Christmas at Coorah Creek (Choc Lit) Read Free Page A

apologising. ‘After you rescued me when I was in trouble.’
    ‘Don’t worry about it.’
    His voice was the same. So too was the shock of brown wavy hair. Just like Ed’s when he was young. And the way he stood, straight and sure of himself. As a teenager, Scott had always been unwilling to back down or give an inch. It didn’t look like that had changed.
    But something must have changed, because he was here – in the place he had left, vowing never to return.
    Ed’s hands were shaking. He jammed them deep into the pockets of his dirty overalls. He had to do something. He couldn’t just stand in the shadows looking at his son. But he wasn’t ready to face him yet. He just needed another minute.
           ‘I can’t say how sorry I am, or how grateful.’
    The girl was still talking. Ed wondered who she was. It sounded like she was a stranger Scott had found on the side of the road.
    ‘Anyone would have done the same.’ Scott finally turned his attention back to the girl. He dropped to the ground and reached under the Commodore to untie the tow rope.
    Now was the time, Ed knew. He should go and speak to them. He wished the girl wasn’t there. He would much rather have been alone when he faced his son for the first time after so many years. There was a lot they had to say to each other. Things that couldn’t be said in front of a stranger. In front of anyone. But it looked like he wasn’t going to get any choice.
    He took a step forward.
    Outside, he saw Scott stiffen, staring in Ed’s direction. Had his son seen him?
    ‘You’ll be fine now,’ Scott said to the girl, without taking his eyes from the door of the garage. Then he turned, quickly got back behind the wheel of his car. Within a few seconds he was gone.
    His son didn’t want to see him. Ed’s heart was pounding. He wasn’t sure what he felt. Relief at having more time to prepare for their meeting. Fear that Scott might leave town without ever talking to him. He wanted to know what had brought him back after so long. And most of all, he desperately needed to know if Scott had ever found what he was searching for.
    Outside, the girl was still waiting.
    Ed took a deep breath and walked out into the bright sunlight.
    ‘G’day.’
    ‘Hello. I’m afraid my car has broken down. Radiator, I think.’
    ‘I’ll take a look.’
    Working on cars had always been Ed’s great joy. Even at the worst of times, he could lose himself in his work and put his troubles to one side. Not so today. He took a cursory glance.
    ‘Yeah. Radiator. It’ll need replacing. I can get one in for you. Take a couple of days though.’
    ‘That’s all right. I’m here to stay. I’m going to be working at the hospital. My name is Katie. Katie Brooks.’
    ‘Ed.’ There was no need to tell her more than that. ‘Lucky for you that bloke was able to tow you in. Is he a friend of yours?’
    ‘No. He found me on the side of the road. Good thing too. I was out of water and starting to worry.’
    ‘A good bloke then?’
    ‘Oh yes. He was just great!’
    Ed looked at her face as she spoke. There was a shine in her eyes that told him his son had impressed this girl. Clearly she was hoping to see him again. Ed knew that look. A woman had once looked at him like that. A long time ago. It hadn’t lasted long, but how sweet it had been. It had given him a son, but that relationship too had soured.
    Ed felt just a small flare of hope deep inside. Maybe he was about to get a second chance.
     

 
    Chapter Four
     
    Scott felt bad about leaving the poor girl so abruptly. He wasn’t normally that rude. She seemed rather nice. She was also very pretty and just a little bit lost. It must be tough for someone so very English to find themselves all the way out here, beyond the black stump. He was normally more than happy to help a lady – especially one with blonde hair and blue eyes, but he’d had to get out of there. He did not want to face the man he’d seen moving in the