The Cattleman's Special Delivery (17 page)

Yet somehow tonight, in a crazy moment of weakness, he’d fooled himself into thinking that his dad’s suggestion was possible, that he and Jess could have a happy future here. And he’d misinterpreted the soft warmth in her eyes.

Sympathy, yes.

Love?

No way.

Certainly not enough love to sustain her at Warringa through the long hot summers, through the isolating wet seasons, through the difficulties of School of the Air and every other challenge the outback flung at its women.

Unfortunately, his pride wouldn’t allow him to go storming off like a wounded bull. He forced himself to eat.

* * *

Jess had no idea life could feel so bad. She’d suffered loss and disappointment, but nothing had left her feeling as empty as she felt this evening when she went back to her room to start packing.

It took a while, and, when the clothes were packed, she went through the house, picking up small toys, stray baby socks and picture books. Reece was in his bedroom with the door closed and she moved quietly, not wanting to disturb him, not wanting to face him again this evening.

When she’d packed everything except clothes for the morning and her toothbrush, she showered and changed into a nightdress, slipped into bed and turned out the lamp, then she lay, stiff as a board, staring into the darkness.

Remembering...

She remembered Reece here in bed with her. Remembered his lips on her skin, the pleasurable weight of him on top of her, beneath her, the power and excitement.

She thought about Reece with Rosie, so gentle and loving. Recalled his patience with his dad. Her excitement when they’d first cleaned up these lovely rooms. Remembered right back to the night he’d found her on the edge of the road.

Now, she was losing everything. Losing the best person she’d ever known. And now, after she’d recalled every precious detail of her time here with Reece and every wonderful reason why she loved him, she tortured herself by reliving his offer of marriage.

You don’t
have
to go. You could stay here...as my wife.

Oh, God. She should have said yes. The impulse to leap up now and run to him was so strong, Jess needed every bit of her strength to stay, curled in a tight ball of pain, while her head waged battle with her heart.

If she stayed here she could be happy. If she stayed nothing would have to change. She could marry a good and gorgeous man and live in his fabulous homestead, sharing his life, making him happy. He deserved happiness.

Oh, it was still so-o-o tempting, so enticing to shove aside all those strong reasons why she mustn’t stay.

But she knew they would catch up with her in time. The universe would once again pull the rug from under her. After all, Reece hadn’t actually said that he loved her. And she couldn’t accept his proposal without telling him about the debts—and he’d be so disillusioned. He’d never believe she was marrying him for love.

No, she had to be strong for his sake, had to save him from another bitter disappointment, had to walk away now, before they got in too deep, before she broke his heart, just as his mother had.

But what about my heart?

With a moan, Jess buried her face in her pillow and let the hot tears fall.

* * *

She slept deeply, totally drained, emotionally and physically, and woke to a grey and miserable morning. Rosie was already awake and playing happily in her cot, innocently unaware that her life was about to abruptly change.

Dressed, Jess went to the kitchen, planning to make breakfast as usual, but she found Reece was already there with a pot of tea and eggs coming to the boil.

‘Good morning, Reece.’

‘Morning.’ No sign of his usual smile. ‘Rosie will have a boiled egg, won’t she?’

‘Yes, thanks.’

It was awful, so stilted, as if they were strangers. Or enemies. Jess set Rosie in her high chair and the baby banged a spoon and chortled, while Jess concentrated on feeding her with toast soldiers dipped in egg.

‘I checked the bus timetables,’ Reece said. ‘There’s one leaving for Cairns at ten. If we leave after breakfast you’ll be in Gidgee Springs in plenty of time.’

‘OK. That’s good, thanks. I’m packed.’

‘Good.’

Jess’s throat was so tight she could barely swallow her tea, let alone toast. She realised she couldn’t even try to eat the egg. Reece made no comment when she left it untouched.

As soon as Rosie was finished, she made her excuses.

‘If you leave your bags in the hallway, I’ll stow them in the truck,’ Reece said.

‘Thanks.’

She couldn’t bring herself to ask him what he wanted to do about the high chair and the cot. He would probably put them in storage and use them for his own baby one day.

Oh, God.
She was fighting tears as she hurried away.

Ten minutes later, she and Rosie emerged from their little suite of rooms for the last time. Reece was waiting on the front veranda and his dark eyes regarded them sternly.

‘All set to go?’

