Second Chance At the Ranch

by Maxine Morrey

  Juliet stepped out onto the porch with fresh lemonade, her smile disappearing as she put the tray down heavily on the verandah table, its contents clanging against the metal of the tray. Blood was streaming from Paul Sullivan’s nose and her own brother-in-law seemed to be the culprit. She glanced back at her sister, now staring at the same scene in horror. The crash of the tray caused the men to look over. Juliet was shocked at the look in Nick’s eyes. Quickly she spoke to Hero, who disappeared back inside. Marching over, Juliet was thankful that the children were still at school and not witness to the scene.

  ‘Just what the hell is going on?’

  She stood between them, looking from one to the other.

  ‘When you find out, maybe you can tell me.’ Paul wiped at his bloody nose with his shirtsleeve.

  ‘Oh, don’t act so bloody innocent!’ Nick fired, ‘You couldn’t wait, could you? So much for that promise you made about never taking another woman from a friend! You’ve wanted Hero since the first time you saw her. I hear you both had a good time in the city. You know what? I hope it was worth it, mate.’

  ‘Nick?’ Hero responded before Paul could. Standing on the porch, a bowl of water in one hand and a cloth in the other, her expression was pure pain. Juliet threw her brother-in-law a filthy look and stepped across to take to the water and cloth from her sister. Hero relinquished them without looking, her eyes still fixed on Nick in disbelief. Juliet began to clean up Paul’s face, swatting away his protestations with a look.

  Hero stepped closer. ‘What is it exactly that you think we’ve done?’

  Pete had dropped his grip from his brother’s arms and stood watching the exchange, his face unreadable. Joe stood alongside him, confusion showing clearly on his.

  Nick turned to look at her, eyes cold. ‘Do you really want me to answer that?’

  Hero could hardly speak. The pain she felt was almost physical, like Nick had reached in and ripped at her insides.

  ‘How could you?’ she asked, her voice almost inaudible.

  Nick’s eyes flashed fury. ‘Excuse me? How could I? What about how could you? I thought we meant something to each other and then I find out that no sooner am I gone, than you’re off to some hotel in the city, screwing my best friend. I guess we really did wake up that libido of yours. One bloke’s not enough—’

  The slap cracked like a whip in the still afternoon. A tear ran slowly down Hero’s face, her hand stinging from the strike.

  ‘I thought we meant something to each other too.’

  With that she turned and walked back into the house, closing the door quietly after her. The others watched her exit and then all eyes turned back to face Nick.

  Pete shook his head and looked at his brother. ‘You stupid bastard.’

  Juliet picked up the bowl and the cloth. She stopped in front of Nick, her eyes red with unshed tears.

  ‘I hope you know what you’ve done.’

  Nick suddenly had the most awful feeling that he did.

  The four men were silent as the kitchen door slammed under Juliet’s violent hand. Paul took off his bloody shirt and threw it in the back of the ute, checking his T-shirt. Still clean at least, protected from the blood by the shirt. He looked across at his neighbour.

  ‘Stopped at the pub on the way home, did you?’

  Nick didn’t answer.

  ‘I’m assuming you got your so-called information from Susannah Dagmar.’

  Nick looked everywhere but at him. It was enough confirmation for Paul.

  ‘Jesus, Nick! What is wrong with you? Why would you believe anything that tart tells you? You know what she’s like!’

  He moved towards his friend. Pete saw Joe shift as if to stop him, and laid a hand on Joe’s shoulder. He knew Paul wasn’t going to punch his brother although, right now, he wasn’t sure he would try and stop him even if he did. Nick had pulled some stupid stunts in his time, but this had to rank as one of the stupidest. He felt like punching him himself.

  ‘So what did she tell you?’ Paul asked.

  ‘Does it matter now?’

  ‘You punched me in the face, mate, so yeah, I think I have a right to know.’

  Nick let out a sigh and sat down heavily on the step of the verandah. He dropped his head into his hands, his fingers locking together in his hair.

