Page 2 of The Friend

“All will be revealed in time.” Judd beckoned the waiter. “Drink?”

“The usual, please.”

He grinned, his eyes crinkling in the corners like they used to. “Is this some kind of test?”

“You bet.”

Shaking his head, he chuckled. “You’re still drinking the same poison you used to in high school? How sad is that?”

“Like you’d remember anyway.”

When he told the waiter, “Soda and lime for the lady and a beer for me, thanks, mate,” she couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Did I pass?”

“You always had a good memory,” she muttered, secretly thrilled he’d remembered something as innocuous as her favourite drink. “Now, tell me why you’re really here.”

“A friend set this up. She begged me to do it as a favour for a guy she gets a heap of assignments from, some big shot called Mark Pyman, so here I am.”

He signed for the drinks while one word penetrated her brain.

She.

He said she.

So who was this mystery woman he held in such high esteem to leave his much-loved wildlife and return home? Something he’d avoided doing at all costs once he’d finally escaped Pier Point like he’d always wanted.

“Do I know this friend of yours?”

“Probably. Paula does loads of work forFinesse.”

“Paula, as in Australia’s top supermodel?”

He nodded and she tried not to turn a pale shade of green as she continued, “We’ve worked a few shoots together. She’s nice.” Feigning nonchalance, she said, “I didn’t know you knew her?”

He continued to swig his beer, oblivious to her inane jealousy at the thought of Paula having influence on her best friend.

“We met in South America. I was shooting anacondas and took a short break in Rio afterwards where Paula was doing a bikini shoot.”

“You never mentioned it,” she said, aiming for casual yet knowing it sounded lame. Since when did he have to tell her if he met someone new?

He shrugged, drawing attention to the breadth of his shoulders; yet another thing that hadn’t changed much. Hefting camera equipment had broadened his shoulders and she briefly wondered if they still felt as firm as they had that one night when her hands had gripped onto them for dear life while his lips wrought havoc on hers.

“Paula’s a great girl. We have a lot in common.”

“Oh?”

She barely managed to restrain herself from wrinkling her nose, another stab of jealousy nothing new. She’d been envious of the few lucky girlfriends he’d had, relieved when they hadn’t lasted beyond a week or two.

Pitiful, considering she’d dated extensively—in the vain hope to prove to herself she’d gotten over him—and had confided in him about her dating disasters so they could spend hours laughing over her exes bad points.

Why did the thought of Judd hooking up with leggy Paula leave a sour taste in her mouth? Had to be the extra dash of lime in her drink.

Yeah, right.

She knew exactly why. The women he’d dated in the past had meant nothing to him, yet he’d left his precious travels to return home for the first time in eight years for Paula. Not good.

“You have loads in common, huh?”

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