Second Chance At The Ranch

‘What’s up?’ he asked.

‘Clearly you don’t believe me, so here! Look for yourself.’

‘I don’t need to do that.’

‘I want you to.’

‘Why?’

‘Because …’ Hero had no idea why, but for some reason, she wanted Nick to know she wasn’t as vain and shallow as he seemed to think she was. The idea of being bothered by this was utterly ridiculous. Those two words were applied by half the planet to anyone in the modelling world. And yes, sometimes it was true. There was vanity there just as there was anywhere else. But it upset her to think that she had been tarred with that same brush by Nick Webster. When he didn’t take the phone, she quickly opened the photos tab and held it up to him.

‘See?’ she asked, scrolling through the photos. ‘Hardly any selfies.’

He glanced at it and nodded. ‘OK.’ He let out a breath, something gnawing at him about the air of desperate sincerity Hero had. She clearly felt the need to prove to him that she wasn’t what he thought she was. Why would one of the world’s top-earning models who had people fawning at her morning, noon, and night care what a sheep farmer in rural Australia thought? Hero Scott was definitely an enigma and, beautiful as she was, Nick knew that wasn’t his puzzle to work out. There was way too much potential hurt that way.

He squinted at the phone and angled it slightly, his own hand closing around hers for a moment. ‘You know you have flight mode enabled on this thing?’ He’d heard her asking Juliet about Wi-Fi when she’d arrived and remembered that the first thing she’d done as she stepped out of the car was type into her phone.

Hero nodded. ‘Yes. I know.’

‘But I thought you wanted to be on the Wi-Fi? I mean, when you’re in the house.’

‘I did, but only to send a message to my friend, Anya. She’d asked me to let her know that I’d got here safe.’ She turned to him with a brief, shy smile. ‘She worries about me.’ Hero smiled and shook her head, as if the notion of anyone worrying about her was ridiculous. But just at that moment, Nick realised that he could easily spend a whole lifetime worrying about this woman. And that was exactly why he needed to keep as much distance between them as possible. He’d been pulled into that trap once before, and certainly had no plans to let that happen ever again, and definitely not with this woman. She had danger written all over her.

OK, so maybe she didn’t take as many selfies as he’d supposed. And yes, sometimes, when she thought no one was looking, her beautiful face took on an expression that spoke of such insecurity and loneliness, and it pulled at his heart. None of that changed the fact that she was a world away from real life as most people knew it. Even when he’d bumped in to her at dawn, she already had full make-up on. Who did that in the back of beyond, when they were just hanging around a sheep station all day? There was still far too much coolness about her for his liking. She held herself at a distance – at least from him. And he hadn’t forgotten the hesitation in the action of shaking his hand when she’d arrived, even though he’d just washed them. He guessed she wasn’t really experienced in dealing with people she likely thought of as staff, up there in her ivory tower. Besides, in a couple of days she’d be back in London, with people ready to preen and pamper her at a moment’s notice, and men swarming around her, desperate to be the next one in her bed. His stomach twisted at the last thought. He ignored it, telling himself it meant nothing. Of course he found her attractive. Any bloke who had a real-life supermodel come to stay with them was going to be knocked sideways a little bit. Par for the course. It was just because she was a novelty. The next time she came, it’d be different. And once the wedding was done with tomorrow, she’d be on her way, and things could finally get back to normal.

Chapter 4 (#u8f0fa498-5fe0-5ae0-9205-5f2c44d4037e)

Later that evening, Nick glanced down the end of the verandah to where the Websters’ visitor sat on a wicker sofa, opposite Joe, playing Scrabble. His parents were in town catching up with friends, and Pete and Juliet were inside finishing off packing for their honeymoon. Nick turned his attention back to the setting sun, watching it sink slowly amidst a riot of warm colours behind a clump of distant trees. The sound of laughter pulled his gaze back; he was almost surprised to discover that it emanated from Hero Scott.

Nick knew the opinion he’d formed of her wasn’t entirely flattering, and nowhere in the description did it include an enticing, carefree laugh. She’d certainly never done that in his company anyway. Was there a chance that he was wrong? What else had he missed? The rest of his family seemed to have taken to her and she to them, though not as unreservedly as she had taken to their Joe.

Joe Carter was the son of Jacob, the Websters’ leading station hand. Jacob and his wife had been resident at Hill Station ever since it had acquired the name. Nick knew that the Carters had been instrumental in helping the station become the success it was today. Jacob and Maria had soon become more than employees, even more than friends. They were as much part of the Webster family as true blood, and so when Maria had finally fallen pregnant, the Websters had been as overjoyed as they were themselves.

