Right as Rain by Tricia Stringer - Chapter Sampler

7/27/2019 Right as Rain by Tricia Stringer - Chapter Sampler

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Right as Rain

T R I C I A S T R I N G E R


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DID YOU PURCHASE THIS BOOK WITHOUT A COVER?If you did, you should be aware it is stolen property as it was

reported unsold and destroyed by a retailer.Neither the author nor the publisher has received any payment

for this book.

First Published 2013First Australian Paperback Edition 2013ISBN 978 174356465 3

RIGHT AS RAIN 2013 by Tricia StringerPhilippine Copyright 2013Australian Copyright 2013New Zealand Copyright 2013

Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilisation of this work in wholeor in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now knownor hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or inany information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the permissionof the publisher, Harlequin Mira, Locked Bag 7002, Chatswood D.C. N.S.W.,Australia 2067.

This book is sold subject to the condition that shall not, by way of trade orotherwise, be lent, resold, hired out or otherwise circulated without the prior

consent of the publisher in any form of binding or cover other than that in whichit is published and without a similar condition including this condition beingimposed on the subsequent purchaser.

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in anyform. This edition is published in arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A..

This is a work of ction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either theproduct of the authors imagination or are used ctitiously, and any resemblanceto actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales isentirely coincidental.

Published byHarlequin MiraAn imprint of Harlequin Enterprises (Aust) Pty Ltd.Level 4, 132 Arthur StreetNORTH SYDNEY NSW 2060AUSTRALIA

and TM are trademarks of Harlequin Enterprises Limited or its corporateafliates. Trademarks indicated with are registered in Australia, New Zealand,

the United States Patent & Trademark Ofce and in other countries.

Printed and bound in Australia by Grifn Press


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A motorbike revved, rousing Mackenna rom the deep ug o a dream-

less sleep. She rolled over to the other side o the bed. It was empty

but she knew she hadnt dreamt the events o the previous night.

Adam Walker was a real man, and she was in love. Her heart skipped

a beat and she smiled and stretched across the bed. The sheet settled

around her as she became aware o the silence o the room.

She prised her eyes open enough to squint through the open

bathroom door. It was empty. It was only a small motel room and

even through sleepy eyes she could see his clothes were missing rom

the couch and both bike helmets were no longer on the table by thedoor. Adam was gone.

The bike revved again, the sound reverberated in the early morn-

ing quiet o a slumbering Queenstown. New Zealands adventure

C H A P T E R

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10 T R I C I A S T R I N G E R

sheet sending assorted tourist brochures and papers rom the bed-

side cupboard to the oor. She gave only a quick glance to the mess

beore turning her attention to the window. On the street below, themotorbike burbled and the helmeted rider leant orward, glanced

over his shoulder and roared down the street out o sight.

Her heart raced, but not like it had last night when shed given

in to Adams caresses and taken him to her bed. Last night hed been

an attentive lover. She glanced at the clock by the bed. It was only

just six oclock. Why would he leave without saying anything? She

chewed her lip. Surely her judgement wasnt that of? Shed rushed

into relationships in the past and this time shed been determined to

take things more slowly and get to know Adam beore leaping into

bed with him. Shed kept her resolve or a ew days. Theyd spent the

best part o a week together, being tourists and exploring the sightsand activities on ofer in Queenstown.

She pressed her orehead against the glass. The noise o the bike

sotened, as i the rider hesitated. She held her breath. The bike revved

and revved again then roared away. She listened until the last burble o

its engine aded and the street was quiet once again, then she opped

back onto the bed. Just because her past encounters had turned out to

be with losers didnt mean Adam was one as well. She sat up quickly.

Maybe hed just gone to get something or breakast to surprise her.

