by Maree, Kay
“Sorry,” Austin said first, followed closely by Grace.
“Can I offer you a glass of wine?” Callie asked, reaching across the table and pouring him a glass before he had a chance to decline.
He wasn’t much of a wine drinker. Give him a beer any day, but here he was, at the table of his new boss, a woman who had very graciously taken him in, given him a bed to sleep in, and then invited him in for dinner. Who was he to refuse a glass of wine?
“I don’t normally invite the workers in,” Callie explained over the slow-cooked lamb. If this was not much, he couldn’t help but wonder what the family ate when she made an effort. “As I kind of explained earlier, we have workers here for about four to six weeks at a time. They come for the rodeo. Carrillo Estate has hosted it every year for the last thirty years. That’s why I’m so busy. My dad used to run it, but since he’s passed on, it falls on me now. Preparations are underway, but we’ll be inundated in a few weeks when the contractors arrive and begin to set up.”
Cody listened as she explained the ins and outs of managing the yearly event. He had attended many rodeos in his time, and if he were honest, he had never given a great deal of thought into how much work went into them.
When their meal was over, the kids made their way to the bathroom for their showers. Callie poured them each another glass of wine, and he helped with clearing the table, although she insisted he didn’t need to help with the dishes. Conversation flowed smoothly, and before he realised the evening had spilled into the night.
“I’m going to have to head to bed,” Callie announced, turning her wrist to check the time. “I have a busy day tomorrow. It’s been nice having some adult company for a change. Thanks for coming over.”
“Thank you for inviting me.” He smiled, climbing to his feet and stretching out his legs. “I would have gone hungry otherwise. I’ll pop into town tomorrow and get some supplies.”
“Let me know when you’re going, would you?” Callie asked. “I’ll call Jim and give him my order. You’ll just need to pick it up.”
Callie walked with him to the door and lent sleepily against the frame, covering her mouth with her hand when she let out a long yawn. An overwhelming urge swept over him to scoop her up and carry her to her bed. He had to get those thoughts out of his mind. He was here to work, not to get into his boss’s pants. No matter how sexy they might be.
Callie
“Please, Mum. We promise we’ll bring the calves up after school,” Austin whined.
Austin was not a farm kid. He took after his father. He’d made no secret of the fact he wanted to move back to the city. Adam, however, had made it abundantly clear that he was busy getting on with his life, and his new family, as her daughter not so eloquently insisted on pointing out.
“Austin, I am sick of asking you to do things. You’re always promising to do it after school, and nothing gets done.”
“I will if you let me have my quad back.”
What he didn’t know was that she had already spoken to Cody about bringing the calves up. He had arrived at the perfect time; she knew she needed help on the farm regularly. It was too much for her alone. It had been too much for her dad also, but she realised that too late. Being the stoic old Aussie bloke he was, he wasn’t about to let anyone know he wasn’t coping.
“I tell you what. When you get home tonight, if you clean your room like I’ve been asking you to for weeks, you can have your bike again.”
Austin flopped his head back and rolled his eyes. “Dad wouldn’t make me clean my room.”
“No, and Dad wouldn’t let you ride a quad bike either, would he?”
Austin didn’t answer her; instead, he stormed off into the kitchen to fix his lunch, something else he was unhappy about.
In their old lives, in the city, Adam had driven the kids to school each morning on his way to the office. They had attended a prestigious private school, which provided them with daily cooked lunches. Harlow’s Bend Primary School held a sausage sizzle once a month, and the kids caught the school bus to and from the farm gate. Grace didn’t seem to mind. She was more her mother’s daughter. Before moving to Harlow’s Bend, she had enjoyed her visits with her granddad. Grace, like many little girls, loved horses, and from the time she was old enough to hold the reigns, her granddad had led her around the yard. He’d even given her a pony. Of course, Vin had taken care of it, but now, in his absence, Grace had learned to do much of the work herself.
Callie offered horse agistment to a few local townsfolk. It helped supplement the farm's meagre income. Even though she was down to only one hundred head of cattle and four hundred sheep, running stock was becoming an increasing struggle. Events management she could do blindfolded. The day to day running of a farm, not so much.
“I’m ready,” Austin harrumphed, dropping his school bag at his feet.
“I don’t think your sister’s ready yet. Go call her, would you?”
Rolling his eyes to the heavens once more, he stormed off toward the back of the house, calling his twin sister’s name as he went. Callie could have done that herself.
With the kids in the car, she set out toward the gate, noticing Cody was already in the cattle yard. She smiled to herself. He fitted in nicely already. Maybe she would have to crunch the numbers to see if she could afford a permanent farmhand. Then again, it wouldn’t be fair to expect anyone to live in Harlow’s Bend permanently; it was hardly a thriving community.
“I like Cody,” a starry-eyed Grace announced from the back seat.
“I don’t,” Austin interjected. “He’s an idiot.”
“You’re an idiot,” Grace retorted.
“That’s enough.”
“Is he going to be your new boyfriend?” Grace asked, ignoring her brother’s look of disgust.
Callie stifled a laugh. “I only just met him yesterday. Besides, Mums don’t have boyfriends.”
