The Blind Date Surprise

by Barbara Hannay

  ‘Now you’re being philosophical.’

  ‘Of course. Why not?’

  ‘Because this should never have happened. It’s unfair.’ She caught the quizzical expression in Theo’s eyes and shook her head. ‘I know, I know, we can’t expect life to always be fair.’

  Just the same…She looked around her at Theo’s lovely home. It would be a wrench for him to leave it. She thought of Damien, who still needed his uncle’s guidance, of George, Theo’s ageing father, who was so pleased to have his son living close by. Theo was losing more than his job. He was losing his home, his family, his lifestyle. All because of her.

  Which was why, ultimately, it was up to her and her alone to set matters right.

  Stepping close, he slipped his arms around her. ‘I’m surprised you’re letting this get to you, Annie.’

  She shrugged. ‘It’s been a big week. A bit of a roller coaster, actually.’

  ‘It has indeed.’ He began to massage her shoulders. ‘You need to relax.’ Nuzzling her neck, he murmured, ‘Why don’t you put yourself in my tender care? I suggest an early night. Problems always look much better in the morning.’

  Not this time, Theo.

  Oh, God. The very thought of the action she must take in the morning made her tremble with terror. How could she do it?

  She mustn’t think of it now, or she would break down in front of him. She had to focus on what was left to her. This night.

  ‘Your tender care is exactly what I need,’ she told him and she turned and slipped into his welcoming embrace.

  CHAPTER TEN

  ANNIE had known it was going to be hard, but not this hard.

  Three times she’d tried to dial Claudia’s number and three times she’d chickened out. How could she ever bring herself to do what she knew she must?

  Dripping with dread, she stood in the middle of the kitchen and forced herself to stare at the phone. It will only get worse if I keep putting it off. I’ve got to do it this time.

  There was no other way. She’d lain awake for most of the night thinking and agonising and she knew this was the only solution.

  It broke her heart to realise that she’d caused Theo so much trouble by falling in love with him. At first she told herself it was okay because she hadn’t known, hadn’t dreamed that she could be creating problems for him.

  But she’d read in one of his books about Chinese philosophy that even when you’re not wholly responsible for a situation, you have an obligation to find the best way through it. Which meant she had to accept the awful reality that her presence here was a problem for Theo. She was a threat to his career, and to his happiness as well. And it was up to her to do something about it.

  It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t fair at all that a jealous, vindictive woman like Claudia could cause so much unhappiness, but Annie knew she had to be the one to make amends.

  Last night she’d lain beside Theo while he slept and she’d held his hand against her heart and covered him with soft, secret kisses and worshipped him in silence. And then this morning he’d woken refreshed and ready to go to the university to begin grading examination papers and she’d had to find the courage to say goodbye to him, knowing—heaven help her—that it was for the last time.

  It had nearly killed her to stand at the back door and watch him walk out of the house with no idea that he’d never see her again. When he turned back and waved to her she’d almost weakened and run to him.

  But somehow she’d managed to let him go.

  All that was left to do now was this…

  Just remember you’re doing it for Theo. Think of him, not yourself.

  A scared little cry broke from her lips as she dashed across the kitchen and snatched up the phone. Think of Theo. She’d already found the direct number for Claudia’s office in a notebook beside Theo’s phone and her hand shook as she punched the digits.

  Oh, please let the connection go through. I couldn’t bear it if I have to spend ages waiting, or if I’m asked to call back later.

  ‘Claudia Stanhope speaking.’

  Gulp. Oh, help. ‘Claudia, good morning. This is Annie—Annie McKinnon.’

  ‘Good morning, Annie.’ Claudia’s response was cool, but she didn’t quite manage to hide her surprise. ‘How can I help you?’

  ‘I think you’ll be able to work that out for yourself.’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’

  ‘I’m ringing to let you know that I’m leaving Brisbane and I’m leaving Theo. I’m getting out of his life—going home to Southern Cross.’ The words spilled out in a rush, an emotional landslide.

  For too long there was silence on the other end of the phone. Then… ‘Poor Theo.’ And a little later, ‘Why are you telling me this, Annie?’

