This tiny discernment however did not go unnoticed. He sipped the last of his beer, one leg outstretched and the other tapping the footrest. ‘My name’s Ryan,’ he added, shifting his sunglasses to the top of his head. He leaned forward and extended his hand. ‘Ryan Scott.’
‘Hi!’ she replied, offering her hand in return. He took it and examined it carefully as if it were a business card, turning it over to see if the underside gave more detail away. Laughing, she snatched it back quickly and pretended to slap him with it. She reached for the stool but in a single move he pulled it from under the bench and steadied it for her. ‘Aw, thanks,’ she grinned. ‘I’ll have a gin and tonic. I’m Indio.’
Ryan admired at close range the cleavage he had studied from a distance.
‘Indio …?’
Turning her head to one side, she examined his face carefully as if it might reveal his true intentions. His steel-blue eyes, which she hadn’t previously noticed, were hypnotic, and it took a few moments for her to realise they were fixed on her.
‘Indio Ladd,’ she finally relented. ‘Is it that important?’ She gave him a pretend frown.
‘I like to get to know who I am talking to,’ he replied, breaking into a smile. ‘Where did the name Indio come from?’
‘My father named me after a nearby town.’
‘Indio,’ he repeated, eyeing her slyly.
‘It could have been worse,’ she laughed. ‘I might have been called ‘Cactus’ after one of the local trails.’
He smiled broadly. ‘Indio is cool.’ Without averting his gaze, he signalled to a passing waiter who changed his direction and strolled over with a pad and pen.
‘A G&T, and another beer please.’
The waiter nodded, put his pad back in his pocket without writing anything and ambled away.
‘Do you mind if I take a look at your watch?’
‘By all means.’
She put her hand forward again, and he reached over and ran his finger lightly over the small gold face. ‘Mine has the vintage style with the extra functions but this has a beautifully simple design. Good choice,’ he added, leaning back again.
‘I thought so.’
‘American?’ he asked. ‘Let me guess. California?’
‘Yes,’ she said, surprised. ‘Good guess! You’re definitely an Australian,’ she laughed. His eyes were striking, almost piercing, and reminded her of someone that she couldn’t place.
‘Is it that bad?’ Ryan grinned. ‘I really didn’t think we had that much of an accent. Let me try an American one … you’awll have a good day now …’ he said, dragging his vowels.
She laughed. ‘You do a pretty good Texan drawl. Not bad. But I’m from the other side, in Palm Springs. We don’t speak like that.’
‘Palm Springs,’ he repeated. That’s north of LA?’
‘East,’ she corrected.
‘Right.’ He paused, choosing his words. ‘I’ve been to Anaheim and San Diego, but not in that direction,’ he remarked. This was a lie and he hoped she wouldn’t quiz him on it. He looked at her carefully but she didn’t ask and he let his shoulders relax slightly. ‘What were you doing there?’ he questioned.
She pushed a curl behind her ear and the late afternoon sun illuminated it like burnished copper. ‘That’s where I grew up. My father is a property developer.’
‘I thought Palm Springs was just desert …’ A smile played on his lips, and she wondered if he was teasing her.
‘It’s quite a big place – lots of Hollywood celebrities have lived there.’
‘Like Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin?’ he offered.
‘So you do know! I thought you were ribbing me.’
‘You gotta know your onions … so to speak. That’s what you guys say, isn’t it?’ His eyes sparkled. ‘Does he build their houses?’
She laughed. ‘No, he’s into hotels actually. He’s met one or two, though, when they’ve come to stay.’
‘Anyone I might know?’
She thought for a minute. ‘Ron Hale is one.’
He looked at her blankly.
‘Gotcha! That’s one point to me!’ she said gleefully. ‘I thought you knew your celebrities.’
‘Do I get points back if I guess who Hale is?’ he asked playfully.
She folded her arms and gave a light snort. ‘Okay. You’re on.’
‘Movies?’
‘Yes, but that’s not what he is famous for.’
Ryan chewed his lip thoughtfully. ‘TV obviously. Drama?’
She paused. ‘I guess so,’ she said. ‘More like a soap.’
‘Bold and the Beautiful?’ he mused, giving her a wink. ‘The Young and the Restless? His face broke into a broad grin. ‘No? What about Days of Our Lives? Come on, that’s gotta be a close fit …’
She laughed again. ‘No. Give up?’
‘Alright. What is it?’
‘General Hospital.’
‘I should get half a point for being close.’
‘Okay, half a point. That’s being generous.’
‘So, are you on holiday here? What do you say … on vacation?’ He gave her a long smile.
‘Sort of. My dad wanted me to get straight into the family business but I needed a year off after college. You call it a gap year, right? We don’t really have such a thing in the States, but I’m having one anyway. Actually, I’ve been here for two.’
She sat back and shifted her sunglasses down over her eyes, adjusting them so she could study him more closely without her examination being obvious. He looked a bit like an actor himself.
He ran his fingers lightly through his hair and her stomach jumped. She wondered how he would react if she reached out and touched him.
‘What are you doing in Australia?’ he asked.
She wrapped her arms around herself. ‘Well, nothing, really. I’m having an extended holiday, more or less. I should get a job, but I don’t need to. My father sends me money so I’m alright. I’m sure he thinks that if he does that, I won’t try to get work and I’ll come home sooner!’
A large black tray suddenly appeared beside them and she leaned aside so that the waiter could put the drinks down.
‘What does he want you to do?’
‘Oh I don’t know. There’s plenty of stuff. My brother manages one of the developments, and he would like to train me up to run another.’ She paused. ‘But right now it’s not something I’m interested in. He’s kinda disappointed but I have always done my own thing – I do what I like.’ She swirled the lemon around the ice and took a sip. ‘I’m daddy’s little girl, but I get what I want …’ she said slyly.
He shot her a sideways glance, his eyes twinkling.
‘We’ve talked heaps about me. What about you?’ she asked, raising one eyebrow. He really was incredibly hot.
He rotated his beer anti-clockwise on the drink coaster until it jammed on a corner and stopped suddenly. A little froth cascaded over the edge and began a trail of fluid across the table. He halted its progress with his thumb.
‘I