The Round Yard

by Alissa Callen

  Neve scrolled through her phone to find her grandmother’s wedding photo and the ball invitation. ‘Any pictures of this couple or anything about this ball.’

  Meredith’s attention lingered on the wedding photograph. ‘You take after your grandmother and I’m guessing your mother?’

  ‘I do. Even if I didn’t share their hair colour, our similar smiles make it obvious that we’re related.’

  Neve opened a photo album thick with black-and-white images.

  Meredith leaned over to look at the pictures. ‘These are all my mother’s. It’s funny to think of her as being a social butterfly; my memory of her is not having a vast circle of friends.’

  Neve examined the images of smiling young men in uniform and their fresh-faced female companions. Some photographs were of couples dancing, and others of groups of friends having a picnic. ‘They all look so young.’

  ‘They do. They all would have been about nineteen or twenty. I can only imagine the excitement of my mother and her friends after the flying training school opened and there was an influx of young men into the district.’

  Neve turned another page to study the picture of an open-air pool that was dated 1944. ‘They certainly looked to have made the most of their time off.’

  ‘Even though it was wartime, there was also a strong sense of community spirit.’ Meredith pointed to a photo of a weatherboard building. ‘This was a house set up as a club where students could play table tennis, darts and chess and relax. Locals would drop around with home-cooked meals.’

  Meredith flicked back a page to where two young men stood near a tractor. ‘This was taken here. My grandparents often invited students to come to Claremont for the weekend to join in with farm activities or to play tennis. Some other local properties were also used as satellite airfields.’

  ‘I wonder if that’s how my grandmother met whoever is in the photo? Students could have stayed at Bundara?’

  ‘The ball ticket does suggest it was a wartime romance. There ar still families around here whose grandparents met in such a way.’

  Neve examined the wedding photo on her phone. ‘After seeing all of these pictures … I’m thinking that my grandmother’s mystery man looks a little older?’

  Meredith also looked at Neve’s phone. ‘I agree. He does.’

  Neve thought hard. As a teenager she hadn’t paid as much attention as she should have to her mother’s family stories. ‘If I have this right, my grandmother was going out with my grandfather before he left for the war and when he returned they were married. I need to track down his war record to find out what the exact dates were.’

  Meredith nodded as a loud splash sounded from outside. ‘I wondered how long Phil and Tanner would last in the shed now it has warmed up. Come and meet Phil. They’ll both be cooling off in the pool.’

  Cold water on his hot skin had never felt so good. Tanner swam underwater until his lungs protested. He surfaced to the sight of Meredith wearing an unreadable smile. Air again left his lungs. She wasn’t alone.

  He wiped water from his eyes and dragged both hands through his hair. He had no idea Neve would even be here. If he had he’d have taken a shower instead of a swim. Just as well he hadn’t totally stripped off like he did on a summer’s night when he worked late and the house lay quiet and dark.

  He swam closer and stood, water lapping around his waist.

  ‘Phil not here, darling?’

  ‘He’s gone to get air-seeder parts in town.’ He nodded at Neve. ‘Hi.’

  ‘Hi.’

  He couldn’t work out from her voice, or her expression, if she was pleased to see him. Instead, she appeared intent on lavishing attention on a wriggling Patch.

  Tanner looked at the large striped towel draped over a poolside chair. Meredith heeded his silent request and moved forward but stopped just short of the towel. ‘What are you doing while Phil’s away?’

  ‘What would you like me to do?’

  Her instant smile warned him he should have given more thought to his answer. ‘Show Neve around and then load the scrapbooks and albums into her car. We won’t get through them today.’

  He didn’t miss Neve’s quick glance at Meredith. But Meredith’s gaze didn’t leave him. He had the distinct impression that unless he agreed, his towel would stay on the chair. While her expression remained innocent, her blue eyes contained an ominous twinkle. He mustn’t have been as convincing as he’d hoped that Neve was just another client.

  ‘No problem.’

  ‘Great.’ She handed him his towel, seemingly oblivious to his narrow-eyed stare. ‘We’ll keep going through the album we were looking at until you’re ready.’

