Page 16 of Wild Horses

For Tyler the days melted together in a blur of activity and unexpected moments of joy.

He found himself gravitating towards the stables whenever he had a spare moment, fascinated by the growing connection between his son and Lofty.

Leo often ignored his father when he turned up at the stables, or else he left altogether.

But sometimes he’d talk for a bit, which felt like a win.

Either way, it was enough for Tyler just to be near his son.

And always, there was Christy. She seemed to be everywhere, a constant presence that both soothed and electrified him. They’d fallen into a routine of sorts, sharing meals and snippets of conversation whenever their paths crossed.

He couldn’t pinpoint the precise moment he knew he was falling for her.

Maybe it was when she giggled at one of his lame jokes, or when her hand gently brushed his as they walked side by side to the dining room.

Maybe it was the first time she saw past his celebrity facade to the man beneath.

All he knew was that he was utterly, hopelessly smitten.

Sometimes he daydreamed about them being together.

The age gap gnawed at the back of his mind.

She was twenty-six, barely out of the starting gate, and he was pushing thirty-nine, a man with scars, baggage and a kid.

But then he’d tell himself that age didn’t matter.

What mattered was their special connection.

If that wasn’t worth risking a few raised eyebrows for, then what was?

At other times a voice whispered that he was deluding himself.

She was beautiful, brilliant and could have anyone she wanted. Why would she choose a man like him?

One afternoon Tyler went looking for his son and found Christy taking Leo’s art class through a trust-building exercise in the quadrangle.

What it had to do with art wasn’t immediately apparent.

She’d set up an obstacle course using tables, chairs and cones.

It appeared that one student – the walker – had to move backwards through the course with the help of a partner to guide them safely through.

If a walker turned around or bumped into anything, the pair had to start over.

Half the teens were loudly blaming each other for giving bad directions and the other half were howling with laughter, including Leo.

Christy moved between the pairs, optimistically trying to broker peace.

They were all so intent on their fun that nobody seemed to notice Tyler standing to the side, observing the mayhem.

A lump rose in his throat, pride and relief mixing in a way that tightened his chest. He hadn’t realised how much he’d needed to see his son so relaxed and happy, so fully himself for once. And he had Christy to thank for it.

Lost in thought, Tyler didn’t notice Astrid approaching until she was right beside him. ‘Your boy looks happy.’

Tyler grinned. ‘He does indeed. And Christy’s a natural with him. With all the kids, really.’

Astrid gave him a knowing look. ‘You like her, don’t you?’

Heat crept up his neck, prickling his skin, making his ears burn. ‘I don’t know what you mean.’

Astrid snorted. ‘Oh, please. You’ve been making goo-goo eyes at her for weeks now. When are you going to do something about it?’

‘It’s not that simple,’ said Tyler, amazed that he was even discussing something so personal. ‘We work together, there’s the age difference ... And I’m not exactly in the best place for a relationship right now.’

‘Fiddlesticks. Healing and moving forwards – that’s the magic of this place. And it doesn’t just apply to the teens.’ Her tone grew softer. ‘Don’t let your past hold you back, Tyler. You deserve to be happy as much as anyone.’

Tyler offered Astrid a wry smile. How wrong she was.

As she turned to leave, Tyler found his gaze drifting back to Christy and Leo, now laughing together over some shared joke. A sense of rightness overcame him, a bone-deep certainty that this – Currawong Creek, the land, the people – was exactly where he and his son were meant to be.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the lesson. Leo glanced briefly across at his father standing on the sidelines. Then he studiously ignored him and left with the other students. Tyler sighed. So much for his hoped-for chat. Christy, however, was more amenable to a conversation.

‘I’m starving,’ she said as she approached him. ‘And I have a free period. Fancy coming back to the rec room with me for a snack? Although I suppose you’re sick of the sight of the kitchen by now.’

‘Me? No. Kitchens are my happy place.’ It was all he could do not to reach for her hand. ‘Come on, I’ll whip you up something for afternoon tea.’

Soon they were snacking on toasted baguette slices topped with creamy goat’s cheese, drizzles of honey and fresh avocado from Astrid’s garden.

‘How are you finding your new job so far?’ asked Christy through a mouthful of toast.

‘It’s a change of pace, but a welcome one. There’s something about this place that just ...’ He trailed off, searching for the right words. ‘It gets under your skin, you know? In a good way. The mountains, the space, the way life feels ... real here.’

‘I agree,’ said Christy. ‘But you must miss the excitement of city life. Oh, and being a TV star. I said when we first met how much I loved watching your show. When you create those amazing dishes? It’s like watching an artist at work.’

A warm feeling spread through Tyler’s chest. ‘The culmination of years of practice. I remember my first job in a professional kitchen,’ he said, balancing an avocado slice on his baguette.

‘The head chef was this terrifying guy – Giorgio, all bluster and knives. Literally knives. He’d throw them at the wall if you screwed up. ’

Christy’s eyes widened. ‘You’re kidding.’

‘Swear on my life,’ Tyler said, chuckling. ‘And then there was the time I tried to impress by flambéing prawns during service. Except I didn’t account for how much cognac I poured on. Flames shot up like fireworks. Singed my eyebrows clean off.’

Their laughter rang out, filling the room.

‘Sounds like you learned the hard way,’ she said.

‘I certainly did. But that’s how it goes in any new job, right? You mess up, you get yelled at, and if you’re lucky and clever you figure out how to fix things.’

Christy tipped her head to the side in that cute way she had. ‘Are you trying to tell me something?’

‘Maybe,’ he said with a sheepish grin.

She made a face and popped the last piece of bread in her mouth. ‘Well, I’d better run. See you round.’

Tyler watched her leave, pleased and surprised that he could so easily share personal stories with Christy, and that she seemed interested to hear them.

He wasn’t ready to go deeper – maybe he never would be – but it was a start.

Tyler felt something settle inside him – an unfamiliar sense of peace.