The Red Dirt Road

by Alissa Callen

  Fliss slid on her helmet and grimaced while Taylor fussed with her hair to make sure it hung down her back in exactly the right way. Once in the saddle, she battled with her fairy wings that were determined to dig into her back. While she waited for Zoe and Taylor to mount, she looked around for Hewitt.

  It was no surprise she didn’t know where he was. Ever since her up-close-and-personal shoulder assessment he’d hung out with Tanner. While she’d missed him on their morning trail ride, their time apart had given her much needed space to collect herself. She was supposed to be making sure things didn’t progress between them. Her grip on the reins tightened. Even if her fingers could still feel the hard ridges packed beneath his smooth, warm skin.

  The hum of conversation around the rodeo ground quietened down. Fliss looked across to where two riders appeared from behind the kitchen block. Arrow’s palomino coat gleamed in the afternoon sunlight but it wasn’t the gelding that held her attention or his rider. Fliss could only focus on one man … Hewitt.

  The cowboys rode bareback, dressed in white linen shirts and green-plaid kilts. But it wasn’t only what they wore that held everyone silent, it was the way they carried themselves, broad-shouldered and proud. It wasn’t hard to imagine either Hewitt or Tanner as real Highland Scottish warriors.

  Taylor sighed. ‘Now that’s what I call an entrance … and a to-die-for costume.’

  Fliss could only nod.

  ‘I wonder …’

  Fliss cut off Taylor’s question about what they’d be wearing under their kilts.

  ‘It would be rugby shorts. That’s what Hewitt wore in his swag last night.’

  Taylor arched a delicate eyebrow. ‘To think all I was doing was falling asleep. Remind me to stay awake tonight.’

  Fliss changed the subject. ‘No wonder you said Edna would be impressed.’

  Even as Fliss watched, Edna rushed forwards with Bethany following more slowly behind. The pair had come to see the parade costumes but Edna didn’t seem to be looking at anyone but Hewitt and Tanner. She couldn’t hear what was being said but when Edna introduced Hewitt to Bethany and he gave her a slow smile, the tall girl smiled in return. Edna spent the conversation looking between Hewitt and Tanner and fanning her face with her hand.

  Fliss frowned across at Taylor. ‘Those costumes should come with a health warning. I hope Edna doesn’t actually faint.’

  ‘We both know Hewitt and Tanner could wear sacks and the effect would be the same. Just as well Denham isn’t here too.’ Taylor grinned. ‘Don’t look so worried—once Hewitt sees you I guarantee he won’t be looking at anyone else.’

  Fliss didn’t comment. The normally moody and withdrawn Bethany stood beside Hewitt. Had she actually just flicked her long blonde hair?

  Fliss swung Flame around so she could no longer see Bethany or Hewitt. Zoe rode over, her tutu flouncing as Minty trotted.

  ‘Dad says we’ll head off now and meet you in town. Mum’s there with Janet and I want to show them Minty’s costume.’

  ‘Okay. I’ll see you and your very cute unicorn soon.’

  They blew each other a kiss.

  A horse walked up beside Flame. Fliss turned, expecting to see Taylor. Instead it was Hewitt. Behind him, Taylor gave a cheeky wave as she rode away with Tanner.

  Mind blank, Fliss could only stare. The white ghillie shirt showed off the deep tan of his skin while the lace-up front did little to hide the strong contours of his collarbones.

  Apart from the flicker of a muscle in his jaw, he didn’t appear to notice the way she was dressed. His grey gaze met hers.

  ‘So how are you holding up?’

  ‘Good, but I’m not sure how I’ll go with these wings if the breeze gets any stronger.’

  He smiled and reached into his saddlebag for his phone. ‘Can I get a picture for Lizzie? She’s been pestering me for the last hour.’

  Fliss nodded. Feeling a little self-conscious, she turned Flame sideways so she wouldn’t have to look directly into Hewitt’s eyes or the camera. She patted Flame’s neck and heard the click of Hewitt’s phone.

  ‘You make a beautiful fairy, Fliss.’

  She swallowed. Hewitt’s compliment shouldn’t mean so much. ‘Thanks. It’s all Lizzie’s idea. Even though Taylor went rogue on my hair and must have used a can of hairspray.’

