Just My Luck (Escape to New Zealand #5) Read online

  Georgia looked between the two of them, exchanged a speaking glance with her sister. “Well, you’re going to have to explain that,” she decided, then looked up at the server with a smile of thanks as their order was delivered.

  “He didn’t really do it,” Ally protested, taking a sip of her large trim flat white. Nate had remembered exactly what kind of coffee she liked, she realized with pleasure. And much as she hated to admit it, he was right. Her head hurt, and she had needed to sit. “We were hiking, and my, ah, eye just reached out and smacked Nate in the elbow, didn’t it, Nate?”

  “Yeh,” he grinned back at her. “Told you not to hit me so hard, but did you listen? Nah, that temper gets the best of you every time. Who’d you forehead-butt, this time around?”

  “That would be the climbing wall,” she said wryly. “I tried reasonable persuasion, but when that didn’t work, sterner measures were called for. So I took a few whacks at it. It’s learned its lesson now, I can assure you.”

  “You fell,” he said, no smile now, his gaze hard on her. And the six-year-old boy was gone, the leader of men in his place. “How?”

  “Setting a new route,” she admitted. “Lead-climbing to test it out, and I’d made a mistake, couldn’t reach the handhold. Slipped and fell a few meters.”

  “But the rope caught me,” she assured the women at their identical gasps. “That’s why you clip in. This is just a bit of superficial damage. I’m really not that accident-prone, I promise. New Zealand seems to be getting the better of me, that’s all.”

  “And the plus side,” she said, trying to get rid of that look of frowning intensity on Nate’s face, “is that I get an unexpected couple days’ holiday. I’ll get paid for it, they tell me, and the embarrassing ambulance ride and everything are covered too. I guess your version of workers’ comp is the ACC. Though I don’t think Mac’s too thrilled with me right now. I hope I still have a job when I do go back in.”

  Nate glanced sharply at her, then nodded. “Time for me to have that chat with him about how much I appreciate your skill as an instructor,” he decided. “Ask him about another session with the team, maybe, for a recovery day.”

  “If you don’t mind,” she said, a little glow filling her at his concern. “It would sure help.”

  “Can’t do it today,” he apologized. “Not with the match tonight. I’ll ring him tomorrow, though.”

  “That’s right,” she realized. “The first game is tonight, huh?”

  “Yeh. It’s what Mum and Auntie Lil’ve come up for, to see that I get off to a good start,” he said with a smile at the women.

  “I didn’t even think about it yesterday, that you had a game today,” she said, feeling guilty. Why hadn’t she asked him more about his own work, his own preparations for the rugby season? Because he always seemed to have it so together, that was why. Because, in that aspect of himself, he was so . . . formidable. Easier to tease him about climbing, enjoy flirting with him, watching his eyes on her. Thinking about having sex with him. Which she was doing again right now, in front of his mother.

  “So you two are up here for the game?” She turned hastily to the women, catching another meaningful glance being exchanged. “From . . . from Gore? Did you just get in?”

  “Last night,” Georgia explained. “I came from Gore, but Lil’s in Dunedin.”

  “The metropolis,” Nate put in.

  “Nate told me that Dunedin was beautiful,” Ally said. She wouldn’t share what he’d said about Gore. Or ask how the sheep statue was doing. “How long are you staying?”

  “Oh, just the weekend,” Georgia said. “We’ll be off again Monday. Frank can’t do without me much longer than that, not with the calves and all.”

  “My family are dairy farmers,” Nate explained. “Dad and Ned, my brother. That’s why I became a rugby player. Get out of working so hard, eh.”

  “Oh.” That required a bit of mental readjustment. “Then coming up here really is a treat,” Ally said to Georgia. “If it’s a busy time at home.”

  “Oh, yes, it is,” Georgia agreed. “You know, until Nate moved here, I’d only been away from the Mainland a handful of times in my life. And now I’ve been all over the world, haven’t I, darling? Thanks to you.”

  “Well, a bit of it anyway,” Nate said with a smile. “Mostly the European bit. Seen more of it than me, anyway. If anyone wants a guidebook written about airports and rugby stadiums, though, I reckon I’m the man to do it.”

