THE REBEL AND THE RICH GIRL (3 page)

Because I’m not model materiel like Trisha, she thought disdainfully, the only type of woman a man like you would be interested in. “Not particularly,” she said, but he seemed determined to tell her.

“Because you don’t know what you want. You’ll play at social work for a while until you find out how cruel the world really is. You think you’re making a statement by shirking your privileged upbringing, but in the end you’ll do exactly as Daddy says.”

Nicole never thought she could actually hate someone, but at that moment she positively loathed Philip Pelayo. His hold on her lessened, and she quickly snatched her hand away. It felt as though she had been holding it over a burning flame, but she’d already come to the conclusion that tangling with this man was like playing with fire, a risk only to be taken if one wanted to get totally and utterly cindered.

Then why was she still arguing with him? “I’ve obviously struck some chord with you. If you really were immune you wouldn’t be bothering to have this conversation with me.”

He smiled again, but it was a mocking one. “So your course has taught you something. No, I’m not immune, sweet Nicole, but I’ve learnt to keep a tight rein on my emotions, unlike you. Yours are plastered all over your cute little face for the whole world to see.”

“The ones telling you how much I hate you,” she hissed back at him.

He laughed, shaking his head, making his hair tumble about his face. As he raked it back, a wicked little smile twisted his well-shaped lips. “They say there is a fine line between love and hate, the two most powerful emotions on earth,” he said as he got abruptly to his feet.

Nicole stared after him as he strode away, shaking her head in utter bewilderment. He knew nothing about her.

Nothing at all.

Then why did his cruel words ring so horribly true?

Yes, she didn’t know what area of social work to get into, but she was positive the helping profession was for her. Yes, she’d responded to him, but the only reason she could think of was because his touch had rekindled her awareness of her own sexuality, something she’d buried so deep inside she thought it gone for good. It certainly wasn’t because she was attracted to him. He might be handsome, but he was so bitter and twisted any woman was wise to steer well clear of him.

Philip strode out of the yacht club. Since all the members of the crew had been invited he’d decided to put in an appearance, but knew no one would care once he was gone. He was like the lone wolf, avoiding the pack, so he could come and go as he pleased, with no one to hassle him, no one to need him.

Not being a member of the yacht club, he’d had to park his car over half a mile away, but Philip didn’t mind the long walk back up the hill.

The harbour looked beautiful at this time of night, with the sky aglow in bright shards of orange, yellow and crimson. Philip yanked off his tie and shouldered out of his jacket, slinging it over his shoulder as he walked.

Taking up sailing had been a whim, something suggested by a work colleague. What surprised him was how addictive it was. There was something so calming about being out on the water that soothed the senses and cleared the mind, that he could quite happily sit and watch the waves, the gulls and the sky for hours with the yacht cresting the waves beneath him.

This was to be his first Sydney to Hobart, but he’d sailed a few other ocean races, one to Lord Howe Island and another to Port Macquarie last Boxing Day.

The only downfall was that he couldn’t stand a bar of Peter Cameron. The man was arrogant, manipulative and power hungry. But there were enough crew members like him, ordinary guys with ordinary jobs to make the trip worthwhile. That was the funny thing about sailing. The rich supplied to toys for the boys to play with. Philip wasn’t going to complain about that. He only hoped he could keep his mouth shut long enough not to end up antagonising the skipper the way he’d harassed his daughter. That had been a mistake. But the little slip of a thing had gotten right up his nose with her high and mighty attitude, treating him like a servant when he politely handed her the napkin, then snapping at him when he tried to engage her in conversation on the deck.

When he’d first seen the two women he’d thought Trisha was Robert’s sister, with her blonde styled hair, sexy revealing dress, and her blatant come-on lines. It had stunned him to discover that brother and sister could be so different, but then he’d never met Gail until tonight either, and realised that Nicole took after her in the looks department. She’d looked so delicate with her porcelain skin and huge green eyes, but as soon as she’d opened her mouth he thought he’d been talking to her father.

