The Great Gift (Contemporary Romance - Urban Life)

by WRIGHT, MISTY

"Yes, you are. You're here in the same room as me."

  Kent grinned and watched her sort through page after page. She glanced up every so often to make sure he was awake.

  The cowboy was watching her intently. Every time Alyssa stretched, he'd come around the desk and massage her shoulders, and whenever a rogue page accidentally fell to the floor, Kent would race to pick it up. After the second rub of her ankle and leg, Alyssa started to play games and made him work harder by stepping on the paper.

  "Love games using a piece of paper," chuckled Kent.

  Without looking, Alyssa scrunched a page and threw it. She laughed when it hit him in the nose. Kent rushed to her chair and their wrestle on the floor ended in a long, passionate kiss.

  Earl knocked on the door, then barged in.

  "I heard a noise, is everything okay?"

  "Fine," said Kent, jumping to a standing position.

  Earl shook his head and closed the door.

  At 4.00A.M., Alyssa threw her pen down, stood and stretched. She walked to the window and looked out into the darkness at nothing in particular. Kent was immediately by her side, massaging her shoulders.

  "I'd love a cup of coffee," she whispered.

  He was at the study door like a scolded puppy before she had finished her sentence. She giggled at her sudden power and walked back to the desk.

  By 4.45A.M., Alyssa reached for the phone and dialed her home.

  "Hello," croaked a voice on the seventh ring.

  "Kaite, sorry to wake you, but I've an urgent task for you to complete."

  Her best friend groped for the bedside clock. "Alyssa, do you know what time it is?"

  "Of course I do."

  "I know it's early because the numbers on my alarm clock are all blurry and the sun's not up yet. Not that I'm upset at hearing your voice, but why the urgent call? Couldn't it wait till the rooster made a noise?"

  "I had to beat the rooster," said Alyssa. "Though, I thought I heard it crow five minutes ago."

  "You're not making any sense. Call me back later."

  "Kaite, wake up. I need your help and I've got news for you."

  Alyssa's flatmate struggled to sit. "You know what time I got to bed this morning?"

  "Knowing you as well as I do; probably five minutes before I rang."

  "Correct," said Kaite.

  "Sorry that my timing was slightly off. I thought you might have just stepped through the door."

  "Bad guess."

  "Kaite, are you awake yet?"

  "Yes. I'm awake," she said in a voice that sounded asleep.

  "I met this wonderful bloke," said Alyssa.

  "Good for you. Now can I go back to bed?"

  "No."

  "Please?" said Kaite.

  "Kaite, Kent has a brother a tad younger than you and is almost as good looking."

  "Who's Kent?"

  "It's a long story."

  "Ok, I'm fully awake. I'm listening."

  By the time Alyssa had given Kaite the general idea about Kent, his brother Mitch and The Oasis, her best friend was doing seat drops on the edge of the bed, all excited.

  "I haven't mentioned the best part," said Alyssa.

  "Tell me more," begged Kaite. "Tell me more."

  "What would you say if I could con Earl Stanton to fly you out here to The Oasis in a helicopter?"

  "I'd say fantastic, but do you think he'd do it?"

  "I'm certain he will. Even if you and Mitch don't hit it off, the short holiday will do you a world of good. Wear something you can easily ride a horse in."

  Kaite screamed with excitement. "I've never kissed a cowboy before."

  "There's one thing I need you to do before I can commence my idea. I need you to go into my briefcase and find the tax sheet."

  "The one Brandt gave you to keep safe?"

  "That's the one."

  "I don't have your combination," said Kaite.

  "5541."

  "You want me to burn it?"

  "I want you to fax it to me," Alyssa said.

  "You're going to send it to all of Brandt's clients to get him into trouble? Great plan, Alyssa, he's going to be pissed."

  "Kaite, please, this is important. I need you to fax me the paper. I'll text you the phone number. After you've faxed the form, put it back exactly where you found it."

  "What good would that do?"

  "I need the form. And thanks for your help," said Alyssa. "After you've done all that, pack a small suitcase and wait by the phone for a call from Earl Stanton."

