Romancing the Girl Page 5

  “We’ll be gone before she knows it and she can get back to snarling at whatever the hell she usually snarls at.”

  Sally laughed. “Actually, you’d be surprised. Aimee rarely behaves like this. Sure, she can get protective, but whatever you two have going on is something else.”

  Justine shook her head and ate more of her sandwich.

  “Maybe it’s because you insulted her cocktail.”

  Justine cringed. “It was disgusting.”

  “I know.” Sally began to chuckle.

  “Does she really use that to lure women?”

  “She likes to think so, but really, it’s because she’s a beautiful, charismatic young lady. That’s what they fall for.”

  Justine chewed on more of her lunch as the pair of them watched the women by Joey’s side fend off a swarm of flies intent on eating their sandwiches. “She doesn’t think she’s beautiful, does she?”

  Sally tilted her head at Justine. What an odd question. “No, she doesn’t. I don’t know what she sees when she looks in a mirror, but it’s not what everyone else sees. She over-compensates. Always has.”

  “Because of what happened when she was a child?”

  Sally took a deep breath and glanced back over at her brother. She had no doubt the story of their childhood had become part of the show. “I think so, yes. It was hard for everyone. Especially Aimee.” Looking back at Justine, Sally placed a hand on her forearm. “Give her some time. She’ll come around.”

  Justine scoffed. “I find that unlikely. She hasn’t held any punches in telling me where to go so far. I doubt that’ll change.”

  “Well, looking on the bright side, you only have to put up with her for two weeks. If one of this lot turns out to be ‘the one’ she gets to put up with her forever.”

  A shared smile turned into a chuckle and then laughter, gaining the attention of the women swatting flies.

  “Mum?” Sally’s eldest said as he walked over with eyes on the container of sandwiches.

  “Here.” She gave him the entire container. “Share some with Caroline and remind her not to share it with Rainbow Sparkle. Chickens shouldn’t eat chickens.”

  Robbie screwed his nose up. “Gross.”

  Justine and Sally sniggered at him as he moved off to where his sister was trying to catch flies with Miss Gerhardt.

  “Do they know her name?” Justine asked.

  “Who’s name?” Sally said.

  “Heidi. Do your kids know her name is Heidi?”

  Sally frowned and looked over to the kids and the woman in question. “I think so. Why do you ask?”

  “Aimee didn’t know.”

  “What?”

  “It’s why she left. She didn’t know.”

  “You’re kidding?”

  Shaking her head, Justine left Sally to it as she returned to the shade.

  Sally turned to the direction Aimee had taken and shook her head. How the hell had Miss Gerhardt lived on the property for so long without Aimee finding out her first name?

  Chapter Four

  “Oh for God’s sake! Can we move this along?” Aimee yelled at the film crew huddled by the gate leading to the yards beside the shearing shed. She looked at her watch and huffed for the twelfth time. It had taken a decade to get across the fields, and now Justine had the city girls playing sheep farmer by the gate. Watching the women squeal and leap about in fright as dozens of sheep ran past them and into the shearing yards had been entertaining at first, but doing three takes of the same thing by making the sheep run around in circles was ridiculous. “Come on, Joe! We’ve got flamin’ work to do!”

  Aimee heard Justine yell cut before the women herself stormed over to her. “Will you please keep the commentary to yourself? I don’t want to be up all night trying to edit your impatience out of the soundtrack.”

  “Then hurry up already. Surely you’ve got enough footage of them falling on their arses to fill up an entire show by now. I need to get back to the homestead and make a start on the million other jobs I have to do. All you’re doing is wasting time.”

  “Feel free to leave whenever you like.”

  “And leave you alone to find your own way back? No thanks. I may want to get rid of you, but I’m not being blamed for your death when you wander off and get lost.”

  Justine pursed her lips as Joey walked over to them.

  “Aimee?”

  “What?” she snapped at him.

  Joey clenched his jaw for a moment. “Why don’t you go sort the feed.”

  Furrowing her eyes, she shook her head. “Matty’s doing that.”