  Annie suppressed an urge to scream. ‘You know very well why.’

  ‘I do?’

  ‘I’m not going to put myself through the humiliation of spelling it out, Claudia. You’ve umpteen degrees, so I’m going to trust you to be clever enough to fill in the blanks. Just remember—’ Her courage almost failed and she was shaking so badly the trembling vibrated in her voice. ‘I’m going to be out of Theo’s life. Gone. For good!’ The last word exploded on a sob.

  Oh, Theo.

  Slamming the receiver down, she slumped on to a stool.

  She’d done it.

  She’d done the unbearable. Now all she had to do was get out of here and she would have atoned for the damage she’d caused. Within a day or so, Theo would have his job back and he wouldn’t have to leave this house, or his life here in Brisbane.

  Oh, God. She’d given him up.

  As the full force of her heartbreak crashed over her, she caved forward on to the kitchen bench, unable to control her horrible, noisy, desolate sobbing.

  How could she bear this? Theo was the most wonderful man she’d ever met—was ever likely to meet. She loved everything about him—his beautiful smile, his quiet dignity, his mind, his body, his kisses, his touch—his passion.

  Oh, dear heaven. She had to get a grip. If she thought about the way Theo made love to her, she would be crying for the next hundred years.

  A scratching sound on the glass door caught her attention and she turned to see Basil on his hind legs, trying to get inside the kitchen, no doubt worried because he could see how upset she was. Hurrying over to him, she slid the door open, then dropped to her haunches to hug him.

  ‘Oh, you darling boy, I’m going to miss you too.’ Still sobbing, she let him lick her tears. ‘Look after Theo for me, won’t you, mate?’

  She hugged Basil hard, rubbing her cheek into his soft coat. When at last she released him, something tugged at her hair and she realised that the old piece of ribbon that she’d used to tie back her hair had caught in his collar. She stared at the narrow strip of yellow silk and then, on impulse, threaded it through the metal ring on Basil’s collar and twisted it several times before knotting it.

  ‘This is a friendship band for you, Basil,’ she said.

  It was a hopelessly teenage-angst sort of gesture, but it made her feel a little better to leave something behind. And it looked kind of cute—that little band of gold against Basil’s dramatic black and white coat.

  Then, before the tears could start again, Annie jumped to her feet. It was time to call a taxi.

  ‘Is Annie here?’

  The question burst from Theo the instant Mel opened her front door and he could hardly believe he’d asked it so calmly. Inside he was roaring.

  Mel gaped at him. ‘Dr Grainger, what a surprise.’

  ‘I’m looking for Annie. Is she here?’

  ‘Here?’ Mel repeated, frowning, and the blank look on her face sent Theo’s hopes plummeting. ‘I thought she was at your place,’ she said.

  He muttered a curse beneath his breath.

  ‘What’s happened?’ Mel stepped forward on to the porch and let the door close behind her.

  He tried not to feel put off by her lack of welcome. ‘Annie’s gone a
nd I have to find her.’

  ‘You mean she’s packed her bags and left you?’

  Left you. The finality of those words echoed and clanged in the cold, hollow emptiness inside him. ‘Yes,’ he admitted, although it killed him to do so. ‘She left a note, but it doesn’t make sense.’

  Mel’s fine eyebrows lowered over worried eyes as she held out her hand. ‘May I see the note?’

  Theo hesitated. He hadn’t intended to hand over something so personal.

  ‘Do you want my help?’ asked Mel.

  With reluctance he accepted that he had little choice. Mel was an important connection and, the truth of it was, he was desperate. Taking the creased paper from his shirt pocket, he handed over the message he knew by heart.

  Dear Theo,

  I have to go, and you mustn’t try to stop me. Soon you’ll understand why and then everything will be fine for you.

  All my love,

  Annie

  After scanning it quickly Mel looked up and fixed him with an even grimmer glare as she folded her arms across her chest. Her manner was so fierce that he felt like a very naughty schoolboy being carpeted by the headmistress.