She dragged the bedclothes back rom their pile on the oor

and leant down to search or the skydiving brochures. Papers were

scattered in all directions but she eventually ound the one she waslooking or and settled back against the pillows. Adam hadnt planned

to skydive and it wasnt on Mackennas list o must dos either, but

theyd talked each other into it. That was the plan or today i the


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R I G H T A S R A I N 11

her bag. It was out o credit again. Because o its unreliability theyd

always made set plans and hadnt used their phones, and Adam hadnt

given her his number. She tossed the useless phone into a shoppingbag along with all the brochures and made hersel a cofee. At eight

oclock she had a shower and dressed and had another cup o cofee.

By the time nine oclock came she realised there was no need or

Adam to take both helmets or a trip to the shops. There was noth-

ing o his let in the motel room. He wasnt coming back. The pain

o rejection stabbed her like a knie and tears brimmed. In just one

short week she had really believed he was the kind o man she could

spend her lie with. How that would work with him living in New

Zealand and her in Australia she hadnt thought through yet.

She picked up her camera and ound the picture shed taken o

them yesterday, the two o them leaning in. They both looked sohappy. Another stab o pain jabbed her chest. He was just another

guy having some un. What an idiot shed been to think it would

amount to anything more than a holiday romance.

At least no-one else knew about Adam. What happened on holiday

stayed on holiday. It was never said exactly, but her parents expected

her to nd a bloke and get married. Up until now shed not had

much luck with that. No-one had measured up, until Adam. He was

a che on holiday, a kind o busmans holiday, and had been lling

in a couple o shits or a mate. Shed been mesmerised by his deep

brown eyes, his tight dark curls and his ready smile. His quirky New

Zealand accent, sotened by the inuence o his Australian mother,was warm and charming. Their attraction had been instant.

What a ool she was. She didnt know much about him at all.

She didnt even know where it was he had been cooking. The tears


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with his desertion to think o Adam so harshly. At the sight o her

puy-aced reection in the mirror, she drew in a breath and pulled

back her shoulders.Time to get back to work, Mackenna, she told hersel and began

to pack her bags.

Your husband is out o theatre, Mrs Birch.

Louise dragged her gaze away rom the window looking out over

the hospital roo and turned to the nurse.

How . . . how is he? Her mouth was dry, making her tongue

stick as she orced the words out.

Hes doing ne. Doctor will be in to see you as soon as hes n-

ished in theatre.

Let alone, Louise sank onto the one chair in the room as her legswent to jelly under her. No matter how many times they told her

angiograms were routine, she knew things could go wrong. She put

on a brave ace or her husbands sake but, let alone, her thoughts

terrorised her.

She looked down at the large white envelope protruding rom the

handbag she gripped with both hands. While Lyle had been in the-

atre shed gone to collect the papers theyd signed the day beore. She

opened the envelope and slid out the crisp white sheets. Theyd had

plenty o thinking time over the last month and a new will had been

necessary. The previous one had been done beore theyd had chil-

dren, so an update was long overdue. Something they should haveattended to beore this. Somehow lie was always too busy.

She icked some stray hairs behind her ear. Theyd argued over

the wording and it had let them both uncomortable. Arguments


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This was quite diferent, o course. Making decisions about prop-

erty and livelihoods in the event o someones death wasnt an easy

thing. Lyle hadnt wanted it set out in the way Louise had demanded,but he had wavered and shed taken advantage o his weakened

health to press home her point. A pang o guilt coursed through

her. She pushed it away. This was or the best. Lyle would be on his

eet again soon and everything would return to normal . . . but just

in case.

She dropped the papers onto the bedside cupboard and began

to pace the small room. The rst lot o stents were meant to x the

problem but Lyle kept getting pains. Shed thought it was the anxi-

ety the doctor had said was natural ater a heart attack, but Lyle had

insisted it was more than that. Perhaps there was something the doc-

tor was keeping rom them. Why was Lyle still getting pain? Wouldthe doctor be able to x it this time? She stopped as the door opened

and her husband was wheeled back into the room.

He gave her a small thumbs-up, and she kept out o the way while

the nurses settled him in his bed.

Doc reckons hes xed it this time, Lou, Lyle said as soon as the

nurses had gone.

Thats a relie.

Hell be in to see us later.

