Outback Sisters (15 page)

‘The grumpy brother?'

‘He wasn't as bad as all that.' Simone smiled. ‘In fact, I think you'd like him. He's tall and well built like Logan, but he has this scruffy mop of dark chocolate hair and a beard. He looks very hot when he's trying not to smile.'

Frankie grimaced. She wasn't a scruffy-beard type of girl. She much preferred Logan's cropped-hair look. ‘And does he do that a lot? Try not to smile? Sounds like a riot.'

‘He was very entertaining actually. But Logan worries about him—thinks he spends too much time on his lonesome.
We
thought it might be good if we could get him to come to the wedding. As your date.'

It took a few seconds for this to register and then Frankie almost choked on her wine.

‘What? No.' She shook her head. ‘I don't need a date,' she lied, thinking of the hours she'd just spent scrolling through profiles in the hope of someone who might fill that particular bill. She didn't want to be a charity case—she especially didn't want Logan to think of her that way. To pity her like he obviously pitied his brother. ‘I'm quite comfortable, quite happy on my own. I don't need a guy in my life to complete me. I have the café, and my friends, and my family, and my cats.'

On cue, Fred started winding himself around her legs and she put down her glass and snatched him up, relishing the comfort of his warm, furry little body. He started nibbling on her plait.

Simone held up her hands. ‘I'm not asking you to marry the guy. I was just trying to be helpful. You were the one wondering if Logan had a brother, remember? Forget I mentioned it.'

Frankie sighed. ‘I'm sorry. I appreciate the thought and … you're right, it would be nice to have a man in my life who has two legs instead of four. In fact … I've just taken a leaf out of your book—or rather your daughters'—and signed up to Rural Matchmakers.'

‘You have?' Simone's eyes widened and she grinned.

‘Yes. I have. Although I doubt I'll find anyone suitable by the wedding.'

Simone shrugged. ‘You never know. A lot can happen in two weeks. I can vouch for that.'

And that brought the conversation back to
him
. Frankie held Fred a little tighter and forced herself to ask, ‘Things going to work out with Logan then?'

‘It's early days, but I kinda feel like I've landed on my feet,' Simone confessed, twirling her wine glass between her fingers. ‘It's hard enough to find a nice guy these days, never mind one who also looks like an underwear model
and
doesn't mind the fact that I have kids.'

And is an incredible kisser
, added Frankie silently. She snatched the glass of wine off the bench and took a gulp.

‘We kissed today,' Simone confessed and Frankie's chest tightened.

‘Oh?' she managed, despite the fact she felt like she was having some kind of heart attack.

Simone nodded, giving nothing away.

Frankie was torn between wanting to know details and preferring to stay in the dark, but as a supportive sister it was her duty to pry and Simone would worry if she didn't. ‘And?' she asked.

‘And …' Simone rubbed her lips together, her brow furrowed slightly as if in contemplation. ‘It was nice.'

‘Nice?' Frankie spluttered. That was not a word she considered adequate where kissing and Logan Knight were concerned. The mere thought of his lips on hers still turned all her internal organs inside out.

‘Yes,' Simone said. ‘Pleasant … easy … I dunno. There was nothing
wrong
with it, but I couldn't stop thinking about Jason. I kept imagining that he was watching and that thought made me feel a little weird. Which is not a good way to feel when your tongue is down someone else's throat.'

‘No.' Frankie swallowed, not wanting to think about how well acquainted Simone's and Logan's tongues might have gotten that afternoon. That thought made her feel a little weird. But she had no right to feel that way. Trying to detach herself from the scenario, she thought about what she would say if the guy Simone had kissed was somebody different. ‘I can imagine it must be hard putting yourself out there again,' she said, ‘but Jason has been gone a long time. He was a great guy and I know you miss him terribly, but you're not cheating on him. I'm sure he'd want you to move on and find happiness again.'

Simone puffed out a long breath. ‘I know you're right. It's just all a bit sudden, but I'd be a fool to let this one slip through my fingers, wouldn't I?'

‘Uh huh.' Frankie nodded, her jaw clenched tightly as she forced an encouraging smile.

