and Dusty’s lead off the hallway hatstand and stepped out into the sunshine. Her father and Tait were talking beside Tait’s car, in which Dusty had already claimed ownership of the blanket-covered back seat. Her heart warmed. The red heeler would be enjoying first-class travel in air-conditioned comfort, unlike his usual seat in cattle-class on the tray-back of a ute. At her approach Tait slid into the driver’s seat. She kissed herfather’s cheek and could have sworn emotion moistened his eyes.
‘Say hello to Anne for me,’ he said, voice gruff.
‘Will do.’
She sat in the passenger seat. Behind her Dusty whined in excitement. The outing was already doing the old dog good. Tait finished sending a phone message before placing the mobile into the car’s hands-free car kit.
‘All good to go?’ he asked, turning on the ignition.
She waved at Connor before answering, ‘Not quite.’
Hands on the steering wheel, Tait turned to her. Whatever he’d been about to say didn’t leave his lips as Dusty leaned forward from the back seat to rest his head on Tait’s shoulder.
Paige smothered a chuckle at Tait’s stunned expression. Dusty always liked to look through the windscreen when driving and he’d use the driver’s left shoulder as a head rest. Just as well he didn’t have bad doggy breath.
‘Now we’re good to go,’ she said with what she hoped passed for a straight face.
Chapter Five
Despite the unfamiliar weight of Dusty’s head on his shoulder and thoughts of how much dog hair clung to his upholstery, Tait relaxed.
He’d achieved what he’d set out to do. He’d managed to confine Paige to a single spot, even if it would be only for the next hour and a half. She’d nowhere to go, except where their conversation would lead. And he’d make sure it headed down the path he needed it to.
Yesterday things had worked out despite the day’s rocky start. In the morning he’d established Paige’s commitment to Banora Downs was genuine and then he’d spent the afternoon going over financial records with Connor. He now had a broad picture of the property’s current position. The next step was to nail down the farm’s future direction, a direction only Paige could give him. What did she envisage for the coming years? What were her hopes and dreams for her home? He’d have the answers by the end of today – he glanced at the doggy muzzle on his shoulder – even if he had to be Dusty’s personal pillow the entire way to Glenalla.
His nerves tightened. Here, in the back of beyond, he’d found the unimaginable. A woman who didn’t want more than what was on offer. In fact, Paige didn’t want anything that he offered. Not chocolate, help or herbs. She possessed an altruism and unselfishness that was as foreign to him as seven-star service was to the outback. She operated under a different set of rules to the ones he was used to playing by. Her parameters of loyalty and integritydidn’t feature in his world of competition and self-interest. And now that he understood her, he knew money hadn’t been behind why she’d doubled his room rate.
He concentrated on the ribbon-straight road. But it was irrelevant if he was out of his comfort zone dealing with Paige or that a glimpse of her curves beneath her ripped jeans fired his blood. He had a business plan to finish, secrets to protect and answers to find.
‘So, Paige, Connor tells me this is the worst drought he’s ever lived through.’
‘Yes, and Dad has seen a few.’
‘He also mentioned something about drought-proofing Banora Downs, but I didn’t quite catch what he said.’
Tait thought Paige nodded but he was having trouble seeing past Dusty’s head. He also harboured the suspicion that should he turn his head too far, Dusty would deliver an affectionate lick to his face.
‘Dad worked hard to prepare Banora Downs for the next drought. He’s invested in new bores and pumps and focused on improving pastures so they are more
‘Say hello to Anne for me,’ he said, voice gruff.
‘Will do.’
She sat in the passenger seat. Behind her Dusty whined in excitement. The outing was already doing the old dog good. Tait finished sending a phone message before placing the mobile into the car’s hands-free car kit.
‘All good to go?’ he asked, turning on the ignition.
She waved at Connor before answering, ‘Not quite.’
Hands on the steering wheel, Tait turned to her. Whatever he’d been about to say didn’t leave his lips as Dusty leaned forward from the back seat to rest his head on Tait’s shoulder.
Paige smothered a chuckle at Tait’s stunned expression. Dusty always liked to look through the windscreen when driving and he’d use the driver’s left shoulder as a head rest. Just as well he didn’t have bad doggy breath.
‘Now we’re good to go,’ she said with what she hoped passed for a straight face.
Chapter Five
Despite the unfamiliar weight of Dusty’s head on his shoulder and thoughts of how much dog hair clung to his upholstery, Tait relaxed.
He’d achieved what he’d set out to do. He’d managed to confine Paige to a single spot, even if it would be only for the next hour and a half. She’d nowhere to go, except where their conversation would lead. And he’d make sure it headed down the path he needed it to.
Yesterday things had worked out despite the day’s rocky start. In the morning he’d established Paige’s commitment to Banora Downs was genuine and then he’d spent the afternoon going over financial records with Connor. He now had a broad picture of the property’s current position. The next step was to nail down the farm’s future direction, a direction only Paige could give him. What did she envisage for the coming years? What were her hopes and dreams for her home? He’d have the answers by the end of today – he glanced at the doggy muzzle on his shoulder – even if he had to be Dusty’s personal pillow the entire way to Glenalla.
His nerves tightened. Here, in the back of beyond, he’d found the unimaginable. A woman who didn’t want more than what was on offer. In fact, Paige didn’t want anything that he offered. Not chocolate, help or herbs. She possessed an altruism and unselfishness that was as foreign to him as seven-star service was to the outback. She operated under a different set of rules to the ones he was used to playing by. Her parameters of loyalty and integritydidn’t feature in his world of competition and self-interest. And now that he understood her, he knew money hadn’t been behind why she’d doubled his room rate.
He concentrated on the ribbon-straight road. But it was irrelevant if he was out of his comfort zone dealing with Paige or that a glimpse of her curves beneath her ripped jeans fired his blood. He had a business plan to finish, secrets to protect and answers to find.
‘So, Paige, Connor tells me this is the worst drought he’s ever lived through.’
‘Yes, and Dad has seen a few.’
‘He also mentioned something about drought-proofing Banora Downs, but I didn’t quite catch what he said.’
Tait thought Paige nodded but he was having trouble seeing past Dusty’s head. He also harboured the suspicion that should he turn his head too far, Dusty would deliver an affectionate lick to his face.
‘Dad worked hard to prepare Banora Downs for the next drought. He’s invested in new bores and pumps and focused on improving pastures so they are more
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