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  Unbroken

  NATALIE DEBRABANDERE

  Copyright © 2015 Natalie Debrabandere

  All rights reserved.

  This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the author’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published or without a similar condition, including this condition, being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

  ISBN: 1503368815

  ISBN-13: 978-1503368811

  To the Different…

  Chapter One

  Whānau Anō Holiday Park

  Hoka Tiri, West Coast of New Zealand.

  Kristan Holt stormed out of her office, followed closely by her friend and business partner Mike Anderson. She walked quickly along the veranda and down the three wooden steps leading to the driveway. She glanced behind her only once, assuring herself that they were alone, before she turned around to face him.

  "What the hell, Mike?” she said sharply. “I can't hire him now."

  "Yeah, I know. Look, maybe we can…"

  "Not a chance," she fumed. "I mean what's wrong with him? Does he really think showing up drunk at his interview is going to impress me?"

  "Kristan, listen to me…"

  "I can’t even give him a test flight now! I don’t want to do it. I won't."

  The tall dark-haired man beside her nodded a little and raised his hand in an attempt to claim his turn.

  "Please let me talk for a second, okay?"

  “Go ahead, talk,” Kristan snapped.

  Mike put his arm around her shoulders and led her farther away from the office, toward the forest and the trees and completely out of earshot.

  "Look, mate, I'm really sorry," he apologised. "I had no idea he was still hooked on drink. Of course we won't hire him now."

  Kristan finally took a second to breathe, and she started to calm down a little. She glanced at her partner. She saw that he was a little bit pale, and clearly very upset, and she sighed in frustration.

  "Mike, I am so sorry this happened. Are you okay?"

  He gave her a weak shrug and attempted a smile.

  "Yeah. Sure."

  "You don't look it."

  His face was grim and he remained silent, simply standing there with both hands resting on his hips, looking back toward the office. More than anything he looked puzzled. Clearly he had not expected such a dismal performance from their potential new pilot.

  Kristan followed his gaze toward the familiar building as well, wondering whether she should go back in and attempt to talk to the guy again.

  She cared about her partner deeply. He was more than a friend to her, like a brother, and so when he had told her that his own brother was in trouble and needed a job, she had been more than willing to bring him on board. They needed an extra helicopter pilot after all, and James was ex-Army and had all the required skills and qualifications.

  Everything had sounded so perfect.

  And Kristan would have loved to be able to bring him into the small team of trusted and committed people who together had been making her company successful for the past three years. But now she simply could not. Would not.

  It was not Mike’s fault of course.

  He had been honest with her from the start, as always. He had explained to her in detail how his brother had struggled with alcoholism after he was discharged from the Army, and Kristan understood that better than most. To her, James’ past made no difference and probably just the opposite, simply because of her own personal struggle with addiction and also because Mike had assured her that James was sober now and back in control of his life.

  Then James had turned up at the interview, drunk, arrogant, looking for trouble and trying to start a fight with his older brother. Definitely not the sort of guy Kristan wanted in charge of one of her helicopters. She did not want him taking tourists up Mount Fox in one of her precious machines. She did not want him working as a kayak instructor on the lake. She did not want him working at the Holiday Park either.

  Despite her best intentions, she did not want him around, period.

  Looking at Mike's face now, seeing the disappointment in his big brown eyes, she disliked James even more.

  "I'm sorry," she said in a quiet voice. "The job was his, you know that."

  "Yeah, I know."

  "But we’re talking about people’s lives. I can’t risk him being drunk on the job."

  "Not your fault, Kristan," Mike said with conviction. "I agree with you. Over the phone, on emails, he sounded all good. I'm sorry I wasted your time. And you know damn well I would never bring anyone into our business who might end up a liability; whether that’s my brother or someone else makes no difference."

  "Maybe not; but I think it should," Kristan observed, and she sounded a little sad. Already she was thinking of ways that she could help.

  She turned to her partner again, feeling calmer this time.

  "Look, Mike. I know what it's like with the drinking, okay? Maybe we can talk to him again in a few months. I could try…"

  But Mike shook his head.

  "Don't worry about it, Kris,” he said firmly.

  He stepped forward to give her a quick hug, and when he stepped back he glanced in the direction of the office again. This time he looked like his mind was made up.

  "You leave it with me," he said. "I'll sort it out."

  Kristan hesitated.

  “I should talk to him.”

  “No. Thank you for offering, but really, you sorted yourself out a long time ago, and this is not your problem. I should be the one to have that discussion.”

  Kristan relented.

  “Fine. But I'm here if you need me, okay? Don’t feel you can’t talk to me about it."

  “Absolutely. No worries. And Kris?"

  “Yes, buddy.”

  He smiled at her.

  “Thank you so much. I know you’re as disappointed as I am.”

  “You can say that again.”

  Mike nodded, squeezed her shoulder one last time, and Kristan watched him walk away. She knew better than to follow. She knew her partner. He was angry. Whatever happened next should remain between him and his brother, and she wanted to respect that.

