The plane’s propellers started.
It hit him then. What he had to admit to himself…
And what he had to tell Sapphie.
‘All buckled up?’ Sid asked.
‘Uh-huh.’ Sapphie nodded. She couldn’t manage anything more. Her throat had practically closed over. Sid taxied to the end of the airstrip, turned the small aircraft around, and though her eyes had started to blur she could see Liam’s dusty ute sitting to one side.
The plane’s engine revved. Sapphie closed her eyes. She didn’t think she could bear to see Liam lift his arm in farewell as they sped past. The plane started to surge forward. She kept her eyes resolutely shut. She didn’t want to watch as Newarra faded into the distance.
‘What the—?’ Sid applied the brakes. Sapphie’s eyes flew open.
Liam had driven his ute straight out into the middle of the runway. She planted her hands on the dash in front of her as Sid applied the brakes harder and harder.
‘What does he think he’s doing?’ she squeaked. He could be squashed flat!
‘Lost his mind,’ Sid grumbled, pulling the plane to a halt, stopping only centimetres from the car. He glanced at Sapphie. ‘Over a woman, I’d say.’
She gave a horrid high-pitched laugh. ‘You’re wrong there, Sid. I happen to know that for a fact as—’
She didn’t get any further, because her door was wrenched open and Liam levered himself up to her level. His face was white, his lips were white, but his eyes were blue and blazing.
‘Get down from there, Sapphie.’
‘I’ll do no such—’
He leant in and kissed her. She melted in her seat. His hands found the seatbelt and unbuckled it. She couldn’t so much as lift a finger to stop him.
In the next moment she found herself gathered up in his arms, drawn out of the plane and set down on firm ground again.
‘Sorry for the delay, Sid, but you can be on your way now.’
She swung around and pointed a finger at Sid. ‘Don’t you dare!’
‘Ain’t going nowhere,’ he said calmly. ‘Not while that ute’s in the way.’
She swung back to Liam. ‘Have you lost your mind?’
‘You can’t leave, Sapphie.’
She couldn’t keep it together then. She pressed her hands to her cheeks to try and stem the tears.
‘Sapphie, don’t cry.’
‘Please don’t do this to me, Liam.’ He had to know he was tearing her in two.
‘I’m not trying to hurt you.’ He touched her shoulders, cupped her face. ‘I’m trying to tell you what an idiot I’ve been. I’m trying to tell you I love you, and that I can’t live without you.’
Her jaw dropped.
‘I’ve been pretending I wanted you to stay for Harry’s sake. That’s a lie. I want you to stay for me.’
She stared at him. ‘But you just said…’
‘The truth didn’t hit me till those propellers started up. But when they did it hit me that I loved you. I’ve spent so long trying to protect my heart that I didn’t see what was right in front of my nose—that letting you go would hurt me worst of all.’
The first thread of hope started to trickle through her. ‘You really mean it? You really do love me?’
‘With my soul and my body…and with my heart,’ he vowed.
He strode away from her then, to search the edge of the airstrip. She gaped at him. ‘What are you doing?’ He should be kissing her!
‘There’s never any darn flowers around when a man needs them,’ he muttered. He swung back. ‘Hold out your hands,’ he ordered.
She cupped her hands in front of her.
Her breath caught when he went down on one knee.
‘Sapphie, I can’t offer you anything except this land we’re standing on…’ he picked up a handful of dirt and poured it into her cupped hands ‘…and myself. I love you. You bring me joy and hope and a happiness I never knew possible. I will dedicate my life to making you happy if you’ll agree to marry me and become my wife.’
Her heart all but stopped. She stared at him in open-mouthed awe…and then at the dirt in her hands—a mixture of red sand and rock. ‘Quick, Liam, get me a container.’
His brow creased. ‘I… What?’
She stamped a foot. ‘Hurry!’
He leapt to his feet and bolted to the back of the ute. She heard him emptying something metallic out onto its tray, then he swung back with an old instant coffee tin in his hands. Very carefully Sapphie poured the dirt she held in her hands into the tin—every last grain of it, and then she took the lid and sealed it.
She held the tin against her heart and gazed up into Liam’s face. ‘This is the most precious gift anyone has ever given me,’ she whispered. ‘I love you, Liam. I would love to marry you. I can’t think of a single thing that would make me happier.’ A shaft of mischief pierced her. ‘Unless, of course…’ she leaned in close to whisper ‘…it’s being the mother of your children.’ Her smile became a grin. ‘Starting with Harry.’
Liam cupped her face in his hands. ‘I love you, Sapphire Thomas.’
‘I love you, Liam Stapleton,’ she managed, before his lips descended to hers in a kiss that almost made her weep with its sweetness.
‘Uh…’ She licked her lips when Liam lifted his head, wriggled against him suggestively. ‘Why don’t we, umm, go and practise making those babies right now?’
‘I’d appreciate it if you’d move the ute first,’ Sid said wryly from behind them.
‘Oh!’ Sapphie swung around, her face red.
Liam slid an arm around her waist and pulled her in close. ‘Sure thing, Sid.’
‘Congratulations to you both.’ Sid grinned and touched the brim of his hat, winked at Sapphie. ‘I guess that means you don’t need a ride to Broome after all, huh?’
‘Umm…no.’
Oh, Broome—Anna and Lea! She swung to Liam. ‘Do you think we could fly to Broome later today, and then on to Yarraji? Please? I have to ask Anna and Lea something very important.’
‘What’s that?’
Her heart filled to nearly bursting. ‘If they’ll be my bridesmaids.’
