Chapter 1
"I want that land," Magnus Lane said as he pushed past Trent and looked out the window, his mind on the beautiful old farm that had been his grandfather's dream and now his own. He turned suddenly. "Make it happen."
"They won't sell, boss," Trent said. "I spoke to her housekeeper yesterday, and she refuses to move forward on the offer."
Magnus clenched his hands tightly to his sides. "I need that land, and you know it. Do whatever you have to to get it." His mood dark, he watched his assistant hurry from the office.
He kneaded his temples as they pulsed with another tension headache. He mentally ticked off the stumbling blocks he'd managed to overcome since his grandparents bequeathed him the rundown homestead. I want control of the valley's water, and I'll have it, no matter what it costs.
He punched a number into his phone while he turned to look out the window over the Brisbane River. "Rolf, Magnus. Remember the Holden property we spoke about? Have you nailed all the figures yet? Yeah, if you could fax them to the farm today, that would be great. I'm just about to leave town. I need all the leverage I can get. Cheers."
He picked up the keys and his briefcase, then did a quick scan of his office. The paperwork and files for various other projects he was working on lay around the office, but the only one that he needed to focus on right now was the Holden issue. He had all that packed up with him and ready to go. Satisfied he had everything, he left the office.
"I'll be up at the farm for the next few days, Ellie," he told his assistant as he walked past her desk. "Call me if anything important comes up."
"I have Emily Stanton on the phone for you. Do you want me to put her through to your office before you go?"
Magnus paused, looking at his PA while he thought about the beautiful redhead he had dated several times. She is intelligent and fun to be with, but we have nothing in common away from the theaters and restaurants she seems to enjoy dragging me to. I can't do this anymore. There has to be more to life than the fast lane, and so help me, I want it.
"Tell her I've already left the office and you don't know when I'm due to return." Speaking those words, he mentally cut ties with Emily. It was something that had been coming for a long time.
"No worries, boss."
Magnus drove to the airport. He filed a flight plan with the control tower before striding over the tarmac to his helicopter. Doing his prestart warm-up, Magnus started to relax, the tension in his shoulders easing. Once in the air, the world of finance was left behind. When he got into country airspace, his gaze roamed over the wide-open plains where he had spent most of his childhood. He loved the rough, sometimes barren landscape . One of the main reasons for taking his business to the farm was to get away from cluttered city life. It was wearing him down, and he needed a change. His headache started to subside as he headed toward Longreach. Shifting west, he flew over the Holden farm, shaking his head at the huge dam just a short distance from his boundary fence, wishing again it was on his property. If the woman would see reason and sell the run-down farm, the majority of his problems would disappear.
Sighing, he did a low swoop over the crystal clear water. Magnus brought the chopper up and flew over the boundary fence to his property, relishing the sight of home.
Before long he was setting the helicopter down beside the machinery sheds, and his manager was ducking to run and open his door for him. The last of the tension eased from his muscles as he flicked the switch and killed the power.
"Jock, good to see you." Magnus breathed a sigh of relief as he unbuckled his seatbelt. "How're things going?"
"Going all right, I reckon," Jock replied. "That new mare you bought at the sales got delivered yesterday. Pretty wee thing."
Magnus jumped down to land on the concrete pad. "Let's go and see her then."
His gaze scanned the paddocks as he walked with Jock to the stables. The smell of hay and horses enveloped him and brought out emotions that didn't touch him in the city. He heard the soft whinny of the mare he'd come to see. He reached out a hand to gently stroke her neck, then ran his fingers up and caressed her ears. Magnus let her rub her head against his chest as the last of the tension in his body finally slipped away. He relaxed and let a smile replace the hard line of his mouth that had matched his mood before he had arrived home. He wrapped his arms around her neck and relished the feeling of being wanted for nothing more than a quick rub or tickle around the ears. Since he was one of the richest single men in Australia it tended to bring out the vultures among the humans while animals were at least honest with their needs.
Magnus took the lead rope from its hook by the door. Entering the stall, he clipped it on and led the mare out. She pranced in the open space, her head held high as she paraded for him.
"Full of herself, isn't she?" Jock remarked, laughing.
"She is a stunner, Jock." Magnus watched her proudly. "Killer will love her. How is the old guy?"
"Doing okay, boss. He's out in the back paddock with some of the older girls. Do you want me to bring him in?"
"No, I'll go out tomorrow. I miss the old boy."
Magnus held the lead rope tight as a slight shadow filled the doorway. The mare skittered around, startled by the figure hesitantly coming toward them.
"Mr. Lane?" A soft female voice quivered slightly as the words were