  Once he had disappeared back inside she turned around and started on the short walk that would lead her back to the Holiday Park. As soon as she penetrated deeper into the sub-tropical rainforest she started to feel better.

  Kristan loved spending time in the woods. It had always been a refuge for her, a place to unwind, a place to be alone. Lush vegetation and vibrant colours made for the perfect thinking hideaway, the ideal environment for active meditation. Bellbirds and tuis, fantails and bush robins tweeted and chirped in the early morning light. As she made her way along a path flanked by majestic trees, covered in ferns and beautiful orchids, Kristan unconsciously started to smile.

  She had made her home in one of the existing Park cottages, a sturdy wooden building that stood on a secluded corner away from everyone else, on the edge of the forest, with great views of the nearby lake and Mount Fox in the background.

  As she shed her clothes and stepped into the spacious shower, she did her best to forget about James and concentrate on the day ahead instead.

  She was due to take a group of American tourists kayaking on the lake first thing and she would be out most of the day doing that. Then in the evening a local rock band were coming to perform at the Park and several of the instructors had offered to organise a barbecue.

  It was going to be another amazing day.

  Kristan had worked hard to craft the life for herself that she really wanted, down there in New Zealand. Three years previously she had left ever
ything she owned in California and walked out on her old life. She had driven to the airport, abandoned her Porsche in the lot and thrown the keys to the guy busking on the corner. She had phoned her office to tell them she was not coming back from a pay phone in Singapore, and she had gotten outrageously drunk before getting back on the plane.

  Then she had landed in New Zealand and simply become someone else.

  She rarely thought about her days in Silicon Valley now, and she did not miss her old life there either. The money, the cars, the alcohol and the fleeting girlfriends whose names she could never remember… Life in a vacuum. She had been clean now for three years. Distance running had replaced the drugs, and although Kristan was aware that she was addicted to that in pretty much the same way that she had been to all the rest, at least this one was not likely to kill her.

  She thought of James again and her stomach tightened.

  She would speak to him, she decided. Of course she would. They would figure something out and give him another chance. But she was not so far out of the woods herself that she could allow him to worm his way inside her brain.

  Wary of unwanted thoughts and eager to get back out into the sunshine and the life she loved, she dressed quickly in a pair of shorts and a red Nike sports bra and headed for the door.

  On her way to the lake she popped into the Park cafe and helped herself to a bottle of water. She was used to it being deserted at this time of the morning, so when the door flew open just as she was about to walk out again it took her entirely by surprise. The door was solid wood and really heavy. The sharp edge of it connected nicely with the side of her eye, hard, and she doubled over as an explosion of white heat filled her vision.

  It felt like several seconds later when she became aware of a woman's voice close to her.

  "Are you okay?"

  Kristan looked up, dazed. She blinked in an effort to clear her head, and immediately her surroundings came back into focus. She was sitting on the floor by the door, where she had landed after it hit her square in the face. She looked up into the eyes of the woman responsible for sending her flying.

  Intelligent, charcoal black eyes gazed back at her, filled with concern.

  "I'm really sorry," the woman apologised. "I just opened the door, and you..."

  Kristan took a deep breath.

  "That's okay," she said. "My fault, I wasn't looking."

  She got to her feet. A glance in the mirror above the counter confirmed her eye was swelling up already.

  "Damn, that hurt," she murmured under her breath.

  Liz Jackson winced a little at the comment. She regarded the woman in front of her, all of a sudden finding it quite difficult not to stare. She was absolutely stunning. And Liz had seen abs like that before in magazines, but never on a real woman. She shook her head a little, annoyed at herself for letting her thoughts run away with her so easily.

  The woman in the red sports top turned to her and their eyes met. Hers were arrestingly blue and clear, framed by long, thick black lashes. Her features were angular and strong, sharply defined, and at the same time there was a softness there that was unmistakably and so interestingly female.

  Once more Liz struggled not to stare.

  "I'm Kristan," the woman said, holding out her hand.

  Liz shook it and introduced herself.

  "Not many women manage to get me on my back so quickly, you know Liz," Kristan stated with a quick smile.

  "Sorry… But you did not offer much resistance."

  Amused by the challenging come-back, Kristan burst out laughing.

  Liz laughed with her, relieved that she was taking it so well. Only briefly, she wondered what on earth she was doing, flirting with this complete stranger… albeit an extremely good-looking one. She ran a hand through her hair and worked to regain her composure before Kristan could become aware that something was going on.

  "Why don't you sit down over there," she suggested, guiding her toward a bench with a soft hand in the middle of her back.

  "What for?" Kristan asked, puzzled.

  She sat down anyway and watched as the newcomer gathered a handful of thick blond hair in her hand and tied it in a bun at the back of her head. She was sexy in such a natural and effortless manner, and Kristan was sure that she had not seen her around before. She would have remembered those incredible eyes, for sure.

