The Road Home

by Palmer, Fiona

  She picked up a new point for the seeder bar and looked up at the sky. She just needed some good rain, which they were expecting at the end of April or start of May, and then she’d be planting her first-ever crops. Just a few weeks away now. When that happened, she’d be able to call herself a real farmer – but it all depended on the rain. At the moment it was still dry. The fire bans had even been extended.

  She moved to the far side of the huge seeder bar, where she needed to repair some hoses and put on some new points to replace the ones worn away from digging into the ground. Sliding under the bar, she found the missing point and banged on the new one. She’d lost count of the times she’d hit her knuckles doing this, as she was still getting used to using a hammer with force, but thankfully this time she managed not to take out a finger. She knew it took her twice as many hits as your average bloke to get there, but working this farm all on her own was the most amazing feeling. Without doubt it was the most rewarding thing she’d ever done. She felt like she was climbing mountains, and not just any mountains – this felt like the Himalayas.

  By five o’clock she had the seeding gear as ready as she could and still Noah hadn’t turned up. She’d expected him by now. Surely he’d want to tidy up the shearing shed? If he’d been talking to her, he’d probably have asked her to set it up. He was cutting it fine for the party, but he couldn’t avoid her forever. She’d given him some breathing space, but she’d never give up on him completely.

  She drove down to the shearing shed, which shone golden in the afternoon light, hoping that Noah might have snuck in somewhere. There was no sign of him, but Jack’s ute was parked nearby. Heading inside, she almost collided with Jack as he was coming out. His chest pushed against her outstretched hand and she could feel every muscle, along with his heartbeat. Shaken, she stepped back and saw that the shed had been cleaned and set up with lights, a bath full of ice and drinks, and bale bags hanging up for the empty cans. Wow.

  ‘Gee, when did you get here?’

  ‘About twenty minutes ago. Noah asked me to come set up.’

  Oh, that figures. ‘I never saw you come in, or heard you, for that matter.’

  ‘Probably ’cos you had your head under the seeder bar, banging on points.’ He almost smiled.

  ‘Oh, yeah.’ Lara wiped her hand across her forehead, shifting some loose strands of hair.

  ‘So, what’s going on with you and Noah?’ said Jack frankly, taking her by surprise. Lara hesitated, gazing up into those stormy green eyes.

  ‘Well?’

  ‘Don’t know what you’re talking about.’ She could play games too, but Jack kept staring her down. ‘Why don’t you ask Noah?’

  Jack rested his arm against the corrugated tin wall. ‘I have. He says it’s nothing. But it’s not nothing if he’s staying with me for the night, is it?’

  Lara’s wide blue eyes revealed her dismay. ‘He’s what? Is he staying with you?’

  He grimaced. ‘Yeah, that’s what I thought. You didn’t even know, did you? He told me it was so he didn’t wake you up after the party. But I could tell something was up.’

  Bloody Noah. This sort of nonsense wasn’t going to fix anything.

  ‘Have a good night,’ she said and turned to leave the shed.

  Jack grabbed her arm and her body tingled from his touch, paralysing her legs.

  ‘Lara? What about Noah?’ His eyes were so intense, trying to read her.

  She took a deep breath, shook her arm from his grasp and smiled. ‘Tell him to enjoy his night.’

  Jack watched her leave, her back straight and her walk determined, her long plait hanging down the middle of her back like a rope of spun gold. Damn his male thoughts. He tried to think about Noah. He knew he shouldn’t get involved, but he couldn’t think what could be bad enough for Noah to fight with Lara. He knew how close they were. Was she planning to do something unconventional with the farm? Plant some weird crop? Start a city retreat? Was it something to do with the marijuana she’d found?

  Jack found himself thinking of Lara again. He was so determined to keep her at arm’s length. When she got too close, it did things to his body and mind. He could only fight that attraction with anger. To give her credit, he was a little impressed she’d lasted this long. Jack shook his head. Maybe she was a little tougher than he’d given her credit for. Maybe she wasn’t the only one to have jumped to conclusions.

