“I didn’t get a chance.” She hoped her daughter would never have to witness something like this or go through what Maddie was going through. Abbie gazed out at the flat landscape and setting sun. “It will be dark soon.”
He nodded. “I’ll turn the ute’s lights on when it’s too dark to see.” He gestured to the spotlights that were rigged up on his vehicle.
He put his arm around her shoulders and held her against his side. Abbie closed her eyes and leaned against his shoulder. Exhaustion settled in her bones, and she tried not to think of all the what-ifs that played on her mind. What if they had arrived earlier? How could she have helped Dylan more?
“I think he held out for the party,” Lachie said quietly. “We had a chat that day. I thought he was just being friendly, but now that I think about it, he was saying goodbye.”
Abbie pressed her face against his chest and breathed him in, focusing on his musky scent so she wouldn’t cry. “It will be terrible for Maddie. And her children. Their dad is gone.”
Lachie wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. His body was reassuringly strong and stopped her from falling apart again.
His lips brushed the top of her head. It felt so nice. So comforting. She wanted more.
She raised her head to look at him. His eyes were glassy as he gazed back at her. He lowered his head and she pressed her lips against his. The instant her lips parted beneath his, it was as though she went into a freefall. Rationality, logic, caution all ceased to exist. There was only the two of them. The man who bewitched her senses and filled the empty part of her. He tightened his arms around her and she lost herself in his musky scent and skilled mouth.
Eventually, when her mouth was suitably swollen, he pulled his head back and looked into the distance. “They’re on their way. I can hear the sirens.”
Abbie opened her eyes to the darkness that now surrounded them. “You should turn those lights on then,” she murmured and made to leave his embrace, but he pulled her closer. “Just one more minute.”
In unspoken agreement, she relaxed back into him and snuggled her face into his neck.
This was where she wanted to be right now—safe in their bubble. The world didn’t really exist. It was all a dream.
She breathed in deeply. Lachie’s smell was still strong, but there was another scent fighting to be noticed. It was enough to yank her back to reality. She moved her hands to his chest. “They’ll be here soon.”
This time, he let her go. She took two steps away, cold now that she wasn’t cocooned in his warmth.
He opened the ute door and started the engine. Bright light illuminated the paddock. “I’m going to drive around to the other side so they can see him better,” he called from the cab.
Abbie nodded and folded her arms around herself. She wasn’t sure if she was shivering from cold or shock. The night was warm so she suspected the latter.
Lachie parked the vehicle in the new position and left it running. He climbed out and leaned against it. As though drawn to a flame, Abbie couldn’t stay away. She walked over and stood close by, but dared not touch him.
“About before …” She started.
Lachie put his hand up to stop her. “We can forget it happened. If that’s what you want.”
She couldn’t see him clearly but she knew he was looking at her. “I, ah …” She didn’t know what to say. Did she want to forget about kissing him when it had been so amazing?
Light bounced over the landscape as vehicles approached them, their sirens turned off.
“Let’s talk about it some other time,” he said before pushing off the ute and walking to meet the police car.
She watched his silhouette as he stepped into the path of light. Even if they pretended their kisses hadn’t happened, she knew she would never forget them.
It was the single good thing to have come out of this terrible experience.
Lachie shook the police officer’s hand and headed back to his ute. He closed the door quietly behind him, trying not to wake Abbie who had retreated there a while ago after answering everyone’s questions.
She didn’t stir when he reversed the ute and drove back to Maddie’s house.
What a day. It had been filled with highs and lows. Kissing Abbie was definitely a high, but he would have preferred their first kiss to have happened under better circumstances.
He pushed away the thoughts and visions that threatened and concentrated on driving. Kangaroos would be out now, and the last thing he needed was to hit one.
Abbie finally woke just as they were pulling up in front of his house.
“Why are we here?” she asked groggily.
Lachie turned to her. “Mum brought Hannah over. She’s asleep inside.”
“Oh, good.” She rubbed her eyes. “I’ll get her and take her home.”
“It’s after midnight. Why don’t you sleep here tonight and go home tomorrow?”
She studied her watch before nodding. “If I leave early enough, I can still get Hannah to school and go to work.”
Lachie considered suggesting they all take the day off. Now wasn’t the time to discuss it. Better to wait and see how they felt in the morning.
Lachie walked ahead and waited for her at the door. He let her step through in front of him where she was greeted by Harriet.
“Come with me, love. I’ll show you where you can sleep.” His mother took her by the arm and led her down the hall.
Lachie turned to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Damn, he needed a drink. A stiff whiskey would be perfect right now. Instead, he reached for a can of Coke. After popping the lid he took a long gulp, ignoring the bubbles and fizz that tried to escape. He walked out onto the verandah and perched himself on a chair. Darkness loomed heavily, and he let it surround him.
“You’ll be up all night now,” his mother said and walked past him. She must have turned a light on. He hadn’t noticed.
“Huh?”
“The caffeine will keep you awake.”
