Page 9 of Strictly Business

She held up a packet she’d taken from the freezer. ‘Would you like croissants?’

‘Is that what you’re having?’

She nodded. ‘It’s my Saturday morning treat. Croissants and coffee and the weekend papers out on the deck.’ She fingered the lapels of her bathrobe. ‘I wasn’t going to bother withthe papers this morning, but if you want them it’s not far to the shop. You can grab them while I warm these croissants.’

He thought about this for a moment and then shook his head. ‘I can do without news from the outside world today. I don’t officially start work here till Monday. There’s time enough then to come to grips with what’s going on.’

‘So you’ve actually moved to Cairns to start a new job?’ She tried not to sound particularly interested and she ducked her face as she slipped the croissants into the oven.

‘I’ve bought a new business that has a branch here,’ he said in an offhand way that suggested he didn’t want to go into details. ‘This is a great place by the way.’

‘Thank you.’

‘I take it that green is your favourite colour?’

He was looking at her collection of green crockery and glassware which she kept on display on open shelving.

‘I guess it must be.’ She smiled, pleased that he’d noticed them. ‘Virgos are supposed to like white best.’

‘Are they?’

‘According to the experts. But I’ve been collecting green bits and pieces since I was about twelve years old. It started with a plate shaped like a water lily pad and went on from there.’ She shrugged. ‘It’s become a minor obsession.’

Todd had hated her green collection. ‘We’re not Irish,’ he’d yelled at her and in one of his bad moods he’d smashed her favourite piece. For the past five years she’d kept the collection locked away.

Liam picked up a green and white bowl, fashioned like a field of clover with delicately scalloped edges and he turned it over and examined the maker’s name on the base. ‘This is great. It has personality and it sure beats the plain white minimalist stuff you get in restaurants.’ He set it back carefully.

As she selected napkins from an overhead cupboard, she framed a question in her head about his new business, but she hesitated to ask because he could have already told her if he’d wanted to. But then she decided to dive in anyway.

‘What business have you bought?’

‘A travel company.’

No. Alice stiffened and felt cold all over. She stared at him. ‘Which travel company?’

He stared back at her, warily, without answering.

‘Please tell me you haven’t bought Kanga Tours?’

A muscle in his jaw jerked and he continued to frown at her as he very deliberately straightened his shoulders and folded his arms over his chest. ‘Would it matter if I had?’

‘No, well, yes – it would.’

‘I beg your pardon?’

She felt a slam of panic. ‘I can’t believe this.’

‘Can’t believe what?’ His eyes narrowed and if it were possible, his expression was even more cautious. ‘Why? What’s the problem?’

She switched her gaze to the glass fronted door of her oven. The croissants were already turning golden.

‘What do you know about Kanga Tours?’ Liam demanded. ‘I had the company checked out thoroughly. I got the best advice. I know the growth in the north hasn’t been as strong as expected, but that’s why I’m here. To turn it around. I believe in hands-on management. Overall the company seemed to be a damn good business proposition.’

‘Oh, it’s a good business,’ she said while her heart hammered. ‘If you’re a good manager, you’ll make plenty of money here.’

‘So, why are you looking like it’s really bad news?’

She bit her lip. He wasn’t going to like this.

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