak Japanese and I’m employed by the company. I’m the best bet they have.’
There. Her thoughts were where they needed to be. Still in ‘nervous central’ but because of work, not thanks to confusion about what she wanted with Alex MacKay. Jayne knew what she wanted—to work with him and keep any other complications out of it. That simply had to be what she wanted.
Jayne sucked in a breath. ‘Maybe you should go on ahead without me to join the next tour.’
But he shook his head. ‘I won’t leave you to do this by yourself. My research will still be there, whether I lose half a day with this tour or not. I haven’t finalised any appointments yet. In truth, I’d hoped if I didn’t give too much notice I might have a better chance of people being prepared to see me during the brief time I’ll be in the area.’
Jayne hoped so. As for today and the tour: ‘Thanks, Alex. I’d rather do this with at least one familiar face sitting in the crowd.’
‘You can do it, Jayne. You’ve spoken with most of the group already. It will mean blowing your cover, but a brief explanation and reassurance to them will make all the difference to how you’re received. And it’ll only be for today.’ The faith in his eyes told her he knew she could succeed.
Jayne knew it too, but having that kind of confidence handed to her without question, without reserve and so generously as he set his own goals back moved her. ‘How can you be sure I’m able—?’
‘I know you, Jayne.’ He said it as though it were a given, as though that feeling of knowing was not strange at all. ‘Tell the driver you’ll do it. You’ll probably need time to talk to him, to see what he can let you know about today’s itinerary.’
Alex gestured to the food on the table. ‘Once we’ve eaten, I’ll pack for myself and for you, too, if you want, then bring our things down.’
‘I’m packed, but bringing the luggage down would help.’ Offering to do that for her while she spoke again to the driver almost felt like something a boyfriend would do. But all they’d done was share a kiss.
A stunning kiss.
‘You know you don’t need to worry about…last night.’ His low words drew her from her reverie, made her aware that expressions must have been chasing each other across her face.
How did he feel about their kiss?
Alex probably regretted it and wanted to focus on their working relationship. Maybe he felt Jayne had instigated it, practically pushed herself on him? Maybe their kiss had been…a disappointment to him?
‘You’re a lot younger than me,’ she blurted. ‘Also, if you didn’t really want—’
‘I wanted.’ His gaze held hers and refused to let go. ‘And so what about my age? That kind of gap is irrelevant, anyway.’
‘You’d think my father believes so.’ Jayne stopped, then rushed on again. ‘I don’t want to get too involved with a man. What happened last night—I’m not suggesting it made you want to get particularly involved. You said otherwise and you’ve probably put it behind you by now, anyway. But I should have respected our working relationship and made sure it didn’t happen in the first place.’
A frown came over Alex’s face.
Whatever he might have said was lost when the bus driver approached their table with an apologetic expression. ‘Forgive the intrusion, but could I have a word with you, Jayne?’
Jayne cast one torn glance in Alex’s direction, but he just gestured to the empty seat beside him and invited the driver to sit in it.
What else could Jayne do? She’d said her piece. They would just get on with things now, get to the end of these few days of touring. Jayne would put her proposal to her father and, when it went ahead, she might have some contact with Alex here and there in relation to the supply of gifts.
This was the clean-cut arrangement that would be
st serve both their business interests. Jayne told herself she was resolved now. She had everything worked out as it needed to be. She could relax on the topic.
So why didn’t she feel relaxed?
‘Good morning, everyone. I hope you all slept well and are ready for today’s tour events.’ Jayne spoke the words in a calm, confident tone and repeated them in Japanese.
She stood at the front of the bus with a pleasant, cheerful expression on her face. Totally handling this, and doing it with style. Jayne was amazing, even if the thought of getting personally involved with him obviously scared her. Well, it had just been a kiss, Alex reminded himself. No big deal. He could let it go. Of course he could. He didn’t want any complications, either, after all.
And Jayne. Here and now—
She could have turned her back on the group, could have said they’d just have to wait until later today when a new guide could get here.