“Why not? Dad’s got a new girlfriend.”
“Fiancé,” Austin reminded her.
Callie felt a pang of jealousy settle in the pit of her stomach at the sound of those words. “It doesn’t matter what your dad’s got. Cody’s here to work. I’ve put him on as a farmhand, that’s it. He will probably leave as soon as the rodeo’s over.”
“But you like him, don’t you, Mum?” Grace continued as they pulled to a stop.
Callie closed her eyes and searched for the right words. When she opened them, the bus was almost at the gate. A plume of red dust kicking up in its wake as it approached.
“Look, the bus is here. You guys have a good day, yeah?”
Grace leaned through the front seats and placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek. Austin bumped his fist against hers; he was too grown-up to kiss his mother now. A fact that made her heart hurt a little. Where had the last twelve years gone? From the overwhelming love when she brought two tiny babies home from hospital, to having two children on the brink of puberty, so much had happened in such a short time, and yet, it felt like nothing at all.
“I have the fences secured, do you want me to saddle the horses?” Cody called as she approached the yards.
Callie’s brows rose in surprise. She had expected Cody would want to use bikes like most workers. Her dad had taught her to ride as a youngster; she would muster with him from the age of ten. These days she tended to use the quad bikes for farm work, saving her riding time for leisure, which there never seemed enough time for either.
“Sure,” she smiled. “I’ll go lead them in.”
Cody tipped his hat and offered her a smile. Her heart fluttered at his gesture, and she checked herself. She had no time for crazy thoughts about a cowboy, much less. Cowboys did nothing but break girls’ hearts. They were players, and Callie had already had her fair share of being played. She wasn’t going there again.
Scooping up the reins, she whistled to the girls: Marla and Kimba, two chestnut mares, mother and daughter. Kimba had been the last foal her fathe
r had broken in before his death; she hadn’t known at that time how unwell he was. She’d been so busy with her city life. Working in corporate events management, raising her son and daughter, being Adam’s wife. Something she now regretted with all her being. Time with her father was something she would never get back.
A soft nuzzling broke her out of her reverie, and she laughed before stroking Marla’s cheek. She had been her father Vin’s favourite, and now she was Callie’s favourite too. The mare loved a good run, and she knew she needed to take her out more. Unfortunately, running the farm successfully the way she would like, was a full-time job all on its own, and she couldn’t afford that. Without the income from the rodeo, there was no way the farm could stay afloat.
“What a beautiful girl.” She heard Cody’s deep voice before she saw him, but within seconds he came into view, stroking Kimba’s neck.
“They both are,” she replied. “This here, Marla, is her Mum.”
“You did a good job there, Marla,” he spoke as if she could understand. Sometimes, Callie thought they could, especially when the horse responded with a soft whinny.
“I need to spend more time with her. I think they really miss my dad.”
“How long has he been gone?”
“Eighteen months,” she replied sadly. “He was ill for a while. I came back here to help him with the place. Stubborn old man.” She shook her head. “I think he was sick for a lot longer than I knew about.”
“Cancer?”
She nodded sadly. “Yep. He refused treatment. Reckoned it would make him sicker. He worked the farm, though, right up until a month before he passed away.”
“What about your mum?”
Callie raised and dropped her shoulders. “I haven’t seen her since I was twelve. She just up and left one morning. Dad never spoke of her again. We just got on with life without her.”
“Sheesh, that’s harsh.”
“It’s just the way it is,” Callie sighed. She hadn’t reflected on it much until now. Now that her daughter was the same age, she couldn’t imagine how a mother could leave without a trace. She knew life was hard on the farm, and her dad hadn’t been the easiest man to live with, but he’d never laid a finger on either of them in anger. Not that she knew of anyway.
“That’s enough about me, we’ve got work to do.” She looped the horse’s reins around the gate and turned for the stable.
With the horses saddled up, they headed toward the southern end of the property. Callie led the way, with Cody by her side. It wasn’t long before they found the mob, and slipping in behind them, had them heading back to the yards. The young calves running at their mother’s sides. Today, they would tag them all and band the bully calves before turning them back out into the lot.
In the past season, one of the local town men had come and helped her out. She was grateful for their support. Old Vin Carrillo was well known and respected in Harlow’s Bend. When he had passed, the entire town had attended his service.
He had worked tirelessly over the years, running the rodeos, which always brought much-needed tourist dollars to the town. Now he had passed that mantle down to her. She only hoped that she could do justice to the old man’s legacy.
Cody
It felt good to be back in the saddle again. It had been far too long. His mum had said he’d been born in boots. He never felt more at home than on the back of a horse. He preferred horseback over a vehicle any day, only it wasn’t an option too often.
Born and raised in cattle country, his parents had moved around from place to place. Cattle workers mainly, jack and jillaroo settled on outback stations. He had travelled with them until he reached high school age. That was when they’d decided he needed a stable home and sent him to live in Sydney with his grandparents. He hated it. The city had never felt like home. That was when he started attending rodeos. Often catching a Greyhound bus or hitchhiking if he couldn’t afford the fare.
