Publisher: Self-published
Formats Available: Digital
Although
desperate to get out of her dead-end job, Sami is cynical when she hears of an
inheritance from the grandfather she never knew. But once she and her young
brother arrive in the beautiful valley, she discovers they are not
wanted... especially by the sexy vineyard owner next door.
Will she persevere and make a home for them, or give in and take the easy money
when the going gets tough?
A thump sounded on the bedroom door, jarring her from a deep
sleep.
"Go away," Samantha Grace Rose Darling groaned
into her pillow.
"Sami, phone."
"Tell them to f**k off and let me sleep." She
threw a pillow at the door seconds before it eased open and her brother poked
his head in the room. "Garth, I'm warning you, go away."
He sighed and she waited for the usual whine to follow.
"There's an old guy on the phone. Said he wants to speak to you."
"Tell him I'm not here." She rolled over, brushed
the hair from her face and then glared at him through half-closed eyes.
"I did but he insists on speaking to you. Said he
wasn't going to go away until he does."
She groaned, pushed her blanket off with her hand and slowly
slid out of bed. With languid grace Sami advanced on her brother intent on
doing bodily harm to whoever it was who had the audacity to disturb her sleep.
Holding out the phone, Garth waited for her to take it before he backed out of
the room and quietly shut the door, leaving her alone.
"This better be bloody good. I pulled a double shift
last night and I'm freaking tired."
Walking over to the window, she pushed aside the faded
curtain and flinched when the bright Alice Springs sunlight filled her room,
scorching her tired eyes. She promptly dropped the curtain into place wishing
she'd left it alone. Sami rubbed her eyes and waited.
"Am I talking to Miss Samantha Grace Rose
Darling?"
"Yeah." She dropped down to the edge of her bed,
her fingers tracing a bruise on her leg from when she had bumped into a tray of
glasses last night. I am such a klutz.
"Miss Darling, my name is Rupert Newland. I'm a
solicitor with Newland, Newland and Cooper in Singleton, New South Wales."
She spat out a laugh before covering her mouth with the heel
of her hand.
"I'm glad I amuse you. Now if you would be so kind as
to contain yourself, I have news for you."
The voice on the other end of the phone was clipped and
precise.
"I am acting on behalf of your grandfather's estate
with regard to his final will and testament."
"I don't know who you're talking about. I don't have
any family." Names ran through her mind but grandparents didn't come into
the picture she had tucked away in her memory. "Nope. No grandparents I
can lay claim to, sorry mate. You obviously have the wrong girl."
"Miss Darling, I have checked the facts and you are
indeed the granddaughter of my late client. I need you to could come into the
office for the reading of the will."
"Where did you say you were again?" Sami kicked
through the pile of clothes on the bedroom floor and picked up the crumpled
jeans from yesterday. She tucked the phone between her ear and shoulder to hold
it firmly while she pulled her jeans on. One foot after the other she slid each
leg into the jeans and yanked them up, wiggling her butt to pull them over her
hips. Sami popped the button and did up the zip before she took the phone in
her hand again.
"New South Wales, Hunter Valley. Singleton to be
exact," he said.
"Mate, I don't know if you looked at the post code
before you called me but I live in Alice Springs. In the middle of the frigging
desert in the Northern Territory. I can't pop down the road and see you,
understand?" She blew a stray curl from her face.
With one hand she opened her bedroom door and walked out to
the lounge room. Garth tidied up his breakfast dishes and she smiled in his
direction. He pointed to the coffee machine and Sami blew him a kiss.
"It will be worth your while to drive or fly down, Miss
Darling."
"I can't afford it, okay? It's not like I do double
shifts at the pub because I enjoy the work. I need the money and there isn't
enough at the end of the week for a happy little visit to your office. Tell me
what you want to say and let me get on with my day now you've dragged me from
my bed." She lifted a hand and rubbed at her eyes.
"Very well. You have inherited Buttercup Farm and it's
contents. There is also a bank account with a small balance which I will
disclose once you have formally proven your identity."
"Are you serious?"
Garth looked over at her, his shoulders raised in question.
She shook her head and turned away.
"I did send you paperwork last week but I didn't
receive a reply, hence the follow up phone call today." The solicitor’s
bristling attitude irritated her.
A pile of unopened mail sat on the cluttered kitchen counter
and Sami screwed up her face. Out of habit she threw the next day's mail on top
of the pile, dreading the bills inside the envelopes. The longer she ignored
it, the larger the pile grew.
"Sorry. I've um... been a bit busy and haven't got
around to opening the mail for a few days."
"Well I suggest you do that. I need signatures to
transfer the bank account into your name. It would be significantly easier if
you were here in town. Since you are not, I would appreciate it if you could go
to the nearest courthouse and have a Justice of the Peace witness your identity
and your signature where I have indicated. It might be best if you Express Post the papers back to me today. You
have to decide what to do with the farm and the stock." There was silence
for a few seconds. "If I might make a suggestion? There are interested parties
if you should decide to sell the property. Would you like me to have it valued
for you? I can arrange everything from this end if you would prefer."
"No, no. I need to think about this for a bit. I'll
ring you back after I read your letter. Thanks for calling." Sami hung up
and threw the phone onto the couch and dropped her head into her hands.
"What is it? Was the landlord after his rent again?
Sami, tell me."
"No, Garth. It was a solicitor." A wobbly laugh
rose in her throat. "It seems as though we had family after all, even
though he's dead."
Disclaimer: book excerpts are always posted as supplied and are never edited, Vickie.
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About Ann B.
Harrison
Ann swears she was born with a book in her hands and has
never put it down. A lifelong love of reading has finally culminated in
achieving her dream of writing... and publication.
She lives in the beautiful Hunter Valley with her own
handsome hero of many years. Ann has always loved the ups and downs of life in
small communities, and she shares this with readers in her rural romances.
Strong, sexy heroines with a good dash of sass thrown in
feature in her stories. Of course, these women need an equally strong hero.
Bring on the outback hero and watch the passion ignite.
When not writing, Ann enjoys reading, gardening, walking her
very large dog, Hugo, and fighting with her computer.
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