Her Happy-Ever-After Family: The Cattleman's Ready-Made Family / Miracle in Bellaroo Creek / Patchwork Family in the Outback

‘Lance has always had more charm than was good for him. He knows how to woo a woman and make her believe he’s in love with her.’

She leant towards him, though she was careful not to touch him. ‘But maybe he really loves Fiona.’

He turned to her then and raised a dark eyebrow. ‘When he’s finished with her, he’ll dump her.’ His lips compressed into a hard, grim line. ‘He’ll break her heart. All just to get back at me.’

That didn’t ring true. Oh, she didn’t doubt for a moment that Cam believed it, but…‘They looked very together at the luncheon…as in a definite couple. Cameron, it’s been ten months. Your mother obviously thinks they mean to marry.’

He didn’t say anything for a long moment. ‘Even if what you say is true, does that excuse the fact that they betrayed me?’

‘Of course it doesn’t! But maybe it’d prove that they never meant to hurt you, and that has to count for something.’

‘If it were true, perhaps it would.’

She ached for him then, for the pain she sensed bubbling beneath the surface, his utter sense of betrayal. Forgiveness would bring him peace, if only he would consider it. Ten months. Surely that was long enough. But some wounds, she knew, never healed.

She smoothed her hair back, longing to make him smile. ‘Do you know you kiss like an angel, Cameron? And that by holding onto your grudge you’re depriving some woman out there of the most divine kisses, all because you won’t forgive Lance?’

He stared and then a laugh shot out of him. ‘I didn’t realise you could be quite so persistent.’

‘Dog with a bone,’ she agreed. Speaking of dogs…She glanced around and then blew out a breath when she found Barney and Fluffy sunning themselves only a few feet away. ‘My parents found it one of my less endearing traits.’ But it was the reason she’d become such a fine musician.

He leaned towards her, swamping her with his green-grass freshness and all that false promise. She gulped. He didn’t mean to kiss her again, did he?

He reached out and traced a finger down her cheek. Her pulse leapt to life beneath it. ‘Tess, regardless of what anyone says, you are divine.’

What if She channelled all the energy she’d put into her music into healing this man, into loving him and showing him there was a better way? Would she succeed? Would she—?

She drew back. She didn’t have the time or the luxury for those kinds of games. If she only had herself to consider…

But she didn’t.

Her skin pimpled with gooseflesh when she recalled the kind of family Sarah had dreamed of having—a wonderful, close-knit family who loved each other, supported each other and did things together. That had all been taken away from her. It had all gone so terribly wrong for her, and for Ty and Krissie too. Tess couldn’t let it go bad for them again. Her fingers shook and her throat tightened. She’d failed Sarah once, but she wouldn’t fail her again.

Ty and Krissie were the ones who deserved—who needed—all her energy. And she couldn’t risk their hearts to such an endeavour. She couldn’t let them become so dependent on Cam that they’d be crushed when he left.

When he left…

‘And Strike Three,’ she said, ‘you’re planning on leaving town. Unless you’ve changed your mind on that head.’ Her heart gave a traitorous jump.

‘I haven’t changed my mind.’ He stared down at his hands. ‘Strike Three,’ he agreed.

They sat in silence for a moment. ‘So lots of reasons not to kiss,’ he said, as if double-checking her resolve.

‘Yep.’ She couldn’t keep the glumness from her voice.

Cam rose. ‘I think it’s beyond time that I made tracks.’

A protest clamoured through her but she bit it back. He was right.

He set his dusty Akubra on top of his head and touched its brim in a kind of salute. ‘I’ll be seeing you, Tess.’

It had all the finality of an irrevocable goodbye.

‘Let’s go down this road,’ Ty said, pointing to the right.

Krissie nodded her agreement.

Ty held Barney on his lap, Krissie held Fluffy on her lap, and Tess had a picnic hamper on the passenger seat beside her. It was Saturday. The children had completed their first full week of school, and they’d agreed to spend the day exploring the surrounds of their new home.

Tess turned the car obediently in the direction Ty had indicated. All the roads around here seemed to be unsealed, and some of them weren’t in the best of repair. This one was no exception, but she didn’t mind driving slowly to avoid the worst of the potholes and corrugations. It gave her a chance to enjoy the scenery.

And the scenery was stunning—long stretches of low hills green with wheat and lucerne. Here and there a river or stream gleamed silver-blue amid the landscape. There were ridges of land dotted with scribbly gums and sheep, and brown fields enclosing brown cattle, muddy dams and dandelions. It was warm enough still to leave the window down and the air was fresh and green, if occasionally dusty.

‘Fluffy thinks that’d be the best spot for our picnic,’ Krissie announced, pointing to a stand of Kurrajong trees up ahead.

The trees formed a natural glade that sloped down to a river. Tess glanced at her watch. They’d been driving for just over an hour, and, if her sense of direction was anything to go by, they should’ve nearly completed the loop that would take them back into Bellaroo Creek.

They’d taken the road west out of town and the plan had been to circle around and come back in on the town’s northern side. According to her calculations, they couldn’t be more than a couple of kilometres from the township.

And it was nearly lunchtime.

And she was starving!

She pulled the car to the side of the road. ‘Well spotted, Fluffy. This looks like a fabulous picnic spot.’ She hoped whoever owned the land wouldn’t mind them trespassing. ‘Watch out for cows,’ she hollered as the children and animals spilled from the car and raced towards the river. ‘And don’t get too close to the water!’

She was out of breath when she reached them. And, truly, it was the prettiest spot. They all gazed at it in silence for a moment as if to just drink it in. ‘Beautiful,’ Tess breathed.

Krissie slipped her hand inside Tess’s. ‘Do you think Cam has a river on his station?’

‘I haven’t the foggiest, chickadee, but I expect so. You can ask him next time you see him.’

‘At judo class!’

Both children were excited by the after-school activities on offer, but especially Cam’s judo class.

‘Ninja!’ Ty executed a high, flying kick that made Fluffy flap her wings.

‘Food,’ Tess countered.

They spread out a blanket and devoured their picnic—sandwiches, fruit, date scones and bottles of water—sharing it all with Barney and Fluffy. By the time they were finished, Tess wanted nothing more than to curl up on the blanket and doze in the sun.

‘Barney wants to explore,’ Ty announced.

‘Of course he does,’ Tess said, suppressing a grin, a sigh and an eye-roll all in one movement. She glanced at Krissie.

‘Fluffy wants to sleep.’ She sighed.

Lucky Fluffy.