  “Then help him.”

  “But I have to—”

  “I’m not asking.”

  Taking a long, dusty breath through her nose, and scowling at her brother, she said, “Fine.” Turning her attention to Justine, she put as much heat behind a glare as she could, and felt a curious tickle of pleasure as Justine matched it. Aimee may not like the woman, but she had plenty of gumption.

  ***

  They finally yarded the flock and called a three-hour hiatus on filming as Joey and a few farmhands were forced to do last minute maintenance on the water pump. Work that the cameramen wanted to avoid lest their equipment get doused in sprays of water. Aimee, thankfully, avoided the task also, having been charged with escorting Justine back to the homestead to prepare the film schedule later that day.

  Her brother had a date of some sort with one of the girls and Aimee was under explicit instructions to show Justine the creek south-east of the house to scout a good location. Aimee chuckled to herself and hoped they didn’t mind being swarmed by insects. Aimee almost wished she could be there to watch Justine hop about trying to swat flies away as dusk approached.

  Giving the woman in question a side-long glance, Aimee once again admired her form on a horse and with curiosity burning at her, she finally asked, “Where did you learn to ride?”

  Justine looked at her blankly having been staring out at the fields of grass they rode through. “Hmm?”

  “I said, where did you learn to ride.”

  “Oh…uh, pony club.”

  The woman looked back to the landscape and Aimee rolled her eyes. Of course, it was pony club. Silly her. How very city of the woman. Leaving Justine to her daydreaming, and probably admiring the amount of space there was outside of the city, Aimee remained silent for the remainder of the ride home.

  “You’re a grown woman,” Justine pointed out after taking off River’s saddle.

  Aimee, who was reaching for Kite’s brush paused and looked over at her. “What are you on about now?”

  “Heidi. How did you not know her first name?”

  Shaking her head at the absurd choice of topic, Aimee brushed Kite down and said over her shoulder, “It’s called respect. She was very specific about how she wanted to be addressed when she first got here. I just did what I was told.”

  “How long has she been here?”

  “Ten years or so. Why? Want to do an immigration story on rural teachers now? Isn’t a desperate farmer interesting enough?”

  “She’s a teacher?”

  Aimee dropped her hand from Kite’s flank and turned to stare at Justine. “Why do you care?”

  “I’m just trying to figure it out. You say the woman has been here for fifteen years, yet you don’t even know her name. Doesn’t that strike you as odd?”

  Aimee bristled. “Not really. A lot of people come out here and prefer to remain private. It’s their prerogative.” Miss Gerhardt was practically part of the paintwork she had been at the station that long. She came to the station when Aimee hit high school and guided her through her schooling with a patience Aimee had taken for granted. After watching her work with Robbie and Caroline, she began to appreciate the tolerance the woman possessed. A tolerance she herself didn’t have. Especially with townies.

  “So she teaches your sister’s kids?”

  “Yes.”

  “Did she used to teach you, too
?”

  “Yes.”

  “What’s that like, not going to a proper school?”

  Aimee threw her brush onto the shelf. “I didn’t know any different, so I wouldn’t know.”

  “So you’re a loner?”

  Shutting Kite’s stall door roughly, Aimee stared at Justine. “What’s with all the questions?”

  “I’m curious what life out here is like. Especially considering you lost your parents so young. I can’t imagine—”

  “Wait. You know about my parents?”

  Justine frowned in confusion again. “Of course. It was part of Joey’s backstory. The tragic passing of his parents when he was seventeen. The way he stepped up to run the station with his grandfather and raised his seven-year-old sister. It’s an incredible story. I think he shed a few tears at the interview. It was very moving.”

  “I bet it was,” Aimee muttered, her back teeth clenching. This wasn’t a conversation she ever liked having, even with her siblings, so listening to the producer talk about it so casually ignited her anger.

  “I saw the edited piece the other day for the first time. I mean, I saw the uncut version, but the edited piece with the soundtrack was truly heart wrenching.”