  ‘Just something about how she was sorry to hear I’d broken up with Hero. I didn’t take much notice at first, and just kind of ignored it. But she carried on, saying maybe you were more Hero’s type anyway, being the smart businessman and that. How you’d know to take her to the sort of places she was used to and so on.’ He dropped his hands into his lap and looked up. ‘The way she said it, there was something about it, so …’ He raised his eyes. ‘Stupidly, I asked her what she meant. That was when she said you two had been to the city for the night, some flash hotel. I guess I let my imagination do the rest.’

  ‘And a fine job it did too’ – Paul dropped down next to Nick – ‘just as she knew it would.’

  Nick turned to his friend. ‘I’m sorry about your face.’

  ‘Yeah. I’m sorry about yours too.’

  Nick rolled his eyes, but the glimmer of amusement faded as he thought about what he had just done.

  ‘I shouldn’t have doubted you. Either of you.’

  ‘No. You shouldn’t.’

  Nick let out a sigh. ‘I think I may have just made the biggest mistake of my life.’

  ‘I think you may be right.’

  ‘I’d better go and try to talk to Hero.’

  Paul stood and walked to the ute. Nick walked with him. As they reached it, Nick stuck out his hand. Paul looked at it for a moment then took it.

  ‘Good luck, mate.’

  Paul leant out his window as he put the ute into gear. ‘You know, Pete was right though, you are a stupid bastard.’

  Nick didn’t reply. His own mind was telling him the same thing.

  Chapter 19

  They did their best to keep up a pretence of civility for the sake of the others, especially the children, but no one could miss the tension that had surrounded both of them since the incident with Paul, or the fact that Hero had once more begun to retreat back into herself. When she could, Hero did her best to avoid him and he did his best to try and apologise. It was a little over a week later when he literally bumped into her by the wool shed as she swept it out, ready for the arrival of the shearers the following day. Nick walked in and Hero went to move past but he blocked the way.

  ‘Excuse me.’ She didn’t look up.

  ‘This is stupid, Hero. We need to talk.’

  She shifted her weight to the other foot, waiting, still refusing to meet his eyes. Nick gently took her arm and led her to where a few hay bales stood. Hero sat down as Nick let her sit down on one as he knelt in front, taking her hands in his.

  ‘I said I was sorry.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘I was stupid and I made a mistake, a huge one, and I can’t even put into words how much I wish I hadn’t. I was stupid to listen to Susannah but her words brought everything back, what happened before – my fiancée cheating on me, and the whole thing with Paul before. But I should have trusted you. I should have trusted Paul. I was just so afraid of losing you and I’ve ended up doing that anyway. I am so sorry, Hero. You don’t know how much. I don’t know what else I can say.’

  ‘There is nothing else to say.’ Her voice was flat, emotionless.

  Nick slid his hands from hers to her waist. She moved away.

  ‘Please don’t.’

  It was hard enough to bear the loss of him without him reminding her how good he felt. Or how good he made her feel.

  Nick dropped his hands to his sides, shaking his head. ‘I’m sorry. I just miss you so much.’

  ‘I have to go.’

  She pushed past him, tears burning her eyes. It was impossible. She couldn’t do this. Not anymore.

  ‘Don’t you feel anything for me?’ Nick’s voice cracked as she hurri
ed past him. His words made her stop, and for the first time she raised her eyes to his. ‘I still love you, Hero.’

  She smiled at him sadly. ‘I love you too,’ she replied before walking away. Nick caught up with her, catching her arm to slow her, but she spoke before he could.

  ‘It won’t work, Nick. I’m sorry.’

  ‘How do you know if you won’t give it a try?’

  She stopped. ‘We tried. It’s over. End of story.’

  Nick’s temper frayed in desperation. ‘So that’s it then? Just like that?’

  ‘No. Not just like that, but because relationships are built on trust! If you don’t trust one another you have nothing. So we have nothing.’

  His face was full of so much pain and regret. He suddenly looked so small, like a child. It would have been so easy to reach out and just hold him. But she couldn’t. Hero knew that if she did, she wouldn’t let go and she had meant what she said. He hadn’t trusted her. And that betrayal was worse than anything.

