New Year, New Man. Laura Iding

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      The penny dropped for Nick. His lurid background was too much for Sarah. Hopefully, she wouldn’t bring it up again. Talking about movies he could cope with. His past was best kept locked in the dungeon.

      ‘It came out yesterday to mixed reviews,’ he told her. ‘It’ll take a few more days before the public’s verdict has come in.’

      ‘What’s it called?’

      ‘Back to the Outback. It’s a sequel to Outback Bride. It has the same writer-director.’

      ‘That should do well, surely. Everyone who saw and loved Outback Bride will come to see it.’

      ‘That’s what we’re hoping.’

      ‘Is it any good? Sequels often aren’t as good as the original.’

      ‘I think it is.’

      ‘But the critics didn’t.’

      ‘A couple of them did. The others hated the tragic ending.’

      ‘Who dies? Not Shane, I hope.’

      ‘No, Brenda.’

      ‘Brenda! That’s even worse. You can’t kill off the heroine in a romance. There has to be a happy ending, Nick.’

      ‘Rubbish. Lots of romances have unhappy endings.’

      ‘Only the ones written by men,’ she said disgustedly. ‘How does she die?’

      ‘She’s shot saving her child from the baddies,’ he said defensively, as if that made it all right.

      ‘No excuses. She simply cannot die. Why couldn’t she have been shot, but still live? Truly, you should have talked to me about this earlier, Nick. I would have advised you.’

      ‘She needed to die. She was no good for Shane. Their romance was flawed and their marriage was a disaster waiting to happen. She hated life in the country and was threatening to go back to the city and take the child when the baddies from her earlier life show up. The sequel isn’t really a romance, Sarah, it’s a drama.’

      ‘You can call it what you like. It sounds awful.’

      ‘Thank you for the vote of confidence.’

      The captain announcing that they were expecting some turbulence and everyone was to belt up terminated what was becoming a heated exchange.

      ‘Typical,’ Nick muttered as he snapped his seat belt shut.

      ‘What do you mean?’ Sarah asked, grabbing at the armrests when the plane shuddered.

      ‘January is cyclone season in this neck of the woods.’

      ‘I wish you’d told me that earlier. We could have just as easily stayed home, especially once Flora and Jim went away.’

      ‘I wanted to show you Happy Island.’

      ‘The island itself, or your fancy holiday house?’

      Nick smiled. ‘A man’s allowed to show off to his girlfriend, isn’t he?’

      Sarah’s heart flipped over. ‘You…you called me your girlfriend.’

      Nick shrugged. ‘I reserve the right to rescind the title if you get stroppy with me.’

      ‘I only get stroppy during cyclones. I also get hysterical.’

      Nick laughed. ‘Now she tells me. Don’t worry. My place is cyclone-proof. Actually, Happy Island hasn’t been directly hit by a cyclone in decades. Mostly, it just gets lots of wind and rain. Unfortunately, we might have to stay indoors for days on end,’ he added with a wicked twinkle in his eyes.

      Sarah grinned. ‘Just as well I brought all my old board games with me, then, isn’t it?’

      Nick groaned. ‘Oh, no, not the Monopoly! You always whipped my butt at that.’

      ‘Monopoly and Snakes and Ladders, and Chinese Checkers. I found them in the bottom of my wardrobe when I was packing.’

      When Nick looked pained, she gave him a playful dig in the ribs.

      ‘Come on. We used to have great fun playing those games.’

      ‘I had some different kinds of games in mind now that you’ve grown up.’

      Sarah shook her head at him. ‘If you think this holiday is going to be just a sex-fest, Nick, then think again. I picked up a brochure about Happy Island from a local travel agent and there’s heaps I want to do.’

      ‘Really. Such as?’

      ‘Aside from a tour around the island to all the scenic spots, I’d like to take a boat trip to the barrier reef and a helicopter ride over the Whitsundays. Then there’s windsurfing and souvenir-shopping. Oh, and mini-golf. You can have your revenge on me with that. I also saw pictures of a lovely white beach with the most beautiful turquoise waters where I’d like to go for a swim.’

      ‘Uh-uh,’ he said with a shake of his head. ‘You won’t be doing that.’

      ‘Why not?’

      ‘Because of the irukanji.’

      ‘The what?’

      ‘They’re a jellyfish. Toxic as all hell. They can put you in hospital for days. Two people have died from their sting since 2001. Summer is their peak season.’

      ‘Oh, great. No swimming.’

      ‘Actually, you can go in the sea, if you wear a full body suit. But they don’t look too glamorous. Still, not to worry. There are more СКАЧАТЬ