Page 12 of Secrets of Riverside

Taking it from him, she read the front, and when she looked back at him, her eyes were wide. ‘You own Riverside Acres?’

‘I sure do.’ He was a little thrown by her reaction, but shrugged it off.

‘Okay, well, in that case, I’ll gratefully accept your offer.’ She motioned over her shoulder. ‘Just let me go and grab my bag.’

Well that was a quick change of heart. ‘I can get it for you.’

She shook her head. ‘You could, but I don’t need you to.’ Going to the passenger side of her car, she fumbled about then hauled a duffel bag from the back seat and tossed it over her shoulder, along with a tasselled handbag. Going door to door, she made sure the car was locked up nice and tight, then turned to him with a determined look on her face. ‘Will my Jimny be safe left here?’

‘It will be, yes.’ He hooked his thumbs into his belt loops. ‘I’ll come back tomorrow and tow it to the mechanics; we can leave it parked there until Macca gets back from fishing.’

‘Sounds like a plan, thank you.’ Rising to her tippy toes, she eyed him a little uneasily. ‘Right then, let’s do this then.’

‘Yes, let’s.’ He completely understood how it would feel for a woman to be getting into a car with a stranger, and he hoped she’d relax in time, once she totally believed he wasn’t a weirdo.

Although he’d come to her rescue, Jarrah knew without a doubt that she was the furthest thing from a damsel in distress. Sassy as hell, and obviously independent and strong-minded, this little package of captivating woman was a livewire. He led her around to the passenger side and opened the door for her. She thanked him with a smile as she climbed up and in. As he headed back to the driver’s side, Scruff leapt up and planted his now wet rear in the middle of the bench-style seat.

Revving his four-wheel drive back to growling life, Jarrah waited for her to tug her seatbelt on, checked his mirrors, and then eased back onto the road, towards home. The ad for the cook would have to wait until tomorrow now. ‘So where are you from, if you don’t mind me asking?’ He shifted up gears.

‘Everywhere.’ Her reply was a little distant as she stared out her window.

Jarrah found her air of mystery captivating. ‘Okay, well, will you at least tell me your name?’

‘Millie.’ She turned to him now, and offered a tight smile.

‘Nice to meet you, Millie, my name’s Jarrah King.’ He made sure his smile was warm and welcoming.

‘I know, I read it on your business card.’ She responded with another tight-lipped smile, and then looked back at the roadside flashing past.

He was about to turn the radio up, to drown out the sense of unease, but thought better of it. Conversation was the way forwards. ‘So where you heading to, Miss Millie with no last name?’

Her shoulders lifted casually. ‘Wherever my heart desires.’

‘Wow, now that’s freedom.’ He chuckled. ‘I have to say I’m jealous.’

‘Jealous?’ She finally turned all of her attention towards him. ‘Of my freedom?’

His nod was exaggerated. ‘Hell yes.’

‘Trust me, freedom is not all it’s cracked up to be.’ She paused as if considering what to say next. ‘Having a place to call home, somewhere that’s yours and yours alone, now that’s something to be jealous of, in my opinion.’

‘Yes, I suppose so.’ Rubbing his five o’clock shadow, he took a moment to choose his words wisely. This woman wasn’t one for small talk, he knew that right off the bat. He got the gut feeling she was a drifter, with no fixed address, and no permanent job. ‘You wouldn’t be looking for work while you’re around these parts, would you?’ He was going out on a limb, but why not?

‘I might be.’ She shifted in her seat a little. ‘Do you know of something?’

‘I have a kitchen job up for grabs, if you’re interested.’ He held his breath, praying for her to say yes, for more reasons than the fact that he was desperate to fill the position.

She seemed to contemplate this. ‘That seems very convenient, that I might be looking for work, and you suddenly have a job for me.’

‘Convenient, yes, I suppose you could say that.’ He deliberated. ‘But I see it more as a wonderful coincidence.’

She regarded him thoughtfully. ‘Fair play, Jarrah King.’ She seemed to smile from the heart, and it suited her.

It made Jarrah happy to think he was the one to entice such a beautiful smile on such beautiful lips. ‘So, you might be interested?’

‘Maybe.’ Even though she was clearly very interested, she also very clearly tried to act nonchalant. ‘Can I think about it overnight and let you know in the morning?’

‘Of course, but make it bright and early, otherwise I’ll have to put up the ad I was on my way to post when I came across you on the side of the road.’

---