  Lara’s mind was made up. She’d talk to Noah whether he wanted her to or not. She snuck back down to the shearing shed, where Birds of Tokyo blared from the portable CD-player. It was still early, about eight o’clock, and only Noah’s ute was there, with two swags on the back. He and Jack must have come together.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Jack’s voice came from behind the ute. He walked over, carrying a box of beer, and she caught the smell of intoxicating aftershave. Her knees went a little wobbly. Who knew big, irritating Jack could smell so good?

  ‘Ah, I live here. At least, I did last time I checked.’ She actually saw Jack crack half a smile. ‘I’m looking for Noah. Is he inside?’ She hoped it was dark enough for Jack not to notice what she was wearing – blue tracky pants and an old shearing singlet of her dad’s.

  He nodded. ‘It’s his bucks’ night. Go easy, okay?’

  She gave him a salute and headed up the steps into the shed. Noah was over by the music and didn’t see her until she was by his side.

  ‘No girls allowed, remember?’ he almost growled.

  ‘You won’t talk to me, but I’m your sister and I love you.’

  Noah’s eyes softened a little as he glanced to the door. ‘You haven’t said anything to anyone, have you? You know how rumours go out here, even if they aren’t true!’ he stressed, turning the music down a bit.

  Lara was about to say something but Jack walked back in with a carton of beer. ‘Just don’t freeze me out. I don’t want to fight, Noah.’

  ‘You guys okay?’ Jack asked as he put the beer on an old chair near the bath tub.

  ‘Yep, just catching up.’ Noah smiled and pulled her into a hug. ‘Me neither, Larz.’

  Lara got the feeling this was mostly for Jack’s benefit. She kissed his cheek and whispered, ‘Go easy on Mandy. It’s not her fault. She just loves you.’

  ‘Yeah, I know.’

  Lara got the idea: as long as they pretended the ‘gambling talk’ hadn’t happened, they could play happy families.

  ‘So, how’s Jack been lately?’ asked Noah, watching Jack head back outside.

  Lara raised her eyebrows. ‘Well, I think he doesn’t like me at all.’ She picked up a CD cover and flipped it open. ‘Has something happened in Jack’s past to make him dislike women? Or is that just a Jack thing?’

  Noah laughed and glanced to the door. ‘No, you hit the nail on the head. Jack’s last girlfriend ripped his heart out and stood on it with her high-heel shoes.’

  ‘What’s that got to do with me?’

  ‘She was a city girl, couldn’t handle it out here.’ Noah cut it short as Jack came back in with another carton. Lara watched him carefully. Was that why he kept his distance? Was he afraid she’d hurt him too?

  Noah cleared his throat. ‘You better get out of here before the lads turn up and think you’re the entertainment.’

  She held his shoulder. ‘Will you come and see me before you head home tomorrow?’ She needed to talk to him about the crop she’d found growing on their land.

  ‘I’ll try.’

  The look in his eyes said otherwise, but it was the best she could do. At least he was talking to her. Noah returned his attention to the music as she left, but Jack was watching her as she crossed the wooden floor. She could feel his eyes trying to read her and the situation, so she turned to him and smiled, looking as carefree as she could. ‘Have a great night, Jack.’

  ‘Um, Lara?’

  She paused on the top step.

  Jack leant over and whispered in her ear. ‘We have a stripper coming, all the boys put in for
it. And um, I just wanted to let you know in case she heads to the house first to get set up.’

  ‘Oh, Jack, really?’

  He nodded and then shrugged. ‘It’s not a real bucks’ without entertainment.’ He smiled and she was won over.

  ‘Just don’t let it get outta hand.’ Lara pointed a finger at his chest. ‘I’m counting on you, Jack. I will hold you responsible if anything goes wrong.’

  ‘All right.’

  She gave him one last serious look and stepped down the rest of the stairs. She glanced back when she reached the bottom but he’d already gone back inside.

  ‘This is the best bucks’ party ever, Jack,’ Noah slurred. He clinked his beer with Jack’s.

  ‘Let’s hope it’s your only one,’ said Trent, taking another step to steady himself.

  ‘I’m glad my father-in-law declined to come.’