  "Have you been at the Park long?" she asked.

  "Not that long," the woman replied evasively.

  "Where are you from?"

  "London."

  Liz rested her fingers against the side of Kristan's face, gently feeling around for broken bones.

  "Does this hurt?"

  "No... What are you doing?"

  "Making sure you're okay. Making sure you don't have an orbital fracture."

  Kristan held her breath as the woman's fingers carefully went up into her hair. She had no other option but to stare at her chest, inches from her nose, and the tantalizing glimpse of softly tanned skin leading down to her breasts.

  Kristan cleared her throat and looked up carefully.

  "Are you a doctor or something?" she asked.

  She exhaled slowly as the woman's hands came to rest on her naked shoulders.

  "I'm an A&E specialist," Liz said. "On holiday at the moment. Look at me please?"

  Kristan looked up into those same captivating dark eyes. She suspected if Liz had not been so beautiful she would not still be sitting there getting prodded.

  "Didn't look like you lost consciousness," Liz murmured as if talking to herself, more as a statement than a question.

  "No, I didn't," Kristan replied quickly, frowning a little.

  "Just a bit dizzy, yes?"

  "Sure. Don't go all ER on me, doc."

  Liz gave a quick smile, nodding absently.

  "Follow my finger," she said.

  Kristan sighed a little and Liz raised an eyebrow.

  "Problem?" she said.

  "No. But I'm fine, really."

  "I’m sure you are. Please bear with me while I make sure."

  Kristan tracked her finger with her eyes, the only difficult thing about that her growing desire to simply stare at Liz's attractive face.

  Then Liz dropped her hand and pulled back.

  "Okay. You're good to go," she said simply.

  "Right."

  Kristan stood up quickly, intent on proving that she was one hundred percent fine, and almost instantly regretted her decision. Her head started to buzz and she swayed. She reached for the edge of the table to steady herself, but her fingers only just brushed it and she stumbled backward.

  "Hey, not so fast."

  Liz quickly caught her around the waist to steady her.

  “Take it easy,” she said.

  Kristan shook her head in an attempt to regain her balance, only managing to make herself feel worse in the process.

  "No, I'm..." she protested.

  "I know you're okay," Liz interrupted firmly. "Just relax, will you?"

  Kristan could only remain silent as a fresh wave of dizziness threatened to completely overwhelm her. She struggled to take a deep breath, and as she leaned a little more against Liz the woman slowly ran her hand up and down her arm in a soothing motion. Kristan's jet black hair, which softly brushed the base of her neck, only accentuated how pale her face had become.

  Liz kept a soft hold on her, feeling herself tense a little when she caught a whiff of Kristan’s shampoo. She resisted the urge to brush a strand of hair from her cheek. This was not a new or unwelcome feeling, this attraction to women. And she appreciated a beautiful body when she saw one, of course. Whether it was male or female had never made a difference in the past.

  But she was holding this woman in her arms now and as her hand moved gently over Kristan's warm and soft skin, Liz felt herself grow uncomfortable. Struggling a little with the sudden realization that her body was reacting to this woman in ways that she had not allowed herself to feel for so long, she reminded herself
that she was a doctor, and should be acting like one.

  She blew air out impatiently and winced at the sight of Kristan’s eye, which was getting darker by the second.

  "Where is your camper?" she said. "I'll walk you there and you can lie down for a bit."

  Kristan straightened up.

  She suddenly remembered her clients and realised that she was going to be late if she did not get going soon.

  "Can't, I've got work to do," she said. “But thanks.”

  Liz looked surprised.

  "Work?" she repeated.

  She had assumed, wrongly obviously, that everyone who stayed at the Park must be on holiday.

  "Yeah, I have a group of clients today."

  Kristan rolled her neck and blinked a few times, glad to realise that her head had cleared. She grabbed her bottle of water and took another deep breath.

  "I run the Activity Centre," she added, reading the question in Liz's eyes.

  Reluctantly, Liz took a step away from her. She knew the Activity Centre offered kayaking sessions on the lake and also scenic helicopter flights over Mount Fox Glacier.

  "Are you one of the pilots?" she probed.

  "Yes."

  "You will not be flying today."

  Even though it was a question, it was phrased and sounded like an order, and Kristan hesitated for a second before she replied. She was not used to receiving orders, not from Mike, not from anyone on her staff, and certainly not from women she had only known a few minutes, no matter how beautiful they may be.

  "You will not be flying, right?" the woman insisted, and this time Kristan recognised her tone for what it was.

  Genuine concern. She relaxed immediately.

  "Not today," she confirmed. "I'm just going out on the lake with a bunch of guys."

  Liz nodded, only partly reassured.

  "Okay. My humble opinion is you should take the rest of the day off," she said thoughtfully. "But something tells me you might disagree with that."

  She was pleased when Kristan smiled.

  “Yep,” she said.