  Kaite replaced the phone on its hook and flew across the room. She found the briefcase, punched in the code, and made her way to the fax machine. She waited impatiently for the fax machine to deliver the message, then put the paper back in the briefcase and went back to bed.

  *

  The last of the stars had blinked out and the moon had been dragged to the opposite side of the world. The sun was starting to shine on a brand new day.

  Alyssa dug her nose from the computer screen and peered over the top of the monitor. Kent had snuck into the room and placed two coffee mugs on the desk. He then settled himself down in a leather recliner on the opposite side of the desk. For a fleeting moment, Alyssa's fingers were poised over the computer keys. They hovered like a helicopter. She gazed into Kent's eyes. There was no question in her mind that she was falling in love. He flashed a warm smile and her knees went to jelly. She marveled again at his handsome tanned face and boyish looks. She watched his strong chest rise and fall as he breathed, before tearing her eyes away and returning her attention to the computer.

  "I wasn't sure if it would be okay to talk," said Kent.

  Alyssa giggled and hunched further over the computer keyboard. She giggled again as the fax machine whirred to life. Kent looked at it with a surprised look.

  "Be a darling and fetch the faxed paper."

  Kent frowned, stood and walked over to a small table by the window. He watched the paper being spat out and grabbed it before it fell to the floor.

  "The name on this paper isn't Earl Stanton."

  Alyssa nodded and collected the paper from his hand.

  Kent watched her erase the name and numbers on the sheet and replaced them with the name Stanton. After that, she changed a lot of numbers.

  Finally, Alyssa walked over to the fax machine and punched the numbers for the tax office. She stood smirking as she watched the papers disappear and then reappear. She beamed and, extending her hand for a handshake, said in an authoritative voice, "done."

  "I'll settle for a kiss and cuddle," said Kent.

  Alyssa kissed him on the cheek and walked back to the desk. She stacked the papers neatly and slipped them all into individual manila folders.

  "Where's my proper kiss?" asked Kent. His voice sounded like he had been wounded.

  "Not yet," said Alyssa. "I'll stow all these papers in the wooden cabinet and then I can relax." Grabbing the piles of folders with both hands, she knelt on the floor and opened the bottom drawer too far. The drawer fell onto the slate tiles, revealing more papers.

  Kent sprinted over. "Those old papers must have fallen at the back of the drawer over time." Alyssa grunted and scooped the yellowing pile up.

  "These must be as old as this house," she said, walking over to the desk and ironing each one flat with the back of her hand. Her eyes bulged at what she was reading. "This paper is a legal document from the year 1898."

  Kent bent forward over the paper. "It says here in the middle of the page that the government of the Northern Territory of Australia will freely give to the Stanton name all that is found out in the middle of the desert. It goes on to say that The Oasis has been freely given to the Stanton family." He looked up, grinning. "That's great news."

  Alyssa read the rest. "The name of the governor of the time I can't read, but that stamp is official. The last part is hard to decipher, but I think it reads 'Free from land and any form of tax, is awarded to the Stanton family and the land named 'The Oasis' for th
e valuable and unselfish act that was bestowed on the Australian army in World War One. The Stantons have gone above and beyond their duty. For that reason, we, the government, will not charge a tax of any sort or description to the Stanton family for the next three hundred years.'"

  *

  After the accidental find, Kent smirked, picked Alyssa up and carried her to the outside swing. There, they hugged and kissed in the warming sun. A rooster started to crow and a fox darted past them on its journey home. Their lips melted together. Alyssa felt happier than she had ever dreamed she could be. She was determined nothing was going to disturb their romantic moment.

  Earl Stanton opened the door and stepped out onto the verandah. He stretched in the early morning air. He studied the area and gave a cheerful nod. Then he waved at a blue heeler and watched it chase the black bull away from the cattle grid.

  Kent surfaced, grinning.

  "Nice morning," called Earl. "I can feel it in my bones that this will be a good day."

  His son looked puzzled. "How did you know?"

