Maid for the South Pole

Part 8

EIGHT

Audra had almost decided on her graduation gift. She'd been ninety percent certain before the Director's announcement that she wanted an action camera for her second trip to Antarctica, as the lovely DSLR camera that Jay Felix had given her didn't always work well in polar conditions. Well, it worked for a little while, until the cold got to the batteries and fogged up the lenses. But these cameras were designed to work when it was cold and wet. Even better, they were easy to operate while wearing thick gloves. The only question now was...which model to buy? She could afford the top of the range one, and it would take awesome video to share on her yet-to-be-created channel, but...

Her laptop chimed, alerting her to an incoming video call.

Audra didn't even have to look at the name to answer, "Evening, Jay."

"Congratulations," he replied. "I did get the date right, didn't I? It's your graduation?"

He wore a shirt tonight. It must be cold at the resort where he lived.

"It is," she said. "I'm now officially a qualified meteorologist."

"Why aren't you out celebrating, then?"

"Who says I'm not?"

Jay grinned. "Your webcam, for a start. I recognise your room."

A room he'd never been in, but it didn't matter. She'd started taking his video calls after a few weeks in Melbourne, and somehow they'd fallen into a strange friendship.

"Still celebrating, though."

Jay leaned forward so all Audra could see was his forehead. "I don't see any alcohol."

"I drank it already," she admitted. "But I'm picking out a graduation gift. I've decided I need a video camera for my first graduate posting."

"What's wrong with the camera I gave you?"

She knew he'd whine. That was Jay – everything was about him.

"It's a beautiful camera for a tropical island resort, but it's not so good in the snow."

His eyes widened. "You're going back to Antarctica?"

Audra beamed. "Yep. I can't wait."

"When do you leave?"

"Not sure yet. The first supply run leaves Hobart in October, so I have a few weeks, at least."

"Come up and visit me, then," he said.

Tropical Romance Island Resort would be a dream compared to wintry Melbourne weather. So tempting, especially as she'd be in Antarctica for close to eighteen months, depending on the shipping schedules.

"What about your latest girlfriend? That billionaire? Won't she object?"

Jay had shared every detail of his failed relationships with her since she'd left. Sometimes she'd had to fight to maintain a straight face, and leave the laughter until later. The black widow mail order bride was the funniest, but only Jay Felix could have done what he did with that virginity auction girl. As for the billionaire...she'd dismissed it as something the tabloids had made up, until Jay admitted he'd met the woman.

"Haven't you watched TV lately? I'm sure the first episode of Rock Star Wants A Wife aired this week."

"You didn't." Even as the words left her lips, Audra knew he most certainly had. A rock star who'd learned about love from reading romance books – though not enough romance books, if he was turning to reality TV to find a wife – would be a prime candidate for one of those shows that matched eligible bachelors with suitable girls, and filmed every awkward moment.

Quickly, she pulled up a search window and found the show. She flicked through the news reports until she found one about the contestants. A dozen girls from all over the country, all dolled up for the camera as they announced their desires for true love and other fairy tales. One face looked familiar, so she took a second, longer look.

Yep, that was Penny, all right. The lazy maid who'd spent more time banging the men at the resort than doing her job. When Penny had been fired, she'd taken it out on Audra, almost braining her with some gym equipment. That psycho made the mail order bride look damn near harmless.

"Who won the show? Did you propose to her?" Audra asked.

Jay laughed. "I can't tell you who won. But I can tell you I proposed."

"Was it Penelope?" Audra demanded.

"What? I can't...how did you...I can't..."

Yes, in other words. He probably couldn't talk because she was there.

"I'll come up to the resort for a few days. I'll tell you the dates when I've booked my flights," Audra said.

"Don't bother booking the hotel, or the helicopter. You'll be staying as my guest."

She nearly refused, but she knew Jay wasn't offering it to make her feel obligated to him for the gift. It was just what he did for people. Besides, if she didn't like being there, she could leave. Shou, the helicopter pilot, knew her from when she'd worked there, and she could afford a hotel in town. Perhaps she should book one of those, just in case.

"All right," Audra conceded. "I'll bring my new video camera, so I can test it out."

"It'll be great to see you again."

That lost look in his eyes...damn. It was everything Audra had to steel herself against. She would NOT fall for it again.

"I've got to go. Things to sort out before tomorrow, and it's late. G'night," she said, ending the call midway through his goodbye.

It wasn't a lie. She had to watch that reality TV episode, and find out just how deeply Penny had gotten her claws into Jay. Audra might not want the rock star for herself, but friends looked out for each other, and Penny was bad news in anyone's book.