“I’m not sure I want to sleep tonight anyway,” he admitted, sure if he closed his eyes he would see Dylan.
“Well, it’ll have to be on the couch if you do. Hannah is in the spare bed and Abbie’s in yours. Hope you don’t mind.”
He shook his head, then suddenly remembered how messy he had left his room that morning.
“It’s okay. I picked up the dirty laundry before you got here.”
“Thanks.” He tried to smile at her. But it felt wrong. How could he smile when his neighbour was dead? “He was my age. He had a family.”
Harriet placed her hand on his knee. “No one ever knows what truly goes on inside another person’s mind. He chose to do this, and we all need to find a way to live with it.”
“It’s just such a waste.”
“It is.”
They sat in silent vigil for some time. Lachie thought back on memories with Dylan. They hadn’t been the best of friends, but they had been there for each other when they’d needed help with a fence or other farm issue.
Noah and Dylan had been good mates. His brother had spent a lot of time at his neighbours’ place last year when Riley had been helping Dylan out on the station.
“I’ll call Noah in the morning and let him know. Darcy too.” Lachie said.
“Yes, there are a lot of people who will need to be contacted. Maddie will need to organise a funeral too, poor thing.”
“She’s not alone, is she?”
Harriet shook her head. “I called in the CWA and they were going to take shifts looking after the kids. Margaret was there when I left.”
“Good.” The Country Women’s Association could always be counted on in times of need, especially when something like this happened. Dylan’s suicide certainly wasn’t the first the community had suffered nor was it likely to be the last, unfortunately.
“If it’s okay with you, I’m going to lie down,” Harriet said.
“Of course. Go to bed.” He stood and hugged his mother.
The urge to make sure everyone around him knew how much he appreciated them was strong. “I love you, Mum.”
She squeezed him back. “I love you too, darling. Wake me up if you need anything or want to talk.”
“Thanks.”
When she had left, he sat back in the chair and closed his eyes. Instead of Dylan filling his thoughts, it was Abbie. He let himself remember every detail of her. The faint floral scent of her perfume. The sweet eagerness of her lips, and the pliancy of her body.
She was everything he would ever want or need in his life, and he resolved to be the kind of man she would consider falling in love with. To have her and Hannah in his life would be more than he had ever hoped for.
He would make sure they never had to go through something like this again. He would protect them from all evils life threw their way. If he had them around, he would never leave them.
Abbie woke to a damp pillowcase. Rolling onto her back, she stared at the ceiling, hoping it had all been a dream. A really bad, vivid, dream.
She turned her head to the window. Early morning sun snuck under the curtains.
She focused her thoughts on those little things. The light. The quiet house. The smell of the sheets. It was such a comfortable bed. Softer than the one provided for her at the house in town. She rolled onto her stomach and ran her hands over the mattress. She could feel Lachie’s impression. She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, letting herself imagine him there, with her. What would it be like to wake up next to him?
She opened her eyes with a start. She couldn’t let herself go there. Now was not the time. She had to get up and drive Hannah back into town. She had school, and Abbie had work today.
She threw back the sheets and dressed in yesterday’s clothes. No one else was up in the house so she padded lightly along the hallway. After visiting the bathroom, she headed for the living areas. She poured herself a glass of water and stepped out onto the veranda into the cool morning. She leaned against a post and took in the scene in front of her. Light burst across the sky in brilliant swathes of gold, orange, and pink as the sun grew larger.
A banging noise shattered the silence of the morning, and she turned in its direction.
She followed the well-worn path, past some cattle yards and an assortment of other farm buildings, until she reached a corrugated shed. The hammering continued, echoing out of the building. She peeked her head in. As she’d suspected, Lachie sat at a work bench tinkering with pieces of machinery.
She cleared her throat before speaking. “Morning.”
He turned to her. The circles under his eyes told her he hadn’t slept. “Morning. How are you?”
She shrugged and walked farther into the shed. A bright fluorescent light hung above her, casting shadows into the corners of the room. “Thanks for giving up your bed.”
“I owed you for letting me have yours.” He attempted a smile but it fell flat.
“I just wanted to say thanks. I had better get Hannah home.” She turned to leave.
“Wait.” Lachie rose from his chair and slowly walked towards her.
His five o’clock shadow made him even more swoon-worthy. A mixture of wood, leather, and something she couldn’t quite pinpoint caressed her sense of smell, making her feel a little light-headed. She licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. She gulped, her heart thudding crazily as he came closer.
He reached out a hand and grazed it over the hair at the side of her face then lower, down her throat and across her shoulder. His calloused fingers gently scraped her tender skin. He didn’t say anything, just stared deeply into her eyes.
She wanted to kiss away their pain, just like they had yesterday.
Instead, he withdrew from her and plunged his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “Drive safe.”
She nodded and took a step backwards. “Thanks.”
Abbie looked back at him from the door. He had returned to his work, but was still watching her.
She raised her hand in a wave before walking outside and treading back up the path to the house.
