Catch Me A Cowboy (19 page)

‘Well I hate to burst your bubble of misinformation, but it doesn't. It buys boots and big apartments, and purebred cats, but it doesn't buy love.'

‘Surely you're not going to give up all that money for Wil?' asked Daniella.

Again, she didn't answer. That was none of their business either.

Later that night, Emily tucked her phone into her jacket pocket and snuck out the back door. She hoped Wil might think to try again tonight at the same planned time. She arrived at the tree a little earlier so she could ring Xanthi while she waited.

‘You finally remembered me,' said Xanthi when she answered the phone.

‘I've been … busy. But really, I shouldn't have bothered after the information you revealed about me. Since when has my financial situation been up for public scrutiny?'

There was a silence. ‘I'm sorry. I only mentioned it in your application because I knew they'd find that interesting and marketable. You actually should be thanking me. It's one of the reasons you got on that show.'

Her friend was completely serious. ‘My reputation needs to be intact when I get back to Melbourne, Xanthi.'

‘True, and I promise you, it will only be enhanced by others knowing that about you. People will now know how brilliant an agent you are. They'll be knocking down your door.'

Emily mulled that over. Xanthi may have a point. ‘I still would have preferred you asked my permission first.'

‘Permission, shmerission. Tell me all about Wil.'

‘Wil. He is something else.'

‘Yes. And?'

‘And we had our first individual date together.'

‘How did it go?'

‘Wonderfully. We had our own little private meeting too.'

‘Private? Really? And, what happened?'

Emily laughed. ‘He kissed me and my missing O purred like a cat.'

‘Oh. My. God. They've started advertising the show on television. There's a big billboard of Wil near Batman Avenue. Holy fucking hell. I nearly drove myself and the kids into the retaining wall.'

Emily laughed so loud she snorted. She covered her mouth, hoping no one back at the house heard her.

‘And you kissed that? My God, I'd drop Geoff like he's hot if Cowboy crooked his finger at me.'

‘I've told you before, it's not all about looks.'

‘Very true. But you also said this cowboy's got a great personality. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be kissing him otherwise.'

She scoffed though Xanthi's words were completely true. ‘I've kissed others for less.'

Xanthi laughed. ‘Forever the pessimist when it comes to relationships, aren't you?'

‘You know my track record.'

‘Yes. I also know that you're your own worst enemy. And I know, if you really want to, you could make this happen. You should see how they're advertising this man, Em.'

Emily cocked her head to the side and swapped the phone to her other ear. ‘How?'

‘Super intelligent. At the forefront of changing the agricultural industry. He's a loud voice for circumventing climate change. Has a good head for business. And mega-rich.'

Silence. Emily didn't quite know what to say to all that. Wil had mentioned some and she'd done the maths herself on the value of this property, but these shows were always going to embellish. And in the end, what did all that matter. She was getting to know the man Wil Parker, not his resume.

‘How the hell is he single with his face and that resume?'

Xanthi laughed. ‘I could say the same for you, Emily Wolfe.'

‘Yes. Thank you. Always so quick to throw it back in my face.'

‘What are friends for?'

‘Indeed.'

Emily ended the call with the promise of calling again soon. She sat down on the damp ground and pulled at the grass. She waited for a few more minutes, but Wil never showed. That night, she slept with disappointment heavy in her heart. This cocktail party couldn't come too soon.

The afternoon sun was flooding through the left side of the barn, coating the inside in orange light. Music hummed softly from the surround sound. A sense of relief and excitement buzzed through the room. All Emily could think about was the missed meeting and how she wasn't going to be able to explain to Wil why she couldn't make it because of the incessant lack of privacy.

She wore a pale blue, long sleeve wrap dress that hugged her curves and fell just above her knees. It complemented her new tan leather boots with electric blue patterned stitching. Her hair was pulled up into a high, loose ponytail and her lips painted with bright red lipstick.

The girls sat at the lounge area near the barn, discussing their dates. Each of them had been on their individual date with Wil and they were all equally impressed by him. Except for Amelia, a stunning twenty-three-year-old school teacher.

