Read Online Beneath Outback Skies by Alissa Callen - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Alissa Callen
Ads: Link
won’t meet in an hour? Or no, swapping numbers won’t be handy?’
‘No.’ She turned through the library gateway and onto the narrow path. ‘I don’t have a mobile.’
Tait’s fingers snared her wrist. She stopped and swung around, her words of protest dying on her lips. He stared at her with such concern, such disbelief, that all she could do was gaze back at him.
‘You don’t have a mobile?’
She managed to shake her head. He was so close she could smell the scent of the rose soap they’d bought last town visit and see the darkness of his lashes. So close that even though he no longer touched her she remained frozen in place like a wallaby trapped in a spotlight.
‘Paige, you must have a mobile.’
‘I’m fine without one. It doesn’t bother me if I’m a techno-dinosaur.’
‘This is serious. For your own safety you should carry a mobile.’
She took a step backward and the metal rail lining the library path pressed into her lower back. ‘Why, so I can call for a tow-truck if I break down? Or for road service to change my flat tyre? I can look after myself.’
‘I’ve no doubt you can but there could be a day when you need one. Or need to be contacted.’
‘The two-way radio works perfectly in the ute.’
‘What if you aren’t in your ute and are, say, walking around town. How couldpeople contact you then?’
‘Easy.’ She continued along the path. ‘They’d call Anne. She always knows where I am.’
She heard Tait groan. ‘You might have an answer for everything, but I’m buying you a phone.’
Paige stopped and faced him. Behind her the automatic library doors slid open. She hardly noticed the waft of cool air that pushed past her. Why did Tait insist on being a Good Samaritan? She’d didn’t want or need his help or his charity.
‘Why? I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not family. You won’t ever see me again after next week. Why on earth would you buy me a phone?’
His blue gaze held hers. ‘Because a mobile saved my life. And one day it could save yours.’
She blinked. Standing before her was no polished, charming, city pretty-boy. Just a serious man with weariness in his eyes.
A woman’s calm, quiet voice spoke into the tension. ‘Paige, he’s right, you know.’
Paige turned on her heel. Anne had seen them through the window and had left her post behind the counter to come and greet them. Paige smiled and walked forward to give the librarian a hug.
‘I seem to remember having a similar conversation with you a couple of years ago,’ Anne said as she drew away.
‘I haven’t forgotten, but what I said then still applies. When the drought breaks I’ll get a phone. Until then I’ll be fine.’ She glanced between Tait and Anne. ‘Anne, please meet Tait. He’s …’
Anne clasped Tait’s outstretched hand. ‘It’s okay, I know who you really are.’ She winked.
To Paige’s surprise Tait’s smile froze. ‘You do?’
‘Yes. Connor told me. He said not to listen to any town gossip about you and Paige. He said the real reason why you’re at Banora Downs is for a break.’
Tait’s smile again shone sunrise-bright. ‘Yes, that’s right. I’ve come for a change of scene.’ He threw Paige a swift glance. ‘And to bolster the local economy by purchasing a mobile phone.’
Paige gritted her teeth. Tait’s glib, easy charm had returned.
‘That’s very thoughtful of you,’ Anne said, ‘but I think what we have here is a mobile-phone stalemate. And I happen to have the perfect solution.’
Anne’s sensible shoes whispered across the carpet as she headed to the counter. Paige followed slowly in her wake. She gazed around at the book-lined shelves, losing herself in the past. Over in the children’s corner she used to fill her basket with books and sit in the colourful chairs and enter magical kingdoms of fairies and happy endings. The touch of her mother’s gentle hand would then return her to the real world. Together they’d lug the
‘No.’ She turned through the library gateway and onto the narrow path. ‘I don’t have a mobile.’
Tait’s fingers snared her wrist. She stopped and swung around, her words of protest dying on her lips. He stared at her with such concern, such disbelief, that all she could do was gaze back at him.
‘You don’t have a mobile?’
She managed to shake her head. He was so close she could smell the scent of the rose soap they’d bought last town visit and see the darkness of his lashes. So close that even though he no longer touched her she remained frozen in place like a wallaby trapped in a spotlight.
‘Paige, you must have a mobile.’
‘I’m fine without one. It doesn’t bother me if I’m a techno-dinosaur.’
‘This is serious. For your own safety you should carry a mobile.’
She took a step backward and the metal rail lining the library path pressed into her lower back. ‘Why, so I can call for a tow-truck if I break down? Or for road service to change my flat tyre? I can look after myself.’
‘I’ve no doubt you can but there could be a day when you need one. Or need to be contacted.’
‘The two-way radio works perfectly in the ute.’
‘What if you aren’t in your ute and are, say, walking around town. How couldpeople contact you then?’
‘Easy.’ She continued along the path. ‘They’d call Anne. She always knows where I am.’
She heard Tait groan. ‘You might have an answer for everything, but I’m buying you a phone.’
Paige stopped and faced him. Behind her the automatic library doors slid open. She hardly noticed the waft of cool air that pushed past her. Why did Tait insist on being a Good Samaritan? She’d didn’t want or need his help or his charity.
‘Why? I’m not your girlfriend. I’m not family. You won’t ever see me again after next week. Why on earth would you buy me a phone?’
His blue gaze held hers. ‘Because a mobile saved my life. And one day it could save yours.’
She blinked. Standing before her was no polished, charming, city pretty-boy. Just a serious man with weariness in his eyes.
A woman’s calm, quiet voice spoke into the tension. ‘Paige, he’s right, you know.’
Paige turned on her heel. Anne had seen them through the window and had left her post behind the counter to come and greet them. Paige smiled and walked forward to give the librarian a hug.
‘I seem to remember having a similar conversation with you a couple of years ago,’ Anne said as she drew away.
‘I haven’t forgotten, but what I said then still applies. When the drought breaks I’ll get a phone. Until then I’ll be fine.’ She glanced between Tait and Anne. ‘Anne, please meet Tait. He’s …’
Anne clasped Tait’s outstretched hand. ‘It’s okay, I know who you really are.’ She winked.
To Paige’s surprise Tait’s smile froze. ‘You do?’
‘Yes. Connor told me. He said not to listen to any town gossip about you and Paige. He said the real reason why you’re at Banora Downs is for a break.’
Tait’s smile again shone sunrise-bright. ‘Yes, that’s right. I’ve come for a change of scene.’ He threw Paige a swift glance. ‘And to bolster the local economy by purchasing a mobile phone.’
Paige gritted her teeth. Tait’s glib, easy charm had returned.
‘That’s very thoughtful of you,’ Anne said, ‘but I think what we have here is a mobile-phone stalemate. And I happen to have the perfect solution.’
Anne’s sensible shoes whispered across the carpet as she headed to the counter. Paige followed slowly in her wake. She gazed around at the book-lined shelves, losing herself in the past. Over in the children’s corner she used to fill her basket with books and sit in the colourful chairs and enter magical kingdoms of fairies and happy endings. The touch of her mother’s gentle hand would then return her to the real world. Together they’d lug the
Similar Books
