His smile was both sad and cute as he lifted a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear. ‘Last night was amazing and special and unforgettable. We shouldn’t look on it as a mistake.’ His eyes shimmered and his throat rippled. ‘We need to be friends for a long, long time.’
‘Yes.’ It was little more than a whisper.
‘But what you’re doing for my kids is more important than anything.’
Determined not to cry, she spoke without looking at him. ‘My job now is to prepare Anna and Josh for their new nanny.’
She was relieved that Gray agreed. Really, she was, or at least she would be once she was back home and safely embarked on her new career.
The question of the replacement nanny came to a head two weeks later.
The day started on a high note when the mail plane landed on the dirt airstrip with its load of newspapers, letters, catalogues and packages.
Like everyone else at Jabiru Creek, Holly looked forward to the weekly mail delivery. It was a major social event and Gray, Holly and the children piled into the truck to go down to the airstrip to chat with George, the mailman, and any passengers he might have brought with him ‘for the ride’.
Sometimes George had time to come back to the homestead for a cuppa and a gossipy chat, but this week he was in a hurry, with engine parts needed urgently by their neighbours at Half Moon Station.
Holly grabbed a moment for a quick word with George about an idea she’d had for a book exchange between the women she’d met via School of the Air. He thought this was a great idea and promised to spread the word.
Back in the homestead kitchen, they opened their mail. There were the usual bills and letters to be handed over to Ted, as well as books Holly had ordered over the Internet—for herself, for the children, and now, discreetly, adult literacy books for Gray as well. He was making fantastic progress.
This week there was also an unexpected package.
‘What’s this?’ Anna cried. ‘It’s got your name on it, Holly.’ She gave the parcel a squeeze. ‘It feels like clothes.’
‘Clothes?’ Holly looked up with a frown. ‘I haven’t ordered any clothes.’
She saw a hasty, almost smug look flash between Gray and Janet.
What was going on?
With a little shove, Anna sent the parcel sliding over the table to Holly. ‘Open it,’ the little girl urged with a giggle of excitement.
‘I don’t know if I should. It might be a mistake.’ Holly gave the package a tentative squeeze. It certainly felt like clothing. She double-checked the address. It was definitely addressed to her. ‘This is weird.’ She checked the postmark. ‘It’s from Melbourne.’
‘They have lovely dress shops in Melbourne,’ Janet remarked, staring rather fixedly at the teapot.
‘I’m sure there are very nice dress stores in Melbourne, but I didn’t—’
‘Oh, go on and open the thing.’ Gray was almost scowling at her. At least he was trying to scowl, but his eyes betrayed an ambiguous, half-amused glint. ‘It’s obviously for you.’
It seemed silly to hesitate any longer. ‘Can someone pass me the scissors?’
Josh was closest to the old ginger jar on the kitchen dresser, where scissors, wooden spoons and other utensils were kept. Like most boys, he wasn’t interested in clothing but, after he’d delivered the scissors, he hung around Holly’s chair to watch her cut through the thick tape.
Everyone in the room was watching Holly, especially Gray. Her heartbeats picked up speed.
‘It’s wrapped in beautiful tissue paper and looks like it must be terribly expensive,’ she said as she opened the padded envelope.
She shot a shocked look Janet’s way. About ten days ago, right here in this kitchen, she and Janet had been poring over catalogues together. They’d decided to order riding gear for the twins and, once that was organised, they’d idly thumbed through the women’s fashion pages and Holly had gone into a swoon over the most beautiful cocktail dress.
It had just been a bit of fun. Holly had never spent exorbitant amounts of money on her clothes. Chelsea was the one who’d been fashion mad, while Holly had lashed out on books.
‘Hurry up and open it.’ Josh gave Holly’s elbow a nudge and she opened the tissue-wrapped parcel carefully, trying not to tear the fine pearl-grey paper.
All eyes were on her.
And, suddenly, the last layer was lifted and there it was—the beautiful red wool crepe dress from the catalogue.