  “He does have to travel so much,” Georgia confided to Ally. “I’m always so knackered after just one flight, I don’t know how he does it. But what am I saying? I’m sure you know what his schedule’s like.”

  “No, not . . . not really.” Ally looked at Nate in mute appeal. How did you say, ‘I’m not sleeping with your son?’

  “Ally’s not as fascinated by me as you’re imagining, Mum,” Nate said. “Hasn’t quite got the fixtures memorized, I’m afraid. But she knows a bit about rugby players all the same. Her flatmate is Hannah Callahan’s sister. That’s how we met.”

  “Well, not exactly,” Ally said.

  “Shh,” he said, his eyes laughing at her. “Don’t tell. Let my poor mum preserve her last few tattered illusions about her baby boy.”

  “And I’m sorry to cut this short,” he apologized, “but I do need to get cracking. We walked here from my house,” he explained to Ally, “as it’s not far. But I’ll just have a wee jog back for the car, come collect all of you. Meanwhile, have another coffee if you like.” He reached for his wallet, handed his debit card to his mother. “You know the code,” he said. “Maybe a juice or something for Ally, keep her hydrated.”

  And, paying no attention to Ally’s protests, he was off.

  It was clear enough to Ally that Nate’s mum and aunt weren’t in any danger of losing their high opinion of him.

  “Oh, yes,” Georgia was telling her now, having duly trotted in for an orange juice that she’d insisted on Ally drinking, “he gives his dad and me a lovely holiday every year. Anywhere we want to go. We’ve done a cruise in the Mediterranean, toured all round Britain and Ireland, done Italy . . . so many places. And when his dad can’t get away, he sends Lil and me.”

  “Everything first class, too,” Lil put in. “He’s got us both quite spoilt.”

  “That’s nice,” Ally said lamely. All right, so he was kind to his mother. Most people could manage that, couldn’t they? “Especially since I’m sure you don’t see as much of him as you’d like.”

  “Well, no,” Georgia said. “Though we get up here as often as we can to watch him. He always takes us to breakfast, the morning of a game. That’s our little ritual. Flew us all the way to England for the World Cup final last year. And he does come home as much as he can manage. We had him for Christmas, of course.”

  “And after the World Cup,” Lillian reminded her. “The day out in Gore. That was lovely.”

  “Oh, yes,” Georgia agreed. “He did a community day,” she explained to Ally, “when he was home for a wee visit after England. Speeches, of course, games for the kids, a lolly scramble, signing autographs. He gave a beautiful speech thanking everyone for their support. And he rode into the Domain on the back of the fire engine,” she added with a laugh. “That was quite the sight.”

  Nate showed up again before his mother and aunt could relate the story of the time he’d walked on water. Well, your mother was supposed to be your Number One Fan. All the same, Ally was afraid she was going to have to break down pretty soon and admit that he was a good guy. Boy, she hated being wrong.

  Nate dropped his mum and aunt back at the house, knowing that they were going to have a few questions for him when he got home. Pity he wouldn’t have any answers.

  “Will your game tonight be on TV?” Ally asked when he’d pulled out again, headed toward Aro Valley and her flat.

  “On Sky Sport,” he confirmed.

  “Oh. Too bad. We don’t have any premium channels. Will the other games be on
regular TV?”

  “Nah. You’d need Sky.”

  “I guess I just assumed,” she said, actually sounding a bit upset about it, “that since rugby matters so much here, it’d be easy to see it.”

  “You could always find a pub that’s showing it, if you’re interested,” he suggested. Found himself holding his breath a bit, waiting for her answer.

  “Good idea. I’ll try that, because I really would like to watch. Maybe Kristen will come along, keep me from having to go alone. Pubs aren’t quite like bars back home, but I’d still rather have company.”

  He’d rather she did too. Female company. “No walking, though,” he said firmly. “Stay off that leg, and give your head a chance to get right too. Bet it’s hurting right now, isn’t it? Have a rest when you get home.”