  Hewitt’s attention briefly rested on her hair and the loose curls Taylor had created with rags. Fliss thought she caught a flash of something in his eyes before he looked down to slip his phone inside his saddlebag. He dipped his head towards the stream of costumed riders that were leaving the rodeo ground. ‘Shall we?’

  ‘So how did you avoid being an elf?’ she asked as they rode side by side. ‘I thought that was what Lizzie had planned?’

  ‘It was, until Quinn flooded the sandpit. He hated the idea and thought it too babyish.’

  With each step the horses took, the early morning’s awkwardness dissolved. Even though Hewitt didn’t quite meet her eyes, their conversation flowed. They joined the other riders and became part of the riot of colour around them.

  The three tearaway Ridley boys were dressed as ghoulish pirates and dashed around on their horses, brandishing plastic swords. Tanner followed more slowly, his pace hampered by a group of laughing cowgirls dressed in wedding dresses. A nearby group of riders wore animal onesies and another group were dressed as superheroes. A white horse had large black dots painted on her to look like a dalmatian, while a chestnut gelding had yellow markings to resemble a giraffe.

  To Fliss’s surprise, she enjoyed the ride through Woodlea’s Main Street. People gathered on the footpaths and came out of the shops to see the parade. She waved to Will and Judith, old family friends who’d given a home to Juno’s brother. Their farm had been hit by a mini tornado last summer but they now had a new garden growing in memory of the son they’d lost in an overseas skiing accident.

  Tourists who’d come to see the town’s yarn-bombing took photos of the riders as they passed. Toddlers sitting in prams clapped their hands while dogs barked from where they were tied around lampposts or stood next to their owners. Fliss gave a special wave to where Kellie and Janet sat on a bench. Kellie waved in return as she rubbed her pregnant stomach. Zoe had already ridden past in a group of excited little riders.

  Hewitt left Fliss’s side to help a woman whose horse spooked at the flap of the flag outside the craft shop. While the young horse fussed and shied, Garnet stayed calm, even when the horse cannoned into her. Fliss could see why Hewitt and Garnet made an effective pickup team when the rodeo action went from fast to hairy in under a second.

  The two elder Ridley boys took Hewitt’s place beside her. From the glances they snuck at her shirt, they weren’t checking out her fairy wings. By fair means or foul, now she had their attention, she’d talk to them about quad bike safety. Last night around the fire she’d overheard their conversation about doing circle-work in the mud. She’d almost completed her safety talk about wearing helmets when Hewitt appeared. One look into his steel-grey eyes and the two teenage redheads moved on.

  Hewitt didn’t say anything as he resumed his place next to her. But as she snuck a glance at his profile she noticed the tight line of his jaw. The leather lacing on his shirt had loosened to reveal more of his tanned throat. She looked away before he could catch her staring. She was as bad as the Ridley boys.

  All too soon the lead riders turned towards the rodeo ground and the parade through town ended. Once back at camp, Fliss slid from Flame’s saddle. As her feet touched the ground, her fairy wings snagged on the saddle. She twisted, trying to see where she was caught.

  ‘Hold on.’ Hewitt dismounted and came to her side.

  She stayed still. She’d planned to send the fancy fairy wings home with Hewitt for Lizzie and didn’t want to tear the delicate pink fabric.

  Hewitt stepped in close and she breathed in the faint scent of cedar. ‘You’re hooked on the saddlebag clip.’

  ‘Maybe the safest thin
g to do is to take them off.’ She removed her helmet and dragged a hand through her stiff hair that had begun to itch. ‘They’re pinned on the inside of my shirt.’

  She didn’t know for sure but she thought Hewitt hesitated before he gathered her hair and draped it over her shoulder. The simple action rekindled the intense need that had flooded her when she’d inspected his shoulder. Her nails bit into her palms as she readied herself for his touch.

  But he removed the first pin without brushing her skin. ‘One done.’ His deep voice sounded close to her ear.

  ‘Thanks.’ She sought for something to say. ‘Edna finally introduced Bethany to you.’

  ‘She did. Bethany wasn’t quite what I was expecting.’

  Fliss wished she could see his face. His casual tone didn’t reveal if this was a good or bad thing. For some reason it mattered if he’d felt a connection to the willowy blonde. ‘People often say that since she looks more like Noel than Edna. She’s quite pretty.’

  Hewitt didn’t answer straight away. ‘I guess she is, if I was a blondes man.’

