Outback Thunder (12 page)

"No, it
wasn't like that honestly. I kind of ambushed him." Lucy glanced up at Zoe
and then back down at her feet. She coughed before continuing. "I knew he
was waiting for you, I overheard Brandon ribbing him about it. I was jealous,
okay. So I thought I would make a move on him before you got there. You had
everything." She laughed a bitter sound. "I never had anything like
you did. Family who loved you, a steady boyfriend, I was so envious of you and
I wanted to hate you but you were always too nice to me. But I figured if you
found us together you would spit and I was right."

"Why the hell
would you want to do that?" Zoe held her hand to her head as the pain shot
to her temple.

"Can I do
something for you, Zoe?" Lucy made a move to come closer to the bed.

"You can fuck
off out of my room as soon as you tell me why."

"I fancied
him, plain and simple. Sadly with you around I never stood a chance." She
crossed her arms and laughed again. "When you two started having trouble I
figured it was my chance to get him. He was getting ready for you, hence the
bare chest. I didn't give him a chance to push me away, I just pounced on him.
I'm sorry."

"Get
out."

Lucy turned and
left, closing the door behind her.

The tears streamed
down Zoe's cheeks unchecked. Ten years wasted and for what?

A stupid prank.
That evil little bitch has a lot to answer for.

 Zoe had refused
to listen to Jonas's explanations. It had been easier to run, just as he had
said. How could he forgive her for this, she couldn't forgive herself. She had
robbed her daughter of her father and Jonas of the child he said he hadn't been
ready for. Even so, that was no reason to leave him.

 
How the fuck
am I going to fix this?

The door opened
and she dropped her head but not quick enough.

"Zoe, what is
it? Are you in pain?" Jonas was at her side in seconds. She brushed him
away and reached for a tissue. She blew her nose giving herself time to pull it
together.

"Yes and no.
Delayed reaction I think. Take me home Jonas."

"I've just
dragged the doctor from his bed so you can at least give him the courtesy of
waiting for him to discharge you. Besides a cup of tea in bed won't hurt
you." Jonas tidied up the sheets and eased her back on the pillows before
handing her a fresh tissue. "The tea trolley is just down the hall and
will be here in a minute."

He stroked a
strand of hair from her face and gave a crooked grin. "You had everyone
worried, Zoe bird. Brandon was beside himself."

She shredded the
tissue in her hands, stifling the guilt rising in her chest.

Jonas was in the
chair beside her holding her hand when Dr. Bob walked in.

"Desperate to
leave us, Zoe?"

"Yeah, sorry.
I have to get home, I hate hospitals. I'm pretty sure you understand," she
said giving him what she hoped was a stable grin.

"How is the
head this morning?" he asked holding her wrist to take her pulse.

"Sore but I
kind of expected that."

"You'll no
doubt have a cracker of a headache for the next couple of days." He took a
light and shone it in her eyes, checking her pupils. "You look as I would
expect, Zoe." Dr. Bob stood back with a stern look on his face.
"Okay, here's the deal. You can go home only if you rest up. Today I don't
want you to leave the house at all. Lounge around, watch television and take it
easy. For the next couple of days I don't want you on a horse or doing any
manual work, understood? You will probably have a couple of woo woo episodes
and might need help with getting around."

Zoe opened her
mouth to argue but Doc stopped her.

He held up his
hand and frowned. "Don't even try to argue Zoe. I know you and if you
don't listen to me you will stay here another day. If you had your way you
would be out rounding up cattle tomorrow so it's just as well Jonas is here to
hear this. You've had a nasty knock to the head. You have to be careful or you
will be back here, okay? A relapse is possible and you don't want to know the
consequences of that."

"Yes,
sir." Zoe made eyes at Jonas beside her.

"She will do
as she's told. I'll make sure of that." Jonas looked at her with his
eyebrow raised and a seductive smile playing on his lips.

Zoe almost mewled
out loud at the suggestive movement and averted her eyes before he saw the
passion lurking there. She mentally kicked herself when he squeezed her hand.

Bastard saw way
too much.

"I'll get the
paperwork signed and you can go. Just remember what I said, Zoe." Dr. Bob
gave a small wave and left them alone.

"Finish your
tea and I'll see if your clothes are clean." Jonas followed the doctor
from the room.

When he came back
he held Zoe's washed and pressed work clothes in his hands.

"How did you
manage this?" she asked glad that the blood soaked shirt was now fresh and
not dripping her blood.

"I asked,
Zoe. Now I'm under orders to help you dress in case you have what Dr. Bob calls
a woo woo moment."

"Sure,
Jonas." She shook her head at him and clamped her thighs tight, her inner
goddess leaping for joy, throwing rose petals on the bed sheets.

"I'm serious.
Dr. Bob said you weren't to attempt anything like dressing or showering
yourself just yet otherwise he will keep you here. You heard him
yourself." He grinned at the look of disbelief on her face. "You can
call him back and check if you like but I assured him that I could cope with
the job."

"I just bet
you did."

Zoe hugged the mug
of tea in her hands and willed her body to stop humming in joy. She had to keep
her distance from Jonas until she could get it straight in her mind that he
hadn't lied to her. Not staying and telling him she was pregnant was going to
come back and bite her ass, she just knew it. She could tell herself he didn't
want children but that wouldn't last for long. He was always one for doing the
right thing and she knew that even though he wouldn't have been impressed by
the news he was going to be a father, he would have stepped up and taken on the
responsibility. It was just the way he was, even as a teenager.

