Country Roads

by Nicole Hurley-Moore

  Matt was different, and not because Bec believed him to be weak – that wasn’t the case at all. But he looked at things in a different way and she thought that was where the danger lay. He seemed comfortable in his own skin and brave enough not only to leave a well-paying job to follow his creative passion, but also to move to a small town in the middle of nowhere. That took guts. He was different, but more than that, he looked at her in a way that no one had before. That was the scary bit, because she wasn’t sure she wanted him to stop.

  On Thursday evening, just as Bec had come home after carting bales of hay, she found him sitting in the kitchen with her mother. It was totally random and for a second Bec was at a loss to know what to say. It was a shock to see someone out of context and that was what it was – Matt had no business being in her kitchen. As far as she knew, Maggie and Matt hadn’t met, but there they were laughing like they’d been friends for years. Apparently her mum’s tyre had blown just as she was almost home. Matt had been on his verandah and had offered to help change it for her. Maggie Duprey was more than capable of changing her own damn tyre but she had agreed, and all of a sudden they’d found that they shared an undying passion for suspense novels and pavlova . . . the fruit-topped dessert, that was, not the ballerina. Bec walked into the kitchen as they were swapping recipes and Maggie was promising that next time she made one, he’d have to come up. Just perfect.

  Bec and her friends decided to take in a movie on Saturday night. Two cars drove the forty minutes to Bendigo, and whether or not it was by accident or design, she found herself next to Matt during dinner and the film.

  She tried to concentrate on the movie, but Matt’s close proximity made it difficult. The more she was with him, the more drawn to him she felt – it was disconcerting and Bec knew in her heart she was heading for trouble. She had spent the last few years licking her wounds and vowing that she would never let a man use her like Zane had, but there was something about Matt that made her want to throw caution to the wind.

  They shared popcorn and laughed at the movie. She was conscious of how his leg would accidentally brush against hers. As the lights of the theatre came up, Matt smiled at her as he handed over her jacket. It was a small smile and there was a softness in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before. It made her pause and take a breath. His smile stayed with her long after she had said goodnight to everyone.

  When she got home, Bec stood by the open window of her bedroom. The autumn breeze was welcome as it gently blew into the room, catching the old curtains. The air was cool and calming, and Bec breathed it in deeply, hoping to clear her head. The problem was that she knew that it would take more than that. Looking out into the night, the almost full moon illuminated the ridge and the place she loved so much, the stone formation at the top. It was the place she’d played around as a child, where she’d dreamed about adventure and true love when she was fourteen and where she’d cried when Zane betrayed her. Since then she’d been living a half-life, and she knew it. Immersing herself in work had been the only way she’d managed to get through the break-up. It had hurt more than she thought possible – not just that she and Zane had broken up but the way it happened. It had shaken her belief in herself to the core, because it was clear that if she could get things so wrong with Zane, how could she ever trust her own judgement again?

  But maybe she should try again. Not that she had any illusions about true love – it didn’t exist. But after shutting herself off for so long, perhaps it was time to give life and dating another go. This time, however, it was going to be on her terms – nothing deep and meaningful and absolutely no ties. That way she could enjoy the whole physical aspect of a relationship without the tears, tantrums and jealousy.

  As she closed the window and began to get ready for bed, Matt’s smile crept back into her mind. Maybe Matt Harvey was the man she was looking for after all?

  ***

  Matt filmed as the galvanised steel rainwater tank was put in place. The men from the tank company had placed it down the side of the house, towards the back to get the optimal run-off from the roof.

  ‘That looks great, guys – thanks so much.’ Matt turned the camera back on himself. ‘Doesn’t it look great? Another goal in my rural living slash take over the world plan has been realised.’

  One of the men installing the tank let out a laugh and shook his head.

  ‘Ah, another critic,’ Matt said with a grin before he turned off the camera. ‘So do you guys want a drink? I’ve got soft drinks, tea or coffee.’

