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CHAPTER TEN
KEE SAT DEEPER into the sumptuous leather couch and lay her head back so she could stare at the ceiling. It was still searingly hot outside, but inside this wonderful, air-conditioned cabin, it was deliciously cool. Kee let herself wallow in the simple pleasure of being cool on a hot day in a cabin that had every whim catered for. She lifted her head to stare around the room.
The cabin was open plan, with the living room and kitchen combined. The living room was well-appointed with two couches and a matching wing chair, done in the softest tan leather, all the other furniture looked like it was handmade, perhaps from local wood. A modern and stylish TV was affixed to the wall—not so large that it was ostentatious, but bigger than the one Kee used to own—and a large bookshelf sat next to the television, full to the brim of all sorts of books, both old and new. A set of French doors led out to a rear porch, allowing an amazing view of the forest of eucalyptus trees marching off down the slope. On cooler nights, she imagined, you could open the doors and let nature inside.
The kitchen was full of high-end appliances that Kee didn’t dare touch. A black and silver coffee machine that looked more suited to serving customers in a ritzy café than here in the outback. The refrigerator was stocked with gourmet foods, bottles of wine and beer, fresh homemade bread and butter replaced every day, snacks such as macadamia nuts and exotic, dried, native fruits. A bowl full of fresh fruit—one of the few things Kee allowed Benni to eat—sat on the countertop. In a normal hotel, you’d have to pay for these items, and Kee could just guess that the prices would be exorbitant. Guests wanted for nothing at Stormcloud.
But she wasn’t a guest. Not really. She was an imposter, relying on the goodwill of a cowboy. Kee’s head slumped back against the headrest of the couch.
Benni was lying on her stomach on the rug at Kee’s feet, surrounded by her toys, reading a book to Dolly. She still had the blue hat firmly planted on her head. Benni had only recently stopped taking a daily nap, but it was still a good idea to have some quiet time in the afternoon, to let her wind down. Especially after the past few days of excitement.
Yesterday had been a flurry of activity, starting with Daisy and her brother discovering her staying at their house, and ending up with her and Benni moving into this cabin. The cabin was gorgeous, but Kee couldn’t help but feel she’d been railroaded into something she wasn’t really prepared for. Last night, she’d asked if they could have a quiet dinner alone, just her and Benni, she couldn’t stomach having to talk and mingle with all those strangers up at the lodge. It’d become her habit to stay away from people as much as possible. It sounded like a cliché, but she saw it as her and Benni against the world. And the truth was, the fewer people who knew she was here, the fewer people could give away her location to Bruno, or one of his corrupt cop mates. It was common sense to stay in the shadows, away from the limelight.
This morning Wazza had called past their cabin and invited her and Benni up to see a litter of puppies. Which Benni had absolutely fallen in love with. Every five minutes after they left the shed, she wanted to go back and play with them. Kee wasn’t sure whether to thank Wazza, or murder him. It was a wonderful distraction for her daughter, a little piece of normality in all this craziness. But there was no way they were taking on a puppy; certainly not while they were fleeing Jakov’s family. She had no idea how long they’d need to be on the road.
They’d spent the rest of the morning and into lunch time at the lodge, chatting with Skylar and Bindi. Skylar had even let them help pick some vegetables from her kitchen garden to go with the epicurean meal she was preparing. Then Dale had offered to show them around the stables. Benni had jumped at the chance to see the horses, but she’d wanted Wazza to come with them, and pouted when he said he had to help take some of the guests on a horse safari to check on some cattle in a nearby paddock. Kee had secretly wanted Wazza to come as well, but she’d kept her doleful reaction under wraps a little better than her daughter and made Benni apologize for her woeful behavior. Wazza had a job to do, and the last thing she wanted was to jeopardize it. And Dale was lovely, such a gentleman, tall and good-looking. Daisy was a lucky lady.
They’d come back to the cabin to chill out for an hour or so before dinner.
There was a knock at the door, and Kee jumped up to open it.
Wazza stood on the front verandah, looking all dirty and hot from his ride. Cowboy boots covered in dust, jeans slung low over lean hips, blue shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows again. So damn sexy, Kee had to hide a flush of desire.
“Hi,” he said. She’d forgotten how deep and gravely his voice was. It was doing strange things to her heart rate.
“Hi,” she said in reply. Then, when she realized she was standing there gaping at him like some half-blind fool, she added, “Come in and get cool. Can I get you a drink or something?”
After a moment’s hesitation, he replied, “I wouldn’t mind a glass of cold water if you have it.” As he stepped through the doorway, he removed his hat, dropping it on the little side-table next to the door.
She was suddenly flustered and flittered around the kitchen like her mother had used to do, fussing over glasses and getting the jug of cold, filtered water out of the fridge.
“It’s Mr. Cowboy,” Benni crowed with delight. Wazza sat down in the wing chair and Benni nearly leapt into his lap.
“Give Wazza a chance to sit in peace,” she said, trying to keep her tone even. But Benni ignored her admonishment, talking a mile a minute, telling Wazza all about her visit with the horses. Kee was going to have to have a word with that child later.
“I don’t mind,” he said over the top of Benni’s head as Kee handed him the tall glass of water. His smile was so dazzling that Kee nearly dropped it.
“I have some good news. Lefty called; he said your fuel pump will be in on Friday. He can have it fitted and ready to go by lunchtime.”
Kee let out a whoosh of relief. That was good news. Today was Tuesday, which meant only three more days at the station. Finally, something she could grab hold of. This odd sort of limbo she’d found herself in had been driving her crazy. Daniella and Steve were well-meaning, as were the rest of the family and staff at Stormcloud. But it was well beyond time she was gone from here.
Kee glanced up and couldn’t stop a flash of sensation burning through her stomach at the way Wazza was looking at her. Definitely time to move on. Not least of all, because of this man.
She could feel connections forming. Friendships. Not just with Wazza, either. Daniella had taken to Benni, almost as if she were her own granddaughter. Which surprised Kee, after the way Wazza had described her as being very driven, an extremely professional woman, with high standards. Like today, right after smoko—a new word that Kee had learned meant morning tea—Kee had been in the kitchen chatting to Skylar and Bindi, when Daniella had stalked in, a frown darkening her brow. But as soon as she saw Benni, the stormy clouds lifted from her face, and she’d pulled up a chair at the countertop next to where Benni was industriously coloring, and asked her what her favorite color was. Then, when Benni had said she could help her color if she liked, Daniella had taken up a pencil and started on a pink flower, chatting with Benni as she did so.
The look that’d passed between Skylar and Bindi had said it all. They were quietly amazed. So, it seemed that Daniella was acting out of character.
But she wasn’t the only one.
Steve always took the time to stop and get down to Benni’s level to have a quick conversation with her. And when he did, he lost that serious, gruff exterior that was his normal persona. Even Skylar was happy to let Benni sit in her kitchen and watch her cook, or play with her dolls. Placing morsels of food in front of her to let her taste. She told Benni that she was her chief taster, and Benni took her job very seriously. Frowning in concentration before making her verdict. Most of the things Skylar cooked, Benni liked. But there were a few times where she’d screwed up her face with distaste. Kee had tried to teach Benni not to spit out food, it wasn’t good manners, but Skylar didn’t seem to mind.
Kee had almost felt like she was beginning to fit in here. Which was another red flag that proved she needed to move on.
But in the meantime… “I’d like to help around here. Earn my keep. I don’t like to feel I’m a burden. I’m just not sure what I could do to help. I’ve never worked on a farm before. I’ve worked in an animal shelter, but that’s about it.”
“You don’t need to—”
She cut him off. “But I want to.”