His grin when it came was slow and sexy. ‘We can do whatever you want,’ he promised. ‘I want you to have it all.’
‘I already have it all right here,’ she whispered, pulling his head down for another kiss.
They surfaced several long moments later. ‘Maybe we’ll go visiting tomorrow,’ she amended.
‘Excellent idea,’ Liam agreed, kissing her again.
Sid went back to leaning against his plane. Moving the ute might take a whole lot longer than he’d anticipated. And for once he didn’t mind waiting.
EPILOGUE
One month later
‘AND this is the colour I’ve chosen for the bridesmaids’ dresses.’
Sapphie pulled a square of golden-brown silk from the bag at her feet. The light filtering in at the French doors caught the shimmering magic of the fabric. She was to be married from Jarndirri in one month’s time. With Anna and Lea as her bridesmaids. She could hardly wait!
She shot Lea a grin. ‘Can you live with this?’
She’d teased Lea the previous day, not long after Anna and Lea had arrived at Newarra. She’d told her she’d chosen a pink taffeta with a purple appliqué for the bridesmaids’ dresses. The expression on Lea’s face had been priceless. She and Anna had rolled around the bedroom floor laughing while Lea had feigned affront. But they’d known she’d been having as much fun as them.
Sapphie still found it…wonderful…how welcoming, how overjoyed Anna and Lea had been, when she’d told them she was their half-sister. She’d told them everything. The bond between them had gelled and set so hard she knew that nothing earthly could break it.
Lea took the square of silk, stroked it. ‘It’s lovely.’ For a moment longing stretched across her face, and Sapphie wanted to hug her. Only she knew Lea wouldn’t appreciate such an overt sign of emotion.
&nb
sp; Lea handed the swatch back. ‘I’m glad the truth finally came out, Sapphie.’
‘Me too,’ Anna said softly.
‘Me three.’ Sapphie grinned, feeling unaccountably blessed.
Lea’s face darkened. ‘It should’ve come out sooner. Dad was—’
‘Human,’ Sapphie jumped in, when she saw Anna’s smile start to slip. ‘He loved your mother so much he couldn’t bear to taint her memory. I…I must’ve been a symbol to him of all the ways he felt he’d failed her.’
From what Sapphie could figure out, in despair over his wife’s failing health, Bryce had turned to Dana for comfort. A fleeting comfort that had left him racked with guilt.
‘And don’t forget he never shunned me. He never sent Dana away. Like all of us, he made mistakes. And he died before he could make amends.’ She paused again. ‘Really, all he wanted to do was preserve your mother’s memory.’
‘Loving like that,’ Lea said shortly, ‘it’s dangerous.’
Sapphie and Anna exchanged a glance, but neither one of them spoke. Then they shared a secret smile. One day some man would sweep Lea off her feet, and then she’d know. Sapphie prayed it would happen soon. She wanted both her sisters as deliriously happy as she was.
Anna leant forward to clasp Sapphie’s hand. ‘You’ve made your peace with him, then?’
‘Yes, I have.’ Life was too short to hold grudges.
A month ago—when she’d gone to Anna and Lea with the truth—Jared had shown her Bryce’s will, and he’d given her a letter Bryce had left for her. ‘He hoped you’d never have to get this letter, Sapphie. He expected to be here in person to explain, to try and make amends.’ He’d left her then to read it.
Bryce had left her a bequest—she’d inherited a bloodline. Jarndirri was famed for its breeding stock. The profits from every animal born through Jarndirri’s prestigious Phoenix line now came to her. It was a steady and generous source of income, but Sapphie knew it was more than that. Bryce had found a way to link her to the land he’d worked and loved. It told her in a way that nothing else could that he’d loved her and valued her. It told her he’d meant it when he’d said in his letter Sapphie, please forgive me.
‘And Emmy?’ Anna asked.
Sapphie’s heart clenched for a moment. It always ached whenever she thought about her little sister. ‘She’s started on a drug rehabilitation programme, and she’s decided to do some studying, get some qualifications. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for her.’
Anna squeezed her hand. Lea leant forward. ‘Tell her we’re here if she needs us. Any time.’
Sapphie had to blink back tears. ‘Thank you.’ She paused and swallowed. ‘Emmy told me the reason she didn’t ask me to adopt Harry was because she didn’t want to ruin my life a second time. Can you believe that? But we had a good talk. I’m looking forward to spending some time with her when she’s released.’
Anna and Lea both smiled. ‘Good!’ they said at the same time.
‘Hello, ladies, I thought you might like refreshments.’
Sapphie swung to stare at Liam as he entered the room, bearing a tray. He had Harry tucked under his free arm. Sapphie’s heart skipped and danced at the sight of him.
He grinned. ‘And someone wanted to visit.’
Anna jumped up immediately to take Harry. ‘Hello, gorgeous boy!’
Harry waved his arms and grinned back at her. Sapphie held her breath, but no sadness shadowed Anna’s face. Anna radiated that contented, deep-rooted glow of a woman who knew she was loved. Sapphie was glad of it.
And then Anna started to laugh when she saw what was on the tray. ‘Caramel milkshakes!’
‘Nothing but the best for my future sisters-in-law.’ Liam grinned, setting the tray down. ‘And nothing but the best for my beautiful future wife,’ he murmured in Sapphie’s ear.
His lips descended to hers, and she kissed him back with her whole heart.
ISBN: 978-1-4268-5524-5
THE CATTLEMAN, THE BABY AND ME
First North American Publication 2010.
Copyright © 2010 by Michelle Douglas.
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