Holly couldn’t speak. She was stunned. She shot a questioning glance to Janet, who lifted her hands in a don’t-ask-me gesture and nodded her head towards Gray.
‘Do you like it?’ Gray asked, frowning.
‘It’s gorgeous,’ she could only whisper.
‘Hold it up,’ Anna demanded. ‘We want to see it properly.’
Holly pushed her chair back so she had room to stand, then displayed the dress by holding it against her. It was divine. The wool crepe was so soft and refined, the finishing was superb and the colour was strong but not gaudy.
‘That red is perfect with your dark hair,’ Janet confirmed.
‘It looks like it should fit you.’ Gray spoke casually enough, but he was watching Holly with a breath-robbing intensity.
‘It does seem to be my size,’ Holly agreed, checking the label. ‘But…but I don’t understand.’
‘It’s a thank you present.’ From across the table, Gray’s eyes gleamed. ‘From all of us.’
‘Oh.’
Her spirits soared for a beat and then, just as quickly, the wind dropped out of her sails. It was silly to be suddenly upset, but it occurred to her that a thank you present was more or less the same as a farewell present. Everyone here was quite calmly preparing to wave her goodbye.
Holly, on the other hand, was finding it harder and harder to think about leaving here. She loved these people. More than ever now, Anna and Josh felt like her own children, Janet was fast becoming a close friend, and Gray—well, her feelings for him were in a league of their own. But everyone at Jabiru Creek was very dear to her.
To her horror, she was struggling not to cry. How silly. They weren’t about to give her marching orders.
‘Thank you,’ she finally managed to say. ‘Thank you so much. I’ve never had such a lovely dress.’
‘You should try it on,’ Anna urged.
‘Now?’
‘Wear it for us tonight,’ Janet suggested. ‘I’ll cook something special for dinner and we’ll eat it in the dining room.’
‘And I’ll put on a tie,’ Gray added with a smiling wink.
‘Wow! A party!’ Anna clapped her hands. ‘A new dress party.’
‘I guess that’s better than a farewell party.’ Holly couldn’t help it. The comment just slipped out.
It was met by a circle of such puzzled glances that she wondered if she was reading too much into this.
She went back to her room and hung the dress on a padded hanger in her wardrobe and decided that yes, she’d probably been jumping to conclusions about the significance of this gift. It was just a kind thought. Not a clear goodbye.
After all, there was still almost a month before she was due back in the United States.
One thing was certain: she was not wearing this elegant dress to dinner without first spending time on her grooming. She would have loved to rush out to the nearest beauty spa to be professionally made over from head to toe but, as that wasn’t an option, she retired to the bathroom as soon as the children were released from the school room.
A shampoo and blow-dry, a manicure, a pedicure and a DIY leg wax—ouch—were all on the agenda. Holly spent ages over each task, wanting to be as close to perfect as the beautiful dress deserved.
She chose her best uplift bra and her barely-there panties and, when at last she was ready, she tried the dress on in front of the long oval mirror on her wardrobe door and she…was…
Gobsmacked.
Wow. Was the vision in the mirror really her?
She turned left and right, spun around to check out the back view. The dress was divinely cut with a deep V neckline and had no sleeves and an elegant side tie. The colour made her complexion glow and the fitted bodice and slim skirt gave her more noticeable curves and a glamour she’d never dreamed of. Even her hair looked more glamorous than usual—extra glossy and dark and bouncy.
Thrills of excitement tingled all over her. What would Gray think of his lovely gift now?
When Gray came home that evening he sensed a general air of excitement in the homestead. Delicious aromas wafted from the kitchen and from the dining room there came the tinkle of silver and glassware as Janet set the table with the best dinnerware. From the children’s bathroom came the sound of taps running.
In his bedroom, he was surprised to discover that his housekeeper had taken the trouble to lay out clothes for him—well pressed moleskin trousers, a crisp pale blue shirt and his best navy-blue and silver tie.
It was clear Janet wanted this evening to be a big success. She was very fond of Holly and she’d taken a great delight in helping him to think of the right gift for her.