 The guilt would
rise and swallow her if she didn't sort it out in her own way. She had made the
most monumental fuck up and she had no idea how she was going to fix it. For so
long she had denied herself the love of this beautiful man because she hadn't
trusted him enough. And Zoe knew she should have total faith in the man she
wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She had been ready to bear his
children but couldn't deal with what had really happened that night, what they
had done to each other. Just goes to show that her mother was right, she hadn't
been ready for marriage or motherhood.

Such a pity she
was so damned pig headed.

"Do you want
a shower here or do you want to wait until you get home?"

"Home
please."

Because I won't
be able to have my way with you here and I don't know if I can hold back even
if I wanted too.

****

Zoe looked at the
sports car in horror. It was filthy and the front bumper had a dent in it with
a big chip of paint missing where it had hit something on the way into town.

"Oh no,
Jonas. Your poor car, it’s trashed."

"It's just a
car Zoe, it can be fixed."

"Yeah but
still..."

Jonas opened the
door and nudged the orderly who was openly ogling the expensive machine.

"Uh,
sorry."

 He took Zoe's arm
and helped her into the seat standing back letting Jonas put on her seat belt.
When Jonas shut the door and thanked the orderly, he had no option but to take
the wheelchair back inside.

"That was
mean," Zoe said when he got in beside her.

"No it
wasn't." He turned the key starting the car and the deep purring of the
engine shivered over her skin. She had time to look over the car she was
scornful about now that she wasn't semi unconscious and dripping blood.

"Pretty nice
toy."

"Yes it
is."

"Will you let
me drive it?" Zoe pursed her lips, fighting to keep the smile from taking
over.

Jonas looked over
at her and shook his head. Once he exited the hospital gates he put his foot
down, and the force of the car pushed Zoe back into the seat.

"Wow."

"Yeah, wow.
That is why you won't be driving the car."

"I get you.
Still, I think that you should let me have a go eventually. Before you move
back to town anyway." Zoe held her breath and waited for him to say he
wasn't going to leave the farm again.

The silence filled
the car and she turned to look out the window watching the countryside drift
past. Swallowing her disappointment she kept quiet until they turned into the
driveway.

****

Slowing down to
avoid the pot holes in the drive, Jonas pulled up at the house and got out
before Zoe could open her door. He undid her belt and slipped his arm under her
butt and behind her back, lifting her easily in his arms.

Brandon appeared
at the door and with a cry, ran down to open the gate.

"Zoe, God you
had us worried. How are you feeling this morning?"

"Just a bit
slow on it. Don't worry Bran, I'll be fine."

Jonas carried her
up the stairs and headed for her bedroom.

"Wait. Can't
I sit in the lounge or something?"

He gazed down at
her. "Don't you want a shower first?"

He smiled at the
tinge of red flushing up her cheeks. His body reacted and he shifted positions
wishing that Brandon was anywhere but in the same room as them right now.

"Maybe I
could have one shortly. Can I sit for a bit with Brandon?"

Her big eyes
pleaded with him while her lips were saying something else. Confused Jonas
turned and carried her into the lounge, placing her in a large comfortable
recliner chair and pulling over a stool for her feet. "I'll be back in an
hour. By then you will probably want a rest. The doctor told me that's how it
works." He looked over at Brandon. "Don't let her do anything.
Doctor’s orders. I'm going to put the car away and catch up with Pete and then
I'll be back to help you, Zoe."

He turned and left
the room. The first thing he had to do was brush his teeth and pull on a clean
shirt. The one he was wearing was spotted with her blood and looking at it made
his stomach roll. The shower could wait until later when she was asleep. He
threw the shirt in the wash basket and grabbed a clean shirt from his wardrobe
and pulled it on.

Jonas stood
brushing his teeth contemplating how he was going to repair things with her. He
had no intention of going back to the city but he was holding that information
close to his chest for now. There were things he had to sort out if he wanted
to run his corporations from the farm and until everything was tied up how he
wanted it, it was best left unsaid.

The cool water he
splashed on his face woke him up strengthening his resolve and made him more
aware of what was ahead of him. His head was clear and determined when he
walked down to the farm office.

"How is
Zoe?" Pete asked before Jonas put one foot into the office.

"She'll be
fine if she takes it easy, which is going to be a battle in itself. You know
what she's like Pete. Doc said rest for a few days and nothing doing by
herself. She had concussion, not to be taken lightly."

"Yeah well we
all know how stubborn she is. You were always the only one who could make her
see sense."

"That was a
lifetime ago."

"Some things
never change. What can I do for you?" The farm manager sat back in his
chair and motioned for him to sit.

"I just want
to see how we are faring getting the numbers for the sale."

"I had a look
over the sheets when the boys finished up yesterday and we have all the cows we
need but there aren't really any young bulls that I would like to put up for
offer." Pete picked up the stats sheet and handed it over.

"Yeah, I see
what you mean," Jonas said scanning the list. "We have a bit of time
though to sort it out. I'll go up and scout around once Zoe is alright to leave
on her own and see what I can find, maybe tomorrow. I bet they are hiding
behind the ridges just over from where we started."

"Can you
flush them out with the chopper?"

"I don't see
why not. I can at least find them and if they won't budge the boys can go out
and bring them in. Shouldn't be too hard. If I can find them with the chopper,
that's half the battle."

He went over more
figures with Pete and other farm work giving Zoe time to talk to her brother
before he wandered back up to the house.

Brandon met him at
the door. "Do you mind keeping an eye on Zoe while I go into town?"