Free Catch Me A Cowboy by Jacquie Underdown Page A

all want in a partner?’
    Becky jumped in quickly. ‘Humour.’
    â€˜A gorgeous smile,’ said Georgie. ‘Your smile is perfect, Wil.’
    â€˜What about you, Amber?’ Wil asked.
    Her lips curled and her blue eyes sparkled under the twinkling fairy lights in the branches above. ‘Tall, blond, with blue eyes. Looks great in a cowboy hat.’
    His cheeks warmed under the heat of her candour. He turned from Amber’s intense gaze and focused on Emily. ‘And what about you?’
    Emily hesitated a moment, as though choosing her words just right. She smoothed her hair and met his eyes. ‘I want someone who’ll make my heart flutter when I see him. Who I can be myself around. I want someone who is thoughtful, ambitious, yet generous with his time and love. I want a man I can see myself loving for the rest of my life.’
    He held her gaze for a long moment, then smiled. That was a good answer.
    A line of waiters rushed past then, filling their glasses with champagne, except for Wil who was poured a beer. The other girls took turns declaring their desires in a partner until their entrees were served—beef cheeks, fresh from the farm, slow braised and served with cauliflower puree. Thankfully no one was vegetarian, or if they were, they were not admitting to it.
    As they ate, the ladies wanted to know about him, and he found it disconcerting. But he had signed up for this show knowing too well his private life was going to be pulled apart, scrutinised. But easy does it, Wil.
    â€˜Why farming?’ asked the short-haired blonde sitting across from Amber.
    At least that was an easy question to start with. ‘It’s in my blood. My grandfather started this farm. He cleared the land by hand. Built the road into the place. But, my farming practices are different.’
    Emily narrowed her eyes, leant a little closer across the table. ‘How so?’
    â€˜I’ve slowly made changes so it’s now fully organic. My grazing techniques are different. I’ve replenished the soils. Made grass a priority in an attempt to drought proof the station …’ He stopped himself, knowing he could go on about this for hours and bore them all to death. He smiled. ‘It’s important to me.’
    â€˜You’ve never done anything else?’ asked Becky.
    â€˜I spent twelve months backpacking across the globe. I lived in Melbourne while I studied Agricultural Science. I lecture at the local universities every now and then. But no, other than that, my life is here.’
    Amber flicked her long blonde hair behind her shoulder and smiled cheekily. ‘Have you ever been married?’
    His stomach clenched, as it always did at the mention of his marriage. He wasn’t proud of it. He was certainly not proud of the way it ended. To have the woman he loved cheat on him was not only heartbreaking, it was a massive blow to the ego. For so many years he wondered what he did wrong, where he lacked. Eventually, though, rationality reigned and he knew Billi did what she did for many different reasons, not all were about him. They married too young. And Billi always wanted to leave the country for the city. Wil should have listened. She was never going to be happy out here. And, in the end, never was.
    Wil took a deep breath and pushed a hand through his hair. ‘Yes. I married my high-school sweetheart. But it didn’t work out in the end.’
    â€˜How long have you been separated?’ asked an Asian beauty.
    â€˜Divorced for three years.’
    â€˜So, you’re the marrying type?’ asked Georgie.
    Wil’s gaze met Emily’s as he answered Georgie’s question. ‘Most definitely. Marriage is what I’m after.’ Though it was something he wouldn’t easily fall into again.
    Did he seriously believe this dating show would help him find a wife? Not really. Yet, when he peered at Emily, something inside him felt differently