Page 37

Ranger tossed his head up and down, pulling on the rope in Indy’s hands as the stomping of his hoofs rose the dust around her boots.

‘Cut the crap, Ranger.’

Boots snorted at the commotion and Indy gave a tired chuckle.

The day’s work was nearly done. She just had to move these two to the front paddock with their friends and help Mara and Emery with the stable muck out.

Then Nova had ordered a staff meeting after dinner.

Did she dare to hope that it was to celebrate all the effort they’d put into getting Windale Mountain Station to its current sparkling state?

Nope, it was probably to make sure they’d be on their best behaviour tomorrow when the auditor from the council came.

The hurried sound of multiple sets of feet hitting the ground behind her caused Boots to dance sideways. Indy held the horses’ leads a little tighter and moved to the side of the road but kept her eyes on the path in front.

‘Wide berth to the horses, men.’ The voice was deeper than Carter’s.

Indy scowled, then caught herself and rearranged her face as the first Scorpion jogged past. Why did she always think of him?

‘Wide berth to the horses.’ That wasn’t him either.

More players ran past and Indy dropped her gaze to the ground, not wanting to look at even their backs.

Her hurt and anger had carried her through the morning’s jobs and now into the afternoon.

It was so draining, being let down by people.

Not having anyone to stand up for her or put her first had been the norm for her; she knew what to expect and never aimed for more.

But then Carter had come along and ruined it all.

‘Wide berth to the horses and their pretty handler.’ No guesses needed for who that was. At least he hadn’t called her sweetheart this time.

Indy eyed off every rock as the runners kept passing her.

Carter had made her understand what it was like when someone put her at the top of their priority list. He’d chosen her safety over Mara’s on the cliff that day.

Did valuing that make her a bad person? He’d been respectful of every boundary she’d put in place, but had he been too quick to agree not to tell anyone?

No, he’d already said he’d tell them all if it were up to him—she’d made the call to keep them a secret.

He’d simply been respecting her wishes by not outing them to his stepfather.

So what was wrong with her? If she’d made the decision, why did she hate feeling like a dirty little secret so much?

Maybe because none of it had made sense in the first place. She was a no-one and Carter was a someone. Did he see her the way his stepfather did?

Indy reached up and adjusted the brim of her cap. All these thoughts were sending her brain haywire.

Indy heard the steps of solitary feet slowing from a jog to a walk and glanced up, hope on her intake of breath. Her hope fell with the exhale when it wasn’t Carter she found herself looking at.

‘I didn’t know horses needed daily walks as well as dogs,’ Ray said with a slight puff.

Indy laughed, the comment so unexpected from him. ‘I’m just moving them to the front paddock. It’s not too far, so no sense in saddling up, and bare back’s not as comfortable as the movies make it look.’

He glanced at the sky. ‘At least the weather’s not too hot for walking.’

‘Or a run.’

‘Still perfect for a swim.’

Indy thought of the cool water of the creek and a longing for the tranquillity of it settled into her heart. ‘Definitely, although more thunderstorms are predicted, so I’m sure the humidity will pick up.’ She ducked her head. ‘Is there something I can help you with?’

‘There is actually,’ he said. ‘I noticed you have Sundays off.’

‘That’s very observant of you,’ she replied with a laugh.

‘We get the occasional Saturday off as well, depending on the time of the year, and what’s going on around here.

’ She expected Nova would tell them tonight to enjoy a full weekend after the extra mile they’d all taken this week to get the property perfect.

‘I was hoping that maybe we could head into town on your next day off and I could buy you a drink.’

Indy examined Ray’s face. Sincerity hid amongst his neatly groomed beard. She did like a beard. Her cheeks heated and she looked at her hands, adjusting the ropes in them.

Holy crap, did he really just ask her out? What the hell did she say to that?

She looked at him again. He seemed older than her and kind.

He always seemed to make her laugh at least once whenever he spoke to her, and he was handsome, in his own way.

But he wasn’t Carter. She didn’t get butterflies when she saw Ray like she had the first time she saw Carter, and every time since.

‘That’s really nice of you to ask,’ Indy said, remembering her manners. ‘But I don’t think I can.’