  He thought Neve wasn’t going to look at him again, but as she turned to follow Meredith she gave him a brief smile.

  He didn’t rush as he dried himself off, collected his clothes and headed to his flat. He needed time before facing Neve again.

  Neve in loose cotton shirts and faded jeans proved enough of a distraction. Neve in black jeans that fitted like a second skin and a white T-shirt that clung in all the right places would be lethal to his concentration. He couldn’t give Meredith any more reason to suspect that he was far from immune to her lunchtime guest.

  Once dressed in clean clothes he headed for the dining room. At the closed door he stopped to listen to the sound of Meredith and Neve’s laughter. Meredith was always helping others, but she seemed to have taken a special interest in Neve. From the way they were getting on, Neve obviously enjoyed Meredith’s company. He’d be lying if he said that it didn’t make him feel content that the two of them had such a strong connection.

  As he entered the room both women glanced up, their faces alight with amusement.

  Meredith gave him another quick smile. ‘Darling, I spoke to Phil and he’ll be ages so you’ll have time for the grand tour. No skimping like you did when my second cousin called in.’

  ‘I didn’t … skimp. I’d already heard the life story of her very eligible daughter … twice.’

  Meredith closed the photo album that sat before Neve and her. ‘Denham and I keep telling you the longer you remain single the more you’ll be a marked man. Wedding fever’s highly contagious, you know.’

  He didn’t dare glance at Neve for her reaction.

  Meredith rose from her chair. ‘Now before you go, I’ll get some carrots for Reggie. Who knows, today might be your lucky day?’

  At Neve’s curious look he shrugged. She didn’t need to know about him failing the Reggie test. Denham and Hewitt continued to give him enough grief about the bull refusing to accept his beloved carrots from him.

  When they were seated in his ute, a container of carrots balanced on Neve’s knees, he held onto the hope that Neve wasn’t fully on board with Meredith’s tour plans. Even before he started the engine, he knew that a tour of any length was a bad idea. Neve sat so near he could see her chest rise and fall with every breath she took, and with every breath he took he inhaled her light floral fragrance.

  He cleared his throat. ‘Are you sure about having the grand tour? Not everyone finds Claremont interesting.’

  ‘If you have time, I’d love to have a good look around.’

  ‘Okay, then. To our left we have …’

  For the next fifteen minutes he pointed out features of the house, garden, stables and outbuildings. At a corrugated circular shed they left the ute to take a closer look. Patch didn’t stray from Neve’s side. The border collie was missing his daily visits to see Neve and the girls.

  ‘I’ve never seen a roof like this before,’ she said, stopping in front of the tin structure. ‘It looks like a pixie cap.’

  Tanner didn’t let on he had no idea what a pixie hat was. ‘This was once an enclosed round yard where horses were broken in. The original timber roof’s beneath the flattened tin of old kerosene cans.’

  Neve walked to the door and peered inside. As she looked up, her heavy hair unravelled from its high knot. She slid out the clip and
her hair fell down her back. Against the white of her shirt, it shone more red than gold. ‘I can see the shingles. If only the roof could talk.’

  He didn’t reply; he’d already taken two steps back to his ute. He was having trouble thinking about anything but tangling his hands in her silken hair and kissing her until they were both breathless.

  They continued on towards the custom-built rodeo yards. It was from here Denham ran his rodeo cattle side of their business. The first lot of calves from the cows he’d bought with bucking blood were showing promise as future rodeo bulls. Not that Cressy saw Reggie’s genetics as contributing to such a potential. The cowgirl still swore good-natured Reggie wasn’t capable of siring feisty progeny.

  Neve turned to look through the back window to where Patch wore a doggy grin. ‘He loves riding in the ute.’

  ‘He does. When he was a pup he used to wait for me by the driver’s side door.’

  ‘He would have been adorable as a puppy.’

  ‘He was, too adorable, even when burying Meredith’s gardening clogs, one of which has never been found.’

  Neve laughed softly. ‘I can only imagine how besotted I’ll be with Dell’s baby.’