  “Yes, Daddy,” she laughed.

  He glanced across at her sharply, then turned hastily back to the road.

  “What?” she asked.

  “Nothing,” he muttered. When had he got so pervy? Or maybe it was just that she had him so twisted round by now, everything she said turned him on.

  “Take a right here,” she instructed. “This is me, two driveways up on the left.”

  “Don’t get out,” she urged, reaching for her bag as he pulled to the curb.

  He ignored that, moved around to open her door, gave her a hand out, getting another nasty jolt at the sight of the raw abrasion on her forearm. He’d thought it was bad seeing her injuries the first time round. That was nothing, though, to how much it was bothering him now.

  He walked her to the door leading to the block of flats. Not flash, pretty boxy and ugly in fact, but not as shonky as he’d expected either. Well, maybe Kristen had a bit of money.

  “Thanks for the ride,” she said, fishing for her keys and looking a bit self-conscious. “And good luck tonight. I’ll find a place to watch you.”

  “You can let me know what you thought when I see you on Monday,” he said with a smile.

  She laughed at that. “I’m sure my opinion will be enlightening.”

  “And, Ally,” he went on, putting a gentle hand on her cheek, smoothing her hair back. Felt her lean into his hand for just a moment, her eyes going soft. It felt so good to touch her, he’d like to have stayed there, kept doing it. Instead, he leaned forward and brushed the other cheek with his lips.

  “Take care of yourself,” he said. Wanted to add something about looking after herself at the pub, but forced himself to stop. That’d put the final nail in his coffin, acting like a jealous fool. Instead, he gave her cheek a final caress, stepped back and watched her open the door and go inside before he turned back for the car. And the interested inquiries that, he knew, would be waiting for him at home.

  Diving In

  “When are you off work?” Nate asked, standing on the gym floor again two days later, taking off his harness and watching Ally take off hers, which gave him the same ridiculous thrill it always did. It was a climbing harness, he reminded himself with exasperation, not a skirt. But it didn’t seem to matter. He still liked watching her wriggle out of it.

  He’d lasted the full hour today for the first time, thanks to some pretty determined practice on her little finger-exercise contraption. Well, one thing he knew how to do was train. He hoped he’d impressed her at least a little bit with that. And that was new too. He hadn’t had to worry about impressing a woman in a long time.

  “I’m off now, actually,” she said. “You were my last duty today. Which you probably arranged, so don’t pretend it’s a surprise.”

  “Have time for a beer?” he asked, trying to sound more casual than he felt. Remembering to ask her, not to assume.

  “Sounds good,” she said, “but I was planning on a swim.”

  “You’ve been climbing all day, and now you want to swim? Your head OK for that? Those scrapes?”

  “I’m fine,” she said impatiently. “I’ll bet you play entire rugby games with injuries a whole lot worse than this. For that matter, you played two days ago and are out here climbing today, when any normal person would be in the hospital after what I saw you do. I had no idea it was quite so rough. And I’ll just point out that you’ve got a few scrapes and bruises too.”

  “Yeh, but that’s me. That’s different.” Her arm and leg, he’d noticed, were healing over, but that bruise on her forehead was still pretty noticeable, even faded to yellow and green, though she insisted it didn’t hurt anymore.

  She sighed in obvious exasperation. “It’s been more than four days. I’m not that delicate, Nate. Sorry if that disappoints you. Anyway, I’ve been instructing today, not climbing. Nothing aerobic about it. And it’s not just swimming. Something a whole lot more fun than that. Want to come?”

  Anything she classed as “fun” automatically had him dubious. On the other hand, seeing her in her togs—that sounded pretty good. And it was the first time she’d suggested extending their time together. That had to be a good sign.

  “Yeh,” he decided. “Don’t have my togs with me, though.”

  “Not a problem,” she assured him. “As long as you’ve got something dry to change into. Where we’re going, there’s no dress code.”

  “I’m parked just across the bridge,” he offered when he met her outside the changing rooms. She was wearing a short, simple cotton dress that showed off her toned arms, her slim legs. And, he devoutly hoped, was covering up not very much at all.