  The boys all laughed. Jack stepped back, treading on an empty Emu Export can. He kicked it towards the makeshift bin in the corner, his aim slightly off. He glanced around the shearing shed, the coloured lights affecting his eyesight a fraction. The shed was quite full with all the mates Noah had made over the years. Rhylee was over talking with Kim, the mechanic from town. The publican was here, a few shire boys, and a lot of farmers from the district, young and old. In all, there were about thirty guys. But Noah was a likable bloke.

  ‘So, Trenty, rumour has it you’ve been skylarking with my sister?’

  Noah’s words snapped Jack out of his thoughts. He turned to watch Trent, his breath caught in his throat.

  ‘Why? You got a problem with that?’ Trent asked carefully as he opened the neck on his striped dress shirt.

  Noah hooked his thumb into his jeans pocket and clicked his tongue. ‘I don’t know. Depends what your intentions are?’

  It was like two dusty cowboys squaring off at each other, but only shooting blanks.

  Trent shrugged and smiled. ‘I like her a lot. She’s got spunk.’

  Jack’s gut dropped, as though he’d been drinking lead, not beer. As if to wash the unwelcome feeling away, he took another swig and turned, unable to face them any more. That’s when he saw her face – or, more correctly, he saw her hair hanging down as she peered around the corner of the shed door. Lara spotted him and waved him over before disappearing. Oh, she did things to him in all the naughty places.

  He snuck away from the boys and their talk about Lara. He didn’t really want to know what Trent and Lara were getting up to. It was none of his business … yet it didn’t sit right in his chest.

  Outside, the light from one of the windows illuminated the area at the bottom of the steps. Lara stood just at the edge of the light so he could see her. He put his hand against the corrugated wall to steady himself as he stepped down, watching each foot position. At the bottom, he raised his head and saw another woman with Lara. The stripper, going by her PVC outfit and bag of tricks.

  ‘She’s ready to go,’ Lara said. Her hair was out, hanging down over her chest. It was so captivating. Had she been up watching TV, or reading a book? Maybe she’d been in bed, as it was getting late. She wore the same track pants as earlier, and it looked as if she’d just thrown on the long-sleeved shirt, as it sat open at the front, revealing a white singlet. If her hair hadn’t been covering most of her chest he’d have sworn she wasn’t wearing a bra.

  ‘Should she go in?’

  ‘Oh, yeah. Just head straight up,’ he nodded to the other woman.

  The stripper smiled with bright red lips, winked, then headed up the stairs, her outfit squeaking as she walked. Jack stayed, watching Lara as the shed erupted in wolf whistles and shouts.

  ‘You’re missing out on the show,’ Lara said with a smile.

  Jack didn’t care. Reaching out his hand, he touched her hair and curled a strand around his finger. It was softer than he’d imagined.

  Lara moved a fraction closer, snapping him out of his trance. He withdrew his hand, glancing into her curious blue eyes and clearing his throat.

  ‘Yeah, I better get back,’ he said, taking a step away before he did something reckless. Something more reckless than what he’d just done.

  ‘Jack?’

  He didn’t want to answer her unasked question. He couldn’t go down this road again.

  ‘’Night, Lara.’ He started up the steps, almost tripping on the last one, and dived into the safety of the shed. At last he could breathe again.

  He sat in the nearest plastic chair, not interested in joining the circle of men around the woman. The music blared as bits of clothing burst out of the centre, only to be snatched from the air by large male hands. Jack just sat there, staring into space, rubbing his fingers and concentrating on breathing slowly. He was going to need another beer.

  27

  AFTER lunch the next day, Lara saw the lightning start up as thick black storm clouds rolled in. They looked troubling, just like her thoughts had been all morning. The way Jack had studied her hair with such infatuation had caused her a sleepless night. But he’d run like a skittish fox when she’d moved closer, taking off up the stairs as if she’d been chasing him with the rifle.

  The weather was not helping her mood. It was still hot and the air was filled with electricity. From the shed she had a marvellous view over the land and at the dark clouds that moved low and fast. But as menacing as they looked, there was still no rain. Hopefully it would come.

  About ten minutes later she saw dark smoke on the horizon and knew it wasn’t a good sign. At first it was just a black smudge, as if someone had smeared charcoal on the view with their finger, but it grew thicker by the minute and spread out like a fan. No two ways about it – this was a fire.