  Tanner briefly glanced at her. ‘I didn’t say anything about her being in foal in case it couldn’t be true. You’re okay about it all? A young donkey can be a big commitment.’

  ‘Yes. I took Dell and Bassie on to give them a proper home. When life … settles down … I’ll look for my own small farm. I’m sure I’ll find something to keep me busy when Graham no longer needs me to look after the girls.’

  Tanner nodded and stared through the dusty windscreen at the dirt road that followed the fence line. Not only was this the first indication Neve was planning to stay, but her words hit a scarred, broken place inside him with the precision of an arrow.

  He had no doubt, with what he knew about her, she’d honour her pledge to Dell and Bassie. Neve was genuine. She was a woman who meant what she said and who wouldn’t take advantage of a situation. Unlike Genevieve, who’d had no more use for him after he’d served his purpose.

  Neve’s voice sounded again. ‘How’s Bethany’s new horse going?’

  ‘Really well.’ Which was the truth. Skittles was a dream to work with and would make a perfect second pony for the girls.

  ‘That’s great. You shouldn’t be there too long, then?’

  The serious edge to Neve’s question had him looking at her again. ‘Maybe.’ Which also was the truth. Bethany couldn’t hide that she was with Mac from Edna forever. But he could understand her wanting a chance for her new relationship to strengthen before Edna took to it with her sledgehammer of choice.

  ‘Are you planning on going droving anytime soon?’

  ‘Not in the next fortnight. But I will need to take some cattle down south before the wedding.’

  But even as he said the words the urgency that had hounded him over the past weeks to head out to the long paddock didn’t hammer as hard as it had.

  ‘It must be very peaceful when you’re on the road?’

  ‘It can be, but between trucks that don’t heed cattle signs, or irresponsible recreational users of the stock routes, things can get hairy. That’s how I met Denham. Arrow and I had to find some of Cressy’s cattle that jumped the fence after motorbike riders had spooked them.’

  ‘Doesn’t Reggie jump fences too?’

  ‘He does if he doesn’t get his daily carrot fix. Speaking of Reggie … you’re about to meet him.’

  He slowed as Reggie lumbered over to the fence that ran along beside them. The massive rodeo bull stopped to paw the ground before shaking his head.

  Neve stared out the side window with a slight frown. ‘He looks … bigger than I expected. The way Cressy and Fliss talk about him I thought he’d be … I don’t know … smaller.’

  Tanner turned off the engine. ‘Maybe the words you’re looking for are less intimidating.’

  ‘Maybe. Cressy always says he’s as sweet as a lamb.’

  ‘He is, when around Fliss and her. He tolerates Denham and Hewitt, but he hates me.’

  Neve turned to him with a laugh. ‘No animal hates you. It’s impossible.’

  Tanner unclipped his seatbelt. ‘I’ve been bringing him carrots for over a year and every time this happens.’

  He headed for the fence, the bucket of carrots in his hand. When he reached the rodeo bull, he held out a chunk of carrot. ‘Prove me wrong, Reg. Eat a carrot out of my hand.’

  The bull glared at him, bellowed and moved backwards.

  Tanner sighed. ‘At least that’s an improvement. I’m still looking at your front end.’

  ‘Maybe he’s not hungry?’ Neve said from behind him, amusement in her voice.

  Tanner spun around. He’d assumed she would have stayed in the ute. Even Patch didn’t jump out like he usually did. His senses sharpened. There was a secure wire fence between the bull and Neve, but the thought of what could go wrong chilled the blood in his veins.

  He stepped in between Reggie and her. ‘I’ll toss him his carrots and we’ll keep moving.’

  Before he knew what Neve was doing, she thrust her hand into the carrot bucket and moved around him. ‘I still can’t believe any animal could hate you.’

  ‘Neve … not so close.’ Tanner couldn’t keep the tension from his words.

  ‘Does Cressy get close?’

  ‘Yes, but she hand-raised him.’ Tanner didn’t take his attention off the bull.

  Neve held out her hand, a carrot in her palm. ‘He’s just standing there quietly waiting. I trust Cressy when she says he’s harmless and that people misjudge him.’

