about policy or was exploration already being considered near Kakadu? She’d chase up that news article when they got back this afternoon.
Kane shut the cover on the iPad. For a minute she’d forgotten about his connection to Sordina, but it seemed as though it was going to follow her everywhere. Ellie waited for him at the door and then she led him to the main office across the corridor.
As soon as they walked in, Heather came out of the small room at the back of the office and struck a pose in the doorway. Her khaki T-shirt was tucked into a short skirt and she was the picture of elegance. Ellie grinned at Heather before she looked down at her own long pants and work boots with a grimace. ‘
Some
of us have to work today.’ She lifted the flap at the end of the counter and headed for the board where all the keys were hanging.
‘Hey, girlfriend, I’m working. You’re the lucky pair who get to go on a picnic.’ Heather focused her attention on Kane. ‘Morning, Fly Boy. Ready to head off into the wilderness today?’
Ellie rolled her eyes. God, Heather was so obvious. Maybe she just needed to chill out a bit.
Maybe I’m just too damned serious
.
Kane nodded. ‘Morning. Yep, it’s my first experience of Kakadu on the ground.’ The smile he gave Heather was considerably bigger than the curl of lips he’d treated Ellie to.
‘You’re going to love Jim Jim Falls. Pure white sand and crystal clear green water enclosed on three sides by towering, red granite cliffs. You’ll see it from the air soon, but there’s really nothing like being on the ground. You probably won’t have time for a swim today, but maybe I’ll take you there sometime and show you my favourite spot.’
Ellie smothered a smile and wondered if Mr Fly Boy had any idea what her friend had in store for him. She ignored the little niggle of jealousy that rippled through her as Kane held Heather’s gaze.
Not that it was any of her business. Heather could make cow eyes at Kane as long as she liked. Ellie didn’t give a rat’s.
The coffee and the painkillers had already done the trick and her headache had eased. Just a slight ache remained behind her eyes.
‘I’ve got another stop for you too.’ Heather finally turned to Ellie and lifted a sheet of paper from the desk behind the counter.
‘Yeah? Where to?’ If they had another stop, they’d have to hurry to get on their way. Ellie took the sheet from Heather.
‘Sandy Billabong. One of the campers spotted a water buffalo up there yesterday. Can you swing by there on your way to the falls? It’s not too far off your route and it’s a waste to send one of the boys so far just to put a sign up when you’re going past.’
‘Going past? It’s twenty kilometres in the other direction.’
‘Jock’s instruction.’ Heather shrugged and held out her hand. ‘Give it here and I’ll laminate it.’
‘Looks like we’ve got a busy day ahead.’ Ellie flicked a glance at Kane. The way he leaned casually against the counter, he looked like he belonged to the place already.
‘Dad and Terry are going out there later this afternoon, but we need to get this up as soon as we can. There’s heaps of tourists in the park already. Bumper to bumper caravans when I turned onto the main road this morning.’ Heather put the notice into the poster laminating machine on the bench along the wall and waited for it to feed through before walking back over to the counter, holding it between her thumb and one finger.
‘Which vehicle is booked out to us?’ Ellie took the laminated poster from Heather with a smile.
‘The new Land Cruiser. I made sure I nabbed it for you before the other guys got allocated a vehicle. Dad can drive the old one. He’s used to it. And here, don’t forget you’ll need the keys to the rental you’re picking up. The number plate is on the tag.’
‘Thanks, you’re a trooper.’ Ellie took the keys from the hook beside the counter, and added them to the keys
Kane shut the cover on the iPad. For a minute she’d forgotten about his connection to Sordina, but it seemed as though it was going to follow her everywhere. Ellie waited for him at the door and then she led him to the main office across the corridor.
As soon as they walked in, Heather came out of the small room at the back of the office and struck a pose in the doorway. Her khaki T-shirt was tucked into a short skirt and she was the picture of elegance. Ellie grinned at Heather before she looked down at her own long pants and work boots with a grimace. ‘
Some
of us have to work today.’ She lifted the flap at the end of the counter and headed for the board where all the keys were hanging.
‘Hey, girlfriend, I’m working. You’re the lucky pair who get to go on a picnic.’ Heather focused her attention on Kane. ‘Morning, Fly Boy. Ready to head off into the wilderness today?’
Ellie rolled her eyes. God, Heather was so obvious. Maybe she just needed to chill out a bit.
Maybe I’m just too damned serious
.
Kane nodded. ‘Morning. Yep, it’s my first experience of Kakadu on the ground.’ The smile he gave Heather was considerably bigger than the curl of lips he’d treated Ellie to.
‘You’re going to love Jim Jim Falls. Pure white sand and crystal clear green water enclosed on three sides by towering, red granite cliffs. You’ll see it from the air soon, but there’s really nothing like being on the ground. You probably won’t have time for a swim today, but maybe I’ll take you there sometime and show you my favourite spot.’
Ellie smothered a smile and wondered if Mr Fly Boy had any idea what her friend had in store for him. She ignored the little niggle of jealousy that rippled through her as Kane held Heather’s gaze.
Not that it was any of her business. Heather could make cow eyes at Kane as long as she liked. Ellie didn’t give a rat’s.
The coffee and the painkillers had already done the trick and her headache had eased. Just a slight ache remained behind her eyes.
‘I’ve got another stop for you too.’ Heather finally turned to Ellie and lifted a sheet of paper from the desk behind the counter.
‘Yeah? Where to?’ If they had another stop, they’d have to hurry to get on their way. Ellie took the sheet from Heather.
‘Sandy Billabong. One of the campers spotted a water buffalo up there yesterday. Can you swing by there on your way to the falls? It’s not too far off your route and it’s a waste to send one of the boys so far just to put a sign up when you’re going past.’
‘Going past? It’s twenty kilometres in the other direction.’
‘Jock’s instruction.’ Heather shrugged and held out her hand. ‘Give it here and I’ll laminate it.’
‘Looks like we’ve got a busy day ahead.’ Ellie flicked a glance at Kane. The way he leaned casually against the counter, he looked like he belonged to the place already.
‘Dad and Terry are going out there later this afternoon, but we need to get this up as soon as we can. There’s heaps of tourists in the park already. Bumper to bumper caravans when I turned onto the main road this morning.’ Heather put the notice into the poster laminating machine on the bench along the wall and waited for it to feed through before walking back over to the counter, holding it between her thumb and one finger.
‘Which vehicle is booked out to us?’ Ellie took the laminated poster from Heather with a smile.
‘The new Land Cruiser. I made sure I nabbed it for you before the other guys got allocated a vehicle. Dad can drive the old one. He’s used to it. And here, don’t forget you’ll need the keys to the rental you’re picking up. The number plate is on the tag.’
‘Thanks, you’re a trooper.’ Ellie took the keys from the hook beside the counter, and added them to the keys
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