  ‘Nah, we’re right, mate, but thanks. This won’t take long and we’ll be out of here soon.’

  ‘Okay, just give me a shout if you need anything,’ Matt said before he headed back inside.

  He felt lucky, even though some wouldn’t see it. His old life had bankrolled this new one. He’d been able to buy the cottage outright with some savings left over to make improvements to it and to live off. Add to that the money coming in from his books, and things were pretty good. Okay, maybe he wasn’t rolling in cash, but he had enough to support this quiet life he was carving out for himself – and he was grateful.

  Well, he would be grateful if he could just get this damn scene done.

  With a sigh he walked into his office, slumped down into the chair and turned on the computer. Unfortunately the cursor was still blinking on the empty page – taunting him. He ran his hand through his hair and stared at the screen. There had been three and a half pages this morning, but after he’d read them through he realised that they were complete and utter crap. Alistair Tremayne was coming off as a jerk and the normally clever and feisty Tansy sounded like a brat. Just before the water tank guys arrived he’d deleted the whole thing.

  It was meant to be the scene where the two characters came together and realised that there was something solid under all the passion. The problem was, no matter how hard he tried, Matt just couldn’t get the damn thing to work.

  He rolled up his shirtsleeves, took a breath and tried again.

  Tansy ran her hand slowly across Alistair’s shoulder. There was a buzz, a tingle that Alistair felt all the way done to his cock/manhood/penis/cock.

  Matt growled and hit the delete button again.

  The image of Bec touching his hand ran through his mind, and he recalled the way his leg had brushed against hers at the movies. Her touch affected him more than he wanted to admit. Each time they came into contact, he felt that jolt travel through him.

  He wanted Bec Duprey. Lord, that was probably a terrible idea, because deep within him he knew that she had the capacity to turn his new life upside down.

  As the realisation sank in, Matt sat back in his chair and stared blankly at the screen.

  Damn – how the hell did that happen?

  ***

  Bec had fallen for Zane while they were still at school. It had happened in the summer just before they entered their final year. She had been up in the high paddock, the one that bordered Cara Downs, when Zane had walked through the little wooden gate. It was mid-morning and Bec was reading under the shade of a couple of ghost gums. The heat of the day was beginning to build, but under the trees Bec could still feel a hint of a breeze. The air had the scent of eucalyptus and the quiet was punctuated by the occasional drone of a blowfly that seemed intent on landing on the book Bec was trying to read.

  She and Zane had been circling each other since Christmas. Bec was pretty sure that he liked her as much as she did him but neither of them had acted on it. She had been pondering what to do next while tackling one of the novels she had to read before school started when Zane appeared at the boundary gate. He strode up to her, pulled her to her feet and kissed her. He made her feel warm all over. In an instant her heart beat faster and she fell halfway in love with him.

  They became the perfect, golden couple at school and Bec could hardly believe that she could be so happy. There were whispers, but Bec put them down to petty jealousies. Both families seemed happy at the idea their kids were toge
ther. Her mother told her to take it as it was, enjoy her first love and not to put too much stress on the future – that would take care of itself. Thinking back, Bec realised that her mother had never thought it was going to last. If she hadn’t been so wrapped up in Zane maybe she would have caught on to what Maggie was thinking. But she couldn’t, because everything was so bright, so new, and so brimming with possibilities that she thought would last a lifetime.

  For her father and Mick Turner, their kids’ relationship was the potential melding of not only two of the oldest families in the district but also the two most successful farms. Mick kept congratulating Jack on how fantastic the future of both properties would be. Jack seemed pleased, but maybe not as euphoric as Mick.

  So from the time Bec was seventeen to four months after her twenty-first birthday, she’d been in love with Zane Turner. It was bright-burning, hot and the type of feeling she believed would last forever. He couldn’t get enough of her, nor she of him. All he had to do was look at her with his blue eyes and she was gone. She remembered the times when she would come home during her breaks from Uni, and he would sweep her into his arms, and tell her how much he missed her.