  She jumped into the ute. ‘Roy, Dippa, stay.’ They shot her murderous looks but obeyed. As she left the farm and headed in the direction of the fire, she put the two-way radio on scan to see if she could pick up any information.

  She arrived at the end of a bush reserve, nearly fifteen kilometres away. She could smell the smoke and see it wafting through the scrub bush and mallee trees. Lights from the two fire trucks flashed further up on the road, near local farmers in utes and water trucks, who were no doubt waiting on instructions. Even Lara could see that the bush was too thick for them to just drive in and put the fire out.

  ‘What the hell are you doing here?’ a voice boomed in through the ute window. Jack stood there with a scowl on his face.

  ‘Jesus, Jack.’

  ‘You shouldn’t be here.’

  ‘Why not? I have every right, just like every other land owner or worker here.’

  ‘You don’t know what you’re doing and you’ll just get in the way.’

  ‘Oh, you’re so supportive, Jack. I think that’s what I like about you. You know how to make a person feel welcome,’ she said sarcastically. ‘How am I supposed to know what to do to help if I don’t get out and learn? One day Erindale could have a fire and I don’t want to run around like a nit in a fit while everything burns down around me.’ She saw her words hit the target and she reached out and grabbed his wrist. ‘Help me, Jack. Tell me, show me things so I’ll be prepared. Please.’

  His eyes trailed to where she held him and she quickly let go, feeling a flush pass through her body. He was weighing up her words.

  ‘Okay, but you have to stay with me. I don’t want you wandering off trying to put out flames or save wildlife. You get your arse burnt and Noah will skin me alive. And it’d be a shame to singe off all your hair.’

  The heated way he gazed at her hair caused a shiver through her bones. ‘I promise, I’ll stick to you like glue.’ The corner of Jack’s lips twitched and it eased the seriousness of the moment.

  ‘So, I guess Noah has already gone home?’

  Jack angled his head curiously. ‘Yes. He left about ten. Did he not stop and see you?’

  Lara quickly waved him off. ‘Oh, he probably did but I had to run into town about then,’ she said, making up an excuse. She tried hard to keep the disapp
ointment from showing. She’d really hoped Noah would stop in, but maybe facing her alone was still too much for him to bear.

  Jack nodded. ‘Well, I’ve just gotta go talk with Evan over there and see what the plan is. You stay here,’ he ordered like a drill sergeant, which just made her imagine him as an SAS soldier, decked out in a sexy uniform. She could picture Jack being all tough, mean and dangerous. Maybe he’d be in the bomb department, she thought. He sure was good at pressing buttons.

  Jack jogged back over.

  ‘So? What’s the go?’ Lara asked.

  ‘You can park just off the main gravel road behind my ute. Ev’s just checked on the forecast and the wind is heading in a steady westerly. Brett’s bringing down Greg’s grader. We’re going to make a break through the bush and hopefully cut it off at this end.’ Jack pointed to the nearby paddock. ‘We don’t want it to get out here. Ned’s house is just over that hill. He’s bringing his tractor up now to plough up along the fence line.’

  ‘It sounds so organised.’

  ‘That’s why we have a fire chief. Need to be prepared, as the wind could change.’

  A truck pulled up in front of them on the road. ‘That’s Brett with Greg’s grader,’ he said, hanging onto the open door. ‘If you wanna stay here, I’m just going to help unload and then I’ll come get you.’ He said it lightly but his tone ordered her to stay put.

  Lara parked her ute, grabbed the water bottle from the seat, and sat on the bonnet as she watched Jack untying the grader. Brett came over as Jack reversed the grader off the low loader.

  ‘Hi, Lara. Long time no see.’ Brett Thompson was Noah’s age and they’d gone to primary school together. His family lived just out of town on a small farm.

  ‘Yeah. Pity it’s not under better circumstances,’ she said. ‘Did you go to the bucks’ party last night?’

  Brett pulled a face. ‘I did and I’m still suffering slightly. Great night, though.’ Brett towered over her, blocking out the patch of light filtering through the storm clouds. He’d always been Luc Longley–tall.