Phoebe could sense he was being a little condescending, and while he wasn’t exactly rude she still didn’t take kindly to it. She had only been in the country two days, and she thought even to be in the close vicinity of her new home was quite good. She doubted he’d do any better if the tables were turned and he was dropped into Washington.
‘Well, maybe it was transcribed incorrectly and maybe it was the street you just passed—on the left.’
Heath sensed she was being petulant and he found it almost amusing. He had grown up in Adelaide and knew the street she was referring to was home to a food market and some restaurants—not houses.
‘Fine, then I’m happy to turn around and drop you back in the street you think is yours.’
Phoebe knew he had called her bluff, and on such a hot day he had won.
‘No, let’s do it your way and see if you’re right.’
‘Let’s.’
‘You sound like Aunty Tilly and Uncle Paul,’ Oscar suddenly announced from the back seat. ‘They talk like that all the time, but in the end Aunty Tilly always wins.’
Heath froze, and so did Phoebe. Heath knew he was talking about his sister and brother-in-law—a married couple—and that Phoebe would suspect as much. They both went silent, and the rest of the short trip was dedicated to Oscar’s chatter about the pool.
It wasn’t long before Phoebe found herself waving goodbye and thanking her travelling companions before making her way inside her house. Oscar’s comment still resonated with her long after she’d closed the front door. They’d sounded like a married couple bickering.
Initially, looking over at her handsome, almost brooding chauffeur, with his wet hair slicked back and his shirt buttoned low over his lightly tanned chest, she’d felt herself wondering what might have been had they met under different circumstances … before she had been hurt so terribly by Giles.
But as she tried to forget that heartbreak she couldn’t deny that her heart beat a little faster being so close to Heath. His nearness had made her play self-consciously with loose wisps of her hair and swallow nervously more than once as she had looked away from his direction and to the scenery outside of the car during the trip home.
But she wasn’t interested in men and particularly not pompous men who took enjoyment in proving they were right. And romance only brought anguish into her life, she reminded herself. After Oscar’s bombshell she’d realised she had to step back. Right away from any contact with Heath outside of work arrangements, she decided as she dropped her bag of wet things into the laundry.
Pushing the child’s observation out of her mind, Phoebe made some lunch. What could Oscar really know about married couples? Nothing, she told herself, and decided to call her father. It was late in Washington, but he had left a message on her phone so she knew he was still awake.
‘So, what do you think of Adelaide?’
Phoebe wasn’t sure what to tell her father. She hadn’t seen much of the city, save for the airport, a coffee shop, a stifling hot podiatric practice and of course the pool, so her experience was limited. Her view of the parklands was lovely, but she had kept inside a small radius since arriving so thought she wasn’t yet placed to give a great evaluation. And when it came to the people of Adelaide she had spoken to the customs official, her cab drivers, Heath, Oscar and momentarily Tilly.
Not really enough to gauge a whole town, she thought. Immigration had been pleasant, the cab drivers were polite, Tilly seemed sweet, Oscar was cute—and then there was Heath. She really didn’t want to spend time thinking about him. Particularly after Oscar’s comment.
She was confused, but pushed thoughts of him to the back of her mind. He was a conundrum that she wasn’t sure she cared to solve. It could be another woman’s problem, she decided. One good-looking man had already taken too much of her time and energy with no reward. And she was definitely not looking for a replacement. No matter how handsome.
‘It’s super-hot,’ she finally replied.
‘That’s it?’ Her father laughed heartily. ‘You fly to the other side of the world and all you can tell me about the city is that it’s super-hot? Wouldn’t want you to be the only witness for the prosecution any time soon.’
Phoebe realised how vague it had sounded, and she also knew she didn’t need to have her guard up. Her father knew the worst that had happened.
‘I met Dr Rollins, and the practice is great, but the air-conditioning has broken down so we just had coffee yesterday, and today I went for a swim since I have the day off while it gets repaired.’
‘So Ken Rollins is a good man? Do you think you’ll enjoy working with him?’
Phoebe drew breath. She wished she could answer in the affirmative to both questions but she couldn’t. She hadn’t met Ken.
‘Ken’s undergone emergency knee surgery, so his son is looking after the practice.’
‘It’s fortunate for him that he has a son to take over,’ her father replied, then added thoughtfully, ‘But I know you were looking forward to working with Ken after you read his papers. I hope you’re not disappointed?’
It was the second time she had been asked that question. And her answer still stood. She wasn’t disappointed. Confused about the man, and definitely not interested beyond their working relationship, but not disappointed.
‘Working with Heath will be a learning experience.’
‘I hope you enjoy it, then,’ he told his daughter.
‘I hope so too, and if nothing else I’ve got a few months of warm weather ahead,’ she said, trying to remind herself of the only benefit she should be considering.
‘Try feeling sorry for your father. I’ll be shovelling snow at some ungodly hour in the morning. Perhaps you should get some sleep, sweetie. Your flight would have been taxing, and the high temperatures will add to that.’
‘It was a little tiring, but I think …’ Phoebe paused as she heard the beeping of a text message come through. ‘Can you hold for one minute, Dad? I think I got a message …’
‘Sure, honey.’
Phoebe pulled the phone away from her ear and saw a number she didn’t know. She recognised it as local and read the message.
Phoebe, it’s Tilly. I know it’s late notice, but would you be free for dinner tonight around seven at my place? Dad will be here and he’d love to meet you. And I would love to chat properly. Heath can pick you up.
An invitation to have dinner with the family was something Phoebe hadn’t expected and she felt her errant heart race a little with the prospect of seeing Heath again. She knew it was crazy but her response to seeing him again made it obvious she may have a battle ahead. It clearly wasn’t going to be as easy as telling herself the facts. She couldn’t look out of a car window and ignore her reaction. She had to look inside of herself and face the fact that Heath was awakening feelings that she thought she had packed away when she had decided to focus on her career. Suddenly butterflies began to quicken in her stomach.
She didn’t answer the text immediately as she quickly made plans in her head. She couldn’t decline as that would be rude. And she wanted to meet Ken. With her breathing still a little strained, she resolved to get a taxi there on the pretext of saving Heath the trip—when she was only too aware it was to avoid the closeness of him in the confines of his car.
‘I’m back,’ she said, trying to concentrate once again on the conversation with her father. ‘How’s Mother?’
‘She’s fine. At her yoga class