‘That dress is perfect,’ Janet had said. ‘It’s something Holly would never think to buy for herself.’
Gray had been worried that Holly wouldn’t like something so…so dressy. He’d only ever seen her in the simplest of T-shirts and jeans. Her taste in clothes was almost the opposite of Chelsea’s. His former wife had always wanted her clothing to be that little bit different from everyone else’s, with one shoulder bared, or keyholes cut in the back, or frills where you least expected them.
Holly’s simple styles suited her calm, warm spirit—the spirit and sense for which he was so increasingly grateful. Of course she’d been right to stop their affair before it had barely started.
It nearly drove him crazy to spend each evening working with her on his reading instead of making slow, languorous love to her. But he was grateful—or, rather, he was amazed at the progress he’d made. With Holly, reading had become an exciting challenge instead of a black art to be feared.
He’d wanted to thank her and Janet had convinced him that the dress was the answer.
‘Holly spent ages looking at it in the catalogue,’ Janet had assured him. ‘And it’s not frilly or fancy. It’s a classic look. She’ll knock your eyes out when you see her in it. Just you wait and see.’
At the time he’d almost imagined that his housekeeper was trying to matchmake, but why would she bother? She knew as well as he did that Holly would be gone in a matter of weeks. Besides, Janet had witnessed the disaster he’d made of his marriage.
He was also surprised that Janet had pushed for this dinner party. When he’d ordered the knockout dress, he’d never expected that Holly would actually parade around in it here at Jabiru Creek. He’d only ever imagined her wearing it when she was back in America.
He could easily picture her at a cocktail party—somewhere flash with marble floors and fountains and a string quartet playing beneath potted palms. She’d sip a Martini and converse with some handsome Ivy League guy about Tolstoy and Beethoven and quantum physics.
But, if Gray was honest, he should admit that deep down he also hoped that wearing the dress would prompt Holly to remember him. And his kids, of course. And the time she’d spent here.
Would she miss them as much as they were going to miss her?
Hell. Alarmed by how suddenly downbeat he felt, Gray hurried through to his bathroom to shave with extra care.
‘Wow, you look awesome, Daddy!’
Anna was the first to greet Gray when he arrived in the kitchen, dressed and ready for dinner.
‘You look pretty swish, too,’ he said, as his daughter performed a pirouette in her green plaid party dress. ‘And so do you, Josh.’
Josh, in jeans and a button-down shirt, was more interested in playing with the puppies.
Janet was busy at the stove and she was wearing an apron over her best black dress and turquoise beads, and Ted was there, too, standing in the corner, looking scrubbed and smart with his damp hair carefully combed over his bald patch.
‘Don’t you get paw marks on your shirt,’ Janet told Josh, then she let her eyes run over Gray and gave him a nod of approval.
‘Thanks for ironing these,’ he said.
‘I didn’t want you slinging a tie on over a crumpled old work shirt and jeans.’
He grinned. ‘You know me too well.’ Taking a step towards the stove, he sniffed. ‘Dinner smells great. What is it? Roast beef?’
‘Roast rib of beef with Yorkshire pudding.’
‘And your special gravy and horseradish sauce?’
‘Of course.’
‘Fantastic. I could eat a horse and chase the rider.’
‘Daddy!’ cried Anna, shocked.
Gray laughed and tickled her tummy. ‘Where’s Holly?’
‘Still getting ready.’ His daughter pulled a face. ‘She’s been getting ready for hours an’ hours.’
‘Maybe she wants to make a grand entry,’ suggested Janet.
Gray shook his head. ‘That’s not Holly’s style.’
Janet turned from the stove. ‘Well…everything’s more or less ready here. Why don’t you pop along to Holly’s room to let her know?’
Something like a bolt of lightning ripped through Gray. Going to Holly’s bedroom was not a great idea, not with all the fantasies he fought off on a daily basis. He almost suggested that Anna should go to fetch Holly, but then…
His curiosity overpowered him. He was dead anxious to see her all dressed up.
Ridiculously, his throat was dry and his palms clammy as he walked down the hallway and tapped on her door. ‘Dinner’s almost ready,’ he called.
