Page 29 of Strictly Business

‘You can tell them that, but I reckon they’ll still want to make something special out of you.’ Bob chuckled. ‘Crikey, mate, it’s the truth. You are a hero. It’s not every day that someone lands a plane without even a few basic lessons.’

When Liam came back into the cabin he wagged a finger at Alice. ‘This is your fault,’ he said. ‘Whenever I’m with you I become a media magnet. First theCairns Post, now national coverage.’

‘Oh, no, you’ve caught me out,’ Alice pouted in mock dismay. ‘I’ll come quietly, officer.’

Liam grinned and then ploughed a hand through his hair as he considered his options. ‘I suppose I could always turn this to the company’s advantage.’

‘Why not?’ Alice nodded as she considered this. ‘You may as well get some free publicity.’

‘During the interviews I could mention the company name whenever possible and I can talk about our plans to revive Kanga Tours’ services in this region.’

‘Why don’t you get them to do the interviews down here by the billabong? That setting would make a great backdrop.’

‘Good idea.’ He crossed the room to look again at the view and the wide expanse of bright morning sky. The lake wore thepink waterlilies like a decorative shawl and the encircling trees with their tapering blue-green leaves and characteristic peeling papery bark were stunning.

It was a classic Australian bush setting. The kind of scene that tugged at the heartstrings of city-bound Australians, reminding them of their nostalgia for the outback, luring them away from their theatres and coffee shops to reconnect with this unique, almost primal landscape. The perfect tourist poster backdrop.

‘You’ll have to be prepared for the journalists to beat up the dangers of flying in small aeroplanes,’ Alice reminded him.

Liam turned back from the window. She was sitting in the middle of the bed and she looked adorably, sensationally sexy with her dark curls tumbling about her shoulders while wearing nothing but a sheet. For a crazy moment, he wondered if there was time for him to climb back in there with her before the journalists arrived.

Get your brain into gear, lamebrain. Concentrate on the business at hand.

‘I’ll try to steer the talk away from the emergency and ontowhywe were flying in this amazing part of the country,’ he said.

‘But you won’t be able to get out of being a hero, Liam.’

The special dancing light in her eyes pulled at a chord deep within him. For one fantastic moment he could almost believe that he was a hero,herhero. But then, just as quickly, he remembered the grim truth. Liam Conway was anything but heroic.

How would Alice look at him when she discovered that?

CHAPTER NINE

‘YOU KNOW there’s bound to be a wife somewhere.’

Alice tried to ignore Shana’s remark and kept typing.Ever since yesterday afternoon when she and Liam returned from their three days in the outback – their three incredible, mega-successful days – Shana had been doing her best to taunt Alice.

Now Shana left her desk and came to stand right next to Alice. ‘A man with Liam Conway’s looks and money can’t reach his late thirties without a string of women chasing after him. And there has to have been at least one who got her hooks into him.’

Alice looked up and met her with a level gaze. ‘I don’t see that it’s really our business.’

‘Oh, come on.’ Shana touched the petals of the single rose in the green vase on Alice’s desk. ‘You can’t expect me to believe that it isn’tyourbusiness.’

‘I don’t see –’

‘You and Liam are an item, right?’

‘Shana, really, I’d prefer not to –’

‘Don’t get all hot and bothered, Alice. Everyone in the office knows the answer. You tried to pull the wool over our eyes after the photo in theCairns Post. We gave you the benefit of the doubt then. But we saw the way the boss was looking at you when you got back yesterday. The poor guy was practically drooling. The game’s up, girlfriend.’

Alice sighed. It was pointless to deny it. And Liam had said he didn’t care who knew that she was his woman. ‘Well, yes. I suppose you could say we’re an item.’ But she knew that Shana had developed a crush on Liam and that sour grapes could be an issue. ‘Just because we’re an item doesn’t mean I need to –’

‘Marry him?’ Shana finished for her.

‘For heaven’s sake!’ Shaking her head, Alice reached for a folder in the filing cabinet beside her desk. ‘I’ve only just met the man. I’m certainly not thinking very far into the future.’

‘Oh, come on, Alice. Are you telling me that one of the wealthiest and best looking men in the region is red hot for you and you haven’t thought once about the long term?’

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