The Outback Bridal Rescue by Emma Darcy

backing Johnny had set up and put at her disposal. This was what al her life had been building towards…fol owing in her father’s footsteps. It was time to take it on now and make a success of it.
    Everyone came to the dining room for breakfast, probably conscious of its being their last meal in each other’s company for a while. Possibly a long while. Megan wondered if Mitch and Ric would ever return to Gundamurra, now that her father was gone, though both of them were very solicitous towards her.
    ‘If any problem arises that I can deal with, cal me,’ Mitch urged earnestly. ‘No hesitation, Megan. Just cal me. Okay?
    Any legal thing you want explained, or you’re worried about, or something you want cleared with Johnny…’
    The message was loud and clear. He was there for her.
    As her father had been for him.
    It was the same with Ric, though his concern was more personal, taking the chair beside her at the table to speak privately. ‘Megan, if Johnny starts treading on your toes, taking over what he should leave to you, let me know and I’l talk to him. I have no doubt he’d mean wel , but Patrick made you the boss here and that’s how it should be. So any time you need a mediator, I know Johnny wil listen to me.
    Just lay it out and I’l handle it. Okay?’
    Al three of them, determined on giving support—her father’s boys. And although there was no blood relationship between them, they truly were a band of brothers, Megan thought, probably closer than real family in their knowledge and understanding of each other.
    They were her father’s legacy, too, she realised, not just Gundamurra. Stepping in as brothers to her, as wel , except she’d never wanted Johnny as a brother. Had her father known that? Had he written his wil with the deliberate intent of forcing both of them to deal with each other, hoping for an outcome that would at least sort out her feelings, one way or another?
    He’d known far more of Johnny than she had.
    Maybe he’d simply aimed for her to learn who Johnny was—the real person behind the image. A major lesson about making judgements, not letting emotions rule, standing back and using informed reason, putting herself in another’s shoes, treading gently instead of blindly stomping. Being worthy of her father …Mitch’s words…
    final y struck home to her.
    Johnny had seated himself directly across the table and she was acutely aware of him watching her over breakfast
    —concern in his eyes, too. ‘I’d like a private chat with you before I go, Megan,’ he pressed.
    ‘Sure, Johnny.’ Her smile was to show everyone they were friends now, no acrimony souring the partnership they were friends now, no acrimony souring the partnership they had to have. ‘Let’s walk down to the airstrip together. Mitch can take the Land Rover to carry the luggage and everyone else. I’l see you al fly off in the plane, then drive back to the homestead.’
    There was a hard moment, fil ed with the nervous tension of wanting him to understand it was better to skip past the physical intimacy they’d shared, just leave it behind them.
    Meeting in a room would make that difficult for her. His attraction was too strong, the sexual memories too fresh.
    His eyes searched hers with a sharp intensity that suggested he wanted to fight this arrangement, seek a more exclusive time of closure with her. It was a huge relief when he nodded, conceding to what would be a far less fraught situation for her, being out in the open with the evidence of the drought al around them, a pertinent reminder of what their partnership was essential y about—
    rescuing Gundamurra.
    Thankful y Evelyn provided some distraction, coming in to fuss over him, as usual, ensuring he was served with the crispy bacon he liked. For once, Megan could smile at the housekeeper’s desire to indulge his preferences. How many people did care about Johnny El is at such a basic level, expecting nothing back except the pleasure of