Page 129 of Outback Secrets

Yes, here she most definitely was, and she sounded almost as surprised as he was. He nodded and went to get her drink, relishing a few moments away from her to get his head together.

Lara and Dylan jumped apart as he returned to the bar. He raised an eyebrow at their obvious canoodling on his time, but it wasn’t like they had much else to do and he didn’t really care anyway.

‘Will you guys be okay out here for a few minutes?’ he said as he grabbed a glass for Henri.

‘Sure,’ they said in unison.

‘Is Henri okay?’ added Lara.

‘She’s fine,’ he replied, with no idea whether that was true or not.

‘You look like shit,’ Henri told him as he put the glass down on his desk in front of her a few moments later.

‘Thanks.’ He pulled up an empty milk crate and sat opposite her. ‘It’s been a tough couple of days.’

‘Because you were so close to being discovered? Why did you choose Sexy Rexy to cover for you? Surely you could come up with someone slightly more believable.’

‘I didn’t choose him. The moment Logan confronted me, he just put his hand up. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t actually think anyone would buy it, but Rex is a pretty convincing storyteller. If I didn’t know the truth myself, I think even I might have believed him.’

‘So, what? He knew it was you all along?’

Liam nodded. ‘Yeah, I spoke to him briefly after Logan left and he told me he’s suspected for years. I guess he’s more observant and with it than anyone gives him credit for. He worked out long before Logan did that all the people and groups who received money or some other form of assistance, had been in the pub prior. I told you people talk to me. Well, he overheard some of them too. They tell me things they’re too scared or ashamed to admit to anyone else. Especially when they’ve had a few.’

‘But …’ Henri pressed the cold glass against her forehead. ‘If they tell you, then wouldn’t some of your beneficiaries have guessed?’

‘I make sure I’m very subtle. If possible, I wait a little after someone talks to me before I help them. And I’m careful about delivery.’

‘Yeah. How do you do that? Frankie said sometimes there are cheques—how has no one from the bank seen you?’ she asked before taking a gulp of the water.

‘I never collect the cheques myself. I’ve got a solicitor in Geraldton who helps me. I take cash out when the amount isn’t too big. It sounds complicated, but I’ve got a system and it worked until Logan’s boss decided he wanted to get to the bottom of it.’

‘Okay …’ She nodded and then gave him a small smile. ‘So, are you loaded or something?’

He blinked, but Henri’s lack of propriety was one of the things he loved about her. ‘Let’s just say I bought the pub with spare change. The supermarkets my parents owned were sold for a couple of million each and Mum and Dad both had good life insurance. That, on top of the money from our house and my parents’ share portfolio, mean I’ll never have to worry about money again.’

‘How do you choose who to give to? Do you have criteria or something?’ She sounded more like a journalist than Logan himself.

‘No, no criteria. I just help where I can.’

Henri glanced around. ‘This is a nice place, and your apartment is comfortable, but you don’t live like a man with millions. Apart from your bedsheets. What are they? 1000-thread count or something?’

‘Yeah, I don’t scrimp on bedding—I’m a terrible sleeper, so I figure I should do everything I can to try and help in that department.’

‘I think I fell in love with your sheets before I fell in love with you.’

Her eyes widened as if she hadn’t meant to say that. His skin tingled. The weirdest sensation filled his chest. It was both the best news and the worst news he’d ever heard.

‘You love me?’

‘Never mind about me.’ She downed the rest of the water like it was vodka, but her cheeks were even redder than they’d been when she arrived. ‘We’re not done talking about you yet. Why?’

‘Why what?’ He was still hung up on the love thing. His own heartache had been bad enough to deal with these last few days, but he’d consoled himself that Henri didn’t feel the same way about him.

‘Why do you do it?’ she asked.

‘To make a difference. To help people.’

She shook her head. ‘I’m not buying it.’ She leaned forward and looked him right in the eye. ‘Why?’