Simone pushed back her seat and closed the distance between them. Frankie stilled as her sister wrapped her arms around her, cushioning Fred between them. He mewed his discontent and Simone laughed, stepping back for Frankie to release her feline bundle.

‘Thank you,' Simone said as Fred scampered away to join his brother under the table. ‘You are the best sister ever, you know that? I'd go insane if I couldn't talk this through with you.'

Frankie forced a smile. The thoughts going through her head right now didn't make her a very good sister at all. Her only hope was meeting someone else to take her mind off yet another Mr Unavailable. What was wrong with her that on the rare occasion she felt something for a guy, he was always claimed by someone else?

‘When are you seeing each other next?' she asked.

‘He's pretty busy helping Angus on the farm this week and also has some writing deadlines, but he mentioned something about meeting in Geraldton one day for lunch.'

Geraldton. Thank God. Frankie didn't think she could handle watching Logan and Simone sit through another romantic lunch right under her nose. ‘Great.'

‘We've got the hens night next Friday, but if Angus agrees to come to the wedding with you, I was thinking we could go visit them on Saturday or Sunday so you could meet before the big day.'

‘Okay.' It sounded horribly like a blind date but Frankie told herself this was a good thing. Simone had said Angus was good-looking and not as grumpy as all that, so maybe her ridiculous hormones could transfer their affections onto him. Even if he was half as hot as Logan, he'd be better looking than most men. Besides, looks weren't everything and she had to admit it would be nice not to be the only person with no-one to dance with at the wedding.

‘Excellent.' Simone clapped her hands together in excitement. ‘We always said we wanted to double date. This is our chance.'

‘Wouldn't it be a bit weird, sisters dating brothers?'

‘No,' Simone scoffed. ‘Happens all the time. And anyway, I'm not asking you to marry the guy. Just consider it a good opportunity to meet your future brother-in-law.'

As Angus lifted the next lamb into the circular crutching cradle, he glanced over at Logan, who had the brand marker ready to clip the animal's ear. Behind him, the pen of lambs cried out for their mums, who waited on the other side of the yard. The mums would baa back, making the sheep yards rather noisy.

Unlike the sheep, Logan had been quiet all morning. In fact, he'd been acting a little strange ever since Simone and her kids had come round for lunch on Sunday. Angus guessed that's what love did to a guy. He remembered falling in love with Sarah and being unable to think about much else, but in hindsight, Sarah wasn't half as stunning or fun to be around as Simone. He'd been thinking quite a lot about her the last couple of days, but that was likely down to the fact that, apart from his sister, he'd barely been near another woman in years—and certainly hadn't enjoyed their company the way he had Simone's.

Sighing at that unhelpful thought, he waited for Logan to finish the clip and swing the lamb around. This one was a male, so when Logan was finished, Angus used the elastrator, making sure he had both balls in the rings before letting them go. Over the years, the brothers had tagged more sheep than Angus could remember and they didn't need to converse while doing so. They worked like a factory line—sheep in the cradle, ear clipped, balls rung off if necessary, vitamin injection and finally the tag pierced onto their ear; start all over again with the next lamb—but usually Logan kept up a steady stream of conversation. He'd prefer Logan to be badgering him about his renewable energy ideas than this odd silence but since they'd last fought about that a week ago, Logan hadn't raised it again.

Sometimes Angus got annoyed with Logan's excessive chatter, but today, his silence made him nervous. It was like their roles had been reversed, and Angus didn't like it one bit. As he crunched an ear tag onto the bleating lamb, he racked his brain for some kind of small talk.

‘Remember when Liv wanted to get her ears pierced?' he asked eventually.

Logan made a noncommittal grunt and Angus raised his eyebrows.

‘She pestered and pestered me, remember? Sarah said I should just let her have it done—that lots of little girls got their ears pierced when they were younger than her—but I kept thinking of how it felt to crunch an ear tag on a lamb and couldn't bear the thought of the pain Olivia might feel.'

Logan made a half-hearted attempt at a chuckle and his lips lifted slightly at the edges. ‘So that's why you made me take her in the end?'