What on earth made her want to be a social worker, when she could be anything she wanted? Philip just hoped she didn’t repeat what he’d said to her father before race day, otherwise Philip would have to find another berth, no mean feat only days before Christmas.

Nicole slowly returned the receiver to its cradle. After all she’d told her friend about his hateful words Trisha had still gone out with Philip Pelayo. According to her he’d been the perfect gentleman, taking her to a posh restaurant overlooking the harbour, where they had talked and laughed well into the night. And as for the way he kissed her good night, that had been
way
too much information for Nicole.

“I don’t want to hear any more, Trish. If you want to get your heart broken all over again, don’t expect me to help you mop up the tears this time. I’ve given you plenty of warning,” she’d told her sternly.

“Oh come on, Nic. It was only a date.”

“One date leads to another and another and before you know it you’ve fallen head over heels for the jerk –“

“Well to tell you the truth we haven’t organised another date.”

“That sounds promising.”

“Sometimes I wish you’d live a little, Nicole. Maybe you should go out on a date for once in your life.” So she had noticed! Nicole had thought Trisha couldn’t care less whether Nicole had a boyfriend or not.

“When someone worthwhile asks me I might.”

“Knights in shining armour riding snow white chargers don’t exist in this day and age.”

“And when they did they were drunken oafs who thought women were only good for one thing, well two, if you count what it usually resulted in.”

“That’s it. I’m outta here. See you on Boxing Day. Have a lovely Christmas Day.”

“Bye. Merry Christmas to you too.”

And they had both hung up.

Ever since that disconcerting encounter with Philip Pelayo Nicole had been feeling out of sorts, and her conversation with Trisha hadn’t helped either. It had hit too many raw nerves, opened too many old wounds. Painful memories of her teenage years kept infiltrating her mind. She reminded herself that she wasn’t that introverted overweight girl any more, that she now had a profession to look forward to, and if not beautiful, she’d gained enough experience to be able to handle just about every situation that life threw at her.

Every situation, it seemed, except those involving arrogant, overbearing males with long black hair and dark knowing eyes.

Nicole was still staring down at the telephone when she became aware of her mother calling her name from downstairs. She’d been so deep in thought she hadn’t even heard her enter the house.

“Nicole! Where are you? Hurry up and get ready. We’re going to the hospital,” Gail yelled. A moment later she appeared at the bottom of the staircase, her face pale with worry.

“What’s wrong, Mum? What happened?” Nicole hurried down the steps towards her.

“It’s Rob. That tummy ache he woke up with this morning turned out to be appendicitis. They’re operating on him now. The guys were out on the yacht and it kept getting worse, until he was in so much pain, they had to turn around and rush him straight to hospital,” she explained in a rush.

“He’ll be all right though, won’t he?” Nicole asked in concern.

“As long as they’ve caught it before it ruptures, and only days before Christmas too,” she lamented.

They found Peter in the waiting area when they arrived at the hospital some fifteen minutes later. He told them that Robert was still in the operating theatre.

“I thought it might have been all the spicy food he’d eaten last night at the restaurant. If it hadn’t been for Pelayo telling me he had appendicitis with symptoms very similar to Rob’s I would have gone on thinking it just a case of food poisoning. It didn’t help hearing that it almost killed him.”

“Well he’s still alive, and I’m sure Robert will be right as rain in no time,” Nicole said, trying to sound positive. It was rare for her father to show this much emotion. Even in extreme adversity he managed to maintain a visage of competent authority. She soon found out why he was so concerned now.

“Yes, but the race is only days away. What if he isn’t well enough to sail? Where am I going to find a replacement at this late stage?”

“Is that all you’re worried about?” she snapped. Nicole rarely challenged her father openly, but the idea that he was more worried about the race than his own son riled her beyond reason.

“Don’t talk to your father like that. He’s been under a lot of stress lately getting the yacht ready, along with all the other things we have to do at this time of year,” Gail reproved.