  Fliss felt the wings detach from her shirt. As she turned, Hewitt handed them to her.

  His smile was relaxed as he lifted his arm and brushed her hair from her shoulder. As it slid to fall down her back, he trailed a curl through his fingers. ‘I happen to be partial to brunettes, even if their hair does feel like Garnet’s hay.’

  Fliss reined in the surge in her hormones. Hewitt didn’t mean anything by his teasing words. He was relaxed and having fun on the trail ride, just like she was. He knew nothing could start between them. ‘Taylor will be most distressed to hear her best work compared to a horse’s breakfast.’

  ‘I’m sure she’ll survive.’

  His husky chuckle lifted the hairs on Fliss’s nape and she fought to keep her breathing even.

  His thumb brushed her cheek. ‘There’ll be a rush for the showers, so if you want to de-fairy now’s the time.’

  His fingers lingered on her skin. Their lighthearted banter had ended. Eyes slate-grey and hooded, he stared at her with an intensity that fuelled her own deep needs. It was either leave now or kiss Hewitt in the very public rodeo ground where rumours could build faster than a bushfire.

  She swallowed and slowly nodded. ‘I do.’

  The corner of his mouth curved before his arm lowered and he took a step away. ‘Sensible choice. I’ll unsaddle Flame.’

  For the second day in a row, Hewitt awoke to the chorus of dawn birdsong but, unlike yesterday, he’d had a restful night’s sleep. The pain in his shoulder had dulled to an ache.

  In the gloom he could just make out Fliss’s tousled dark head as she slept to his right.

  Yesterday, after she’d examined his shoulder, he’d kept his distance. But he may as well have stayed glued to her side. Tanner had noticed his preoccupation with her whereabouts. At lunch the drover had brought him a coffee and sat on the fallen tree beside him. He’d looked across to where Fliss was chatting with a grey-haired farmer and his wife.

  ‘Fliss and Cressy are the sisters I never had. I’d do anything for them and I’m not the only one. No one wants to see Fliss hurt. She’s been through a lot these past six months.’

  Hewitt didn’t misunderstand the message. ‘I’m not here to hurt her.’

  ‘I know … but the way you two look at each other will either bring happiness or heartbreak. People already think highly enough of you to not want you hurt either.’

  Hewitt had only nodded. Knowing people watched them was both stifling and liberating. Fliss hated dressing up and drawing attention to herself so the last thing she’d do in public was anything inappropriate. The knowledge had reassured him and sent him straight back to her side. His self-control would hold as long as it wasn’t under threat.

  Fliss stirred. Light crept across the sky and he could now see her features and the curve of her lashes while she slept.

  When he’d caught sight of her in her pink jodhpurs and top that fitted like a second skin, he couldn’t have stayed away if he tried. The memory of the Ridley boys admiring her curves still triggered a rush of possessiveness and protectiveness in him. He felt things for her that he’d never felt for another woman.

  It’d been a huge risk to remove her wings. But he made sure he didn’t touch her and kept the mood light for as long as he could. And it had worked. They’d shared a moment, but it hadn’t escalated into something beyond their control. He’d meant what he said to Tanner. He was serious about not hurting her. He dressed in the clothes he’d put inside his swag to keep dry from the dew and, after a last look at a sleeping Fliss, headed off to help with breakfast.

  As the bacon and eggs queue shuffled past he kept a close watch until he saw her. From where she stood next to Taylor, she looked over to the barbeque area and gave him a quick wave. As soon as he lifted a hand in return, she glanced away. He too felt the stare of curious eyes. He laughed at the joke of the farmer cooking beside him, making sure he didn’t look at her again.

  Today offered a rare opportunity. While on the trail ride, he and Fliss existed in a bubble. Surrounded by people, nothing could happen between them. So for now he could relax and lower his guard. They could simply hang out and enjoy each other’s company. Tonight it would be back to Bundara, where it would just be the two of them, and his control would have to be watertight.

  Once the breakfast area had been tidied, the horses were saddled for a final time. The last activity of the riding fundraiser involved a trek along the stock routes to a creek where both horses and riders could swim. The weather had cooperated. The sun shone steady and bright and humidity hung heavy in the air. Thanks to the unseasonal rain, a usually small watercourse now provided a series of safe and sedate waterholes.

