Page 20 of Stockman's Sandstorm

‘Nobody does, blossom. We all pretend that we do, which is just part of being in the grown-up game. But you look like you’ve been attacked by thirteen spiders and a koala.’

Harper touched her hair, which felt like a webbed nest of sorts. It was a shocker, especially when she’d been brought up to always have her hair and make-up done. ‘I guess I do.’ It was easy to avoid mirrors in this place, because they had none.

‘How about you go and take a long shower and get into some clean clothes?’

‘Really?’ Because that sounded like heaven to Harper.

‘Take your time, and then come over to my place and we’ll have some lunch.’

Harper’s stomach growled at the prospect of real food. ‘I— Thank you.’

‘All good, blossom.’ That beautiful redhead gave a knowing smile and a nod. ‘Come along, Mason, let’s give the nanny a break while we go on an adventure.’ Bree opened the screen door and walked the toddler outside with the nanny dog Ruby following.

Harper leaned back in her seat and watched them. The opportunity to revel in the bliss of five minutes alone was heavenly. One week. She could last a week. Right?

Eleven

Hair washed, a light make-up applied, and in clean clothes, Harper felt normal again. Well, as normal as possible when her surroundings were anything but normal. Here the sun was so bright, she could feel it biting into her skin, and the floating dust particles landed like gritty sandpaper against her damp skin. She wanted to hide indoors, like she normally did, and not deal with the Great Outdoors—which wasn’t really great at all. Whoever came up with that catchphrase should be sued for false advertising.

She strolled towards the caretaker’s cottage that sat on the far left of the sheds. At night, you could see the fairy lights, and hear music and laughter that sounded so much more inviting than the farmhouse with no furniture, but a lot of boxes. It was a place that echoed of rattly air conditioners and snoring men, with a mean-looking shepherd who watched over them.

The caretaker’s cottage was a rustic, squat-looking building made of river stone. She pulled back the metal rail that opened the wrought iron gate that matched the chest-high fence, hemming in a gloriously vibrant display of cottage flowers—gardenias, roses and fragrant lavender that grew among large clusters of daisies, globe-shaped purple alliums, cosmos, and so much more. It was a feast of flowers crammed into one location, where their sweet floral fragrance was heavenly. It was enough to raise her spirits as she dared to venture further.

She followed the wide stone path that weaved its way to the sturdy front door. Old windows made of stained-glass squares stood on either side of the wooden door, while wind chimes hung from the verandah’s roof, with not one cobweb anywhere.

The short verandah held a comfy cane chair, perfect for a reading nook. She was so tempted to collapse into that cane chair, to watch the flowers shift with the breeze, while listening to the delicate wind chimes, as they hypnotised her to sleep.

But Harper never sat still and did nothing, it was unheard of for her to waste time like that. Glancing at her watch, she pushed on.

‘Hello?’ Harper knocked on the wooden door. ‘Anyone home?’

Bree called out, ‘We’re around the back.’

Harper followed the stone path to the right side of the house, where a thin corridor ran between the house and a high corrugated fence that hid the outside world. It opened to a large area, where she stood, dumbfounded, staring at the backyard.

It was an entire universe of green.

Considering the dust bowl that surrounded the farmhouse, this place was loaded with assorted plants growing from raised beds made of corrugated iron and more rock paths. Amongst it was Bree, wearing a big straw hat and gardening gloves. Beside her, Mason wore a hat like a bonnet, happily digging in the dirt with a trowel. While Ruby, the labrador, wagged her tail, sniffing at everything with a big smile on her face as if in doggy heaven.

‘What is this place? Paradise?’

‘It’s a veggie garden, blossom. What do you think it is?’

‘I’ve never seen one this big.’ And she hadn’t expected to find it out the back of the cottage hidden behind a corrugated fence. ‘Do the brothers know this garden is here?’

‘Probably not. Their focus is on fencing and cattle.’

‘You have lettuce.’ Lush, plump lettuce heads grew among purple kale. Bright orange and juicy red cherry tomatoes grew like Christmas lights on a leafy vine, beside some deliciously vibrant capsicums and chillies. She pinched at a leaf and sniffed. ‘Spinach?’

Bree nodded. ‘I’m guessing you’re sick of the meat-only diet the boys have?’

Harper nodded. ‘Hell, yeah.’

‘You’re welcome to help yourself. I have plenty to share.’ Bree held out a plump tomato to Harper. ‘Try it.’

It was like forbidden fruit, tempting her growling stomach.

‘Thank you.’ Harper’s eyes closed as she bit into the tomato like an apple. Its firm flesh released a burst of sweetness, married perfectly with a tanginess and pulpy seeds to create a complex combination across her tongue. It was the best tomato of her life. ‘I’ve never eaten a tomato like this.’

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