It had seemed like he’d wanted to say something to her, but held back at the last minute. She wondered what.
It was probably for the best.
She reminded herself of all the reasons that they shouldn’t be together. His history as a flirt and womaniser. She couldn’t risk her heart on a man with that kind of a past. She couldn’t risk Hannah’s either. Her little girl was already so attached to Lachie; she would be devastated if anything happened.
Then there was the fact he was a recovering alcoholic. He might be okay now, but she knew the slightest trigger could make him fall of the wagon.
He was too much of a risk.
She had never been one for gambling, and she wasn’t about to start now.
Chapter 9
Lachie mingled with the rest of the gathering crowd outside the funeral parlour. Solemn-faced mourners spoke in hushed voices around him.
Beside him, Darcy had his arm around his wife’s back, and she dabbed at her eyes with a tissue. She looked tired and had barely stopped crying since arriving yesterday. Last night, Darcy had confided that she was on hormonal medication and had been feeling its effects for a while now. They had postponed their fertility treatment in Townsville to attend the funeral and spend some time with their friends and family, all of whom were feeling Dylan’s loss deeply.
Lachie turned to see Maddie as she hugged his brother Noah and then greeted Riley. Riley had briefly worked for Dylan and had been the first to point out his failing mental health.
If only they could have helped him more. Even with all the programs the government and community created and all the counselling he had received, it still hadn’t been enough.
Noah and Riley finished giving their condolences and walked over to stand with their family. Lachie shook his brother’s hand. “It’s good to see you again.”
Noah nodded. “You too.”
They had recently reconciled their differences. Their father’s abuse had been uncovered and a deeper bond had been forged between them. It had also been the turning point for Lachie and the reason he had started his journey to sobriety.
“We should find our seats,” Harriet said. “It’ll start soon.”
Lachie looked around the room, searching for one particular person with long blonde hair. He hadn’t spoken to her since that morning. Many times he had picked up his mobile, wanting to hear her voice, but had never gone through with it.
He had hoped she would come today though. He wanted to see her, even if only for a moment and from a distance.
Then, as if conjured by his thoughts, she appeared in the doorway. Their gazes caught and held. He smiled for the first time in days.
“Whose that?” Noah asked, following his gaze.
“That’s Abbie Forsyth, the new nurse.” Harriet’s voice was filled with friendliness and something else—hope?
Abbie was dressed in a simple, deep blue dress. Lachie drank in her curves and long, bare legs as she strode over. She was such a sight for sore eyes.
“Hi,” she said, stopping in front of him.
“Hi Abbie.” He wanted to kiss her or at least hug her, but with his family watching on and the service about to start, it didn’t feel right. Instead he turned and introduced his brothers and their partners.
“Nice to see you again.” Darcy shook her hand. “Will you sit with us?”
Abbie looked around as people started finding their seats. “Yes, thank you.”
Lachie sat beside her on a plastic chair. Everyone who had attended Dylan’s party and more were here today.
The party. Had it only been a few weeks ago? At least Dylan had seen everyone that last time.
Lachie wondered again if Dylan had planned it so.
The service started and the congregation fell to a hush as stories were told and memories shared.
“I’d like to invite Abigail Forsyth up,” the minister said.
Lachie turned to Abbie wit
h a frown.
She gave him a nervous smile before standing and walking to the stage.
After picking up a microphone, piano music filtered through the speakers in the ceiling and Abbie opened her mouth and started singing.
Lachie sat in stunned silence as her melodious voice filled the room. As she sang the familiar tune about being comforted by angels, he was filled with the deepest sensation that he had heard her sing before. He caught the memory and studied it, trying to place where and when he had heard her before.
She struck a particularly high note and he felt the rapture of the crowd around him. All were awestruck in her presence.
Applause broke out as the final notes of the song faded. She thanked the crowd before handing the microphone back and returning to her seat.
“That was amazing,” Lachie whispered and reached for her hand.
She smiled at him and entwined her fingers with his.
They sat like that for the rest of the service, though he didn’t know what else was said or done. He was too focused on the frissons of energy sparking from their joined hands.
At the end of the service, people stood and greeted their neighbours. Lachie reluctantly let go of her so she could be commended on her performance.
“Is that Paige and Logan?” Noah asked, pointing to a couple on the other side of the room.
Lachie recognised his old school friend. He looked the same despite being ten years older now. “I wonder how they knew Dylan.”
They followed the crowd as it moved outside for refreshments and fellowship. With Abbie busy with her new fan club, Lachie directed his attention to greeting his old friend.
“G’day Logan.” Lachie shook his friend’s hand
Logan grinned back. “It’s been too long.” Then he turned to the attractive brunette beside him. “This is my wife, Paige.”
Lachie released Logan’s hand and shook the woman’s slender one. “Nice to meet you. I heard you remarried.”
Logan looked at him sheepishly. “I couldn’t resist falling in love with the help.” He turned adoring eyes on his wife and she blushed.
The Legacies of Brigadier Station Page 7