  “I’m glad you found so much entertainment in our tragic past. Real classy.” Aimee pushed past Justine fully intending to storm off but was waylaid by a hand on her arm.

  “I don’t find it entertaining at all. It’s incredibly sad. To lose both parents so young…” Justine shook her head. Dropping Aimee’s arm, she said, “I think that was the reason he got so many interested women. Women love a broken soul. They think they’ll be the ones who can save him.”

  “Save him? From what? He is happy.” Stepping toe-to-toe with Justine, Aimee said with a growl, “We don’t need saving.”

  “Oh, I’m sure you don’t,” Justine said, emphasising her words with a shove to Aimee’s shoulder. “After all, you’re the tough station chick standing there thinking you’ve got it all figured out, but really all you are is a scared little brat with a superiority complex.”

  “You know nothing about me.”

  “Trust me, that’s a positive.”

  Aimee narrowed her eyes to glare at the smaller woman scowling up at her. Justine’s cheeks were flushed, her eyes shone, and after a quick glance south, Aimee could see her chest heaving against the tight shirt she wore. A flush of lust ripped through Aimee at the thought of taking the woman against the stall door behind her. Just one small movement and she’d kiss that snarl right off those painted lips. Justine cleared her throat and Aimee came to the sudden realisation that she was staring at lips that were now parted and being wet with a flicking tongue. Shit! Aimee jumped back like she’d been stung and curled her lip. What the hell had she been thinking? This woman was a viper, not someone to lust after. Aimee stormed away trying not to notice the way Justine’s features had changed when the air shifted between them. How those amber eyes melted, and how her chin tilted subtly north bringing their faces closer.

  “You idiot,” Aimee muttered to herself as she fell against her closed door, trying to ignore the buzz of excitement rocketing around her body, as well as the heat of embarrassment burning her cheeks. Slumping to the floor, she held her head in her hands and shook it. Fool.

  ***

  Sally lifted the last box from the back of the ute and caught the drift of heated words on the wind. Pausing, she cocked her head and tried to source the direction. A second later, Justine was striding out of the stables. Groaning, Sally rolled her eyes to the clear blue sky above. Aimee was clearly being her charming self again. Taking the box to the kitchen, she dumped it on the floor and made her way over to the stables.

  “Mitsy?” she said, looking at the woebegone-looking animal standing guard in front of Aimee’s door. If dogs could stick out their bottom lip and look pathetic, that’s exactly what Mitsy would be doing.

  “Aimee?” Sally said, knocking on the door.

  “What?”

  Rolling her eyes again, Sally let herself in. Mitsy nearly knocked Sally over to reach her owner. “Shit!” she said, startled to find her sister sitting on the floor right beside the door. “What in heaven’s name are you doing?”

  Aimee fended off Mitsy’s need to lick her face and said, “Meditating. What does it look like?”

  Ignoring the sarcasm, Sally said, “What happened with you and Justine this time? I could hear you two across the yard.”

  Getting up off the floor, Aimee said, “She’s a nosy bitch who finds our past tragic or some such crap. I don’t want her here. I don’t want those bloody bimbos here. And I want Joey to get over himself. Someone’s going to get hurt, Sal.”

  Sally took a deep breath and put her hands on her sister’s shoulders. “No one is going to get hurt. We’re too careful for that. You’re too careful. I know you don’t like it, but this is temporary. It’s not like we don’t ever have strangers out here, Aims. People come and go all the time.”

  “Yeah, but they’re people that work on stations. They know the risks. These idiots are just like…like them. They’ll wander off and get themselves killed, just like…” Aimee shook her head and lowered her eyes. “I don’t like this.”

  “I know, sweetheart,” Sally said, pulling her sister in for a hug and grateful that she got one in return. Aimee was hard to predict when the subject of their past came up. She swung between wanting comfort and wishing for solitude. “Look,” Sally said, leaning back. “Joey will keep an eye on the women and crew with him. You’ll look after Justine when she’s looking around the property, and I’ll be doing what I can to watch them, too. Gav, Mike, Matt, and Danny are always around and always on radio. Between us all, if something goes wrong, we’re all there to fix it. Okay?”

