by Maree, Kay
Adam’s face stained a deep shade of red as he looked from Austin to Grace, to Callie, then to Cody before turning back to Callie.
“This is all your doing. You won’t hear the end of this,” his voice grew with anger. Then he turned on his heel and stalked back to his car. Leesa scrambled to climb back in before he started the engine, kicking up dust as he spun his car around and screeched out of the drive.
“Well, it looks like we get to keep you, after all, little one.” Austin smiled, hugging the puppy closer.
“Yolanda!” Grace called.
Six months later
The bridal march rang out through the paddocks, and Callie adjusted her dress for the last time. She had chosen an off the shoulder white lace gown, while Grace looked all grown up in a tight navy number, her hair curled and piled into a fancy up-do.
“You look amazing, Mum. Cody’s gonna flip when he sees you.” Grace beamed at her.
“He’s a very lucky man,” Wal chimed in. “Your dad would be so proud if he could see you now, Missy.”
A moment of nostalgia washed over her at the mention of her dad. He hadn’t wanted her to marry Adam, but he had supported her decision. He always had. He had supported everything she did, and she couldn’t have asked for a better parent. He hadn’t been perfect, but it wasn’t for lack of trying, and to her, that made him perfect.
“Thank you for being here for me, Wal. I’m pretty sure that would make Dad proud too.”
“The pleasure is all mine,” the old man smiled his crooked smile. “Are you ready to go marry your cowboy?”
Her gaze fell to her daughter’s smiling face. “I sure am.”
Clutching Wal’s arm, he leaned heavily into her. He usually walked with a cane, but today, dressed in his suit, and obligatory cowboy hat, he proudly held her arm as they made their way toward the red carpet rolled out in the dust.
“Oh, wow,” she whispered when they reached the edge of the chaired space. A huge, white arch stood at the end of the small walkway, adorned in white roses.
“That’s what Cody and Austin have been working on the last couple weeks,” Grace whispered.
They had been coy about their project. Working late into the night. Her heart swelled at the thought. Cody had stepped up, taken the place Adam should have. Both the kids loved him. Seeing him standing at the end of the aisle waiting for her, Austin dressed in a matching suit, standing proudly at his side, she had never been so sure she was doing the right thing. She loved this man with every ounce of her being.
“You look . . .” Cody took a moment, and his Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed several times, “amazing,” he finally managed out. “I can’t believe how lucky I am to be making you my wife.”
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the celebrant began.
Wal leaned in and pecked her cheek before Grace stepped forward to help him to his seat. She listened to the celebrant speak, lost in Cody’s eyes. She felt the vows she uttered and meant every word.
“I now pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss your bride,” he finally announced.
Cheers and wolf-whistles filled the air as Cody swept her off her feet, exposing the cowboy boots she wore beneath her gown. With a rumble from above, fat drops of rain began to fall, hitting the dry ground, and the first lines of “A Cowboy’s Girl” sounded as The Brays’ signature riff rang out across Carrillo Estate.
A ball of white fluff ran through the crowd, a small navy bow matching Grace’s dress tied at the top of her head. Austin scooped Yolanda into his arms before hugging his mother tight. Reaching for Grace, she hugged both her children to her side. They were all finally home.
THE END
Acknowledgements
I want to send a huge thank you out to Kay Maree and Susan Horsnell for all their hard work in bringing this anthology together.
Thank you to each of the authors who participated to make this book what it is. I am proud to be published along side of you all.
To my special people, who helped with reading this baby while still in draft form, thank you Bec and Mal for your input, insight and laughing at my mistakes.
A big shout out to my amazing editor who is slowly getting her Aussie education. I love your dedication, thank you Leticia. You always come through for me, no matter how tight a deadline I give you.
And finally, thank you to everyone one of you who have just read Carrillo’s cowboy. I hope you loved reading it as much as I loved writing it. Some stories are just so easy to write, this was one of them. I wish you all a happy-ever-after.
SMOOTH WHISKEY WHISPER
Copyright © 2020 by Kay Maree
The right of Kay Maree to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her under the Copyright Amendment (Moral Rights) Act 2000
All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity (including Google, Amazon or similar organisations), in any form (electronic, digital, optical or mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the author.
This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.
To all my amazing readers,
Never be too afraid to go for what you want in this life.
Sometimes all you have to do is turn the page
because you never know what’s coming next.
Be brave, you are Stronger than you know.
Just Believe in yourself.
Kay x
I had everything going for me, a husband, a beautiful house and a baby on the way.
Then, in the blink of an eye, it was all gone.
Ripped from my life as if they never existed.
Everything I thought was perfect in my world was smashed to smithereens by five little words.
I will never forget them as they crushed my soul and have haunted my dreams ever since.
“The baby was never yours.”
Those words broke something inside me I don’t think will ever be fixed.