  Fliss and Taylor rode slightly ahead of Hewitt. They looked more comfortable now, their muscles having grown accustomed to being in the saddle. Beneath the collar of Fliss’s blue cotton shirt, he glimpsed thin black straps tied around her neck.

  Today Taylor had brought her camera to take photos to send to Rory and her London friends. When they reached the yellow canola crop they stopped to allow Taylor to take a photo. Three riders overtook them. The end rider’s horse had a red ribbon on its tail, signifying that the horse could kick. While they waited to let a safe distance open up between them and the group ahead, Fliss smiled across at him. Warmth that had nothing to do with the spring sunshine settled into his chest.

  They continued to follow the stock route only to stop while Taylor snapped a shot of grey kangaroos resting beneath the spreading canopy of a gum tree.

  She flashed Fliss and Hewitt an apologetic grin. ‘I promise this will be the last photo.’

  It was, until she saw an echidna walking on stubby legs around the edge of a clearing.

  ‘I have to get this picture.’

  Hewitt and Fliss swapped looks and followed. At the back of the clearing, parked between two yellow-tinged wattle trees, was a white ute with a dog crate on the back. An assortment of small and large dogs were packed inside. It wasn’t unusual for hunters to have a variety of pigging dogs.

  The closer Taylor rode to get a photo of the echidna, the more frenzied the dogs’ barking. Hewitt looked around for the driver but there was no sign of anyone nearby. The echidna disappeared into the undergrowth and Taylor left the clearing. As they rode away, Hewitt turned to take a final look at the ute.

  The sound of the pigging dogs was soon replaced by the rush of water.

  ‘I’ve never seen this creek so full,’ Fliss said, as Flame walked into the steady flow. Her hooves clattered on the smooth, round pebbles before she lowered her head to drink.

  Garnet and Taylor’s gelding also took a drink before they continued on to find a suitable place to swim. When they arrived at the first waterhole, the younger riders were already in the water with their horses. Close to the bank, Jason stood holding Minty and another grey pony. Water reached up to their withers. Both ponies appeared content and Hewitt suspected i
t was because their stomachs were full of carrots.

  Zoe waved to Fliss and called out, ‘Look at me!’

  They watched as Zoe and Alice climbed onto the ponies’ rumps and, holding hands, jumped into the water together. Minty tossed his head at the brief splash before turning his head to see where his little rider was.

  Fliss laughed. ‘That looks like so much fun.’

  Hewitt led the way along the willow-lined creek to a wider waterhole. Here horses dozed beneath gum trees or grazed on the creek bank while their riders swam or sunbathed.

  A rope had been tied to a low, strong branch and the Ridley boys were at the head of the line of teenagers waiting to swing out over the creek. Tanner stood with a group of committee members supervising.

  ‘I can’t look,’ Fliss said, voice strained as the eldest Ridley performed a somersault into the water.

  Hewitt slowed Garnet so Fliss drew level with him. ‘It’s okay. Tanner would have checked the water for any submerged logs or rocks.’ Hewitt paused as Tanner frowned and shook his head at the Ridley boy as he surfaced. ‘See … Tanner’s saying no somersaults.’

  Fliss nodded but her tense shoulders didn’t relax. She turned Flame away from the waterhole.

  Taylor glanced at Hewitt. ‘You two go on to where it’s a little quieter. I’ll work on my tan here with the girls.’

  Hewitt followed the fresh hoof prints of others who’d gone in search of a more peaceful place. Fliss rode behind him. But when the creek widened and the water deepened, there was no one else to be seen.

  Flame seemed to know why they were there and headed straight for the waterhole.

  A smile broke through Fliss’s seriousness. ‘Just a second. We have to check it’s safe and I have to get your saddle off.’

  While Fliss unsaddled Flame, Hewitt busied himself removing Garnet’s tack. He didn’t need a bridle and a bit to ride. He stripped off his jeans down to his board shorts and, using his good arm, tugged his shirt over his head.

  Fliss removed her jeans and shirt and draped them over Flame’s saddle she’d sat on the creek bank. Sunlight played over the lightly tanned skin of her toned arms and back. She added her pink trail ride cap to her pile of clothes. Her ponytail swung between her shoulder blades as she moved. Hewitt thought the black halter-neck swimmers she wore with black shorts were conservative, until she turned.