  ‘What have you done to upset her?’ she demanded.

  ‘Nothing that I know of.’ He sighed. ‘I don’t think this is about something I’ve done.’

  ‘Then what’s happened?’ Mel’s eyes shimmered with fury.

  ‘I think it must be a—a situation that’s arisen.’

  ‘A situation?’ she snapped like a bossy little guard dog.

  ‘It’s kind of complicated.’

  ‘Oh, God. Not another woman?’

  ‘Yes.’ One glance at her horrified face and Theo rushed to redress his mistake. ‘I mean no. I’m not seeing another woman or anything like that, but Annie thinks—’ He groaned and shoved anguished fingers through his short dark hair. ‘It’s way too complicated to explain, but Annie’s decided that she’s to blame for something that happened—’ He sighed again. ‘So I take it she hasn’t tried to contact you?’

  ‘I’m afraid not. Do you know what time she left?’

  ‘I think it was some time this morning. If she’s not here, she might have headed back to Southern Cross.’

  ‘Probably.’ She scowled at him again. ‘I knew this was going to turn out badly.’

  Theo wanted to protest but decided it was wiser not to begin an argument with Annie’s friend. ‘If you hear from her will you please let me know straight away?’

  Her gaze narrowed. Cocking her head to one side, she leant one hip against the porch railing. ‘That depends on what Annie has to say, Dr Grainger. She may not wish to have anything more to do with you.’

  ‘Please,’ he begged, not caring how desperate he sounded. ‘I’ve got to find her and speak to her.’

  Mel didn’t answer immediately and if Theo hadn’t been so distressed he might have admired her caution.

  ‘You’re obviously a very good friend of Annie’s,’ he said. ‘I can see that you’re as worried about her as I am but, I promise you, I have her best interests at heart.’

  ‘You do know she’s hopelessly in love with you, don’t you?’ Mel said carefully.

  His heart rocked. ‘That’s why I have to find her.’

  There was another agonising stretch of silence, but at last Mel’s expression softened. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘If Annie rings, I’ll try to persuade her to contact you.’

  ‘The minute you hear from her?’

  She smiled gently. ‘Yes, Theo.’

  Bouncing on the front seat of the mail truck as it rattled along a dirt track that cut through the heart of the Star Valley, Annie peered through the dusty windscreen, straining to catch her first sight of home. Now that she’d almost completed the long journey from Brisbane via Townsville and Mirrabrook, she wanted this last leg to be over. The closer she got the safer she felt.

  She tried to squash memories of the overexcited, bubbly young woman who had raced away from Southern Cross for her date with Damien. She’d known then that she was taking a risk, that things might not work out in the city, but she could never have anticipated that she would be coming home with such a broken and battered pain-filled heart.

  Ahead of her a flash of green and white told her that Southern Cross homestead was coming into view and as the truck bumped along the gumtree-lined track, she glimpsed more and more details—the silver flash of the ripple iron roof, the smooth green sweep of lawn in front of the house, the bullnosed overhang on the deep, shady verandas—and then—a black and white streak shooting around the side of the house.

  Lavender, her Border collie.

  Leaning out of the open side window, Annie waved to her. ‘Poor Lavender’s missed me,’ she told Ted, the mail truck’s driver. But Ted wasn’t a talker so a nod and a grin were the most she could expect from him.

  It was so weird the way Lavender always knew when she was coming home. Weird, but wonderful. Wonderful to know that, whatever else happened in this crazy world, faithful Lavender’s loyalty would never falter. Her dog’s love would always be waiting for her.

  Oh, help. She forced herself to mentally edit out the other black and white dog she’d farewelled yesterday.

  ‘Are you going to stop for a cup of tea?’ she asked Ted.

  He grinned and nodded. ‘I could do with a cuppa. Throat’s a bit parched.’ It was the longest speech he’d made all morning.

  As soon as he’d guided the truck to a halt near the homestead’s front steps, Annie threw the door open and succumbed to Lavender’s enthusiastic greeting. ‘Hey, baby, you’ve got to calm down,’ she said with a laugh. ‘Yeah, I love you, too, sweetheart. Okay, why not lick me to death?’