‘I think he's stuck up,' she said sipping on the straw sticking out from a tall pink cocktail.

Emily shared a glance with Becky.

‘Why?' asked Daniella.

‘I get the impression he thinks he's too good for me. He's stand-offish.'

Emily guessed, by the looks of Amelia, she'd not experienced anything but fawning males in her history.

‘How so?' asked Tatiana. ‘I found him incredibly attentive.'

Amelia shrugged a bare shoulder. ‘I'm not sure.' She rolled her eyes, sipped on her straw again, then sighed histrionically. ‘I went to take his hand and he pulled away from me. Seriously, my school kids behave better.'

‘I'm sure that's not it, Amelia,' said Becky. ‘He's
polite
. I don't think he's going to make moves early on with anyone.'

Emily didn't miss what was unsaid in that statement:
Yes, even with someone as young and beautiful as you, Amelia.
She had a strong sense that if these girls were to find out the reality of her and Wil's dates, she'd be a lamb to the slaughter. But they'd never know, as long as Emily kept her mouth shut, and as long as Wil did the same.

Her gaze floated to the entrance. Empty. Damn, she really needed to talk to him.

The cocktails flowed and as Emily chatted with the other women, laughing and talking about the sexy guy they were each dating, she could forget where she was, and that their sexy men were all one and the same—Wil.

When Amelia left the group momentarily for the bar, the gossip began.

‘Amelia's too young for him,' said Tatiana.

‘Did that seriously just come out of your mouth?' Becky laughed sardonically. ‘No man, ever, would find that twenty-three-year-old woman too young. Wil included. He's a gentleman, but he's still a man. And besides, she's still here, isn't she?'

Emily watched Amelia as she waited at the bar. Wil was twenty-nine, but this girl laughing with the barman, coiling her long blonde hair around her finger, did look very young. Small and petite. And Becky was right. Twelve girls so far had been eliminated, but Amelia was still here. Emily would be lying if she didn't admit to that grating on her, just a little. Emily's own father had left a marriage of twenty years for a younger woman. The allure of youth was strong—so strong that men would destroy entire families to chase it.

She bit back an angry groan for having such ridiculous thoughts. She was thirty years old, one year older than Wil, not seventy. God, Amber's comments and this show were warping her brain. And besides, Emily was the one kissing Wil, not Amelia. By her own admission, he wouldn't even hold her hand. Emily narrowed her eyes as she glanced at her again. What if Wil was behaving the way he did with Emily, with the other girls? Emily wasn't spilling her secrets to them; they could be acting just as discreetly.

Closing her eyes, she rubbed the back of her neck with her hand.
Stop it, Emily. You're doing what you always do.
Trying to find a reason to prove him untrustworthy.
Ultimately, that was the reason her last three relationships had ended. She knew that. But it was proving a hard habit to break. One she had hoped, by the time she was thirty, she'd have beaten.

Emily had a solid head buzz up by the time Wil came in—exactly what the directors had hoped for, she was sure. He was dressed more casually than the last cocktail party—torn stone-washed denim jeans, a short-sleeved white t-shirt, which hugged his muscled arms, and that make-her-so-damn-wet cowboy hat.

She held back this time though she tensed to go to him. His smile was wide and courteous as he strode towards the small cluster of women. ‘Hi, ladies,' he said, tipping his hat.

That move stoked the fire in her belly—the flash of his eyes, dimples, and seeing those arms on display. His gaze swept over the girls until he found her. Emily smiled as she locked her gaze with his. ‘Hi,' she mouthed.

He winked. ‘Hi.'

And her legs turned to jelly beneath her. That's all it took, for him to see her. She wanted to go to him and throw her arms around him. She wanted to explain that she didn't mean to stand him up and she hoped he hadn't waited too long.

Chapter 26

Wil headed directly to Emily. He wouldn't be able to relax until he knew she was okay and what had started between them hadn't come to an abrupt end for reasons he couldn't comprehend. No one else in the room existed. When she placed her hands on his shoulders and leant in to receive a kiss on her cheek, his body sighed to feel her touch, to breathe in her scent—sweetly feminine.