Gill had known Maria for years. She’d always been a fragile girl, catching whatever virus passed her way, but rarely complaining. Gill and Jack knew that Jacob, although delighted about the baby, had concerns for his wife. An infection years previously had weakened her immune system, and although the doctors hadn’t entirely ruled out having children, they had voiced their fears for Maria’s own health should she ever fall pregnant. But the petite and fragile frame belied the strength of her will. Years of trying had persuaded her that children were not to be part of her life. Instead she had doted on the Webster boys, and that didn’t change when, to her surprise, she finally became pregnant with her own child.

The young boys had been among the first visitors to see baby Joe and their acceptance and interest in him completed Maria’s happiness. She knew in her heart that she would not be there to watch her boy grow into a man. The labour had been long and arduous, and every hour had taken more and more out of her. Maria had gripped Jacob’s hand with more force than anyone would have credited her with. And then when the baby finally arrived, he was silent, choking on the placenta cord that had become wound tight several times around his neck. The doctors worked swiftly until, suddenly, Maria heard the most blessed sound; the sound of her baby’s first cry.

Maria had taken a chance and although her body had lost, she knew as she looked down into the peaceful, happy face of her son that, given the chance, she would make the same choices. Three weeks after Joe’s birth, Maria passed away.

Now, Nick watched Joe’s animated face as he listened intently to something Hero was saying, smiling at his surrogate younger brother’s concentration. Nick cast his mind back as he sipped his cold beer straight from the bottle, his feet balancing on the rail and his chair tipped back. It had taken a while for anyone to notice anything was different about Joe, but as he began to struggle more and more with his schooling, even Jacob could not ignore the fact that his son seemed to have more trouble with learning than the other children. Tests were run and eventually the doctors said that it was more than likely caused by the lack of oxygen at the time of his birth. If the delivery staff hadn’t worked so quickly, Joe could have been a lot worse. As it was, he was several years behind his contemporaries. The local school was small, understanding, and made allowances, eventually teaching him with pupils who were closer to his mental age, rather than his physical one. There were, naturally, difficult times; Joe was a big lad for his age and being put with younger children only made the difference more exaggerated. But he had one good thing going for him – his nature.

Joe was the angel Maria had promised her husband he would be. His smiling face brought cheer to a room and every time Jacob looked at his son, he saw his beloved wife, and for that he was eternally grateful. He knew that he’d never be able to repay the kindness he had received from the Websters who had adopted both him and his son. The two boys looked upon Joe as their own brother. They’d not only stuck up for him at school, but also taught him how to look after himself, should the need ever arise. Joe had also claimed another unlikely set of allies, thanks largely to his gentle nature: girls. The girls in Joe’s class had been fiercer than even the Webster boys when someone tried to pick on Joe. And that was saying something.

Joe glanced up and saw Nick looking his way. He waved with a huge smile and beckoned to him. Nick pondered, then dropped his legs from the rail, at the same time dropping the chair back onto all four of its legs. He ambled down to where the others were sitting.

‘Hope you’re letting our visitor win, Joe.’

‘This is great! Hero’s teaching me some new words and stuff. Why don’t you play, too, Nick?’

‘Nah, you’re all right, mate.’ He glanced at the space next to Hero, then lowered himself into it. ‘So, what new words have you learned? I hope they’re the kind you can say in polite company.’

Joe chuckled. ‘Of course they are.’ From the corner of his eye, Nick noticed Hero focusing on turning the letter tiles over in the lid of the box. ‘And Hero says she’s going to bring me some books next time!’

Nick turned his attention to the bowed head of their guest. ‘So, you’re coming back then?’

‘It will probably be a little while, Joe. I might have to send them,’ she answered without looking at Nick.

At her reply, Joe’s face fell briefly before he covered it up with a smile, an expression that fooled neither of his companions. Nick instinctively knew Hero’s reply had been influenced by his own presence. The look on Joe’s face twisted at his insides.

‘OK,’ Joe agreed.

Hero leant over and touched the young man’s face gently. ‘But I’ll see what I can do. I’m sure I can steal a few days away, and I promise to bring the books then. How’s that?’

Joe’s brave smile turned to one of genuine pleasure and he beamed it around as he took the lid of the box that Hero had now filled with upturned word tiles and shook it around to mix them up.

‘Sure you don’t want to play?’ Joe asked again.