‘Damn straight. Did I never tell you this before?'

Logan shook his head as Angus lifted another lamb onto the cradle. This time a female, which made the process marginally quicker. ‘You generally don't tell me much at all. Man of few words is what you are.'

‘As are you today,' Angus noted as Logan clipped the lamb's ear. ‘Any reason for that?'

‘Nah. Just exhausted. I've been burning the candle at both ends.' As if to prove his point, he yawned and then swung the lamb back to Angus.

‘What are you writing at the moment?'

Logan shrugged and then wiped sweat off his brow. ‘This and that.'

‘Or have you been up late talking to Simone?' Angus couldn't help being curious. The distance between Bunyip Bay and Mingenew meant it wasn't easy for them to catch up in person, but he'd heard Logan on the phone the last couple of nights and it had been obvious who he'd been talking to.

‘That too,' Logan said, finally cracking a smile.

‘So you really like this one?'

‘What's not to like?'

The answer to that question was nothing, but Angus kept that to himself. ‘I'm happy for ya,' he said instead. ‘Maybe that online dating palaver isn't as ridiculous as I first thought.'

Logan froze, the clippers in midair. ‘You think you might give it a go?'

Angus laughed. ‘Let's not get carried away. I'm merely conceding that maybe I was wrong about you not meeting someone that way. I see now I was wrong about you not being serious about settling down.'

Logan smirked. ‘Apology accepted.'

Stifling his own chuckle and glad to have Logan a little closer to his usual self, Angus said, ‘I never said I was sorry. When are you seeing her again?'

‘I'm gonna try to meet her for lunch in Gero sometime this week. When you can spare me?'

Angus gestured to the pen of lambs. ‘We're flying through these little guys. I can probably do without you later in the week.'

‘Goodo.' Logan tossed him an appreciative smile. ‘And while I've got you in a good mood …'

Here it comes
, thought Angus.

‘Simone and I were wondering if you'd come to the wedding with Frankie, her sister?'

‘What? You've asked her to marry you?' He hadn't been expecting
that
. Thoughts of wind-farming sidelined by Logan's request, Angus continued, ‘What's the damn hurry?'

‘No.' Logan gave him a look of horror. ‘Not
our
wedding. That
would
be fast. Their cousin is getting married in Kalbarri in a couple of weeks. I'm going with Simone and her sister doesn't have a date.'

‘Why not? What's wrong with this Frankie?' Angus had visions of her being the ugly sister, because let's face it, no-one would ever outshine Simone.

‘Nothing,' Logan said a little too emphatically. ‘She's gorgeous. I think she's just too busy to meet anyone—she runs the café in Bunyip Bay.'

‘I know it.' Angus had stopped there a couple of times with Olivia and he had to admit the food was good. Better than good.

‘Well, there you go. Nothing wrong with her. If anything, it's the men in the area that need their heads read. So you'll come?'

‘Sorry. I don't have anything suitable to wear.' Angus turned to grab hold of the next lamb and gave it a scratch with the scabby guard vaccine.

‘Not a problem,' came his brother's quick response. ‘I'll lend you a suit. I don't think it's an overly fancy wedding anyway. They're going to Kalbarri rather than having it in Bunyip Bay, to keep it intimate.'

Intimate. That sounded like a good idea. Logan's wedding to Loretta had been a mammoth event. Mingenew wasn't a big place, but it had felt like every man and woman in town had attended, along with their dogs and extended family—and look how that had turned out. Man, he hated weddings.

‘Won't it be weird going to a wedding of people we've never met?' he asked, trying a different tack.

Logan shook his head. ‘Of course not. At most weddings the guests only know the bride's or groom's side well. I've gone to heaps where I've only known my date and I've had fun at every single one of them.'

The tone of Logan's voice and the way he wriggled his eyebrows told Angus exactly the kind of fun he was referring too. But even if Frankie were that way inclined, they'd have to think about the fact that if Logan and Simone kept seeing each other, a one-night stand could be awkward afterwards. They could even end up related. ‘You've got an answer for everything, haven't you?'