  When at last Lavender calmed down and Annie stood up, she looked around expectantly. Where was everyone? She knew that Reid was still filling in for the manager at Lacey Downs, but there was no sign of Vic, the gardener, or her brother Kane, or the English housekeeper who’d been filling in while she’d been away.

  Somehow she didn’t think she could bear to come home to an empty house.

  ‘Hey, Kane, where are you?’ she called.

  It was quite possible that he was out working on one of the back blocks, but what about the English girl he’d hired? Annie had hoped that she would still be here, even if she only stayed on for another day or so.

  It would be rather nice to have some female company. A welcome distraction from all the thoughts that were tearing her apart.

  She walked around to the back of the truck and lifted her bag down and then at last she heard Kane’s voice. ‘Coming, Annie.’

  Thank goodness. With something of a shock, she realised how much she wanted to see Kane. There had been many times, particularly in her teenage years, when her big brothers’ teasing had been the bane of her existence, but that had changed after their father had died, and right now she couldn’t think of anyone she’d rather see.

  Then suddenly there was Kane, loping down the front steps—a tall, sandy-haired figure in typical out-back working clothes—cotton shirt, blue jeans and dusty riding boots. Annie threw herself into his big, strong embrace and clung to him. And Kane, bless him, hugged her tightly and pressed her head against his massive shoulder and held her as if he understood exactly how she felt.

  When he released her, he held her at arm’s length and studied her. ‘I wasn’t expecting you so soon. How are you, sis?’ he asked gently.

  ‘I’m—’ She drew a deep breath. ‘I’m okay.’

  He frowned. ‘You sure?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘You look a little—strained.’

  She shrugged and looked away. It was going to be hard to keep a stiff upper lip, but it would be worse to start talking about her heartache. Her pain was still too fresh and raw and she just knew that she’d break down and upset Kane. Next thing he’d be on a flight to Brisbane threatening to rip poor Theo to shreds.

  But she couldn’t just stand here staring at her toes. She looked up at Kane
and was suddenly shocked by the scary bleakness in his blue eyes and the uncharacteristic tension in the set of his jaw and his shoulders.

  ‘You don’t look so great yourself,’ she said. ‘Is everything okay?’

  Kane seemed distracted and turned abruptly away from her to the mailman. ‘Hey, Ted,’ he said. ‘Sorry I didn’t say good day. Will you be able to take another passenger with you on your way back into town?’

  ‘I reckon I could,’ Ted said, nodding.

  ‘Who’s that?’ Annie asked. ‘Not the English girl?’

  Kane shot her a sharp glance. ‘You know about Charity?’

  ‘Reid told me you had someone here to do the housework.’

  He nodded slowly.

  ‘Is she leaving already?’

  ‘Yeah.’ He kicked at a clump of grass with the toe of his riding boot.

  ‘That’s a pity. I was hoping she could stay on for a bit.’

  ‘She’s rather keen to get away.’

  Kane’s voice was casual enough, but he stared so sadly into the distance that Annie was suddenly certain her brother was hiding something—something that could only have happened while she’d been gone.

  Given her own misery as well as Kane’s, it was becoming horribly clear that she should never have left Southern Cross for the city.

  When Reid McKinnon came back from his stint at Lacey Downs it took him no time at all to work out that something was very much amiss with both his siblings.

  ‘What’s been going on while I was away?’ he demanded at dinner on the first evening. ‘Have you two been sick or something? Annie looks as if she hasn’t slept for a month. And Kane, you look like you’ve been sentenced to life imprisonment.’

  Annie and Kane exchanged self-conscious shrugs. They’d both been sympathetic to each other’s misery, but they’d avoided delving too deeply into their problems. Even so, Annie was almost certain that Kane’s gloominess was directly related to the departure of the English girl, Charity Denham.

  Charity was incredibly pretty, with lovely auburn hair, clear green eyes and gorgeous skin, and when she’d said goodbye to Kane it had been impossible to miss the chemistry between them. Why had Kane let her go?