  "I had a visit from Alyssa at four this morning. She snuck into my room and called out. I wasn't asleep. I had been pacing the floor for news of the fate of The Oasis all night. You should have seen her face when I spoke from the shadows. I swear her feet left the floor." He gave a quiet chuckle. "She told you the news?"

  "Yes," said Kent.

  "Miss Alyssa, you're a genius. Not only did you save The Oasis, but we also now have enough money left over to buy Roy's farm and his five hundred head of cattle. I've been on the phone already to seal the deal. He said to come and take the cows whenever I'm ready. He's also agreed to sell me his acres of land as well."

  "You've been after that farm for ten years. Why all of a sudden does he want to sell to us? He doesn't like us," said Kent.

  "He doesn't care who gives him the money just as long as the government doesn't get their hands on his land," explained Earl.

  Kent nodded.

  "I offered him a job at The Oasis," said Earl.

  "Dad, what about Alyssa? She should have the job."

  "I've offered her a special job."

  Alyssa grinned. Kent looked at her and then at his father and frowned. "What have you cooked up between you?"

  "I offered your father a deal he couldn't refuse," said Alyssa.

  Earl chuckled. "That's for sure. I was quickly persuaded. Then the city girl agreed to be our official tax accountant."

  "What about the job as a jillaroo?"

  "With a figure like that? I don't think so." Alyssa's face flushed red with embarrassment.

  Earl raised his hand in the air. "Of course the job is yours. Kent, if you upset this young woman in any way, you'll have to deal with me. Get the picture?"

  He gave his father the famous Stanton nod.

  "Excuse me, sir," said Alyssa.

  "Please, call me Earl."

  "You haven't heard the best news as yet," she said.

  "What could be better than what you told me?" He winked. "Let me guess. You two want to be married."

  Margaret poked her head out of the door in time to hear the word 'married.' Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She clasped her hands together and sprinted over to her husband's side.

  "Mum, Dad, that's not what the news is about," said Kent as quickly and soothingly as he could.

  Earl walked off the verandah and leaned on the swing. "If that's not the news, I think you had better say what the news is."

  Alyssa stood and showed him the official government form. Earl held it with shaking hands. He was quiet for several seconds, then burst into a dance that stirred the drying mud.

  "What's the news?" asked Margaret, reaching out her hand for the yellow page. Earl handed her the letter and continued to dance. After reading the hand written note twice, Margaret joined her husband, Kent and Alyssa as they danced in the thin layer of mud.

  "Not only did you save The Oasis by finding the fifty thousand dollars, you found the letter that's been missing for the past decade. Without it, the government wouldn't accept what I was trying to tell them. They said I was desperate enough to save my land that I cooked up the rumor of a land tax pardon. I can go to the government and demand they pay me the two hundred thousand dollars they have taken from me in back taxes over the years to remove me from this land."

  Earl was so excited by the news that he danced all the way back to the house. He disappeared through the door, only to bolt for the swing again, carrying four plates of bacon and eggs.

  "Great job, Alyssa," he said. "Come on, everyone sit on a swing and let's eat breakfast together."

  "Thanks, Earl," said Alyssa. "Are you going to tell the rest of your family?"

  "Sure am, as soon as they get here for breakfast. Till then, this moment belongs to us four. Tell me, are you up for a small roundup? I don't want Roy to suddenly change his mind."

  Alyssa's eyes sparkled at what the up-coming cattle muster would bring as she allowed her thoughts to sink in. "Sounds like a job a city girl can't turn her nose up at," she said.

  Kent clapped his hands together and gave a mighty whistle. Alyssa waited for something to happen and was about to open her mouth to laugh that nothing had happened due to his whistle, when behind her came thud after thud along the polished verandah boards. Before she had time to turn to see what was making the noise, six blue heeler dogs were swirling around Kent. The dogs looked at Alyssa and sniffed her fingers.

  "Sit," commanded Kent.

  Earl stood, gathered the scraps of bacon from the four plates and looked at the dogs. They scampered from Kent's side and jumped for the bacon.

  "Down, the lot of you," Earl growled. Six backsides hit the deck.

  "Well-trained dogs," said Alyssa, laughing.

