Once a Rebel... Read Online Free PDF Page B

the sand. He turned away from her to climb the dunes up to the road, to find his own way home. He wasn’t stupid. No way she was letting him back in her car. No way he’d get in there, even if she did.
    Today had been a huge error on his part.
    He’d been stupid to think that he could make good on any of his past failings. That just didn’t happen.
    And something else he knew.
    Her stupid purple and black stockings pressing through the beach sand … That was the last of Carol-Anne Marr’s crazy, high maintenance daughter that he’d be seeing.

CHAPTER THREE
    ‘Y OU went to Antarctica.’
    Not
Hello?
Not
Is Shirley there?
Not
Sorry I was such an exceptional ass.
Shirley took a long slow breath and released it away from the mouthpiece of the phone.
    ‘Hello, Hayden.’ She’d know that deep, disparaging voice anywhere.
    Instantly.
    She’d flown back in yesterday evening and initialled the website just before collapsing exhausted into bed.
    Commune with penguins.
    Tick.
    ‘That was a big one,’ he opened.
    ‘Certainly was,’ she closed.
    He didn’t miss the frost in her tone. ‘Listen, about the other day—’
    Three months ago.
    ‘—I’d like to apologise.’
    Too late
. She leaned back in her writing chair. ‘No need. I had no right to judge you.’
    A long pause from him. Was he trying to decideif she was genuine? ‘I could have been more … diplomatic that day. I’m sorry if it hurt you.’
    It had hurt but not because he’d slapped her down. Dredging it all up again had hurt. Sifting through her reasons had been hard.
    She shrugged. ‘The truth does sometimes hurt.’
    A long, empty pause. Then, ‘I climbed the bridge.’
    Shirley’s hand froze on the phone. The Sydney Harbour Bridge was on the list. The tiniest of flames puffed into existence deep inside her.
    He’d started the list.
    ‘I was there for a stockholder meeting. Thought I might as well.’ The flame snuffed out again. Did he add that especially so she’d know how little effort he’d made?
    ‘You didn’t tick it off.’
    ‘No, I …’ Another pause. But she could hear his breathing. He cleared his throat. ‘I thought I’d get a few under my belt before updating the site.’
    A few
? Did that mean he was going to honour his promise? But she wasn’t ready to trust him yet. ‘What are you going to do, work your way down the list?’
    ‘The top is as good a place to start as any.’
    Sorrow welled up inside, from somewhere deep and dark. ‘Well, that should take you about a fortnight, then.’
    This time the pause was laden with confusion. His. That was fair enough; she herself barely understood the bitterness creeping through her voice.‘I thought that we could team up for a few of them,’ he persevered. ‘Two birds, one stone kind of thing.’
    Because this was such a massive inconvenience? ‘The list is not really a team sport …’
    ‘I enjoyed the dolphins.’ A single strand of pleasure twisted through the darkness at his admission. ‘The experience I would have had on my own was different to the one I had with you there.’
    That was certainly true. ‘You would have ended up in a fist-fight with the volunteer.’
    ‘He was smug. And showing off for your benefit.’
    ‘He was passionate. And proud of the work they do. You belittled him.’
    ‘I tested him. Big difference.’
    Why did that surprise her? He’d always been interested in breaking people down to see what made them tick. ‘Not to the person on the receiving end.’
    That shut him up. For almost half a minute.
    ‘So, is that a no to partnering up? I already have reservations.’
    She hated doing this by phone. It was all too easy to imagine vulnerability in his tone. If she was looking him in the eye he’d never get away with that. But his tone changed hers. She sighed. ‘Tickets to what?’
    ‘The symphony.’
    ‘The Australian Symphony doesn’t have Beethoven on their line-up for this year.’ She’d already checked.
    ‘Not the ASO.