Louise picked up his hand and squeezed it. Youll be much bet-

ter soon.

He cleared his throat. Im as dry as a chip.She reached or his glass and he spotted the envelope.

That our wills? he asked.

I went out while you were in theatre.


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Louise ofered him a sip o water. He closed his eyes.

The angio wasnt a very pleasant experience. Hope they wont

need to do it again in a hurry.She brushed gently at his cheek. He lited a hand to pat hers but

kept his eyes closed. He looked like hed been through the wringer.

She slipped the envelope back into her bag. There was no need to

worry him about them now. What was done was done.

Hugh hesitated at the back door. Ater the big noise o his homecom-

ing dinner last night the house was very quiet. Three older brothers,

their wives and children made or a rowdy assembly when they all

got together. His mum loved it. She was in her element with them

all seated around the amily table, but not Hugh. He was oten the

butt o his brothers jokes and no longer at ease with his ather. ForHugh a amily gathering wasnt a scene o enjoyment, more one o

endurance but he did it or his mother. Hed been home two months

earlier or Christmas and had barely stayed or twenty-our hours on

that visit.

Now he was home or a couple o months. It was just temporary

but he already knew it was a mistake to have taken on the agriculture

consultants job. Hed agreed only because he had some time up his

sleeve beore his new challenge and he owed it to his mother. His

rare visits home were always too short or her.

He turned at the sound o a vehicle.

What the . . .!He retraced his steps to the garden gate. The old arm ute, driven

by his mother, grumbled to a stuttering halt with a big log attached

to the tow bar. He looked rom the lump o wood to the gouge


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What are you doing, Mum?

Im working on the side garden, she said. This log is going to

be a seat.The side garden was a misleading name or the wild expanse o

trees and weeds that his mother had tried to tame. Despite several

attempts over the years, shed never managed to change the garden to

the vision she imagined. She was always so busy helping around the

property, raising children and now grandchildren. It had become a

standard amily joke that Mum would get a bee in her bonnet rom

time to time and try to cultivate the jungle her husband had named

Marys Folly. O course none o them ever ofered to help her, and

she would run out o steam. A ew months or a year would pass

beore shed tackle it again.

They stood either side o the log and she reached across and pat-ted his cheek. Its so good to have you home, love. Now that youre

here a bit longer, you can settle in or a while. I you nd a nice

local girl, you might like to stay. She winked at him rom under her

broad hat.

Dont go down that path, Mum. Ive already told you this is just

a temporary visit.

Temporary can be made permanent.

Mum . . .

Help me get this of. She cut him short to deect what she

didnt want to hear and began grappling with the huge log.

Hugh reached across and helped her undo the rope.Hell! he said as the weight o the wood wrenched ree rom

their hands and hit the ground with a thud, orcing them both to

jump clear. How did you get this hooked up by yoursel?


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Where do you think youre going to put it?

I told you, in the side garden. She put her hands to her broad

hips and glared at him. She wasnt a very tall woman and at thatmoment she resembled some kind of mythical woodland creature in

her wide hat and a dress that hugged every roll, down to her feet in

thick socks and a pair of boots shed have taken from the assortment

at the back door. Hugh didnt dare smile. Instead, he turned and

began to walk. He knew there was no point arguing with her, just as

he knew she would use every possible chance over the next couple

of months to entice him to stay.

Show me where you want it, he said over his shoulder as he led

the way around the side of the house.


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C H A P T E R

2

Oh, look at that view, the Australian voice gushed. Stop darling,

take a picture.

Adam elt rather than saw the couple beside him taking their

holiday snaps. He knew what they were looking at and hed pur-

poseully chosen a seat with his back to it.

At the end o the street behind him, the lake stretched out to be

met by the greens, browns and greys o the rugged mountains ris-

ing out o it. Hed been to Queenstown several times but hed never

really taken a lot o notice o the views. Most o his trips had been or

work and to try all the activities on ofer. This last week had been di-erent. Mackenna had made it diferent. Theyd wandered the streets

hand in hand, eaten at restaurants, had impromptu picnics, enjoyed

various tourist activities and yesterday they had planned to skydive


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Hey, Ads. A hand slapped him on the back and he sat up. He

watched as Jef slipped into the chair opposite him.