  ***

  Hero sat at the bar and waited for the bus. Telling Joe and the children had been awful. Trying to be brave for them and Juliet was awful. Everything was just so bloody awful! The taxi arrived after Pete and Nick had left for work. Juliet hugged her sister, closed the taxi door and watched the dust trails until she could see it no more. Then she sat on the step and began to sob.

  It was there the two brothers found her a short while later, having returned for the post hole maker Pete had asked his brother to put in and that he had consequently forgotten. Pete let him off, knowing his mind wasn’t quite on the job at the moment. Pete raced out of the ute when he saw her.

  ‘Juliet? Jules? What is it, love?’

  Pete’s arms wrapped around his wife as he tried to coax out the reason. Nick stood apart from them, allowing them privacy. After a little while she looked up and found Nick with her eyes.

  ‘She’s gone.’

  One look at his brother’s ashen face told them all who she meant.

  ‘When?’

  ‘After you left this morning.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘Back to London.’

  ‘To do what?’

  ‘I don’t know.’ Juliet’s voice was soft. She held no blame for him anymore. She had seen enough since it had all happened to know how much Hero meant to him and how her leaving would devastate him, but she couldn’t stop her.

  ‘I don’t think it’s important. The most important thing to her was that she wasn’t here anymore.’

  Nick stared at his sister-in-law. His mind spun. A month ago life had been so perfect. He was on the land he loved, with the woman he loved, watching the plans for their own house finally come to fruition. And then in one stupid, jealous moment, he had wrecked everything. And now she was gone.

  The dirt kicked out from the tyres as Nick sped along the track. He didn’t know what time the bus was due, and could only hope that he arrived before it did. He had to stop Hero from leaving. Before she had come to Hill Station, Nick thought he had everything that he wanted. He worked hard, but he played hard too. And he’d thought that was enough. Until Hero had arrived for good and changed everything.

  ***

  Hero sat at a table, playing with the paper straw in her drink. She had cried the entire way in the taxi. The driver had said nothing, silently handing her a box of tissues as they pulled out onto the road, his actions earning him an extra generous tip when he dropped her off in town to wait for her bus. The pub was quiet, thank goodness. Hero was in no mood to chat this morning. Doug had served her the drink and seen her suitcases.

  ‘Going away then?’

  She nodded as she took a sip of the fruit juice.

  ‘Don’t stay away too long, will you?’

  Hero gave him a watery smile, shook her head, hating the lie.

  The bus wasn’t due for a while. She tried to read but she couldn’t concentrate, the words swimming in front of her eyes. She didn’t want to be here. She wanted to be back on the station that she had grown to love, with her family and the animals and most of all with Nick. But you can’t, she told herself, so just deal with it – this is the right thing to do. If he doesn’t trust you now, how can you have a future with him? Because he knows he made a mistake, she countered as the argument continued spinning in her mind. Because the jealous cow planted a seed in his head when he was overtired and stressed from a difficult drove. Because he knows he can. Her mind fought back and forth, building on the headache she already had from crying. She dropped her head down onto her arms.

  ‘Can I take that?’ Bright red fingernails reached out for the empty glass like talons.

  Hero jumped at the voice, sat up, and found herself looking directly into the face of the woman who had started this whole emotional landslide.

  ‘Oh. I didn’t realise it was you.’ Susannah’s smile was fixed and triumphant.

  Hero knew she looked tired, but she was far beyond caring what this woman thought about her now. Everyone knew that it was pretty hard to keep a secret in the district and, judging by the look of that smug smile she was wearing, she’d obviously heard the news about Hero and Nick.

  ‘Congratulations.’ Hero’s expression was steely cold. Susannah’s smile slipped a little, discomfort beginning to shadow the waitress’s face. Hero didn’t care. It wasn’t like she would be back here for a long time, if ever. She and Juliet had already worked out places they could meet, taking holidays together. It had worked before, and she would make it work again.

