Page 15 of Cinderella and the Outback Billionaire

Five minutes later, she stopped to let some air out of her tyres before setting off again at a much slower pace.

Yesterday’s dust storm had deposited a fine, silty covering over everything, and it was deeper than expected. Three hours, she estimated, before she got where she needed to go, and another three hours back to the tent.

Had to be done.

Reid’s life depended on it.

She was two hours into her journey and she’d reached the foot of the escarpment and found the track that would take her to the top when she saw the helicopter in the distant sky. She skidded her ute to a halt, her heart thumping with hope that they would see the crash site uphill and the tent, or if they missed it that they would see her, and she could try and wave them down and give them directions.

But they didn’t come her way, they circled back and forth in grid-like fashion, causing Ari to scream with frustration and begin mouthing directions they couldn’t hear. She got out of the car and began waving her arms, before reaching back in the cab for a bright red pullover so she could wave that too.

Head south, now southwest. That’s it, you’ve got this. West. I meant west! Now, straighten up and just keep going.

If she willed it maybe it would happen.

That’s it. Yes. Yes!

They’d seen it. They’d found him.

Ari flung her fists towards the sky. ‘Yes!’ Hurry. ‘He’s waiting for you.’

The stress of the past twenty-four hours hit her like a truck, and she sank to the ground and put her hands to her face and sobbed her relief, letting go of the fear that whatever she did, it wouldn’t be enough. He’d get the best of care now, and it would be enough.

Hours later, when Ari made it back to camp, there was nothing left but her tent on its side, her sleeping bag still wet with blood and a helicopter in pieces.

They’d come for him and taken him.

Wounded billionaire and test helicopter pilot Reid Blake was gone.

CHAPTER FOUR

‘I THINK YOU should come. You need the work and the Blakes can always use a spare set of hands.’ Gert stood at her kitchen counter, packing cleaning supplies into neatly labelled plastic tubs. She looked up and arched a winged brow, as if daring Ari to refuse.

‘You told me the caterers always bring their own staff with them.’ The Jeddah Creek station ball, hosted by Bridie and Judah Blake, had become an annual event these past dozen years or so, getting grander every year. ‘And they fly bar staff in as well.’

‘True.’

‘Then what is there for me to do?’

‘None of them get to go back of house. You’ll be helping me with the guest rooms and bathrooms and making the special guests staying at the homestead comfortable. You know the layout of the house and, more to the point, Judah and Bridie know you. They can trust you.’

Could they? Ari had never come forward to say she’d found Reid and looked after him until proper help arrived—that was six months ago now. Practically ancient history.

She’d been meaning to contact them as soon as she got back to town, but as one day had slid into the next and there’d been no word of Reid at all, she hadn’t wanted to ’fess up and potentially be blamed for not doing more and sooner.

Or try to explain to big brother Judah exactly what she’d been doing out there in the first place.

It wasn’t as if Reid would ever be able to identify her, even if he did have vague memories of her being there. Maybe she could go with Gert and see this dazzling Outback spectacle of beautiful people in an opulent setting for herself? ‘So who are the special guests?’

Gert shrugged. ‘Don’t know for sure. It’s all very hush-hush until they get there. We had a European prince and princess last year. Very polite.’

Ari blinked. ‘Seriously?’

‘Yep. And a grand dame of the English theatre—I can’t remember her name, but you’d know her if you saw her. Barking, of course, but she told the funniest stories.’

‘How many guest bedrooms do they put out for use?’

‘Six. And two drawing rooms for only those house guests to retreat to, plus the library. So twelve guests in the house, maximum, and around five hundred outside in tents, vehicles and planes.’

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