  Tanner didn’t answer. Muscles flickered beneath the bull’s grey-mottled coat. Tanner transferred his weight, ready to reach for Neve if Reggie showed any sign of aggression. But all the bull did was to slowly walk forward to eat the carrot Neve held over the fence.

  She fed him another carrot. When she turned to look for more carrots, surprise widened her eyes when she realised Tanner stood close.

  Her gaze dipped to his mouth before she reached for the bucket. ‘Sorry, I’m on team Cressy. Reggie’s a sweetheart. He couldn’t be any gentler when he takes the carrots.’

  Tanner didn’t reply. Reggie had eyeballed him while Neve’s back was turned.

  Once the bucket was empty, they returned to the ute to drive the short distance to the rodeo yards. Tanner looked in the rear-view mirror to see Reggie watching them.

  They hadn’t spent long at the rodeo yards when he suggested they head back to the homestead. Even though Neve had been more than fine when feeding the rodeo bull, Tanner’s nerves remained rope-tight. He could almost hear the rip in his self-control as it started to fray. The thought of anything happening to her continued to make his adrenaline spike.

  To his relief, Neve agreed. He parked at the side of the house close to the entrance of his flat. Out of habit he opened the sliding door. There was a shortcut through his small kitchen to the main house. He ruffled Patch’s neck as Neve walked through the open door. Meredith had a no-dogs-inside rule.

  Tanner stepped into his minimalistic flat. His rolled-up swag was where it usually was, beside the door ready to be thrown in his ute. Mounted on the wall above the swag was a wooden coat rack on which his oilskin, good hat and Woodlea rodeo cap hung.

  Neve studied the coat rack. ‘Is this where you live?’

  ‘When I’m not droving, yes.’

  After a long look at his ready-to-go swag, she followed him into the kitchen of the main homestead.

  Meredith greeted them with a wide smile. ‘How was your tour? Shall I put the kettle on?’

  He hadn’t realised Neve had shaken her head at the same time he did until Meredith’s gaze travelled between the two of them.

  Neve spoke first. ‘The grand tour was great, thanks. I met Reggie. But I’d better say no to a cuppa. I’ll head home so I can keep looking through the albums and scrapbooks.’

  Meredith nodded
before moving to give Neve a hug. ‘Good luck. I’m happy to answer any questions or help look up anything you need to know.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  Tanner wasted no time heading to the dining room to collect the albums and scrapbooks. Meredith would see through any reason he gave for not wanting to linger over a cuppa with Neve. He just needed a moment.

  Meredith gave them both a wave from the kitchen window as he carried the albums and scrapbooks outside. After Neve’s car was loaded, she opened her driver’s side door with a sunny smile. ‘Thanks again for showing me around.’

  ‘Anytime.’ He hesitated. He should step away and let her leave. But Patch wasn’t the only one missing seeing her every day.

  It was just a subtle gesture, but when her lips parted and her tongue touched her bottom lip, need uncoiled deep inside. Whatever reply he was going to make disintegrated.

  The urge to kiss her was so strong he swayed forward. She held his gaze, eyes wide, but didn’t move away.

  ‘Neve …’ His voice was nothing more than a hoarse groan.

  She half lifted a hand as if to touch him.

  Patch’s loud bark sounded from somewhere in the front garden, before Phil’s diesel engine chugged.

  Neve blinked. Even as her hand lowered, she was turning away. She slid into the driver’s seat as Phil’s white farm ute came into sight.

  Tanner cleared his throat. ‘See you Friday at the field day.’

  Her only response was a hasty nod, before he carefully closed her car door.

  CHAPTER

  10

  ‘I’m glad we’ve got our walking boots on,’ Neve said to the girls as she followed the instructions of the field-day parking attendant to pull in beside the vehicle ahead of them.

  It was only mid-morning and already lines of dusty cars were parked in ordered rows. The farm field-day site was situated on the other side of the local airstrip and would require a reasonable walk. She was also glad she’d brought Kait’s lightweight stroller.

  ‘Can we see Tanner now?’ Kait asked, her voice high-pitched with eagerness.