Page 58 of Stockman's Sandstorm

‘We’re driving to the mouth of the Stoneys first. Then we’ll be saddling our horses in time to start the trek at sunrise.’

Charlie and Bree were in the Razorback, a beefy bull catcher, that was way up front with lights so bright on the vehicle it lit up the world. Behind them were Dex and Ryder in a large semi-trailer, towing a huge trailer with all the horses, churning a wall of angry dust behind it. It blended with the sounds of barking dogs coming from the back cage of Cap’s old Tojo.

Ash’s ute was the last vehicle on this rocky road trip to hell. It’s bright row of headlights highlighted the swirling dust and assorted massive bugs that splatted hard against the windshield, making Harper flinch every time.

How did she get talked into this? It was bad enough the ute’s suspension needed a complete overhaul, but she was one on one with Ash, confined to the tiny cab, where she normally struggled to make small talk. But the deafening silence was worse. ‘Did all the horses fit in that truck?’

‘Yep.’ Ash focused on the road ahead. His wide-brimmed hat sat on the dashboard next to hers.

Oh, come on. She tried to think of something else to talk about. Anything to distract from the drone of the vehicle and the silence that was filled with Ash.

‘Did you get any sleep last night?’ She’d heard the men busy on the verandah.

‘I never sleep the night before a muster.’

‘Why?’

‘Don’t want to forget anything.’

‘Or you’re just excited.’

‘That too. I love mustering.’ The excitement may have barely curled his lips, but it shone in his gloriously warm eyes.

‘Did you grow up on a station?’

‘No.’ He sniffed heavily, looking out the driver’s window where the sun hadn’t even made its appearance. ‘We grew up in a junkyard.’

‘What do you mean by that?’

‘We were known as the junk brothers.’

‘Excuse me?’

‘It’s the nickname we copped as kids, because our dad was paid to collect the rubbish lying on the side of the highway, or for towing stranded motorists. Most of the junk he collected got dumped on our property. It’s odd when you see a full-sized yacht perched in a backyard that’s nothing but desert.’

She straightened her new work shirt and brushed down her new jeans. ‘Well, that explains the empty beer cans around the house.’

‘Hey, we kept those cans for Cap.’ He frowned at her. ‘Cap is going to recycle them and use that cash to feed his dogs or pay for any vet fees they need.’

‘And the boxes crowding the farmhouse living room?’ The maze of boxes Mason liked to hide behind.

‘None of us have unpacked yet. Cap can’t until he finds the time to paint his place, and Dex is Dex.’

‘Is it true Dex is living in a tent inside his place?’

‘Dex hasn’t had time to fix it up and unpack his boxes either.’

‘But, it’s been—’

‘None of us have lived in a home for a long time, to want to settle in. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what I’ve got in those boxes.’

‘How come?’

‘We’ve all worked away. Chasing mustering contracts, I never needed much, just my mustering gear and my PC to play games. But now …’ His grin grew as his eyes focused on the road ahead. ‘We’re doing this for ourselves as the bosses because it’s ours. Home. I should unpack those boxes, huh? That sounds weird, right?’

‘No. I’m not judging you guys about the boxes.’

He arched one eyebrow at her. ‘So for once, you’re actually not judging us?’

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