No.

Jess nodded, however, and told herself yet again that she mustn’t be selfish. She and Rosie were leaving for all the right reasons. She just had to walk down those steps. Get this over.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

R
ETURNING
to Warringa
alone was like taking a step back in time for Reece, back to his painful past...

The empty rooms were all too familiar and yet the heartache was worse than anything he’d ever suffered before. Loneliness now was a physical pain, raw and bleeding.

He saddled a horse and took off, riding for hours till he and the horse were exhausted, but when he came home the house was still empty and the pain hadn’t eased in the slightest.

It didn’t ease over the next few weeks either. He knew Jess and Rosie were gone, but he kept expecting to hear the baby’s giggle, to round a corner and encounter the warmth of Jess’s smile.

Somehow, some-
crazy
-how, he had to learn to live without them, but all he really wanted was to chase after them, to at least make amends for the hopeless hash he’d made of his marriage proposal.

You could stay here...as my wife...

Bloody hell. Had any man delivered a less romantic proposal?

No wonder Jess turned him down.

He hadn’t given himself even
half
a chance. He hadn’t told her about the joy she’d brought into his life. He was so unused to talking about love—the word was barely in his vocabulary. He’d more or less assumed Jess could somehow guess that she and her daughter were precious to him.

It was more than possible that he’d made the same mistake as his dad—never letting the woman he loved understand her true worth. And now history was repeating itself.

There was only one good thing—the expectation of loss was so ingrained in Reece that, despite his despair, he could accept Jess’s departure as his fate.

Hadn’t he known from the night she arrived in his life that this was how it must end?

* * *

It was a long lonely month after Jess left, when the car arrived. The white city sedan was almost completely covered with red dust by the time it pulled up at Warringa’s front steps. The driver was paunchy, with thinning hair combed over his bald patch, and he was wheezing and stiff as he climbed out.

He retrieved a bulging laptop bag from the back seat, slammed the door and squinted up at the homestead.

Reece, in his study, dealing with paperwork, had watched the arrival and now he rose slowly, without enthusiasm. He wasn’t in the mood for visitors. He was certainly in no mood to be sociable with a stranger from the city. He didn’t bother to smile as he went out onto the veranda.

He met the visitor at the top of the front steps. ‘G’day.’

‘G’day to you, sir.’ The fellow’s smile was a borderline grimace. ‘I’m here to speak to Mrs Jessica Cassidy.’

Reece stiffened. He’d been trying so hard to put Jess out of his mind, and now everything he’d ever felt for her came back in a painful rush.

‘She isn’t here,’ he said sternly. ‘Perhaps I can help you.’

The caller shook his head. ‘I need to speak to Mrs Cassidy personally. Will she be back soon?’ He frowned at Reece. ‘She’s a resident here, isn’t she?’

Everything about this fellow bothered Reece. Pale and paunchy, he had the air of a guy who spent way too much time perched on a barstool in a smoky pub. ‘Sorry, but who are you? What’s this about?’

‘Ron Harvey from IMP Financial Services.’ He flashed a card and Reece’s eyes fixed on two words:
Debt Collectors
.

Fine hairs lifted on his skin.

‘It’s important that I speak to Mrs Cassidy,’ the fellow went on, full of brash self-importance. ‘If we can’t get recovery of her debt, she’ll be appearing in court.’

Reece clenched his fists tightly against his thighs to stop himself from grabbing this unpleasant Ron Harvey and shaking him till his nicotine-stained teeth rattled.

‘Are you Mrs Cassidy’s partner?’ Harvey asked.

‘I’m not. The name’s Reece Weston.’ He didn’t offer his hand. ‘You could say I’m an interested party.’

‘Ah.’ Harvey’s watery grey eyes widened. ‘She owes you money too, does she?’

‘No, she doesn’t. But I’m concerned. This is serious, isn’t it? I assume you haven’t come all the way out here for a few dollars.’

‘Yeah, you’re right. The debt is substantial. Obviously, I can’t discuss exact amounts with a third party.’ Harvey lowered his voice and leaned closer. ‘But I can tell you, I don’t drive five hundred kilometres for anything under six figures.’

Reece stood stock still, making sure he didn’t flinch. But, hell. What was going on with Jess? He’d known she was cash strapped, but she’d never breathed a word of a problem this size.