Instead, Jayne had stepped up to the challenge. Alex could see the hint of nerves she was keeping in check. And, when she briefly caught his eye, he let her see his approval because he hoped it would encourage her.
Jayne seemed to fully relax then. She drew a breath and briefly explained who she was and why she’d taken on the job of tour guide today.
‘I think you’ll find today will be quite exciting, so please sit back and enjoy the trip up out of the valley. The scenic views will be spectacular at this hour of the morning.
‘We have two short stops. One at mid-morning and then for lunch,’ Jayne went on. ‘In the afternoon we’re touring what is reputed to be one of Australia’s leading “haunted museums” where the ghost of a famous outlaw is said to walk the halls of the old homestead. You’ll have a first-hand experience of local folklore and history.’
The group settled in for the trip.
Alex forced his attention away from Jayne’s beautiful voice, from the strength of her presentation and all the other things he was coming more and more to admire about her. They’d agreed it wouldn’t be wise to pursue an interest in each other. Jayne didn’t want that. Alex didn’t want any complications either. He didn’t know how to manage the kind of complication that Jayne could be.
He wasn’t disappointed that they’d both agreed on that decision.
Liar.
Alex pushed the thoughts away and turned his attention to his phone. He needed to firm up his arrangements to meet certain people in Alice Springs this evening and tomorrow morning. He would focus on that.
The start of the morning passed uneventfully, but that didn’t last.
‘Everything is all right, and we’re going to just go back over to that lovely grassy area by the bus and spend a few minutes quietly there.’ Jayne gestured with one hand.
‘Thank you. I would rather be away from the homestead.’ The panicky tour group member nodded. The woman had been in the middle of the haunted homestead tour when she’d realised a necklace she always wore for luck was missing. Though this might seem like nothing to some people, she felt she was taking her life into her hands by being on the haunted tour without the lucky charm.
Jayne touched the woman’s hand gently, doing her best to offer what reassurance she could. ‘We’ll ask the driver to look through the bus for your necklace. Maybe it will turn up there.’
‘I’ll go ahead and ask him to start looking.’ With a brief glance in Jayne’s direction, Alex strode ahead to where the bus was parked.
Jayne watched him go, watched his broad shoulders moving as he ate up the distance. He’d been so supportive when this had happened, had been supportive of Jayne all morning. She’d sensed his faith in her—that had made it very easy to do a good job of guiding the tour.
By the time Jayne got to the bus with the woman, Alex and the driver had searched it.
Alex came to their sides. ‘No luck there. Sorry.’
‘I don’t know where the necklace could be. I know I put it on this morning.’
Jayne comforted the stressed woman, helped her think through all the places the necklace might be. She got on the phone to last night’s accommodation and had the staff check the woman’s room and the common areas while the driver pulled out the entire luggage from the hold of the bus.
‘It’s not here, either.’ The woman reluctantly closed the lid on her suitcase and turned to Jayne. ‘I’m sorry for causing extra work, but visiting the haunted homestead without that—’
‘Not at all, and I hope we’ll still find your necklace.’ Jayne drew a breath. ‘In the meantime, is there anything that I can help you with, to ease your mind?’
Alex watched Jayne helping the distraught passenger. He had the feeling Jayne would go to any lengths to help the woman regain her confidence.
He added quietly, ‘Is there any other item we can get for you that would work in the same way as the charm?’
‘Another charm, maybe, but no, thank you. I will wait and hope the necklace is found.’ The woman shivered and opened her travel shoulder bag and drew out her cardigan.
As she pushed her hand into the sleeve, she paused and a look of surprise came over her face. A moment later the necklace was in her hands, and then around her neck while she beamed and looked embarrassed at once. ‘I checked this. I mustn’t have closed the necklace clasp properly and now it is in my sleeve! I am sorry for all the trouble.’
‘It’s not a problem at all.’ Jayne simply smiled. ‘I helped you check everything, remember? I didn’t see it in there, either.’