A cowboy by the name of Weed had got him into bull-riding, although roping was more his thing. He wasn’t the best, but he made a few dollars and paid for his accommodations. Weed, as his name suggested, was a scrawny guy. One could be excused for thinking he wouldn’t be able to ride a half tonne beast, but Weed was not one to be told he couldn’t do anything. He could ride with the best of them, his wiry frame and agility making up for his otherwise lack of stature.
“Thanks for all your help today. Do you wanna come over to the house for a beer?” Callie asked as they dismounted their steeds.
He liked her, apart from her obvious good looks, she was a good horsewoman. He was impressed with the way she had handled the mare. Many people could ride, but few rode like they were in tune with their horse. Woman and horse rode like they could read the other. It had been a beautiful thing to watch.
“Yeah, sure,” Cody replied as he took his hat from his head and wiped his brow. The day’s sweat and dust mingled, leaving a streak of red dirt in its wake.
Callie stifled a giggle. “You might want to get cleaned up first. I tell you what; I have to get the kids from the bus in, ah . . .” she looked at her wrist. A gemstone-studded watch adorned her left forearm, completely at odds with her ripped blue jeans, and worn checked shirt. “Ten minutes. How about you come up to the house after that? I’ll get the kids afternoon tea, slip on some house clothes, and we can share a drink?”
“Sure thing.” He nodded. On the outside, he remained cool, calm, and collected, but inside, he was secretly fist punching the air. He could think of nothing he’d rather do with his afternoon. Well, maybe, more than just having a beer with a beautiful woman, but he’d take what he could get.
Callie
“You promised you’d clean your room this afternoon, mister.”
“Yeah, but . . . ” Austin whined.
“Yeah, but nothing. Have your drink, then get cracking. There will be no video games until you do.”
“How clean does it have to be? Can I just put my clothes in the wash?”
“No! You need to get all the rubbish out from under your bed. You’ll have rats in there if you don’t clean it up.”
“At least they can be my friends.”
“Eww, you’re so gross,” his twin sister squealed.
“Why doesn’t Gracie have to do hers? She’s your favourite, isn’t she?”
“She’s not my favourite. Look, I’m not having this argument with you. Grace has to do hers as well. If you want your quads back, then get to it.”
“Can I have it this afternoon if I get my room cleaned up?”
Callie raised her eyes to the heavens and wondered if she had ever given her dad such a hard time. “Just get it done, and we’ll see.” She secretly hoped he would. She had taken their quad bikes off them, thinking that would be their most significant incentive, and was fast tiring of having to drive them to and from the bus stop. It wasn’t that she minded so much, but she always found herself busy and would need to stop mid-task to do it.
With the kids finally cleaning their rooms, she climbed out of her filthy work clothes, replacing them with a summer dress. It was a little skimpy, showing off more of her legs than she’d like, but she was behind on her laundry. Not only did she need a permanent farmhand, but a housekeeper wouldn’t be bad either. She was sure Cody wouldn’t complain about her attire. She had noticed the way he checked her out, not in a leery way, more in an appreciative one. It was nice to be appreciated by a man. It had been a long time since she had felt wanted.
Brushing her thoughts aside, she headed to the veranda, grabbing a can of beer for him and a bottle of bubbly with a glass for herself. Jim did his best to keep the store stocked, but she still ordered a few extra cases of wine for herself when she ordered for the rodeo. Adam would say she had a drinking problem, but she had spent many nights alone. In the last years of her marriage, Adam had worked late most nights, and she had found herself whiling away the hours with a book and a beverage. It had almost become her tr
usty companion. Having someone to share a drink with after a dusty day out in the yard would be a nice change.
“Howdy there, ma’am,” Cody called, reaching the front of the house the same time she did. Dressed in clean blue jeans and a crisp white button-up shirt, he smelled delicious, and her mind returned to the memory of seeing him just out of the shower the day before.
“Evening.” She smiled in return and watched as he appraised her too. “I brought you a beer.”
“Nice,” he said, taking it from her hand and cracking it open. “Thank you.”
They settled into the swinging seat that hung from the veranda rafters and looked out over the farm in silence. Callie remembered a time when grass and garden beds adorned the front of the house. Over the years, the lack of rain and pure neglect had left the area barren, like most gardens in the Bend. She didn’t mind; she had never been much of a green thumb anyway. It would just be another chore for her.
“Where . . .”
“What are . . .”
They both spoke at the same time before excusing themselves and offering the other to talk first.
“I was going . . .”
“It’s just . . .”
They both began again, this time dissolving into fits of laughter. It felt good. Callie would josh around with the kids, particularly Grace, Austin was the more serious of the two, but laughing with another adult held something special.
When her laughter subsided to giggles, she tried again. “Where do you call home?”
Cody’s laughter stopped, and a serious look took over his face. “Home is fluid,” he replied.
“Fluid?” she asked, confused by his answer.
“Yeah, y’know, it changes. Never the same.”
“Where are your parents?”
Cody took a long swig of his beer and stared off into the distance. “My parents didn’t believe in putting down roots. They lived on the land. Moved from place to place. I’ve never really lived in one place long enough to call it home.”
