Second Chance At the Ranch

by Maxine Morrey

  ‘Steady on, mate!’ Nick laughed.

  ‘Sorry!’ Joe replied, pulling away before frowning at his surrogate brothers. ‘You said she wasn’t coming until next week.’

  ‘Well, you know how it is,’ Pete explained. ‘Mum and Dad were really looking forward to seeing you and if we’d told you a beautiful woman was coming, we’d never have got rid of you.’

  Joe blushed scarlet and Hero batted her brother-in-law on the arm. ‘Don’t be so mean.’

  Pete pulled a ‘Who? Me?’ face, silently pointing at himself before looking innocently at Nick. His brother just shrugged as he released his nephew.

  Hero raised an eyebrow, but there was a smile on her lips. ‘Come on, you lot. I want to hear all about your trip,’ she said, herding the new arrivals towards the house.

  The two brothers watched the group walk back, stopping at the porch for Hero to receive a hug from their mother, watching as she spoke to her and stroked the glossy dark hair. Juliet called out that dinner would be ready in half an hour then disappeared into the cool interior of the house with the others. The brothers set off at a stroll for the house to greet their parents and wash, ready in time for dinner. Pete glanced sideways at Nick.

  ‘What?’ Nick asked.

  ‘Have you told her yet?’

  Nick glanced across, opening his mouth as he prepared to fend off Pete’s enquiry with a vague denial of understanding, but Pete met his eyes with a look that told him not to bother. Nick closed his mouth and focused back on their destination.

  ‘Nope,’ he finally replied. ‘She’s not ready.’

  Chapter 13

  ‘So, have you kept in touch with anyone since you came out here? I mean, I know you didn’t feel up to it at first but now you’re getting back on your feet, no pun intended?’

  Hero smiled at the unintentional choice of words. ‘No, not really.’ They were sitting on the porch steps as the last efforts of daylight weakly lit the land in front of them, turning everything a soft gold.

  ‘There’s no one you miss?’

  ‘Not now, no.’

  Nick knew she was alluding to Anya. He squinted at the dying rays of the sun as it cast long shadows on the nearest paddock. Hero nudged him with her body.

  ‘What?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I can see the cogs whirring. What is it?’

  Nick shrugged. ‘I wasn’t thinking anything in particular.’

  ‘Fibber. You had your “thinking face” on.’

  Nick threw his head back and laughed. ‘I have a “thinking face”?’

  Hero couldn’t help but be caught up in the joy of Nick’s laughter. ‘Yes, you do! Your brow wrinkles and your eyes go all squinty.’

  ‘Oh, that sounds really attractive!’ replied Nick, his relaxed laughter building.

  ‘Some might think it is.’

  Nick raised an eyebrow and gave her a smile. ‘Is that so?’

  Hero shrugged and looked away, but Nick saw the smile. ‘I only said “some” and “might”.’

  ‘And what do you think?’

  ‘I think that you haven’t answered my question, and I asked first.’

  Nick let out a resigned sigh. ‘Fair enough. I was just surprised there’s no one you miss from back home now that you don’t travel back and forth.’

  ‘I do miss Rupert, obviously.’

  Nick thought about that. Catching his expression, Hero nudged him.

  ‘Not like that. We’re just good friends. He was amazing after the accident, handling the press and everything else. He kept them away from me, and more importantly, from Juliet. I don’t know what we would’ve done without him, I’ll never be able to thank him enough for that.’ She glanced at Nick. The expression was back.

  ‘You’re doing the face again. What now?’

  Nick half smiled, amused and intrigued that she could read him like that. ‘Promise not to get stroppy?’

  ‘No.’

  Laughing, Nick accepted the answer. He knew she’d never agree and he loved her honesty. But it had been worth an ask anyway.

  ‘OK. Well, it’s just … I mean, look at you! I can think of one method of showing gratitude that most blokes would be falling over themselves to suggest!’

  Hero pulled a face at him. ‘Yes, look at me. Maybe you were right at one time, but not now. I’m not that person anymore.’

  Nick raised a questioning eyebrow.