‘Are you sure? You don’t sound too sure, and I’d really like to get to know you more.’ His voice was smooth. Too smooth. ‘I think you’re amazing with all you do around here to get the most out of the land. Intelligent, capable and beautiful.’

He smiled rather brilliantly, a row of perfect white teeth gleaming at her.

It was a beautiful smile, but there wasn’t one flap of a wing in her stomach.

Indy sank her teeth into her bottom lip.

If someone at the pub hit on her and she wasn’t keen, she’d put them in their place without a backwards glance.

But Ray was a guest. Nova’s rules dictated that she needed to engage with all guests politely and respectfully.

She was really beginning to hate those rules.

‘Just one drink?’ he pushed, not breaking his stride. ‘Or we could do something else. Maybe head up to the peak together? I have some mean picnic-packing skills.’

Indy slowly shook her head. ‘Ray, I’m really not someone you want to do those things with.

I know you can feel a world away from everything else when you’re up here on the mountain, but there are a lot more girls out there who are probably more of what you’re looking for.

I’m just a small-town girl who enjoys living at altitude. ’

‘It’s not a marriage proposal, Indy. Just a date.’

‘Oh, well, in that case.’ She cringed at her sarcastic tone but, luckily, he laughed. ‘I’m sorry, but I’m not dating right now.’

‘That’s a real shame. I just feel this really bright connection with you.’

What was she supposed to say to that? He had all the right words but somehow, they felt all wrong.

She and Ray walked in silence, an awkward energy filling the space between them. They reached the road and Indy glanced down the gully track to see Scorpion singlets.

She nodded to the front paddock. ‘I’m going that way, and I think your players are down there.’

‘Last chance, Indy,’ he said, walking away from her backwards, his arms stretched out on either side as if he was a prize for her to win. ‘You and me, Sunday afternoon horse ride. We’ll have to double but I can hold on real tight.’

She laughed. He obviously didn’t like to hear the word no. Pity it was the only answer she had for him.

‘Maybe you should treat yourself with a solo picnic. Could be fun.’

He mimed his heart being ripped from his chest before turning around and jogging away.

Yikes. That was intense. But at least she knew where her heart truly lay. She sighed and headed up the drive. She needed to find Carter.

Carter looked between the football and the posts.

The ball and the posts. The ball and the posts.

He pictured the ball sailing between them.

Over the middle bar. Just enough bend from this far left.

A little bit of spin. He relaxed his shoulders, let his arms sway past his sides and took a breath.

The ball and the posts. Rocking back on his heels, he pushed forwards.

His leg was a clean line from his hip to his toes, lifting the football from the fluoro green kicking tee that looked like an overturned cup. The ball went up, hooked left.

Too far left.

Shit. It brushed the pole on the wrong side. He groaned. Normally, he nailed this shot. The coaching staff would lose all faith in him if they could see the number of kicks he hadn’t been able to convert this afternoon. Thankfully, they’d gone for a meeting up at the dining hall.

A dull ache in the back of his head took his focus.

He’d come down to the field to practise his conversions while everyone else was enjoying their free time at the volleyball courts or the creek because he wanted a distraction.

Indy had occupied his thoughts all day and seeing her walking along the path with her horses, not even glancing up as he jogged past, had hurt.

He had no idea how to manage the whole situation.

The hurt he’d seen in her eyes that morning, knowing he’d caused it, still cut deep.

He thought he’d done the right thing. She didn’t want people knowing about them.

That had been her rule. Why had she been so surprised when he’d not said anything to Jonathan?

Frustration swelled in him as he wiped the sweat from his face and went to get another ball.

Did Indy not get how pissed off Jonathan’s accusations had made him?

How conscious he was that she was so close by and hearing everything?

The fact that he couldn’t say much more without raising suspicion had killed him.

No one spoke about someone he loved and cared for like that. But he’d had no choice.

She’d given him no choice.

He crouched down to place the ball on the tee. He should’ve said more. Dammit. He’d stood up for Nyssa without hesitation and could’ve pulled Jonathan up for speaking about any woman in the way that he had. Jonathan’s words didn’t align with the man he looked up to.

How was he going to make things right with Indy? She could be so stubborn. If she didn’t want to talk to him then she simply wouldn’t.