  Aimee stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. Classic isolation technique, Sally recalled the psychiatrist mention once.

  “No one will get hurt?” Aimee said.

  “That’s right.” Watching Aimee take a deep breath, Sally reached out and rubbed her arm. “Why don’t you have a cuppa before you take Justine out to the creek?”

  Aimee nodded. “Hey, Sal?” Aimee called out softly as Sally turned to leave.

  “Yeah?”

  “Did you know Miss Gerhardt’s first name was Heidi?”

  Sally frowned at her. “Of course, I did. I was the one who hired her.”

  “Oh…right.”

  “You didn’t know?”

  Aimee shook her head. “I never wanted to ask. She’s bloody intimidating.”

  Sally chuckled. “That was the point. How else were you supposed to pass high school with honours? She’s the only person that could keep you in line back then. You’ve always been intense, especially since…” Sally tapered off, wary of her sister’s triggers. “Well, you know. You were a highly-strung child.”

  Aimee gave her sister a thin smile and looked at the floorboards. “Yeah…I guess.”

  Sighing, Sally came over and wrapped her little sister in another hug. “You okay?”

  Aimee nodded into Sally’s shoulder.

  “They’d be proud of you. You know?”

  “Don’t,” Aimee said, pushing her sister away.

  Sally cupped her sister’s cheek. “I love you, Bug.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Aimee said, swatting playfully at her sister’s hand. “Love you back. Now go away. I have a producer to find.”

  ***

  After lingering for as long as she could in the loft, Aimee made her way back down to the stables. Finding it free of anything with less than four legs, she sighed in relief. It was one thing preparing yourself to face the woman she almost attacked with her lips, it was another thing entirely to face her for real. Shutting her eyes, Aimee took a deep breath.

  “There you are.”

  Aimee’s eyelids shot open and she physically jumped. Justine strode into the stables looking as serious and dragon-like as ever.

  “I haven’t got all day to wait for you to
do…” Justine waved her arm at the stairway to the loft. “Whatever it is you do up there. I have a bloody production to run, and time is of the essence. I need to get the film crew to the next location to set up, and if you’re too busy sulking about like a hormonal teenager, then point me in the right direction and I’ll find my own way.”

  Aimee noticed Justine refused to meet her eyes. Briefly confused, Aimee stepped closer to the incensed woman to find Justine jolt and step back quickly. Interesting.

  “Well?” Justine snapped.

  Aimee puckered her lips in thought at Justine’s behaviour.

  At her silence, Justine cleared her throat and crossed her arms. “Well?”

  “Say please.”

  “What?”

  Aimee took a step closer and Justine nervously held her ground. Very interesting. “Use your manners, or is that something city folk don’t have time for anymore?”

  “My…?” Justine took a long inhale through her nose and fisted her hands. “Will you please get off your arse and take me to the bloody creek.”

  “With pleasure,” Aimee said, shooting the woman a grin before pushing past her into the mid-afternoon light. “Come on then, we haven’t got all day.”

  ***

  Dust lingered on her tongue as the parched earth churned around them in the wake of the four-wheel drive’s turbulence when they stopped. Mitsy leaped off the tray into the cloud and set to work with her nose, heading toward the creek. The creek was more of a partially wet line of sand squiggling its way across the landscape. Trees clung to the banks with their roots pushing deep below the surface to reach the permanent underground water. On the surface, grassy clumps were brittle and brown because their shallow root systems were inadequate to flourish without rain. Beside the creek was a rustic, disused cattle yard. Large logs from the pioneer days of the station stood firm and strong as they formed a fenced area where cattle and sheep were once herded for transport. In the bright light of day, the place looked barren and dead, but Aimee knew that when the sun approached the distant hills, the place glowed like a picture. A perfect date location. She glanced at the nearby pool of semi-stagnant water. With the exception of blood-sucking insects in summer.