  Realising how her words had sounded, she suddenly raised her own brows. ‘I mean, not that I ever was “that” kind of person,’ she said, hurriedly. ‘I’ve never slept with anyone for, or to repay, any favour. Ever,’ she added after a moment. A faint blush showed on her cheeks.

  Nick grinned. ‘I never thought you had.’

  ‘So why did you look at me like that?’

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘With the whole raised eyebrow thing.’

  Shrugging, Nick set his expression to innocent. ‘Sorry, don’t know what you’re talking about?’

  Hero narrowed her eyes. ‘Yeah, right,’ she replied, punctuating the statement by poking her tongue out at him, mostly for lack of anything better to say.

  Nick laughed again, which only resulted in receiving a dirty look – but he saw the humour in her eyes. How far they’d come! He’d certainly received enough filthy looks off her in the past that he was easily able to tell which were real and which were in fun. And to be fair, he’d dished out enough of his own. He just wished it hadn’t taken such a catastrophic event for him to find the real Hero once more – and for her to find herself.

  ‘You’re still beautiful, Hero. You shouldn’t say stuff like that.’

  This time the look was softer as she glanced over before turning her gaze on the horizon.

  ‘Thank you. But we both know I’m not the trophy some people once thought I was, and whilst you see beneath the damage, a lot of men, especially in that world, wouldn’t.’

  ‘Then I think that says far more about them than you.’

  He saw the smile.

  ‘Yes, I think you’re right.’

  ‘I don’t get it though.’

  ‘What?’ she asked, turning back to him once more.

  ‘You’re an intelligent woman. Why’d you even bother with men like that?’

  Hero took a deep breath of the cooling night air, letting it out slowly. ‘Honestly? I think it was just easier. I gave them what they expected.’ She tapped her knee against his. ‘Get your mind out of the gutter, Webster, not like that.’

  ‘And there was no one you really cared for? Or cared for you. You know, who treated you like a person, rather than an accessory?’

  ‘Yes, there was one.’

  ‘Am I allowed to ask who?’ Nick knew he was torturing himself. The thought of anyone touching this woman in the way he wanted to, kissing her, taking her to bed, shot arrows of jealousy deep into his heart. But he needed to know. Should anything ever come of their friendship, he didn’t want any secrets. Of course, that also depended on whether he ever got up the courage to try and make something come out of their friendship in the first place.

  Hero turned, leaning back against the rail. ‘Why are you so interested?’

  ‘I’m interested in you.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Because we’re friends.’

  She smiled. ‘Yes, we are.’

  Returning the smile, Nick curled his fingers around the bannister, hoping that would help control the desperate urge he had right now to pull her close against him and show her just how friendly she made him feel.

  ‘If it makes you feel any better, it was one of your countrymen.’

  ‘An Aussie? Well, that’s something.’

  ‘Yes. Ben Gale.’

  ‘The racing driver?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Right.’ Nick knew all too well that Hero had dated the Formula 1 driver for quite some time. He was a fan of the sport, and of Gale. Although, admittedly, his support of the man had petulantly dropped a little
the first time he saw a shot of him with his arm around Hero during some TV coverage. Both Gale and Hero were private people and hadn’t flaunted the relationship as some of the more glitzy couples in the paddock did. But, of course, the media loved it.

  Gale was a tall, good-looking, down-to-earth Aussie, and Hero was the perfect partner for the world he operated in. Much to her surprise, Ben turned out to be quite removed in both manner and personality from many of the other Formula 1 drivers she’d met. Ben wasn’t into all the show and glamour of the racing world. He hadn’t moved to Monaco as many did, and he wasn’t big on attending all the starry events that surrounded the sport – but there was no way he could avoid all of them. Team sponsors made certain demands upon the drivers in return for the eye watering amounts of money they spent for the exposure. That was the deal. And Ben was certainly up for a good time and a great party as much as the next person. He just didn’t feel the need to ‘be seen’ as some others did.

  ‘It was nice, and unexpected, to find someone else who also lived in a crazy world but was still on my wavelength,’ Hero explained to Nick.

  ‘So, what happened?’