  “We don’t need to drive. It’s close by,” she answered.

  The trepidation he’d felt all along increased at that. The beach wasn’t that close. And she hadn’t sounded like they were going to the pool. That only left . . .

  “Oh, no,” he groaned as they approached Te Papa, the massive bulk of the museum set just back from the waterfront. And in front of it, on the wharf, the ladders of the jump spot, crowded on this sunny day with young blokes eager to impress each other and get an adrenaline rush. “How did I know.”

  “I’ve wanted to do this for ages.” Ally’s eyes were sparkling with excitement as she dropped her gym bag on the pavement and pulled off the dress, oblivious of the interested glances she was attracting from the dripping young men. And every other fella passing by. “As soon as I realized what this was. I couldn’t believe this would be here. That they’d actually set up a spot where people could jump from way above the wharf into the sea.”

  “Only because they were jumping off the roof of the Free Ambulance building before,” he grumbled. “Because they’re bloody fools. So the council decided it was safer to have a dedicated spot, and a reasonable way to get up there.”

  He sighed in resignation and pulled off his T-shirt. Looked at the iron ladders, all the steps and rungs. All the steps. “That high platform has to be ten meters up from the water,” he protested.

  “You can go off the lower one if you’d rather,” she assured him. “I promise not to laugh.”

  She turned on him then, climbed to the top. Of course she did. And he followed her. Of course he did. Acknowledging the greetings of the other fellas with a nod, but never losing his focus. Following that absolutely fantastic bum once again like the fool he was.

  Not a tiny bikini, alas. An athletic two-piece in an orange pattern that still managed to show off a fair bit of her pretty body, though he’d rather have seen more skin. But it had him climbing that ladder behind her all the same. And thinking about where he’d be putting his hands right now, if he could.

  She didn’t hesitate, jumped straight off, dropping much too far to the sea below, bobbing up after long seconds with a gasp and a laugh, her arm sweeping a bit of errant hair from her face.

  “Great!” she shouted up to him, breast-stroking out of the way, over to the pilings holding up the wooden wharf. “Try it!”

  He followed her down. He really had no choice. His stomach dropped as he looked down, and when he was plummeting toward the water, he honestly thought he might be sick. But by the fifth time, he could almost say he was enjoying it
.

  He was certainly enjoying looking at her. Seeing her wet, the water sliding down her arms and legs. Down her midriff, into the top of that bit of orange covering her. And she was looking at him too, he could tell. So all in all, this was working out for him.

  “Let’s swim out around the piers, to the end of the wharf,” she finally suggested. “I need to stretch out.”

  “You’re not meant to,” he protested. “Meant to go over by the rowing club. Or to the swim beaches.”

  “I thought Kiwis weren’t that big on following the rules,” she challenged. “But if you’re scared . . .”

  “Right,” he said grimly. Swimming wasn’t his best thing anyway. Not enough body fat, and too much dense muscle and bone. He didn’t float in a pool, he sank. But the water here would be salty enough to keep him afloat. He hoped.

  “OK,” he gasped, pulling himself up the ladder and onto the wharf when, to his eternal gratitude, she had finally had enough. “Is that it? Or is there some cliff diving you wanted to do?”

  “Is there cliff diving?”

  “No,” he said firmly. “Joke.” He reminded himself never to go anywhere with her that had cliffs and water. He wasn’t doing that. Or bungy jumping, or skydiving. No matter how pretty her bum was.

  “All right, then,” she decided, running to her bag and bending over to pull out her towel, wrapping it around herself to the obvious disappointment of the blokes who were still jumping. Nate shot them a glare that she didn’t even notice, but that had them turning hastily away all the same.

  “Let’s go find a place to change, and have a beer,” she said. “Since you’re buying.”

  “I’m hungry,” he said when he met her in front of the changing rooms again. Tried to make it sound spur-of-the-moment. “Can I take you to dinner instead?”

  “Dinner,” she said speculatively, feeling her wet hair, pulled back in a ponytail. Which was still sticky with salt, he knew, because his was the same. “I’m not exactly dressed for it.”