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Authors: Anna Jacobs
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him, pressuring a stranger for a date like that? He’d been acting like a seventeen-year-old with raging testosterone fever. The last thing he needed at the moment, the very last, was to get involved with a woman.
Then sadness took over for a moment or two. Such an instant attraction hadn’t happened to him for a long time, not since he’d met Sandy.
To his ongoing annoyance, over the next few days he had trouble getting the beautiful Ms Ingram out of his mind. It wasn’t her good looks, though that didn’t hurt, it was something much deeper than that. He grinned at the memory of how indignant she’d been when he asked her age. Well, that had been absolutely stupid of him. Only she did look young and untouched, somehow.
It was strange that he should feel so attracted to her, because he didn't normally go for blondes. Or small women. And why the hell was he thinking about her again?
He was relieved when he finished his business in Perth and could go home to Brisbane. He phoned the office from the airport, hoping to pop in and see Phil before he left for the day, but got only the answer phone. He was beginning to think his partner was avoiding him and to wonder why. At this stage they should be liaising closely on the current project.
Should he drop in on Phil at home? No, not today. Phil’s wife would insist on Ben staying for a meal and he didn’t want to involve her in any arguments because she was a nice enough woman.
Perhaps there was nothing wrong, but Ben felt uneasy. Phil had been behaving himself since their last confrontation, but recently he had been rather elusive. It wouldn’t hurt, though, to do some careful checking that everything was in order. Well, Ben knew he ought to have done so before now, but he’d been too busy implementing a particularly complex design to catch his breath.
Needing a bit of peace and quiet after all the hassles of his Perth trip, he picked up his car and headed out of the city centre. As he sang along to the music he felt the tension drop away. He wasn’t really interested in being a high-powered businessman but he absolutely loved designing gardens, and the bigger the better.
One day he’d find a piece of land and start work on the big project he’d been dreaming about for years. Perhaps he’d even do this on one of his uncle’s blocks of land. He had very fond childhood memories of living in York and learning about the bush.
Unfortunately, although the recent legacy from Uncle Johnny was good news in one way, it was bad in another because it’d take time and effort he could ill afford to sort everything out. At this stage he needed to focus on the business and keeping Phil in order. No small task.
He couldn’t help smiling at the thought of his inheritance, though, and he was looking forward to seeing the old house in York again. He’d such happy memories of living there as a boy.
He’d have to see Ms Ingram again, too, when he visited the accountant in Perth. He wouldn’t mind that, either. Perhaps she’d be free by then to have dinner with him.
Chapter 8
The art examination was so straightforward it was an anti-climax. When it was over, Meriel felt empty and drained. That was it. She’d finished her studies.
She didn’t really want to go out for a celebratory drink with the others but did it anyway. They’d become good friends as they studied and you never knew when you’d meet someone again in a place like Western Australia, which had a small population, however big its physical size.
She excused herself after an hour or so, pleading a date. Everything seemed a little unreal as she walked back to her car.
On her way home she stopped at the shops and pulled up short at the sight of a display of birthday cards. Oops! She’d nearly forgotten to get a card for her mother. She’d better buy one now and put it in the post for England straight away. If it didn’t arrive on time, her mother would be upset and huffy.
As she was paying for
Then sadness took over for a moment or two. Such an instant attraction hadn’t happened to him for a long time, not since he’d met Sandy.
To his ongoing annoyance, over the next few days he had trouble getting the beautiful Ms Ingram out of his mind. It wasn’t her good looks, though that didn’t hurt, it was something much deeper than that. He grinned at the memory of how indignant she’d been when he asked her age. Well, that had been absolutely stupid of him. Only she did look young and untouched, somehow.
It was strange that he should feel so attracted to her, because he didn't normally go for blondes. Or small women. And why the hell was he thinking about her again?
He was relieved when he finished his business in Perth and could go home to Brisbane. He phoned the office from the airport, hoping to pop in and see Phil before he left for the day, but got only the answer phone. He was beginning to think his partner was avoiding him and to wonder why. At this stage they should be liaising closely on the current project.
Should he drop in on Phil at home? No, not today. Phil’s wife would insist on Ben staying for a meal and he didn’t want to involve her in any arguments because she was a nice enough woman.
Perhaps there was nothing wrong, but Ben felt uneasy. Phil had been behaving himself since their last confrontation, but recently he had been rather elusive. It wouldn’t hurt, though, to do some careful checking that everything was in order. Well, Ben knew he ought to have done so before now, but he’d been too busy implementing a particularly complex design to catch his breath.
Needing a bit of peace and quiet after all the hassles of his Perth trip, he picked up his car and headed out of the city centre. As he sang along to the music he felt the tension drop away. He wasn’t really interested in being a high-powered businessman but he absolutely loved designing gardens, and the bigger the better.
One day he’d find a piece of land and start work on the big project he’d been dreaming about for years. Perhaps he’d even do this on one of his uncle’s blocks of land. He had very fond childhood memories of living in York and learning about the bush.
Unfortunately, although the recent legacy from Uncle Johnny was good news in one way, it was bad in another because it’d take time and effort he could ill afford to sort everything out. At this stage he needed to focus on the business and keeping Phil in order. No small task.
He couldn’t help smiling at the thought of his inheritance, though, and he was looking forward to seeing the old house in York again. He’d such happy memories of living there as a boy.
He’d have to see Ms Ingram again, too, when he visited the accountant in Perth. He wouldn’t mind that, either. Perhaps she’d be free by then to have dinner with him.
Chapter 8
The art examination was so straightforward it was an anti-climax. When it was over, Meriel felt empty and drained. That was it. She’d finished her studies.
She didn’t really want to go out for a celebratory drink with the others but did it anyway. They’d become good friends as they studied and you never knew when you’d meet someone again in a place like Western Australia, which had a small population, however big its physical size.
She excused herself after an hour or so, pleading a date. Everything seemed a little unreal as she walked back to her car.
On her way home she stopped at the shops and pulled up short at the sight of a display of birthday cards. Oops! She’d nearly forgotten to get a card for her mother. She’d better buy one now and put it in the post for England straight away. If it didn’t arrive on time, her mother would be upset and huffy.
As she was paying for
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