Nick smiled and shook his head, then stood and walked off in the direction of the stables. As he walked, he mused over the exchange – how Hero hadn’t looked at him once throughout the conversation, how eager she had been to settle Joe, and the gentle touch she had laid on Joe’s cheek. What surprised Nick most of all was that he’d found himself wondering how that touch would feel on his own skin.

As Joe shuffled the letters, Hero lifted her eyes and watched the retreating figure of Nick Webster as he strolled away. As he’d sat close beside her on the little wicker sofa, the clean smell of soap had drifted on the air and she could still smell it now. She didn’t know if it lingered for real or just in her mind. Nick Webster unnerved her. She couldn’t read him. He was edgy. Dangerous. An unknown quantity. Hero didn’t like unknown quantities. She liked exactness. She was glad he hadn’t taken up sweet Joe’s offer to play Scrabble with them. She was glad that he had gone, even more so knowing that part of her had wanted him to stay.

***

‘So, this time tomorrow, you’ll be Juliet Webster.’

Pete’s mother was almost bouncing up and down with excitement as they sat at the dinner table. Although she worshipped her two boys, Gill had always wanted a little girl. Unfortunately, complications had set in after Nick’s birth and the requisite surgery meant that further children were no longer an option. In Juliet, Gill was finally getting the daughter she had always wanted.

Juliet leaned over and took Gill’s hand. ‘Then there’ll be two of us!’

‘Oh hell!’ Jack groaned with a tease.

Hero watched, smiling at Jack’s comment as Gill’s tumbled around in her mind. Mrs Webster. No longer a Scott. No longer in England. No longer just hers. Hero looked at Juliet and felt her heart swelling as the happiness emanated from every fibre of her sister’s being. Although having her move halfway around the world wasn’t what Hero would have chosen for her, Pete was definitely the sort of man she would have. Pete was handsome, kind, witty, and would clearly walk through fire for his fiancée. If Hero had to lose her sister, she was glad it was to someone like him – and at least she’d had the sense to fall for him and not his rather younger brother.

Hero slid her eyes across to Nick. The brothers certainly had some similarities. Nick was also tall, had the same dark hair cut in the same short way, a warm smile and liquid brown eyes topping a strong, muscular body. It was a combination that Hero was sure must have swept many a girl off her feet and into his bed. His bed? The last thought popped uninvited into her mind, and Hero blinked, stiffening in her chair as she mentally forced the unsettling thought back out.

The slight movement across from him caused Nick to glance at their guest. He’d done his best to try and like her – although his brother had disagreed on that point. Nick had shrugged the criticism off. He didn’t appreciate that snooty attitude she had, and whenever he thought maybe he’d misjudged her, he’d turn back only to find that same look of indifference on her face. Pete had defended her, saying there was more to her than that, and that Nick had to give her some leeway, citing her kindness and attention to Joe as an example. Nick had to concede on that point, but he was still wary. What was her motivation in the time she spent with Joe? Was she going to go back and tell all her friends about the charity case she’d taken on? Was it all some forward planning for yet more attention? Nick’s jaw tensed at the thought that anyone would try and use Joe in that way. But as much as he’d thought about this, there was something in her face, in her touch that night he’d joined them as they played board games, that made him hesitate. If she was putting all that on, then she ought to go land a movie deal, because it had looked pretty damn genuine to him.

Still, putting that aside, they lived in completely different worlds. Nick’s involved other people and, as far as he was concerned, Hero’s only involved herself, perhaps Juliet, and now Joe. When it came to those two, she certainly gave the appearance that nothing was too much trouble. Anyway, the sooner she went, the better he’d feel. As a rule, Nick knew he was pretty easy on people, so having to work at something like this was a new experience, not to mention distracting. He was looking forward to getting station life back to its normal routine.

Hero moved again as she mentally tried to push the unexpected and entirely unwanted thought of Nick Webster naked in a bed out of her mind. Her gaze lifted as she did, and she found that very man watching her. She stopped mid-shift. Even with her make-up and the soft lighting of the dining room, Nick could see it. She was blushing. A smile slid onto his lips. This might be fun. He sat back in his chair, tipping it until it balanced on the two back legs.

‘I reckon with me being best man and you being chief bridesmaid, we probably ought to have at least one dance together tomorrow.’

Hero smiled back sweetly, wondering if it was bad that she was secretly hoping his chair would tip over, just to wipe the smug look off his face.

‘Oh, I’m sure you’ll have plenty of women clamouring for your attention already, Nick.’

‘Probably,’ he agreed languidly, his broad shoulders lifting in a shrug, ‘but I’m sure I can make space for you.’