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The corners of Indy’s mouth dipped as she took in Carter’s white tee sitting snugly across his shoulders, the edges of his tattoo peeking out the bottom of his left sleeve.

What was it of? The Adidas shorts he was wearing were longer than the footy shorts she’d seen him in but still just as mouth-watering, given the knowledge of the thigh muscles beneath them.

Her frown deepened when she looked at his face and found his eyes on her and a smirk on his lips.

Shit. She’d been sprung checking him out.

She glared at him. All she’d wanted was to unwind in the breakout room with a beer and a handful of darts.

If she’d known Carter would be here, she wouldn’t have worn the singlet with a hole in the side seam.

She kept her arm glued to her ribs so it wouldn’t be seen.

‘Look, I was just helping Mara, but if me being here is that much of an issue, I can leave.’ He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb. ‘You know, head back to my room or …’

‘Probably a good idea—’

His face fell, and a knife twisted in her stomach. ‘It’s just that you shouldn’t be here,’ she continued. ‘If Nova finds out, she’ll be angry.’

‘Indy, lighten up!’ Emery came up the stairs, a six pack tucked under her arm. She wore a grin and Indy knew instantly where this was heading if she didn’t intervene. ‘Don’t be so rude to our guest. Carter can check out our chill space if he wants.’

Carter raised his eyebrows as he turned to Emery. ‘Chill space? Like a secret clubhouse?’

Emery flung the sliding door back and wrenched open the curtains. ‘Something like that.’

She went in and Carter followed, arms folded across his chest as he looked around.

Indy trailed behind, trying to see things as he saw them.

Plywood offcuts were shoved under one leg of the pool table that sat proudly in the middle of the room to keep it steady.

The table had chips in its wooden edging and the balls weren’t in the greatest nick but they were still round, and the green felt was unripped.

Similarly, the dartboard that didn’t sit flat against the wall was perfect for letting off steam.

A bar fridge sat below it with too many dints in the top from darts that had gone astray.

A comfy old couch was pushed up one end, facing a blank wall.

The most expensive thing in this place was the projector set up to turn that wall into a big screen for movies.

It had been Nova’s Christmas present to them a few years back.

Carter probably owned a house with projectors in three different rooms. Or television screens so big they covered the wall.

He wouldn’t be impressed with this space in the slightest.

‘Cool place,’ he said, pushing the white pool ball across the felt.

Indy bristled. ‘It mightn’t be as fancy as what you’re used to at your rich footy club, Mr Hendrix, but if you’re going to slum it with the hired help then you better get used to it.’

Emery glared at her and Indy’s bristles flattened.

‘“Mr Hendrix” is a bit formal,’ Carter said. ‘Carter will do. And it’s Indy, right?’

She paused. He remembered her name from the first day. Granted, that was only yesterday morning, but still, it was something. Wasn’t it? Don’t read anything into it .

‘Yeah, that’s me.’

He nodded. ‘And Emery?’

Emery winked at him. ‘Got it in one, friend. Now who’s up for a game of pool?’ She grabbed the triangle and started filling it with balls at one end of the table. ‘Come on, Indy. We’re one a piece at the moment. Three’s the tiebreaker?’

‘Fine.’ Emery knew Indy couldn’t resist a challenge.

‘I’m on Emery’s team!’ Mara waved her arm above her head.

‘Good riddance,’ Indy mumbled, grabbing a cue with the hand that wasn’t still glued to her side.

‘Like you need me on your team.’ Mara stuck her tongue out at her.

‘Fantastic, that means Carter’s with Indy.’

Carter held his hands up. ‘I’m really not good with a stick.’

‘Cue,’ Indy said. ‘It’s not a stick, it’s a cue.’

‘Sorry, cue.’ He ran his fingers through the curls on top of his head and her own fingers twitched. ‘I’ve never really been into pool.’

Disbelief washed over her. ‘You’ve never played? What’s wrong with you? You’ve been to a pub before, haven’t you?’

‘Indy,’ Emery hissed.

‘What? Who reaches even the age of twenty without playing pool at a pub with mates? I was doing that at, like, twelve.’

‘Yeah, and not everyone had the upbringing that you had,’ Emery said. ‘Why are you being such a bitch today?’

Indy tilted her head, a smile lifting her lips. ‘I’m a bitch every day, Em. You know that.’

They laughed and Mara shook her head while Carter just looked confused.

Emery rounded the table, chalking the tip of her cue.

‘I’ll break.’ She lined up the shot from the top of the table and let the cue snap through her fingers, sending the white ball cracking into the others and scattering them all over the table.

Two stripes fell into pockets. ‘We got stripes,’ she called, gleefully.

Pocketing another two, she missed a third shot by a hair before stepping back from the table.

Indy turned to Carter and held out the cue to him. ‘You go first. Aim for the fulls.’

‘Which are?’

She refrained from rolling her eyes again. ‘Full balls are the ones completely coloured. No stripe of colour over a white ball like the ones Emery sank. Just give it a go and whatever you do, don’t sink the black eight ball or they win straight up, and I’ll be pissed.’

‘Pressure,’ he said under his breath. Taking the cue, he hunched over the table.