The door opened and Holly peeped out, and the top half of her, which was all Gray could see, looked amazingly beautiful. Holly was always pretty, but tonight she’d done something special with her hair, and with her make-up.
He’d never dreamed that eye shadow and mascara and lipstick could make such a dramatic difference. Combined with the dress, the whole effect was breathtaking.
‘Wow,’ he whispered.
Holly rolled her eyes. ‘But, Houston, we have a problem.’
‘A problem?’ What on earth could it be?
Of course, he’d still only seen the top half of her, but she looked sensational. ‘Is there something wrong with the dress?’
Holly shook her head. ‘The dress is perfect. However—’ She gave a sheepish smile as she opened the door fully. ‘Ta-da!’ The dress was perfect. Holly was perfect. She looked like a princess, a movie star, a fashion model. Except…
Gray’s eyes travelled down to her feet.
‘Not a good look, is it?’ she said with an embarrassed smile.
She was wearing sneakers.
‘I didn’t bring anything with heels, Gray. I was coming to the Outback, you know, so I brought sneakers and walking boots.’
He felt an urge to laugh, but Holly looked as if she might tip either way—into hysterical laughter or into tears.
‘It’s my fault,’ he said quickly. ‘I should have thought to order glass slippers.’
And then, because it was the most natural thing in the world to do, he opened his arms to her.
Her hair was silky and fragrant, her skin deliciously scented, and her body felt sensational beneath the soft fabric of the dress. In a New York second, Gray was overwhelmed with the need he’d been battling since their night together.
Unfortunately, what he had in mind would almost certainly mess up Holly’s perfect make-up. Her lipstick and mascara would end up all over his shirt. And then…for sure, his shirt and her dress would have to go…and…
And he dropped his hands before he weakened.
‘I think these shoes are perfect for tonight,’ he murmured against her ear. ‘Everyone’s going to love how you look.’
Perhaps it was best that Holly wasn’t wearing high heels. Gray’s lovely embrace had thr
own her completely off balance and her legs were dangerously wobbly as they went down the hallway to the kitchen.
He’d awoken every memory of their one night together—the scent of his skin, the hardness of his body, the daring intimacy of his touch and the incredible fireworks.
Fortunately, by the time they joined the others, she’d taken enough deep, slow breaths that she was calmer. More or less.
And the sneakers provided a welcome distraction. They were greeted by smiles of sympathy, and everyone was gratifyingly complimentary about the dress. Holly was truly made to feel like the guest of honour.
The meal was superb. Holly had never eaten golden, sumptuous Yorkshire pudding with roast beef. It was delicious, and it was such fun for everyone to be all dressed up and to eat in the dining room. They were in high spirits and, even though the conversation was mostly about puppies, or the horse-riding lessons the children were about to begin, no one minded. Best of all, Holly’s feet were hidden under the table for most of the evening.
Throughout the meal she was super-aware of Gray. Their glances kept colliding and, each time, tingles broke out on her skin. The warmth in his eyes seemed to suggest that he was remembering all the things they were supposed to be forgetting.
Every time she caught him looking at her, her body would flash and she’d remember the thrill of his arms wrapped around her and the seductive scent of his aftershave, his powerful body burning against hers.
It was something of a relief, at the end of the meal, to jump up and help Janet to clear the table.
Of course, Janet tried to protest. ‘You don’t have to help, Holly.’
‘I do. You’ve been slaving all day, and I’m very grateful. But now I’m going to wash up while Gray tells the children a bedtime story. No arguments, please, Janet. You go off and put your feet up and read your new magazine.’
Holly didn’t check to see how Gray felt about this arrangement. This evening, she didn’t want to be involved in helping him with the children. She was happy to stay in the kitchen. Really. It was a matter of self-preservation.
‘You’re a living treasure,’ Janet told her fondly. ‘I must admit my bunions are killing me. But at least put an apron on.’ She unhooked a long white wraparound apron from the back of the kitchen door.
Rancher's Twins: Mom Needed Page 13