The Outback Cattleman's Hired Wife by Natalia Elder Read Free Book Online Page A

incredulous gumption.
    Jared’s eyes narrowed and stopped the Land Cruiser at
the milking shed, pulling on the handbrake. ‘ It ’ s okay if you don ’ t want to
tell me. ’
    ‘ No. ’ Kirra decided to
tell him the truth in the hope that he would eventually trust her. ‘ When we were first married, I believe he was, ’ she said. ‘ After that,
I ’ m not so sure. ’
    She looked away then. Emotion throbbed painfully at
her temples. Jared’s hand on her shoulder was comforting and her heartbeat
steadied. Frustrated air whooshed out of her lungs.
    ‘ Are you okay, Kirra? ’
    ‘ Yes,’ she admitted, dropping her hands to her
lap.  ‘Some days are harder than others. ’      
    ‘ If it ’ s any consolation, ’ he said quietly, ‘ it does get
better with time. ’
    Suddenly, Kirra felt as if she was a goldfish swimming
totally alone in a fishbowl, then her owner had finally succumbed to buying her
another fish for company.
    But why a barracuda?
    She liked to do the interviewing, not the other way
around .
    On her next breath, more pent-up frustrations rolled
out. She couldn ’ t look at Jared though. She couldn ’ t bear it if he judged her.
    ‘ Honestly, I don ’ t know
exactly what Zac was doing. He managed a holiday resort. He was always out
entertaining. After work, I preferred to unwind at home baking, watching a good
movie or reading a good book, ’ she told him and
somehow it seemed the right time to unburden herself. ‘ I only went out with him on weekends and that was only
if I ’ d finished all the housework, ’ she continued to babble. ‘ Zac loved anything fast - cars, boats, life. He lived
for thrills, moment by moment. ’
    ‘ How did he die? ’ Jared ’ s gentle words didn ’ t interfere with her thoughts, but merely gave them
direction.
    ‘ There was a boating accident. Too many people on the
speed boat and too much champagne drunk. He fell overboard and ... and ... ’ Kirra choked back her tears, refusing to cry. She ’ d cried enough tears to fill an ocean when he was
alive.
    He didn ’ t touch her
again. For that, she was grateful.
    ‘ And there was nobody with you when you found out. ’
    Her chin lifted as she filled her lungs to capacity
and turned to meet his sympathetic gaze.
    ‘ No, my parents drove down from Noosa immediately, but
they had to return not long after the funeral, ’ she said. When his eyebrows knitted together, she added, ‘ They are wonderful people, really. When they retired,
they bought a souvenir shop at Noosa Heads. It was peak tourist season when Zac
died.
    I insisted it was foolish to shut up shop in their
most profitable period, so they reluctantly went home. Besides, I wanted to go
straight back to work. It was the best medicine. I was okay. ’
    ‘ And what about Miss Watson? Did you talk to her at
work? ’
    ‘ Oh Elise was there, but I didn ’ t want to burden her with my sorrows and regrets. She ’ s quite a few years my junior. She ’ s also been trying to coax me into going on blind
dates for ages. ’ She bristled with annoyance. And she’s a blabbermouth!
    ‘ Ah! So you have someone who cares enough about you to
arrange dates? ’
    ‘She gossips too
much!’ she snapped, raking tense fingers through her hair. ‘Besides, I thought you said someone was playing a joke on you? ’
    ‘ Someone is. I ’ ve known
for a long time that mother chooses the most attractive nannies for my son in
an attempt to arouse my interest in finding another mate. However, there is
more to marriage than superficial beauty and sex, ’ he added pensively. ‘ For it to last a
lifetime, there has to be many other compatibilities and considerations. ’
    She wanted to believe he was genuine, but instead, she
said, ‘ I suppose advertising for a wife is being a bit too
caring? ’
    ‘ You honestly expect me to believe that mother
advertised the position like a job? ’
    ‘ Believe what you like.’ She waved her hand
impatiently. ‘Have you