The Rock Star Wants A Wife

Part 4

FOUR

"Of course they're still bachelors. Gay marriage isn't legal yet in Australia, is it?" Jay drawled.

Xan hushed him, hoping they hadn't heard him over the thumping rotor blades, and stepped forward to welcome the farmer bachelors to the resort. They both seemed far too impressed with the island to even look at her, but Xan had grown used to that. Most of the day trippers looked the same when they first walked up the jetty. Hell, she'd probably been just as wide-eyed on her first day here. Less than a year ago, but it felt like longer. Much longer.

Both bachelors looked like they'd stepped right off a working farm into the helicopter. Both wore dusty boots, shorts and shirts, like locals.

"Where are you from?" she asked.

"Kununurra," said one.

"Derby," said the other.

"Which town did you fly from, then?" Xan asked.

One grinned. "Town? Nah, I didn't waste time driving into town. All the pilots round here know my station. I bet there isn't a single one who hasn't helped with mustering one time or another."

The other bloke cleared his throat. "I only bought the station a year ago. Sold my house in Hedland and cashed in my redundancy p*****t to get the place. I've had a manager running the place for me, but I'm learning to do it meself. Especially if I have a wife to help." He puffed out his chest.

Mm, slave labour, Xan thought, flashing a bland smile. She shouldn't judge. There might be women absolutely champing at the bit to spend the rest of their lives with bachelors just like these two. Not everyone wanted to stay single because the alternative – men – was too much trouble. She'd vicariously enjoy the perfect love lives of the resort library full of fictional heroines, and never need to bother with the real, imperfect thing, ever again.

Paige, the reality show's host, appeared then, accompanied by two cameramen. She waved madly for Xan and Jay to move out of the shot, and Xan was only too happy to oblige. Jay was slower to move, but he did get out of the way eventually. In fact, when Xan turned to see where he'd disappeared to, he was already slouching off down the path to the lagoon.

After a moment, she decided that she wasn't needed, either, so Xan headed for her office, resolving to check on the film crew's progress later in the day.