  ‘Nothing really. It just got difficult to spend enough time together, especially during the racing season. He was never in one country for very long and I was all over the place with work too. I went to as many races as I could, but obviously he had a lot on his mind those weekends, so it wasn’t exactly “quality time” for either of us. But we took what we could get, and I was happy to see him and to be as supportive as I could of his career.’

  ‘And I bet the sponsors loved it. You certainly seemed to bring them more coverage.’

  Hero shrugged it off. ‘I don’t know about that. I was concentrating on Ben and his race. I hated it though at times. I know they’ve made the cars safer over the years, but he was still hurtling around a track at ridiculous speeds. I was always so grateful when each race was done, and he was safe.’

  ‘So, you cared about him. And he cared about you?’

  ‘Yes,’ she replied, simply.

  ‘But you couldn’t make it work?’

  In the dim twilight that now surrounded them, Nick saw a look of sadness cross Hero’s face.

  ‘No. As much as we both wanted it to work out, sometimes things just aren’t meant to be.’

  ‘Have you seen him since you split?’

  ‘Yes. The split was a joint decision really, so it was all amicable. We still enjoyed each other’s company so staying friends was a good option when we realised that a romantic relationship was no longer really possible.’

  ‘I take it he knows about the accident?’

  Hero flashed him a look as if to say, ‘It’d be pretty hard not to know’.

  ‘Yes. He was actually one of the first to get to the hospital. I don’t really remember too much. I was pretty drugged up at the time. Probably just as well. But I’ve seen him a few times since and we keep in touch with email and messaging and stuff.’

  Nick listened, processing the information.

  ‘And?’

  ‘And what?’

  ‘Do you think there’s a chance that you’d get back together with him? I mean, there was obviously a connection there and now you’d only really have his career to work around – I mean, at the moment, not that I’m saying yours is—’

  ‘It’s all right, Nick,’ she said, smiling at his efforts to untangle the knot he was currently tying himself up in. ‘You can say it. We both know my career is over.’

  ‘Not if you don’t want it to be.’

  ‘The one I had is. There’s no getting around that. And I’m OK with it now. Really.’

  ‘OK.’ Nick let out a breath, slowly, doing his best to keep the conversation casual. ‘So, you’re free to spend the time with Gale that you didn’t have before. Could you make it work now? I mean, would you want to?’

  The night was overcast now, hiding the moon and making it difficult to see the expression on Hero’s face.

  ‘To be honest, I’d not thought about it.’

  Good one, Nick. He gave himself a mental kick for possibly planting a seed which could well grow into something that would come back and bite him.

  ‘So, if he turned up here tomorrow and said, “Let’s give it a go”, what would you say?’

  ‘I hardly think that’s likely.’

  He spread his hands. ‘Humour me.’

  ‘Oh, I don’t know, Nick. I’m not used to that world anymore, and Ben was always quite protective of me anyway and now, even more so. I think it would be difficult for both of us, trying to make that adjustment back into the spotlight again with the added pressure of people’s morbid fascination with the accident. I mean, he’s retired from actual driving now, but he’s still involved in that world and you know what the media are like.’ Nick heard her shift in the dark. ‘Besides, he’s never mentioned a wish to get back together.’

  ‘Did you give him a chance to?’

  ‘What does that mean?’

  Nick shrugged. ‘Just that you can be a little determined at evading people when you want to.’

  ‘I don’t evade people!’

  ‘You don’t always answer questions if you don’t want to.’

  ‘To be fair, neither do you.’

  Nick had to concede she had a point.

  ‘Anyway, I’m answering this one, aren’t I?’ she challenged him.

  ‘True. I didn’t say you hadn’t got better at it.’

  Hero laughed. ‘Wow. Was that a compliment?’

  ‘If it walks like a duck …’

  ‘You two want a drink?’ Juliet called, the screen door squeaking as she stuck her head out, squinting at her brother-in-law and sister who were sitting chatting in the dark.

  ‘Ooh, yes please!’ Hero pushed herself off the railing and headed towards the pool of light now spilling out onto the wooden deck.

  Nick followed, aware that he still hadn’t got a definitive reply from Hero about Gale. Yep, she had definitely improved, but she hadn’t lost her knack at evasion either.