  "Don't be fooled with their shenanigans. They do what they are trained for," said Kent, "especially when they're about to eat a round of bacon."

  "What are they trained for?"

  "They round up cattle."

  Alyssa looked doubtful, which made Kent have a hurt expression on his face.

  "I'll prove it," said Kent. Earl looked over and grinned at Alyssa's disbelief.

  Kent whistled twice and all six dogs stood and watched him. He gave three sharp whistles and they sat as one. Kent looked at Alyssa and grinned.

  "If I give four sharp whistles, they attack." He stuck three fingers in his mouth.

  She gulped and counted each of his four whistles. The dogs stood and stared at her. Alyssa stepped back. The dogs stepped forward, then ran towards her. She screamed and climbed the swing. Twenty-four paws came running at full tilt and surrounded Kent. He fell onto a swing, laughing uncontrollably.

  Alyssa glared. Earl clapped his hands together and started laughing. "You tricked me," snapped Alyssa. "I'm not amused."

  Kent instantly ceased laughing. He whistled, and the dogs ran off. He scooped Alyssa into his arms and kissed her long and hard. "Sorry, it was a bush joke. The dogs wouldn't hurt Charlie, let alone attack. They came running because I confused them with four whistles. They probably thought there was more bacon to eat."

  Alyssa lashed out with a soft slap to Kent's face, then kissed him where her hand had been. Earl came strolling up and cleared his throat. "Come on, you two, we have a job to do. By the time we arrive at Roy's farm-I mean, my farm-it'll be mid-morning."

  Kent nodded and let Alyssa slip to a vertical position.

  Within twenty minutes, his brothers were fetched, the horses were saddled and the motorbikes had been fueled and were idling. Kent gave a sharp whistle and the dogs were back. He then broke the good news to his brothers. They all hooted and roared and threw their wide-brimmed hats high into the air. The dogs joined in with a chorus of barks.

  Alyssa watched Kent's family kiss each other goodbye, and they followed Earl in pairs toward a narrow path that led to the vertical wall that surrounded The Oasis.

  By the time the group had reached the base of the vertical cliff face, Alyssa had made her
self comfortable on the back of a black horse named Ben. Kent was on a fit ex-racehorse, which was nicknamed Tiger. She glanced at the sky and watched as the clouds seemed to whizz through the air above their heads, only to disappear over the wall.

  The trail that led to the top was narrow and worn. It was a well-used track. Not a weed could be seen. For the first few minutes, Alyssa was too afraid to look at the shrinking base and kept her eyes locked on the cliff wall. She was amazed how easily the horse kept to the sheep track. She surmised it had ascended and descended the wall many times. Eventually she summoned enough willpower to glance at the aerial view of The Oasis. The scene from the plane didn't give the hole in the ground justice. She wanted to stop her horse and just stare at the serenity of the place. She was overcome by the size and the appeal. The vivid colors in the walls from the top to the base of The Oasis were captivating. Alyssa even spied a rainbow that breached the width of the oval-shaped canyon.

  "I did mention to you that this place was magnificent," said Kent, from behind her. Alyssa swiveled on her saddle and grinned at Kent. He had unclipped his rope and looked to be getting ready use it.

  "What's with the rope?" she asked.

  "I have it ready just in case someone falls off the side."

  Alyssa couldn't contain how wonderful she felt, and beamed in happiness. Kent, her knight in shining armor, was almost perfect. The only thing lacking was the perfect gift. She faced the way they were traveling and pondered if he would ever discover what it was. She allowed her shoulders to slump and wondered if her idea of the perfect gift was what she really wanted in a man after all.

  The Ascent

  The ascent of the almost vertical wall of The Oasis took fifteen minutes. At the top of the ridge, the riders dismounted and grouped together for coffee while the horses and dogs had a well- earned rest.

  "The coffee smells nice," said Alyssa.

  She held her mug out and it was immediately filled. The wind had picked up and she started to shiver. She wrapped her fingers tightly around the mug for warmth.

  "It's the coldest before the dawn, and as yet, the temperature has failed to rise," said Kent, turning his head to look at the sky.