Nicole turned away. Of course he cared about his family. He just didn’t show it, she thought sadly. Sometimes she wondered if all he was interested in was empire building, that and showing off his new toys.
Gail Warning
was only one in a long line of expensive acquisitions.

It felt like hours before the doctor came to tell them Robert was in recovery. There had been no complications, and he assured them that within a week Robert would be back to normal.

“A week! We sail for Hobart in three days,” Peter exclaimed.

“You should be grateful he’ll be well enough to go home for Christmas. People take appendicitis far too lightly, but it can be life threatening. I’ve had more than one patient almost die from toxaemia caused by a ruptured appendix,” the doctor explained.

“So what am I to do now?” Peter grumbled, once the medico had left. “I can’t race with just nine men.”

“Why don’t you get your big Spanish pirate to do two watches? He looks big enough and mean enough to handle the job of three men,” Nicole declared.

“I couldn’t do that to him.”

“Who are you talking about?” Gail asked, perplexed.

“Pelayo. Oh stop gabbing and let me think.” Muttering under his breath, he began pacing across the floor.

“I know how you can solve your problem without wearing a groove in the lino,” Nicole said, after he’d traversed the room a few more times.

“No, I’m not taking you,” he asserted when she met his gaze.

“Why not? It’ll solve your problem of the tenth man.”

“No it won’t, because you’re not a man.”

“I know your boat as well as anyone, and it would save you from having to instruct someone new at this late stage.”

“We’ve already had this discussion, Nicole, and the answer is still no.”

But two days later, he had a change of heart. After hours of ringing around, Peter decided his daughter was better than no one. But Nicole’s victory was a hollow one. She was only going as a last resort, and she would mainly be working in the galley, preparing and serving food, just like any obedient little housewife.

The day of the race dawned hot and humid without a single cloud dotting the sky. By the time the start gun went off at one o’clock the only cool place to be would be on the water, where the ocean breeze could temper the sun’s glare.

Robert was well enough to see them off. Even Trisha arrived half an hour before they were due to leave, wearing her navy and white
Gail Warning
uniform. Most of the crew had family members’ milling about the marina, making it slow going bringing things to and from the yacht.

“I envy you, cooped up for three or four days with more than one gorgeous hunk,” Trisha purred into Nicole’s ear. “Here comes one of them now.”

Nicole knew without looking who Trisha was referring to, as everyone else was already here.

Talk about making a last minute entrance!

As she turned to see Philip return Trisha’s smile, Nicole wished he
had
missed the boat. His hair was tied back with a black elastic, but the same strand which had dropped across his brow at the cocktail party had escaped to blow in the breeze as he turned his attention to Nicole and Robert.

“You still don’t look too good kid,” he said to Robert. “But I’m glad they caught it in time and that you’re back up and about.”

“Yeah, but I wish it had been a few weeks ago. Now I can’t go in the race,” the teenager lamented

“There’s always next year,” Philip assured him. “Did your Dad find someone else?”

Nicole grinned to herself as Robert patted Nicole on the back. “Big sis here is going to take my place.”

“What?”
Philip gasped.

“Yes, so live with it you great big pirate,” she retorted smugly.

Philip shook his head at her, a deep frown forming on his brow. “Your father needs his head examined.”

“The only one needing their head examined around here is
you,
” she shot back.

“Hey folks! Get yourselves on board. We’re about to cast off,” Peter called. “And what’s with showing up seconds before we’re due to sail, Pelayo? You were meant to be here half an hour ago.”

Nicole turned to Trish and Robert, glad that at least he’d been reprimanded for his tardiness, if not his rudeness to her. “See you two in Hobart,” she said, giving them each a hug.

“Have fun,” Rob said a little ruefully.

“And try not to kill each other,” Trisha added.

“As long as he stays out of my way, I’m prepared to let him live. What the heck does he have against women on board anyway? What century does he think this is, the middle ages?”