“Has Dad still got his old metal detector in the shed?” Brandon asked.
“It was there the last time I looked,” Darcy said.
Georgie raised her eyebrows as she spread jam on her toast. “You think it will detect a chest?”
“Depends on how deep it is, and what it’s made of, but it’s worth a try.”
Amy finished adding food and drinks to an esky, and they trooped out to the two utes. Somehow Georgie ended up in the front seat with Matt, with Tess and Ed riding in the tray. She finished her toast as Matt followed Brandon to the well.
A spark of excitement stirred.
They were hunting treasure.
Chapter 4
Matt’s faint aftershave drifted over Georgie’s nose, dampening her excitement. It wasn’t fair he should smell this good. She wound down the window and looked out at the camp site as they drove past, trying to ignore her body’s longing.
“What do you think our chances are?” Matt asked.
“Somewhere between slim and none,” she admitted. “But it will be fun to look.” The words came automatically, years of practised nonchalance making it seem as if she wasn’t yearning for him to touch her.
She squeezed away the thought and focused on the treasure. If the treasure actually existed and they could find it, it would be a lifeline for her family. Darcy and Brandon had been babying the station along since her parents died, and it would be nice for her brothers to catch a break.
“What are the ownership laws on buried treasure?” Matt asked.
Georgie glanced at him. “I hadn’t considered it. It’s on our land.”
He shot her a look, which spoke volumes.
“Right, it’s on Bayungu land first, but you know what I mean. If we found anything, we’d split it with your family.”
“But isn’t it stolen property? The ownership can be traced back to the Dutch East Indies Company.”
“Does that even exist anymore?” She sighed. “We can worry about that if we find it.”
“Good point. You feeling any better today?”
She didn’t want to talk about last night. He wouldn’t tease her about it, but he was also too clueless to realise how much it had meant to her. Besides, he hadn’t even asked her about her job interview, which meant he didn’t care if she stayed in town. “I’m fine.” She so needed to get over him. All this moping was pathetic. Definitely time for a girls’ night. She grabbed her phone from her pocket and sent a text to Gretchen, Dot and Nhiari while she still had reception.
“Who are you texting?”
It was on the tip of her tongue to say a random man’s name, but she didn’t. “The girls.”
He grunted as if satisfied which needled her. “Did you hear Sam’s moving here permanently?” she asked sweetly. “He bought Faith’s dad’s boat, and he’s asked me to check out a few houses for him.”
“Why you?”
“I live in town and he probably trusts a woman’s eye more than Brandon’s.”
Matt’s mouth set in a line.
“Why don’t you like Sam? Everyone else does.”
“I like Sam,” he said. “I just think he’s too old for you.”
Georgie laughed. “You have no clue.” Sure, she’d had fun flirting with Brandon’s best friend, but he did nothing for her. Not like the man sitting less than a metre away.
They arrived at the windmill and she got out. “Tess, you want to go out tonight?” Georgie glanced at Ed. “Girls’ night.”