  ***

  And the day had been going so well. Nick tensed as he heard the familiar voice behind him.

  ‘Well, well! Nick Webster! It is my lucky day!’

  But not mine, Nick thought as he turned towards Susannah’s voice. He’d had one date with her sometime after Pete’s wedding as part of his failed ‘Forget Hero Scott’ campaign. But one date had been plenty. Susannah had a hell of a figure, but something about her made Nick feel uncomfortable. The night ended early and he’d retreated home, pre-empting his brother’s enquiry with two words: ‘Don’t ask.’

  But Susannah Dagmar, having missed out on Pete, still had her sights firmly set on the youngest Webster brother, and she wasn’t about to give him up without a fight. Stalking was too strong a word. Persistent might be more accurate.

  ‘She really doesn’t give up, does she?’ Pete had observed a while back after yet another encounter with Susannah in town. ‘Were you two actually on the same date?’

  Nick had blown out a sigh. ‘I hate to say it, mate, but Mum was right. I should have kept well away. I can’t get rid of her. She just doesn’t get the message.’

  ‘Don’t worry, mate. She will.’

  Pete was wrong. Several years and countless men later, Susannah was still clinging to some imagined claim. Nick Webster was the man for her. He would realise that eventually. And there he was, looking as gorgeous and sexy as ever leaning on the back of the ute, reading something and squinting like he always did when he concentrated. His long legs were wrapped in dark blue denim and tanned, strong forearms contrasted with the white of his folded back shirt sleeves.

  Nick jumped at her greeting, a curse word mumbled in surprise under his breath.

  ‘G’day, Susannah.’

  ‘G’day yourself.’

  ‘Waiting for Pete?’ Susannah started again when Nick went back to reading his paper.

  ‘Nope.’ He replied with a glance and a half smile. I
t might have helped if he could be outright rude to her but, even with Susannah, good manners prevented it.

  ‘Oh.’ She paused, shifting her weight from one high-heel clad foot to the other. ‘You going to the Sullivans’ ball this year?’

  ‘Expect so.’

  Susannah pulled at the already straining halter-top she was wearing. Nick caught the movement as he turned the page of his paper, concentrating on the article. God knows what had possessed him to go on even one date with Susannah. Obvious women weren’t really his type. Guiltily he adjusted his position on the vehicle. Actually, he knew exactly what had possessed him. Susannah was everything Hero wasn’t. It was a stupid idea, and it hadn’t worked anyway. Not that he had expected it to. At least he hadn’t slept with her. Sometimes you had to be thankful for small mercies.

  ‘So, who you taking?’

  Clearly, she wasn’t going away. Nick gave up trying to read his paper.

  ‘Huh?’

  ‘To the ball? Who are you taking?’

  He shrugged. ‘Haven’t given it much thought.’ Liar.

  ‘Pat McKenna’s asked me.’

  ‘Pat’s a good bloke.’ Pat was a good bloke. Nick just hoped he knew what he was letting himself in for.

  ‘Yes, he is. Very good.’ She lowered her voice. ‘But he’s not you, Nick.’

  Nick straightened away from the back of the ute and moved towards the driver’s door. ‘We’ve been over this, Susannah. We went out. It didn’t work. End of story.’

  ‘You didn’t give it a fair go, Nick!’ Her voice was back up to its normal octave.

  ‘Look, Susannah. I don’t know what else you want me to say. I’m sorry, but I’m not interested.’

  ‘Shall I come back in a while?’

  Nick and Susannah both turned at the sound of Hero’s voice. Caught up in their argument, neither had heard her approach. Susannah didn’t miss the way Nick looked at the new arrival. The way he had never, would never, look at her. Rage boiled inside her. She’d seen them together that night of the wedding. Him holding her close, them talking together, laughing together. Nick hadn’t even asked Susannah to dance once she’d clocked off. Not once. Well, little Miss Perfect didn’t look quite so perfect now, did she? Susannah had heard all about the accident. She’d found every online article she could about it and read them all. Twice. It had helped numb the pain of Nick’s rejection a little, if only temporarily.