  As those years passed, Bec was able to see a future – one that was rosy and filled with laughter, love and eventually children. More than once she’d pictured them: grey eyed, blond and beautiful – just like their father.

  On the night of her twenty-first birthday, in a room filled with their friends and family, he’d dropped to one knee and proposed. Bec had always tried to keep her emotions in check, especially when she was around other people, but Zane’s proposal was too much for her. With a happy smile and tears running down her face, she had said yes. Zane had let out a whoop as he picked her up, spun her around and kissed her and the room erupted into applause. It had been the brightest and most perfect day of her life.

  But now, she could barely bring herself to think about it.

  For almost four months Bec had floated – yeah, that was the only way she could describe it. She’d spent her days working alongside her father and her nights kissing Zane. Her father had been happy, even buoyant about the upcoming marriage. He thought that his legacy would be safe in Bec and Zane’s hands – Bluestone Ridge and Cara Downs would both continue. Bec and her mother started looking at wedding things – venues, designs and above all, dresses. It was all so girly and seductive, in a way. Bec had always been more comfortable in jeans and work boots, but there was something about a wedding, her wedding, that made her want to embrace the joy of the right dress. She had never thought she would, but for the ceremony she realised that she really did want to be that princess. Well, maybe not an over-the-top, flashy, meringue-type princess, but a princess nonetheless.

  With Maggie’s help, they put together a little engagement party. Had it been sophisticated and slick? Not by any stretch of the imagination. The party was a barbecue with the local country band, the Black Creek Wranglers, and a few beers shared with their closest friends. And as the cool night had worn on and Bec had kissed Zane in front of the bonfire she’d known, deep down inside, that everything was perfect. The night was cold and the air held the scent of eucalyptus and wood smoke. As the heat of Zane’s body and the flames warmed her, Bec had found a peace that she had never experienced before. She had known, in that moment, where she was meant to be and what the rest of her life looked like.

  The week that followed had been busy, with sheep drenching happening at the farm and Bec’s attempts to squeeze in some wedding preparation around it. Bec hadn’t seen Zane for most of that time, and late one night she headed off across the ridge to the short cut to Zane’s place. She hurried over the paddock that adjoined Cara Downs and through the old wooden gate that had stood for longer than a century. She’d planned to surprise him, but as it turned out the joke was on her.

  Bec was walking to the back door but saw that a soft light spilled out of Zane’s window. On impulse she changed direction and went to the window instead. Maybe she’d do that thing she had seen in the movies and toss a couple of pebbles at the pane to get his attention. She peeked in the slightly open window, just to make sure he was still awake, and that was when the world tilted off its axis.

  Zane was naked in bed, kissing someone who wasn’t her. Bec stood still as if she’d been turned to stone, not wanting to believe her eyes. She wanted to cry out, This can’t be real. Surely it was some sick joke or misunderstanding? But she knew it wasn’t. She grasped at nothingness, trying desperately to hold on to anything that would prove that her future wasn’t lying in shattered shards at her feet.

  The couple broke apart.

  ‘But why did you have to go and get engaged?’

  ‘You know the answer to that, Tanya. We’ve been over it enough times.’

  ‘Yeah, well the way I look at it, it’s me doing all the compromising.’

  ‘Aw, come on, baby – you know how I feel about you. I’m marrying Bec because it’s the smart thing to do. It doesn’t change anything between us,’ he said as he pulled her tight and dropped a series of kisses along her neck.

  Tanya had squirmed against him. ‘Hmmm. How can it not change this thing we’ve got going on? I thought we’d get married and have a couple of kids. I want a wedding, Zane – I’ve been dreaming of it since I was a little girl.’

  ‘Can’t you see what this will do for us? With Cara Downs and Bluestone Ridge merged together, we’ll be the most successful farm in the entire district.’