‘Finding her might be difficult,’ he said carefully. ‘Mrs Cassidy did work here, but she’s left.’

The other man’s eyes narrowed shrewdly. ‘I hope you’re not covering for her, Weston. I need to know where she is quickly, or her problems will only get worse.’

‘Look,’ Reece snarled, his anger boiling over. ‘I can’t help you, and I can’t help Jess, because I don’t know where she is.’ He took a step back, dragged in a breath, willing himself to stay calm. He couldn’t imagine how Jess could get herself into so much debt. She was a struggling widow, for God’s sake. A single mum.

Ron Harvey cleared his throat. ‘I must admit this is not one of the better aspects of my job, but you’d be surprised how many women end up inheriting their husbands’ financial mistakes.’ He shrugged. ‘I’ll bet odds this’ll end up in court, but it’s my job to find her and give her one last chance.’

Reece held out his hand. ‘Give me your card. I’ll see what I can do.’

* * *

Six-thirty a.m.

Reece was waiting outside the café on the Cairns Esplanade when the owner arrived, bleary-eyed and yawning and scratching at his chest, as if he’d climbed out of bed a mere thirty seconds ago.

‘What’s your problem?’ He scowled when Reece blocked his way.

‘I’m looking for Jess Cassidy. Is she working for you?’

Jess’s former boss rolled his eyes. ‘I s’pose you’re another debt collector. Sorry, mate. Can’t help you.’

‘I’m not collecting debts. I’m a friend of Jess’s, and I need to find her. I want to help her. So tell me. Does she work here?’

‘No, she doesn’t. Why would I take her back? She raced off out west and left me in the lurch. Thought she was too good for this place.’

Reece bit back the comment he wanted to make. ‘Do you know where she is now?’

The guy shrugged. ‘Maybe she doesn’t want to be found.’

‘And maybe she doesn’t know these debt collectors are after her. I told you. I’m here to help her.’

Precious seconds ticked by as Reece was subjected to narrow-eyed scrutiny. ‘You’ve been here before, haven’t you?’

‘I’ve dined here, yes.’

‘You’re the guy she took off with.’

No, I’m the guy she rejected.
Reece didn’t grace this with an answer.

The other man shrugged. ‘Guess it’s no skin off my nose. But all I know is she’s at the Lime Tree three nights a week.’

‘And do you know where she lives?’

‘Wouldn’t have a clue.’

* * *

Jess placed the bowls of spicy Asian noodles under the warmer, ready for the waiter, then dashed back to the stove to give the gravy for the lamb racks a quick whisk.

Blowing her hair out of her eyes, she grabbed clean plates and set them on the stainless-steel bench, spun around to get fresh herbs from the fridge and bumped into a solid wall of six-feet-plus male.

‘Ouch!’

‘Sorry, Jess.’

She gasped. ‘Reece!’

Her heart slammed hard against her ribs. How had he snuck in here? This was crazy.

Fabulous too. She couldn’t believe how good it was to see him again. But he was taking up far too much space in the normally roomy kitchen. She shot a frantic glance to Brian and Gil, on the far side of the workspace.

Fortunately, they had their backs to her as they concentrated on their tasks. Gil was plating up delicate seafood salads, while Brian was cooking his specialty ricotta gnocchi.

‘What are you doing here?’ Jess muttered to Reece.

‘Finding you.’

Her knees threatened to give way and she grabbed at the bench for support. ‘You can’t come in here. I’m too busy. We’re flat out.’

‘OK. I’ll wait for you. Tell me where.’

There was a sound to her left. A waiter had arrived to collect the bowls of noodles and he was staring through the hatch at them.

‘I’m not sure what time I’ll be finished.’ She shoved him towards the door. ‘It could be really late. You have to go, Reece.’

‘I’ll wait. I’ll wait all night. Just tell me where to meet you. It’s important, Jess.’

She shook head, completely dazzled by his sudden appearance, by his gorgeousness, by his insistence. She wasn’t sure she could deal with this. When she finished work she would be dead on her feet.

‘The Night Owl Café,’ she said as she pushed Reece through the doorway and closed the door in his face.

* * *

It was after midnight and Reece was on his third cup of coffee when Jess appeared, looking tired and pale. The tiredness was expected, but it still cut him to see such obvious signs of weariness in her face and in the slowness of her movements as she made her way to him through the maze of mostly empty tables.