Christmas at Coorah Creek (Choc Lit) (5 page)

It was probably jet lag, she decided. She suddenly realised she was hungry. She hadn’t eaten since that sandwich in her car several hours and many many miles ago. She had already discovered that her small kitchen was well stocked with essentials – tea, milk and even some home baked biscuits. But she needed something a bit more substantial than that. She took another look in the fridge and the cupboards. She could probably manage some scrambled eggs. Not quite what her rumbling stomach was after, but she didn’t have a lot of choice. Her car was still at the garage and she wasn’t going to walk out into the night in search of a grocery store. She wasn’t a coward, but neither was she stupid. She had no idea who or what might be out there in the darkness here on the edge of nowhere.

Just as she was about to sink into a bottomless chasm of self-pity, she saw a flash of light through her window. A car had just pulled into the hospital car park.

As Katie walked down the corridor towards the hospital’s front door, she was beginning to wish she had something in her hands. Something like a cricket bat. But, she chided herself, this was a hospital and she was a nurse. This was more likely to be someone in need of medical help than a murderer.

The glass doors opened and the only familiar face for a thousand miles … or kilometres … smiled at her.

‘Hi Katie. We have got to stop meeting like this.’

‘Scott!’ Her heart slowed its nervous pounding, but not completely. ‘I am beginning to wonder if you are the only other person in Coorah Creek,’ she joked, hiding her relief.

‘Actually, I don’t live here,’ the laughter in his voice faded. ‘I’m just … visiting for a while.’

Katie wondered how long ‘a while’ might be. Scott was the closest thing she had to a friend, and she wasn’t ready to lose him yet.

He was also, she suddenly thought, a very attractive man. Her first impressions earlier that day had been so very wrong. His brown eyes were deep and dark – with a dash of gold. She could get lost in those eyes. His brown hair curled in a way designed to make a girl just want to run her fingers through it. He was tall, with a lean, hard body and his skin was tanned a lovely golden colour. How had she thought him non-descript? His arms looked very strong. Looked like they would feel good wrapped around her. When his eyes met hers, she felt as if she was the only person in the world he was thinking about.

Katie felt her face starting to colour. What was she thinking? It must be the jet lag. Or exhaustion. Or loneliness. She didn’t normally get all lustful on the third date – except, it wasn’t their third date. Their meetings had been accidents, not dates, even though each time Scott appeared, her heart had given an excited little thump. And besides, a girl couldn’t be blamed for feeling … kindly … towards the man who had rescued her twice.

‘So, why have you come to the hospital?’ Katie reached deep inside herself and found the nurse. ‘Have you hurt yourself?’

‘No. I come bearing messages and food.’

For the first time, Katie noticed the carrier bag. It was bulging. And there was the faintest smell of food in the air. Her stomach rumbled very loudly.

‘Well, I guess that means I came at the right time,’ Scott laughed.

Katie blushed and tried to cover her embarrassment by leading Scott down the hallway towards her flat. Once inside, he placed the bag on the table.

‘Trish Warren over at the pub sent this over. There’s some sort of lamb and potato stew. I hope you’re not vegetarian.’

‘No, I’m not. Lamb stew sounds good,’ Katie said. ‘What was the message?’

‘The doctor apparently flew to The Isa today with a patient and they are not going to make it back tonight. He rang the pub and asked Trish to make sure you were all right. That you were settled in and had food and stuff. Oh, he sends his apologies too and says he will see you tomorrow morning.’

The news didn’t come as much of a surprise to Katie. She had no real idea where ‘The Isa’ might be, but after hearing the news of the evacuation flight earlier, she had already begun to suspect the doctor wasn’t returning today.

‘Why didn’t he ring me here?’ she wondered out loud.

‘Apparently your phone was disconnected when the doctor moved out and hasn’t been fixed yet. He rang the pub because that’s pretty much the centre of the town. He knew someone there would be able to get a message to you.’

‘This is the first time I have made it to a job interview and the boss hasn’t,’ Katie joked.

‘But haven’t you already got the job? Surely you didn’t come all this way just for an interview?’