Now I am left wallowing in a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream while some bitch I trusted gets to live out my dream.
How the hell did my life come to this?
How the hell was I so blind to what was obviously right in front of me?
A phone ringing breaks through my fucked up thoughts, groaning I snatch it up off my coffee table before it hits the floor from the vibration.
"Hello," I answered, but it comes out kind of like mellow with my mouth full of minty chocolate goodness.
"Hey babe, I just wanted to check-in. How are you doing?" My best friend's soft, soothing voice greets me.
I cringe hearing just a hint of something that sounds a lot like pity lacing her words and I can’t take it. I want to scream at the injustice of it all. A tingle of jealousy runs through me knowing my best friend Sophie is happy and in love with a great guy.
Yeah, okay, when I first met him he scared the shit out of me.
Every inch of his skin I have seen is covered in tattoos, sharp eyes that seemed to track every movement you made, but then he spoke with a thick Italian accent that seemed to glide over my skin like a warm caress.
The way he looked at Sophie, you just knew to the pit of your stomach that he would do anything to make her happy.
He loved her so much I knew he would move heaven and earth to make sure she was safe and happy. He loved her to the point of giving his life for hers, and I would be lying if I said I didn't want that for myself. A month ago I thought I had that, but unfortunately, I was proven that some of us are just not that lucky and not for the first time in my life I was pushed aside when I was no longer needed.
“Cora,” her voice is stronger now, snapping me back to the present.
I shake myself out of my pity party and try to answer her with
out breaking down.
"I'm okay," I manage to get out through the thick lump in my throat.
Pushing the ice cream away, needing something harder.
"Listen, my sister just rang and you know that trip she was supposed to take to Queensland?"
"You mean the one where she would have been stuck in the middle of bum fuck nowhere with no phone service in a small ass town the size of a pea for a week," I blurt out making her laugh.
"Yeah, that one. Something came up, and now she can't go. She asked if I knew someone that would want to go and you came to mind straight away. The accommodation and travel have already paid for and they have already said no refunds," she rushes out.
"You want me to go to a small ass town, with no service and what? Twiddle my damn thumbs?" I roll my eyes at her great idea even though she can’t see me.
Is she for real?
"You know you could be sending me into a small ass town full of serial killers," I blurted, making her laugh harder.
"It's not funny I'm being serious."
"Oh god you are too much," she gasps down the line and I can't stop the small smile curling my lips. God, it feels good to smile and laugh.
Taking a deep breath, she blows it out before trying to convince me I should go.
"Listen it may do you some good to get away and before you butt in, I'm sure that they have landlines to call from if by chance you get hunted down by a serial killer.” I hear the laughter in her voice.
I try to speak seriously, but it’s no use.
“But what if I can’t get to one in time?” I question and that does it and for the next minute, I’m subjected to listening to her trying to stop herself from laughing her ass off at my expense.
“Stop,” she gasps, “You’re such a drama queen,” she giggles making me laugh harder knowing now she is the one rolling her eyes at me.
“You good?” I deadpan in what I hope is a serious voice making her snicker.
“Yep,” she chirps, making me shake my head.
“Sophie…” I whine, but she cuts me off.
“No, seriously Cora. I think it may do you some good, there is nothing wrong with taking a break from all the stress and other bullshit going on,” she says in all seriousness and I know she has a point but I still don’t know, so I tell her.
"I don't know," I mumble looking around my empty living room, cringing seeing all the photo frames I pulled down from the walls laying shattered across the floor in my otherwise bare small living room. For the first time since everything happened, I realise how quiet it is and how lonely I am.
The bare walls seem to be closing in on me, making the once warm, inviting room into my own personal prison cell.
"Okay," closing my eyes, the words quickly rush out before I can change my mind, releasing a deep breath knowing nothing could be worse than what I am already living with.
"Brilliant, you leave tomorrow at 9 am."
“What? I can’t just--” my words are cut off when she speaks over the top of me again.
“No arguments, you said yes, and it’s a done deal a car will be there to collect you at 7:30 am to take you to the airport.”
“Sophie…”
“Listen, have a good time and call me if any serial killers try to hunt you down. Other than that, just let your crazy self out to play and enjoy yourself. Love ya babes.”
“What the fuck?” I grumble as the line goes dead, and I am staring at the home screen on my phone.
“What the hell did I just agree to?” I murmur to the quiet room as my belly starts doing nervous somersaults.
Well, looks like I am off to bum fuck nowhere, I think pushing up from the lounge.
Making my way towards the stairs that lead up to my bedroom knowing I better pack.
Otherwise, Sophie will turn up and pack for me.
Stepping over the threshold of the small twin-engine plane, my breath stuttered in my chest as thoughts assaulted my mind that I was about to die in this small ass tin can with wings.