  ‘For what?’ Susannah shifted from one high heel to the other.

  Hero rose, gaining the height advantage despite the woman’s shoes. ‘You did it.’

  ‘Did what?’

  ‘Nick Webster. He’s available again. That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?’

  ‘I don’t know what—’

  ‘Don’t even bother, Susannah,’ Hero cut across her. ‘I know what you told him and for a moment …’ She held up a finger, and Susannah took a step back, her façade of nonchalance slipping away. Several other people had drifted into the pub and were now all listening intently. Not that they didn’t already have the measure of Susannah’s character but the Websters were a popular lot. You didn’t upset them without upsetting a lot of other people.

  Hero continued. ‘Just for one moment he believed it. But you knew that would happen, didn’t you? You knew his history and you played on it. All you had to do was plant the seed. The rest would take care of itself. So, congratulations. You won. We’re finished and I’m leaving. So what do you think will happen now, Susannah? Do you think Nick will realise the error of his ways and come rushing into your arms, thanking you and begging you to marry him? Is that what you think?’

  Hero advanced on the other woman again who by this time was backed up against the bar. Doug and his wife were watching from the side, and by the looks of it Hero had a feeling she might have just helped Susannah lose her job. Somewhere inside she felt a little bad that she didn’t care.

  ‘I notice he didn’t ask you!’ Susannah spat back at her.

  For a moment, Hero stood watching the woman, a look of surprise on her face. And then she began to laugh. With all the emotions of the past ten days colliding, the laughter was an almost hysterical release.

  Susannah stared at her, fury in her eyes. How dare the woman waltz into town looking like that and steal the man who was supposed to be hers, then accuse her of wrecking the relationship! OK, so that part was true, but it served her right. She didn’t deserve him anyway. But now the pommie bitch was laughing at her? Actually laughing at her, in front of everyone.

  ‘Just what the hell is so funny?’

  Hero stepped back, gathering herself. ‘You! You actually think that’s going to happen. Well, I’m afraid I have some bad news for you. Your name is lower than mud at the Websters’, and that includes Nick. We might be over, but I guarantee he wouldn’t touch you if you were the last woman on the earth.’

  ‘We’ll see!’ Susannah
screeched as Hero reached down for her bags.

  ‘She’s right. I wouldn’t.’ Nick’s deep, rough-edged voice made them both turn to where he was standing in the open door. As he walked towards Susannah, the contempt on his face was clear for all to see. ‘Everybody here knows what you are, Susannah, so I won’t spell it out but above all you’re jealous.’ His glance took in Hero’s luggage, before focusing coldly back on the blonde. ‘I hope you’re happy now. But a word of advice: don’t ever, ever come near me or any of my family ever again.’

  Hero watched him and watched the look on Susannah’s face. Watched the hopes crumble. Ordinarily she would have felt sorry for her, but right now there wasn’t enough room for her own pain, let alone someone else’s. She bent again to pick up her case but Nick took it before she could, gesturing for her to go ahead of them as they headed out of the building.

  ‘Nice speech.’

  ‘Ditto.’

  They fell into silence. Hero squinted into the sun to watch the road, waiting for the bus to rumble into view. Nick took the sunglasses he had perched on the top of his head, handing them to her.

  ‘Here.’

  It was such a small gesture, but it made her pain burn even brighter.

  ‘Probably not much call for them in London at the moment.’

  ‘Take them anyway. Something to remember me by.’ He tried to smile but it wouldn’t stay on his face. Tears shone in his eyes. ‘Please don’t do this, Hero. You said you loved me.’

  This was why she had left in the way she had. This was what she couldn’t bear.

  ‘I do.’

  Nick closed the distance between them. ‘So why are you leaving?’

  Hero looked up the road again. The bus was coming. Nick saw it too. She looked back at him, and when she spoke her voice was raw and broken.

  ‘Because I love you.’

  Doug had phoned Hill Station when Nick Webster came back into the pub and ordered his first double. Two hours later, barely conscious, his brother took him home.