  ‘Oh, come on – Cara Downs already has a great reputation. You’re doing fine without having to get Bec’s place.’

  ‘You’re right, but the Duprey place has a history and brand to it. You can’t buy provenance like that. Besides, once I’ve married her, I’ll control one of the best sheep runs in the entire state.’

  A cold wave of anger had washed over Bec as she listened to Zane. Everything he’d said to her had been a lie. God, she’d been ten times a fool believing that he loved her.

  Bec sucked in a breath as she stepped back into the shadows and scraped her foot against the old stone planter under the plum tree.

  Tanya sat up in bed and ran a hand through her dark, tangled hair. ‘Did you hear that?’

  Zane shrugged. ‘I didn’t hear anything.’

  ‘It sounded small, you know, soft like a sigh. Oh, I probably imagined it.’ Tanya ran her hand down the side of his face and across his shoulder. ‘I know you’ve explained it before, but I’m getting worried about this thing with you and Bec.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘You know – everything. Where do I stand in this?’

  ‘Don’t worry, nothing’s changed.

  ‘But I still don’t understand why you have to do this. We’re happy now – why do you have to ruin it by marrying Bec?’

  ‘My dad and I had a talk while I was still back in school. I was a bit sceptical at first but the more I thought about what he said about getting the two farms together, the more it made sense.’

  ‘So you don’t love her?’

  ‘’Course not. Bec’s alright, I suppose, but she’s all dedication and work boots. She knows her way around the farm and I have to say the woman knows how to work. But there’s something hard about her, you know – it’s like she’s trying to prove something.’ Zane ran his hands over Tanya’s ample breasts. ‘You, on the other hand, are all soft and sweet and edible.’

  Bec’s stomach had pitched and she turned away from the scene that would be forever burned into her memory. She slapped her hand over her mouth and stood still. Closing her eyes for a moment she let the cool wind blow over her – calming and bolstering her. She needed to get some distance between her and Zane. What Zane had said had hit her just as powerfully as if someone had physically struck her. Bec stopped and glanced back to the open window. She would run away to the ridge and try to gather the pieces of her heart back together – but not yet. The anger and the hurt twirled and matted into a tight ball inside her stomach. She wasn’t go
ing to slink off into the night without letting Zane Turner know exactly how she felt. Hard, was she? Well, he had no idea just how hard she could be.

  She took a step forward and pulled back the window. The movement made the couple jump and stare with dawning horror back at her. She pulled off the small diamond that had glittered so prettily in the moonlight as she’d walked over here and threw it with all her might at Zane’s head. Unfortunately her aim was a little too wide and the ring smacked against the wall near the bedhead.

  ‘Bec . . . I . . . I . . .’ he stammered as he sat transfixed.

  ‘You can take this ring and stick it. I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last bloody man on earth. You’re nothing but scum, Zane Turner! And Hell would have to freeze over before you ever lay a finger on me or Bluestone Ridge again.’

  Zane jumped out of bed and grabbed his jeans. ‘Bec, wait, this isn’t—’

  ‘What, Zane? This isn’t what it looks like? Oh, you’re pathetic.’ Bec swung away and ran as fast as she could all the way home.

  Chapter 9

  ‘Why did you bring that writer back here the other day?’ Jack said as Maggie walked into the kitchen carrying a couple of shopping bags.

  ‘What’s brought that up all of a sudden?’

  ‘Nothing. I’ve just been meaning to ask is all.’

  ‘Well, I brought him here because he helped me out when he didn’t need to and he’s our neighbour,’ she said as she dumped the bags on the bench and started unpacking them.

  ‘Is that all?’

  Maggie started putting the groceries away. ‘No, I wanted to see what he was like.’

  Jack raised an eyebrow. ‘And?’

  ‘I think he’s nice. He was funny and easy to talk to but I reckon there’s a quiet side to him as well.’ She walked over to the fridge and shoved the milk into it.