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the business card she’d written his number down on.
    Her stomach tightened into a knot as she picked up her mobile phone and punched in the numbers. For what would she do if he refused? What could she do? Laura felt sick just thinking about it. She hit the call button and started praying.

CHAPTER SIX
    â€˜R YAN Armstrong,’ he answered quite promptly in his very male voice.
    Laura straightened her spine and squared her shoulders at the same time. ‘Ryan, it’s Laura. Laura Ferrugia.’
    â€˜Laura!’
    No doubting the surprise in his voice.
    She could hear noise in the background, people laughing and talking, and live music playing. If she wasn’t mistaken he was still at the Opera Bar.
    Laura decided not to waffle; she wasn’t a waffly person at the best of times. ‘Is your offer still open?’ she asked abruptly.
    â€˜Absolutely.’
    â€˜Thank God,’ she couldn’t help saying.
    â€˜That sounds somewhat ominous. What’s happened to make you change your mind?’
    â€˜My aunt happened, that’s what,’ she said sharply.
    â€˜Sorry. Have I missed something?’
    â€˜I’ll fill you in tomorrow during the drive up there.’
    â€˜Up where?’
    â€˜Didn’t I tell you? Gran lives in the Hunter Valley. So does the rest of my family. I’m sure I told you.’
    â€˜You probably did. I remember you mentioning the John Hunter hospital.’
    â€˜Yes, well, the John Hunter hospital is not really near theHunter Valley. I take it you’re not familiar with the Newcastle area?’
    â€˜No. Never been up that way at all.’
    â€˜It’s a relatively easy drive. You just take the freeway north and turn off at the signs to the vineyards. I usually make it in just over two hours. If I leave home out of peak hour, that is.’
    â€˜And where’s home?’
    â€˜Manly. Do you have a nice car?’
    â€˜That’s an odd question. Ah, yes, I get the drift. You want to impress.’
    â€˜You have no idea,’ she said with so much feeling that he laughed.
    â€˜In that case, you’ll be pleased to know I have a very nice car. A navy-blue BMW convertible. Will that do?’
    â€˜Wonderful. And Ryan, I hate to tell you this, but my aunt assumed that we’d be staying the night and I simply couldn’t get out of it. Though you don’t have to worry that we’d have to share a bedroom. Gran would never tolerate that in her home.’
    But it wasn’t her gran’s home any more, came the sudden thought.
    Surely her aunt wouldn’t put them in the same bedroom?
    Surely not?
    But she just might…
    Best not say anything, or Ryan might back out of the deal.
    It was a worry all the same.
    â€˜So, what’s your address?’ he asked. ‘And when do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Laura, get with the programme.’
    â€˜Sorry,’ she muttered and gave him the details he requested.
    â€˜What clothes should I take with me?’ he asked. ‘I’m getting the feeling that your family has money. Am I right?’
    â€˜They’re well off but not seriously rich. Still, my aunt fancies herself a social hostess, so she’ll pull out all the stops for dinner tomorrow night. But you won’t need a dinner suit or anything like that.’
    â€˜What kind of place is it?’
    â€˜Years ago it used to be a large stud-farm for thorough-bred horses, with hundreds of acres of prime pastureland. But when there was a downturn in the horse-racing industry my grandfather sold off all the horses and went into cattle. Then when he died a few years back and my uncle took over he sold off most of the land to a property developer and invested the money, though he did keep a few cows. Nowadays, the property’s just a small farm, really.’
    â€˜I’ve never been to a farm.’
    â€˜You haven’t missed