‘I’ve got the job. But it’s sort of a provisional thing. Three months’ probation. If I don’t like it – or they don’t like me …’

‘I’m sure they’ll love you.’ His words seemed genuine as did the smile that curved his lips.

‘Well, thanks for telling me. And bringing the food,’ she said, trying to hide the fact that she was blushing again.

‘You are welcome.’

He showed no sign of leaving. Not that Katie wanted him to leave. It felt good not to be alone. But there was the matter of dinner. Her stomach rumbled again.

‘You need to eat,’ Scott said. He hesitated a moment before adding, ‘Trish has put enough in there to feed a small army. And I put in a couple of beers. Just in case you felt like company. It doesn’t seem right that you should spend your first night in town all alone. But if you’d rather I left, that’s okay too. I can easily go back …’

‘No,’ Katie broke in before he’d finished speaking. ‘Stay. Please. I’d enjoy some company.’

A few minutes later, they were seated around her small table, steaming food dished out on plates, and beer bottles dripping condensation onto the wood.

‘So,’ Scott said between mouthfuls, ‘tell me more about what brought you all the way from England to Coorah Creek.’

‘I was looking for adventure,’ she told him. ‘But this job also sounded pretty amazing. I’ll be working with an Air Ambulance. Doesn’t that sound great?’

The conversation flowed freely, but neither of them allowed it to become too personal. Instead, she and Scott spent the evening sharing anecdotes, talking about books and films and music.

And laughing.

And keeping a promise Katie had made to herself as her plane had risen through the grey clouds above London’s Heathrow Airport. She had stared out the glass window of the jet and vowed that as soon as she arrived in her new home, she would have dinner with a handsome man to drive away any homesickness and doubt.

On this first night in Coorah Creek – she did just that.

And Scott did his part too.

Chapter Seven

In the early morning light, Coorah Creek looked almost … nice. The gentle wash of dawn colour softened the harsh red of the dry earth to mellow amber. The dusty blue-grey gum trees appeared fresh and green. And as the stars faded, the arc above him was a pleasing royal blue – not the blinding hard blue of midday.

Ed was always up early. This morning, though, he had been awake much earlier than usual. To be honest, he hadn’t slept a great deal. After the girl left yesterday, he’d hoped against hope he would see the silver grey hybrid heading back towards the garage. That hadn’t happened. Later, during the evening, he’d considered going to the pub. If Scott was still in town, that’s where he’d stay. There was nowhere else.

Convincing himself that he was taking the dog for a walk, he’d crossed the road and strolled past the pub. Slowly, because Candy was an old dog and couldn’t walk too fast. There had been no sign of Scott’s car. Ed occasionally visited the pub, when he felt the need for human company. Trish was always willing to talk, even if he rarely answered. She served a good steak too. But Ed was in no mood for her gossip. He did not want to learn about his son from her. He’d returned to the quiet dark house behind the garage, and spent the evening with the dog at his side, trying not to listen for the sound of a car pulling up outside his home.

This morning, he’d given up the pretence. Letting Candy out to do her business, Ed had then walked through the rusty gate and stared across at the pub. Mentally, he checked off each of the half dozen cars he could see parked nearby. There was no hybrid.

Ed’s heart sank just a little. Had Scott left? Their encounter yesterday had been as harsh as it had been brief. Maybe too harsh, but he was still struggling to come to terms with seeing his son again. Ed was suddenly afraid that he had driven Scott away for the second time.

He felt a gentle nudge against his leg, and bent slightly to pat Candy’s head. The old dog waved her tail slowly.

‘You want to see him again too, don’t you girl?’

Candy barked softly.

‘I know.’ Ed turned back towards the house. As he was up, he might as well get a cup of coffee and get to work. He had a couple of cars in the shop right now as well as that girl’s radiator to replace. He might as well open the garage early, just in case Scott was still in town and wanted to see him.

‘Come on Candy. Time for breakfast old girl.’

The dog barked again, but didn’t leave the gate.

‘Candy. Come on.’

Still the dog didn’t move. The road outside was deserted. There was nothing to be barking at. Shaking his head, Ed climbed the stairs into the house. The dog was getting old and senile. She would come when she was ready.