‘Everything okay?' he asked.

She leant back and edged closer for a kiss on his other cheek. ‘So sorry. Waylaid.'

Leaning back he smiled down at her. ‘I thought you may have changed your mind about me.' He didn't care about the cameras. He needed to know.

She shook her head.

His shoulders rolled and he realised how tense he had been. God, he wanted to kiss her so badly then. ‘Tonight,' he whispered incredibly softly, eyes hotly on hers.

She nodded imperceptibly.

He blew out a long breath and smiled. ‘I'll just say hello to the others, then we can talk.'

‘Sure.'

Wil turned to the other girls. He had to choose at least three women to talk one-on-one with over at a little section of the barn set up with cameras. It was all bullshit—supposedly to give him more time to see who he wanted to eliminate later on tonight. But, as he kept reminding himself, this was part of the game. And this game came with Emily, so he'd endure it. Besides, he already knew who he was going to eliminate.

He took Tatiana with him first. They chatted about their date and she told him more about her modelling career. She was incredibly well-travelled and had a head on her shoulders. He loved to listen to her talk because her stories were engaging. He appreciated her life experience and maturity. Life in Russia had been difficult for Tatiana but her parents found refuge in Australia where she was given the opportunity to flourish. She was currently in the process of releasing a swimsuit line.

‘You're incredibly beautiful and smart, Tatiana. It astounds me that you're single.'

Pain flickered in her blue eyes before she lowered her gaze. ‘Yes. Some men find it difficult to be with successful women.'

He shook his head, his brow crinkled with incredulity. That's one thing he could never understand. Determined, successful, independent women were who attracted him. There was nothing more desirous than a confident woman meeting him head-to-head. ‘Their loss,' he said, and he meant it. He knew Tatiana wasn't right for him and his lifestyle here on the farm. He sensed she would soon grow weary of the quiet. But she was an amazing woman and he hoped the best for her.

He escorted Tatiana back to the other ladies and asked Amelia if she would talk to him for a while. The director stipulated that Amelia was one person he had to talk to. It angered him because he knew the reasons why. Their last date didn't end on a good note.

She smiled, stood and took Wil's hand. Wil ushered Amelia to an area at the back of the barn. She was a young teacher from the outer suburbs of Melbourne, beautiful and sweet, but ruthless. She tried to kiss him at least three times, hold his hand, squeeze his thigh, and press her hand under his shirt. Yes, her attentions were flattering, but he knew if she stayed here, those attentions would grow and it would look bad on film. He didn't want to do anything to hurt Emily, despite what she said about her not having a claim on him. And there were only so many times you could politely remove yourself from someone's embrace and advances before you looked like a rude, arrogant arsehole.

Amelia was rigid as she sat beside him, kept a distance between them. He sighed because he knew his constant rejection of her advances had hurt her.

He frowned. ‘I'm sorry, Amelia.'

She shook her head, shrugged. ‘What for? I'm fine.'

‘There are still eight ladies left and nearly six weeks of filming. I want to ease into this. Make sure I'm not moving too quickly.'

She flicked her hair over her shoulder and nodded. ‘Sure. I get it.'

He could foresee this type of situation becoming worse as the weeks went by. And the hardest thing was these women were wonderful in their own way. It was the format of the show that meant all but one had to ostensibly lose.

He tried to talk to her for a while longer, but she was a closed book. He didn't persist. It made him feel ridiculous and Amelia more resentful. He escorted her back to the other ladies who were loud and raucous, laughing and chatting with each other. It warmed his heart to see Emily looking more relaxed with them now. Especially after some of the comments she'd received.

He stood in front of Emily and grinned wide. ‘Hi there.'

She smiled up at him with her honey-brown eyes. ‘Hi.'

‘Did you want to come have a chat with me?'

‘Sure.'

He held his hand out to her and she gripped it, loving the instant comfort and warmth it provided him. He led her to the hay bales and sat close, his arm around her and his fingers running up and down her back. It was a compulsion to touch her. He knew how it would look once the show aired, but he didn't care. Touching her was like needing air.