Page 20 of Road to Rosalee

‘Nothing. I can do it all by myself.’ Tumbles offered a cheeky grin.

‘You sure can.’ Zai pointed up yonder. ‘I can see your boot, and there’s your hat. I’ll go get ’em. You wait here and regroup with your horse.’

‘Groovy gravy, thanks Wellstone.’

Boot and hat recovered, Zai passed them over. Grimacing, Tumbles tugged both on and, after readjusting the saddle and girth strap, gave his horse a reassuring rub-down, talking to her soothingly as he gingerly climbed into the saddle.

Zai glanced to where the men and the mob were now way up ahead, a copper cloud of dust hovering above. ‘Let’s head before they leave us behind.’

‘Righto. You lead the way while I recover my pride,’ Tumbles said a little sheepishly.

It was late afternoon and the daylight was quickly fading as they reached the main yards of the station. Leaning over in the saddle, Zai unlatched the gates. Overhead, the blades sliced through the air as the freelance pilot swung his Robinson R22 like a dragonfly in the expanse of sky. Man, horse and chopper worked like a well-oiled machine, herding the cattle in and pulling the rogue micky bulls quickly into line, all of the livestock to be sorted and drafted at first light tomorrow morning before heading off to the meatworks, or being let back out to graze for another year.

Darkness was closing in when the men finally let their equally weary horses loose in a nearby paddock. Bidding his mates goodnight, Zai made a beeline for his cottage – a hot shower, an icy cold beer and a huge bowl of ice-cream was on the cards. Kicking off his boots at the back door, then peeling off his socks, he thought about the next muster as he stepped into the coolness of the besser-block building, and the fact that there’d be a new camp cook. He wondered who it would be, and if they were going to be spoiled or foiled. Good hearty food was so important when they were working long, hard days. And then, as it had many times throughout the past couple of weeks, her face popped back into his mind, and he had an idea – one that sent his heart into a canter. He knew exactly the right person for the job. But it depended on whether she was interested. He grabbed the cordless phone – there was only one way to find out.

Chapter

7

Melody had never acknowledged the deep yearning hidden away inside of her to know who her father was, to have him know her, to hear him talk, laugh, simply to see him breathe. She’d never allowed herself to imagine going fishing with him and catching mammoth mud crabs with the sweetest claws she’d ever tasted, or standing in the hickory smoke of a charcoal barbeque, watching rib-eye steaks sizzle with beers in hand, nor had she ever envisioned herself watching him train his bulls to buck like champions with such grit and determination, but also with so much kindness, gentleness and love for the cantankerous animals that scared her half to death.

This place, his and Sarah’s place, was a whole other world to the one she’d grown up in, and yet she felt integrally part of it all because the blood that pumped through her veins was the same as his. Almost three weeks had passed since she’d arrived at his doorstep with her broken heart in her throat and an inability to see past that terrifying moment. Now, though still with a deep hole from the loss of her mother, she felt as if she belonged somewhere. It was going to be so tough, eventually returning to Sydney and the mess she’d left behind her there. Antonio hadn’t sounded happy when she’d told him she’d been welcomed with open arms – once again, he would’ve been thinking of himself and the fact that she wouldn’t be running back to him with her tail between her legs. Aunt Sally, on the other hand, was over the moon for her. She was glad her aunt was heading off to a mountain retreat for a while, to process the loss of her best friend. She was taking Magic, so she wouldn’t be alone while she mourned.

Stretching her legs out from beneath her, her eyes were drawn to where the new day was just beginning to break on the horizon. ‘It’s so beautiful.’ A wispy smile touched her lips as she blinked into the brightness of the first shafts of sunlight.

‘It sure is, I never get tired of it.’ Matt’s tone was as gentle as she’d found his heart to be. He offered a sidelong glance as he took a sip from his coffee. ‘It’s kind of like watching Mother Nature open an awesome gift, every single day.’

She nodded, her smile widening. ‘I really like that analogy.’

She also liked how she and her father often shared a cuppa on the front verandah, watching the sunrise or sunset, or sometimes, on the odd days when her dad would make it home before dark, both. She also loved how he was so keen to know and learn everything he could about her.

He cleared his throat. ‘I’ve got something to ask you, Melody,’ he said.

Staring down to where the sunlight was reaching for her toes, she wriggled the pins and needles from them. ‘What is it?’ she said, bringing her attention to his.

Matt took a breath, then turned a little in his seat to face her. ‘Well, the cook out at Rosalee Station has resigned, and we were wondering if you’d like to take the role on? The pay is pretty darn good.’ He paused, and quickly added, ‘It’s only for six or so weeks, while the mustering season is still going. Some nights you’ll be camping out but most of the time, you’ll be cooking in the communal kitchen.’

The shock of his offer had her searching for the right words, any words, in fact. Was he trying to get rid of her? Or was this his way of keeping her around longer? Could she do it? Did she even want to?

‘Please don’t feel pressured to say yes if it’s not something you’re keen on. We can always put an ad up and the job will be snapped up in a heartbeat, I’m guessing.’ He glanced to the sky then back to her, his Adam’s apple bobbing. ‘I just know you want to get to see where our heritage lays. And Sarah, Beau and I will be out there soon enough so I can be the best man at my mate’s wedding.’

‘Um, well …’ Rendered speechless, Melody couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her, a camp cook, in the middle of Woop Woop? They had to be kidding, right? There was no way she’d be able to handle being so isolated. She smiled and shook her head, trying to refuse his offer as kindly as she could. ‘I don’t think I’d last a day out there, let alone six weeks.’

A smirk tugged his frown away. ‘You’d be surprised.’

She chewed her bottom lip and sighed. ‘I’m not sure I should be away from the café for that long.’ Her last phone call from Antonio, two days before, had been short and certainly not sweet. He’d reminded her how important it was she took her third share of the business – as well as their marriage vows – seriously.

‘Yeah right, like you have,’ had been her reply, one she’d instantly regretted. Being factious would get them nowhere.

Regarding her for a few lengthy moments, her dad offered a firm nod. ‘It’s totally understandable if you need to get back to it, but the offer is there.’

A million questions swirled through her mind, and she grabbed hold of one. ‘How far is it from Mount Isa?’

‘About ten hours’ drive.’ He half shrugged. ‘Give or take.’

‘Wow, that far?’ She swallowed down, hard.

‘Just bear in mind that in a camp, the number-one rule is to keep the cook happy no matter what, so you’ll definitely be looked after by the blokes.’ His expression was eager as he waited for her reply. ‘Along with the fact that you’re my daughter. They wouldn’t want to set a foot out of order around you, that’s for certain,’ he added.