Outback Sunset Read Online Free PDF Page A

wasn’t overly interested in any of them though she was friendly enough and joined in the conversation. Covertly studying her he sensed her reserve, it was recognisable from where he sat.
    He waited an hour or so, watched the numbers at her table thin, checked out what she was drinking, then ordered one for her, after which he sauntered across to where she sat and put the drink down in front of her.
    ‘For the dance you did, Miss …? Having two left feet myself, I really appreciated your skill.’ He held out his hand. ‘I’m Brendan Selby from Western Australia. Most people call me Bren.’
    Vanessa looked dubiously at the gin and tonic, and at the man who’d bought it for her. In one glance she took in his grubby shorts, the singlet top that showed off his well-developed chest, and his dust-encrusted sandalled feet. ‘Thank you, but I don’t think …’
    ‘Please,’ Bren entreated. ‘I’m strictly a beer man so if you don’t have it, it’ll be tipped down the drain.’
    After giving Bren a mother-hen once over and an ever so slight nod of approval, Fay Whitcombe intervened. ‘Go on, Vanessa, it’s all right. I’m sure Bren doesn’t bite.’ She threw him a speculative stare, ‘Do you?’ When he said that he didn’t, she smiled and invited, ‘Sit down, Bren.’ Fay formally introduced Vanessa. ‘This is Vanessa Forsythe. Tonight’s her last night in Darwin. She flies home tomorrow.’
    ‘And home is …?’
    ‘London.’
    ‘Oh!’ Brendan disguised his disappointment. Well, that’s that. She might just as well live on Mars. Even so, as he couldn’t help himself, he took another, closer look. An alien ache twisted in his chest until it hurt and at that moment the fact that she was out of reach, somehow, crazily, didn’t matter. He just wanted to talk to her, get to know her a little and to watch those expressive brown eyes and forget that after tonight he’d never see her again. Such thoughts were as un-Brendan like as could be and they surprised him. He mentally shook himself as he sat opposite her, admonishing himself to be sensible.
    ‘Vanessa’s an actress,’ Fay put in to start the conversation.
    ‘Really!’ Bren absorbed that with a nod. ‘I thought maybe a model or a dancer.’
    ‘My mother was a dancer who, being Spanish, specialised in Flamenco dancing,’ Vanessa said. ‘She taught me how to do a lot of different dances when I was younger … b-before she passed on.’ No-one at the table knew, because she’d not talked very much about herself and what she did, but she could dance the bossa nova, the cha cha, the tango, even the provocative lambada, at a professional level, if she wanted to.
    ‘I’m sorry for your loss,’ Bren said, his tone sincere.
    Vanessa’s returning smile was tinged with sadness. ‘It was a long time ago. I was twelve when I lost both my parents in a train crash.’
    Bren nodded solemnly. ‘That must have been tough. My father passed away seven months ago. Iinherited his cattle station and run it with help from my younger brother.’ He pointed to Curtis who was leaning over the pool table to make a shot. ‘That’s him over there. Curtis is a crack pool player.’
    Vanessa’s gaze flicked towards the pool table then back to Bren Selby. Polite interest was in her tone as she asked, ‘Where is your station, Bren?’
    ‘In the Kimberley, a hundred or so kilometres south west of Kununurra. It’s not as huge as some, roughly one hundred and ninety-five thousand hectares. It’s called Amaroo Downs. We run about eight thousand head of cattle there, mostly Brahman.’
    Vanessa laughed, ‘That sounds huge. Isn’t that about the size of Wales?’
    ‘Not quite, but it is pretty big,’ Bren advised with a pleased grin.
    ‘Must keep you busy,’ Fay interceded. ‘You know Linford Downs Station, of course? Barry and I are friends of Simon and Kathy Johns.’
    ‘The Johns are our closest neighbours.’
    The band started to play again, and this time