Has something happened with your grandather? Jef asked.Still holding his own.

I thought that long ace might have meant bad news. Have you

ordered? I havent got long. Jef glanced around. Where is she?

Adam picked up the menu. Hed been dreading this moment.

Hed wanted to text Jef and cancel but his need or a riend had

stopped him. I dont know.

What do you mean you dont know? Jef placed his big hand

over the list o lunchtime snacks.

Adam orced his eyes to meet his best mates gaze. Shes gone.

Gone? As in of to the shops or as in disappeared? Jef chuckled.

Disappeared. Once again the pain o her loss stabbed at him. Hewatched the smile ade rom Jefs ace.

Have you called the police?

She let on purpose, Adam said quickly, beore Jef took things

into his own hands. When I got back to the motel yesterday the

woman at reception said shed checked out.

Where did she go?

I dont know. He rubbed at his chest. She took a taxi but the

woman didnt know where to. Shes just . . . disappeared.

Adam studied the menu through watery eyes. Damn, Jef would

think him a ool. Adam was shocked himsel. Hed never thought

this emotion possible over a woman, but Mackenna wasnt like anywoman hed ever known. He loved her.

Did you try ringing her?

Adam shook his head. Her phone doesnt work and . . . well, I


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Mate, Im sorry. Jef reached across the table and gripped his

shoulder. I know you really liked her but maybe you read it wrong.

Adam shook his head. I couldnt have.Sometimes women . . . well, maybe she didnt eel the same way.

Aussie girl on holiday meets good-looking New Zealand bloke. Jef

dropped his hand. His voice trailed away leaving the rest unsaid.

Adam rowned. Was Mackenna that kind o girl? He hadnt

thought so. They were meant or each other, hed known that within

the rst ew hours theyd spent together. Shed elt it too. Hed seen

it in her vibrant green eyes.

Well, on the bright side, Jef said, i youre here without a

woman you can spend more time with me.

Adam looked into Jef s big round grinning ace. Theyd been best

riends since they started as apprentices in Auckland. Both ches, Jefnow had his own restaurant here in Queenstown while Adam had

always worked or other people, learning and moving on. He had no

desire to own his own place.

Slave labour you mean? It came out sharper than Adam had

intended but i he hadnt responded to Jef s desperate call yesterday

morning, he might still be with Mackenna.

I didnt plan a at battery and my sous che to be sick. Jef sat

back in his chair. He spoke sotly. Giving me a ride and covering

a shit was good o you. I do appreciate your help you know, Ads.

Adam instantly regretted his words. I know, mate. Its not your

ault. I should have woken her up, told her what I was doing . . .They lapsed into silence.

The lunchtime crowd ebbed and owed around them. A waitress

appeared, pen and paper in hand. Adam ordered a bowl o wedges. It


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Adam glanced at his mate.

Id pay you, Jef added.

I dont know what Im going to do. There was a job I was goingto apply or in Wellington but now . . . I dont know. Call me an

idiot but I hadnt thought past being with Mackenna.

Idiot, Jef said and gave him a pretend slap to the side o his

head. Was she ying back to Australia rom here?

No, Christchurch.

A sudden thought hit Adam. He jumped up then steadied the

table as beer slopped rom his glass.

What are you doing? Jef grabbed his own glass.

Her ight home is still a week away. Adam reached under the

table or his bike helmet. He didnt know her number but he knew

the airline and the time o her ight.What are you going to do? Jef was standing now; a good head

taller than Adam, he rowned down at him.

Im going to Christchurch.

What about lunch?

Sorry, mate.

Adam hurried up the street weaving in and out o the crowd.

Suddenly he could see the leay green trees, hear the birds and smell

the ood wating rom the eateries.

Please wait or me, Mackenna, he murmured.


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Right as Rain by Tricia Stringer - Chapter Sampler