‘Okay, stop.’ This was too painful to watch. ‘You’re going to rip a hole in the felt if you do it that way.’

Ignoring the smirk on Emery’s lips, Indy moved in behind Carter.

With a little pressure from her fingers on his elbow, she pushed his arm up over the cue.

Then she ran a hand down his other arm, ensuring his elbow wasn’t bent.

Her hand covered his as she manipulated his fingers so the tip of the cue ran across the smooth skin between his thumb and pointer finger about five centimetres back from the white ball.

‘Just let it slide through on your hand using your other arm,’ she said, her voice low. ‘This will give you a truer aim.’

‘Thanks.’ He lifted his eyes from the ball to look at her over his shoulder. ‘Wish me luck.’

Her breath stuck in her throat at their close proximity. She didn’t realise adjusting his grip would put them so close together. Shit . She was stuck in that web again, the deep, dark pull of his eyes. The smells of pine and sandalwood mixed in an intoxicating scent.

She jumped back and her breath released from her throat in a silent gasp.

‘Just don’t rip the felt.’ It came out more aggressive than she meant it, earning her another pointed glare from Emery.

Carter didn’t seem rattled, though. The cue bobbed across the back of his hand before it jabbed into the ball and sent it careening around the table at a speed that shocked Indy.

Balls flew in all directions, none of them towards any pockets.

Instead, they rebounded against the sides back into each other.

The only ball that did sink into the net of the pocket of the far left hole was the white one.

Carter turned to her. ‘Is that a good thing?’

‘Well … ah … no.’ She winced a little at his disappointment. ‘But don’t worry too much. Mara gets to position the ball wherever she wants and take two shots but she’s not much better than you and you’ve successfully scrambled the balls, so it should be fine.’

‘And you didn’t rip any holes in the felt,’ Emery added. ‘So I’d definitely count that as a win.’

He laughed and the sound warmed Indy. ‘I’ll take it as a small personal win not to have Indy breathing fire at me for ruining her pool table.’

‘It’s everyone’s table,’ she mumbled when the other girls laughed too.

Carter glanced out the window. ‘Shit, it’s dark already. I better head up. It’s never a good sign when the coaching staff don’t schedule any night sessions. Means we’ll be up early.’ He handed the cue to Indy. ‘I hate to leave you a one-person team, but I’m sure you think I’m doing you a favour.’

Her fingers curled around the cue as she watched him head for the door.

She didn’t think that. She should’ve been, but she wasn’t.

The others bid Carter goodnight and he raised a hand over his head before he slid the door shut.

Different worlds, she reminded herself as Mara took her second shot, not pocketing any balls.

Indy didn’t belong in his world any more than he belonged in hers.

‘You’re up, Indy.’

She turned from the door to take a shot and jumped when it slid back open.

Nova stood in the doorway, hands on her hips.

‘Evening, girls. Why was a young football player heading away from here, whistling?’

Indy’s pulse started racing and she worked to maintain her neutral facial expression. Why was she feeling caught out? She hadn’t done anything wrong. The cue darted forwards in her hand but her aim was off. ‘Ask Emery, she invited him in.’

Emery rolled her eyes. ‘He helped Mara carrying Blossom’s feed and came in to play pool. He had one shot then took off. It was harmless, Nova.’

‘And it better stay that way,’ Nova said, stepping inside and sliding the door shut behind her. ‘Bloody Barty’s breathing down my neck.’

Emery took another shot, then another, sinking three balls before coming up with a miss.

Indy handed the cue to Nova. ‘You’re with me and up next. What’s Snarky Barty up to now?’

Indy grabbed a fresh beer from the six pack Emery had brought in and perched on the arm of the couch.

Nova sank a couple of balls before missing her third shot and giving Mara a turn. ‘He’s put in a complaint with council around our licensing and permits. They’re running an investigation.’

‘What?’ Indy was bewildered. ‘That’s crazy. They won’t find anything, will they?’

Nova scoffed. ‘Of course not. It’s an intimidation tactic because I turned down his latest offer.

Ever since I took over this place, he’s been making bids on the property and the amount is more offensive each time.

When is he going to get it through his thick head?

I’m not some whimpering pushover and I’m never selling!

He cannot scare me into giving this place up. ’

‘I’m sorry he’s doing this to you, Nova.’ Emery’s voice was hushed.

Nova shook her head. ‘We’ll ride it out.

When Indy’s mustering demonstration is the talk of the town, and the council find that everything’s above board, we’ll throw it in his face.

But I’m going to give Louisa a call in the morning, just so she’s aware of what’s going on.

It’s a good thing the only lawyer in town can’t stand Barty either. ’

The others chatted about Louisa’s professional competency but Indy stewed over the mustering demonstration. Nova was relying on her—it had to go perfectly. Should she not even bother bringing Scout? No. Her pup was ready. But the pressure was like a ton of bricks on her shoulders.

‘We still can’t afford anything that may be taken in the wrong way,’ Nova said. ‘So just keep working hard and maintaining a professional relationship with our guests. We don’t need any rumours or any hits to our reputation while this investigation is going on.’

Carter’s face again swept through Indy’s mind. Another good reason to steer clear of him. She couldn’t be the reason they lost the station.