I ain’t one to pray but once I was seated and my seatbelt was tightly cinched across my lap, I may have done the sign of the cross and prayed to whoever was listening that my shitty life wasn’t about to end at the hands of Lou my pilot for the trip.
I smiled stiffly at the older gentleman as I tried to get comfortable in the slightly worn leather seats.
Not that there were many to choose from.
I couldn’t believe my eyes when I turned up half an hour ago, and I was escorted onto the tarmac at Newcastle airport and led towards what I can only presume to be a toy plane with eight seats.
My nerves kicked into high gear the minute one of the ground crewmen went to hand over my bright pink suitcase to a smiling older gentleman that was standing beside the death trap.
He must have sensed my unease because he winked before chuckling.
“Name’s Lou,'' he said, taking my suitcase and thrusting his free hand out for me to shake.
He looked like he could be my father. An old battered tan cowboy hat covered what I presume would be greying hair, laugh lines curved around his mouth, weathered brown wrinkled skin, at least 6’4.
When his kind, vibrant eyes locked with mine some of my fear about flying in what I can only presume to be a child’s matchbox plane began to slowly slip away.
“C-Cora,” I managed to get out, giving away my nerves as my name seemed to stutter past my lips as my hand slid into his.
“Nice to meet you, Miss, why don’t you get situated while I get everything ready for take-off?” Nodding, I straightened my shoulders and tried to put off a bravado I didn’t feel as I climbed the few steps available into the smallest cabin I have ever seen.
“Miss Cora, why don’t you try to get comfortable, and we will reach Wallumbilla in no time.” He winks, adjusting his headphones on his head, and begins speaking with who I can only presume to be the control tower.
Taking a few deep breaths, my stomach dropped as the sound of the engines starting echoed through the small cabin and everything began to rattle, vibrating around me setting my back teeth on edge.
What the hell have I gotten myself into I think for the hundredth time this morning.
Closing my eyes, I try to settle my breathing as a loud grinding sound filters through the air.
“How long is the flight?” I choke out.
Feeling a nervous sweat begin to coat my skin, my palms start to feel clammy as my tight grip begins to slip a little on the worn armrests. My eyes cut to Lou’s when a low chuckle reaches my ears, cutting through the loud engine.
My fingers flex against the worn leather and all I want to do is slap the smile off his weathered face.
Winking he turns back to look at the dials in front of him and before I can say anything else, we are hurtling down the runway.
The pressure has me being sucked back into the seat.
Closing my eyes, I try to breathe.
My back is ramrod straight, my stomach drops out and all I can do is scream internally, hoping at any moment this will all be all over, and I am safe on solid ground.
I have a feeling the minute my feet touch solid ground again, I will drop to my knees and kiss it.
“Miss Cora there is a cooler beside you with snacks and bottled water please help yourself.” Lou’s voice penetrates my whirling thoughts and emotions, cracking one eye open. I notice he is too busy looking out the front windshield as we soar through the few clouds that are scattered around.
“Thank you,” I croak out, swallowing hard when I hear how rough my voice is.
“To answer your earlier question, it’s only a short flight today about five hours into Roma airport give or take depending on the weather or any complications we may come across and then it’s about a half-hour drive into Wallumbilla.” He shrugs.
Shrugs
Like it’s no big deal when internally my stomach drops again knowing five hours is not a goddamn sho
rt trip and what’s this shit about complications?
Motherfucker.
I’m gonna die in this tin can my head summarizes.
Isn’t that just a way to end this shit show that is my life?
I don’t ask what complications he could possibly mean.
My mind is too busy going at warp speed, conjuring up image after image at what could happen before settling on one of us flying through the sky as this small ass plane starts to fall apart around us.
Sophie when I get my hands on you I am going to strangle your pretty little neck and I don’t give two shits who your fiance is and if I don’t survive this fucking plane trip, you bet your ass I am coming back to haunt you, I vow.
I reach over with a shaky hand and snatch up a cold bottle of water and quickly take a much-needed sip.
Dear whoever is listening I know I am not perfect but please don’t let this be the end of my story...
Eight and a half hours later…
Seeing her lips wrapped around the tines of the fork made my gut twist and my heart thump in my ears. This slip of a woman has me all fucked up, but nothing has ever affected me more than the smooth melody of her voice as it travels straight through me, making my cock impeccably hard to the point of pain.
I swear to fuck the metal zipper of my jeans is leaving a lasting impression against the hard skin.
My jaw locks as I try to stop the groan slipping past my lips.
“Fuck,” rumbles in the back of my throat.
Picking up my beer I take a swig hoping to cover my reaction but in the process, I catch my dad’s eye at the other end of the table and the stupid smirk curling his lips, his eyes flickering towards Cora.
“Old man,” I growl, feeling my muscles tense, making him outright laugh.
Raising his hands in defeat, he goes back to his food in front of him, still chuckling, making me shake my head.
I love the old man, but nothing gives him more pleasure than giving me shit.