They were able to return to the tour of the homestead then. Jayne’s shoulders appeared a little tense, but otherwise she showed no sign that she had just torn a bus apart trying to find the missing item.
An hour later, the tour of the homestead and museum was over and done. The bus stopped outside the day’s accommodation in a large country town which had a thriving shopping centre, cinemas, live entertainment and more. Jayne finished debriefing the newly arrived replacement tour guide and started towards Alex, where he stood beside the taxi that would take them to the airport. They had seats on the last flight out of here to Alice Springs.
As she made her way over to Alex, Mr and Mrs Li also approached. They smiled at Jayne and Mr Li spoke. ‘You have done an excellent job of taking over as tour guide, Miss Cutter. Would it be possible for you to stay in that role for the remainder of the tour?’
‘Oh, that’s very flattering, but I’m afraid I can’t.’ Jayne appeared both somewhat tired and appreciative. ‘Alex and I have other commitments. In fact, we need to leave you now.’ She gestured towards the taxi. ‘We need to get to the airport.’
Mr Li presented his business card. ‘Then I will say this briefly but trust that you understand I am completely serious in this offer.’
Jayne drew a breath. ‘I don’t quite understand.’
‘You have a voice that would record beautifully and you speak fluent Japanese.’ He went on, ‘Added to this, you know the tourist industry. If you might be interested in a very lucrative business arrangement with me, I would like to speak with you about being the voice of all the virtual tour recordings I will begin marketing in Japan in the next few months.’
‘You’re setting up in competition to Cutter’s?’ Jayne’s voice was quite emotionless and her expression hadn’t changed. But she’d become guarded, just the same.
‘No.’ Mr Li shook his head. ‘The tourists I bring in to the country will come due to my advertising efforts in corporations and businesses in Japan. They will come as business groups. It is unlikely that they would come otherwise. Please, if you would like to know more, give me a call and we can arrange to speak further about this.’
‘Thank you. I will. I’ll…call you,’ Jayne said a little numbly, and they said their farewells. She and Alex climbed into the taxi.
They’d made the fifteen-minute trip to the airport, checked their luggage and boarded the small plane before Jayne turned to Alex and finally verbalised her surprise. ‘Mr Li offered me a job. On the strength of my ability to speak
Japanese and the sound of my voice?’
‘Not quite just that.’ Alex said it gently as the plane made its ascent into the sky. ‘You did an amazing job today, you know. And remember Mr Li had already spent an evening talking about the tourist industry with you before today happened. And he knew who you were, which means he would have really understood your experience and expertise in tourism.’
‘They said they were interested in the industry, but I had no idea. I didn’t know they’d value my insights like that.’ Jayne paused while the flight attendant offered refreshments. She and Alex each took a cup of coffee.
‘Voicing virtual tours.’ A hint of excitement crept into Jayne’s voice. ‘If he was prepared to pay me for that on a contractual basis and I could fit it in with the hours I work for Cutter’s, it sounds as though there wouldn’t be any conflict of interest in doing the work.’
‘That’s right.’ Alex nodded and shifted slightly in the seat. His thigh brushed Jayne’s and she was instantly back in her thoughts to kissing him.
But there was something else to think about that was even more important at the moment. ‘Alex, did you manage to make your appointments? I really hope today’s delay won’t interfere with your search process.’
‘I have an appointment booked for an hour after we land, and another one for tomorrow morning.’
‘Good.’ As they’d spoken, his shoulders had locked. Jayne wished she could hold him and let her hands stroke his tension away. She wished she could go with him to his appointments. All she could do was wish him well.
‘I’ll be there when you’re finished. I don’t mind missing some of tomorrow’s tour, or all of it.’
‘Thanks, Jayne. That’s generous but I’m sure we’ll be able to cover most of the tour tomorrow.’ The descent light came on and he clipped his seat belt and waited while she did the same. ‘I guess we’ll just see how things go with the appointments. Now, let’s cover that last tour while we have a few minutes.’