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

‘And you’re going to be there anyway, bringing Ty and Krissie to the class. So, why not?’

She saw it then, what it was he was trying to do. ‘You think Ty and Krissie will feel safer if I know how to defend myself.’ Her heart thumped and her hands clenched.

‘I think it’s a good idea for every woman to know how to defend herself.’

She chewed her bottom lip.

‘Come on, Tess, I’m not talking about grating carrots here.’

He was right. ‘It’s an excellent suggestion.’

‘Good.’

‘Now what can I do for you?’

He blinked. And for a moment she could’ve sworn the colour heightened on his cheekbones. Her heart leapt into her throat and it was all she could do not to cough and choke and make a fool of herself. ‘I mean,’ she rasped out, gazing everywhere except at him, ‘I expect there’s a reason you dropped by this afternoon, other than to bully me into taking your judo class?’

He leapt off the bench and strode several feet away. ‘I wanted to find out what you had in mind for a vegetable garden,’ he said, his back to her, and she knew he felt the same heat, the same urgency, that she did. ‘I am getting forty prime hectares practically scot-free, after all. I mean to keep my word, Tess. Chicken coop—tick. Puppy—tick. Vegetable garden—still pending.’

‘You didn’t just build a chicken coop. You built a chicken palace!’ As far as she was concerned, he’d well and truly paid off any debt he’d owed.

He turned and squinted into the sun. ‘Are you after a, um, vegetable patch on the same sort of scale?’

She laughed at the expression on his face, though she didn’t doubt for a moment that if she wanted it he’d do his best to make it a reality. ‘Truly, Cameron, I just want a home for all of these.’ She gestured to the ragged array of donated pots and planters. ‘And whatever else you think might be a good idea to plant.’

‘I was sorting through them when you pulled up. You’ve a nice variety there.’

‘The town’s generosity knows no bounds.’

‘They want you to stay.’

And she wanted to stay. She had to make this move work. She had to. Her smile faded when she recalled the expression on Edna’s face when she’d wondered aloud about who would tend Jack’s grave when she was gone. A shiver of unease threaded through her.

‘You’re not having second thoughts, are you?’ he rapped out.

‘No!’

‘But?’

She swallowed. ‘But it didn’t hit me until today how tenuous the town’s survival is. And I’ve thrown my lot—and Tyler and Krissie’s—in with the town’s.’ What if the school closed? What if the town did die a slow death? What would they do? It would mean more upheaval and that would be her fault.

‘Tess.’

She glanced up.

‘Nobody can foresee the future. All you can do is make the here and now meaningful.’

Right. She knew he was right.

‘And work with the Save-Our-Town committee to attract even more new blood to the area. Okay?’

She drew in a breath and nodded.

He smiled. ‘Now are you going to help me measure out this garden bed or what?’

‘Aye-aye, sir.’ She clicked her heels together. ‘Right after I ring your mother. Apparently she’s the one I should talk to about organising a plot at the cemetery.’

He dug his phone out of his pocket and tossed it to her. ‘She’s on speed dial.’ Pulling a tape measure from his hip pocket, he moved away to give her a measure of privacy.

She brought up his list of saved numbers. Lorraine’s number was the second on the list.

The first was Lance’s.

All you can do is make the here and now meaningful.

She stared at Cameron’s back as she placed her call.

CHAPTER SEVEN (#u05d84099-629d-514d-b1e5-4198508a69f5)

LORRAINE ORGANISED A working bee at the cemetery with all the speed and efficiency of a conductor’s flourish. ‘We can’t hold a memorial service there with it looking the way it is! It’s beyond time we tidied it up.’

Which was why Tess and the kids found themselves getting ready to return to the cemetery the following Saturday. Tess finally managed to convince Krissie that Fluffy would be much happier staying behind in her chicken mansion rather than attending a busy, noisy working bee. When she rose and turned she found Cam standing directly behind her and her skin flared and her stomach tumbled and a bubble of something light and airy rose within her.

Her heart fluttered up into her throat. She swallowed it back down into her chest and tried to pop the bubble with silent verbal thrusts. He’ll be gone soon. But her brain refused to cooperate. It was too busy revelling in the undiluted masculinity on display. In low-slung jeans, soft with wear, and a faded cotton twill work shirt—with buttons…buttons that could be undone—he made her fingers itch to run all over him in the same way they did whenever she was near a piano.

She took a step back. ‘Hello, Cameron.’

He blinked and that was when she realised he’d been staring at her as intently as she’d been staring at him. Her skin flared hotter. They both glanced away.

‘Are you coming with us to the working bee?’ Krissie asked.

‘Working bee?’

He glanced at Tess. She frowned. Hadn’t Lorraine spoken to him?

None of your business. She cleared her throat and folded her arms. ‘The town’s organised a clean-up of the cemetery. We’re just about to head out there now.’

‘I didn’t hear about it.’

She unfolded her arms. Well, why not? It—

None of your business. She folded her arms again.

‘You have to come,’ Ty said. ‘It won’t be the same if you’re not there.’

That was one way of putting it.

Cam smoothed a hand down his jaw. ‘The thing is, buddy, I was going to start on your vegetable garden today.’