As Scott drove slowly back towards the pub, he glanced over at the house but saw no movement. It was still very early. He assumed the old man wasn’t awake yet. He was glad. He just wasn’t ready to talk to his father again. He’d spent such an enjoyable time with Katie last night, he didn’t want anything to spoil his mood. He had not intended to stay the night at the hospital, but he and Katie had talked over dinner and on into the small hours of this morning. Talked easily and enjoyably about so many things. He couldn’t for the life of him remember everything they talked about. But the sound of her laugh – that he could remember. They had drunk his two cans of beer and many cups of coffee until finally, Katie had yawned her way to bed. Scott had spent the few remaining hours of darkness sleeping on the couch, explaining to Katie that the pub was likely to be locked, and he might not get in to his room.

What he didn’t explain to her was the other reason he’d stayed. He’d seen the nervousness and loneliness in her eyes and her relief when she realised it was him at the hospital doors. No-one knew better than he how hard it could be leaving home for the first time and being all alone in a new place. He’d been a teenager when he left … ran away … and knew just how scary the wide world could be if there was no one standing beside you. He was a grown man now, yet there were times, and this was one of them, when he didn’t want to be alone either. And if he could help ease Katie
’s way at the same time, he would. Just out of kindness that was in no way related to her blue eyes, or the way she had smiled up at him from under her long blonde fringe.

But oh, she
was
pretty. And not a little bit sexy under that sweet face. Not that it mattered. He was just passing through. It wouldn’t be fair to take advantage of her vulnerability. He would never do anything to hurt a woman. He was a very different man to his father. He’d just help Katie through these first few days, if she needed help.

He had left before she woke, starting the car as quietly as he could, fearful of waking her. His errant mind composed a picture of her asleep; her hair falling over her face, her body curled in such a way that a man could wrap his body around her and hold her while she slept. Or wake her …

Scott shook his head. He was not going to go there! This was the wrong time to be giving any woman a second thought, even if such second thoughts were very very appealing.

He parked the car outside the pub and looked across at his father’s garage. The sun was a little higher in the sky now, any residual softness burned away by the rising heat and glare. The light was not flattering. There was nothing about the garage that looked in any way welcoming or homely. The pub seemed so much better right now.

‘Good morning!’

Trish Warren was standing by the pub’s open door.

‘Good morning,’ he said. His mind raced trying to think of how to explain his absence the night before. Not that he had to answer to anyone, but he would not want Mrs Warren – Trish – to start gossiping about Katie. That wouldn’t be fair. ‘By the time I had delivered Katie’s dinner … Well… We talked and it got late. I wasn’t sure if your door would be locked, so I slept on her couch.’ He put a little extra emphasis on the last word.

‘Careful there.’ Trish’s husband Syd appeared at her side. ‘Trish will have you married off before you know what’s going on.’ The older man smiled at his wife with obvious affection, and much to Scott’s surprise Trish almost blushed. She slapped her husband’s arm gently.

‘Get out of it,’ she said. ‘I’m just cooking breakfast, Scott. You’d best come and get some. There’s nothing more important than a good breakfast to start a busy day. And I’m sure yours will be busy, as you’ve just come home after so many years.’

‘Yes, Ma’am.’

Scott lingered over the well-cooked bacon and eggs and coffee Trish served. He lingered even longer over a hot shower. He even tidied his room before stepping out onto the wide veranda that enclosed the top floor of the hotel. From there, he could see across the street to the garage, which was now open. Somewhere in the shadowy recess of the workshop, his father would probably be bent over Katie’s car. He felt a twinge of guilt that he hadn’t told Katie that the grim old man at the garage was his father. She’d find out soon enough on the flourishing grapevine of Coorah Creek gossip.
      

In the meantime, he had come back to the Creek with a purpose. Standing here was not going to get that accomplished.

He found his father removing the radiator from Katie’s car.

‘Is it bad?’ he asked.

At the sound of Scott’s voice, his father’s hands stilled for a few seconds, but he didn’t look up. Then he continued his work. ‘It needs a new radiator. I’ve got one coming on the train on Wednesday.’