Page 65 of Stockman's Sandstorm

But seeing Harper face her fears had been more rewarding. Each hour that passed, her inner confidence grew in the way she rode her horse and peered at the world around them. It was beautiful to watch.

‘They’ll be fine, lad. Whatcha need?’ Charlie squinted at him from beneath his weatherworn hat.

‘What do I do with this one?’ He pointed at the kid strapped to his chest, who’d just woken up and was asking for Harper or Bree.

‘Strip him off and let him paddle and play with the pups. The water’s only ankle deep.’

‘Just not too close to the falls. The torrent will knock Mason over,’ said Cap. ‘I’ll take him.’

‘Sure.’ He dragged the boy from his carrier. The air was cool against his sweaty shirt as he unclipped the contraption, freeing himself from the burden of the boy. ‘Are we stopping for lunch?’

‘And to swap horses,’ said Ryder. ‘We don’t want to wear them out before we work them.’

‘Here, Bree made these sandwiches. Dig in.’ Charlie pulled back the lid of a large carry bag to reveal rows and rows of assorted sandwiches. Egg salad sandwiches, salty cured corned beef, ham off the bone, smoked bacon, and grilled chicken strips. They all came with assorted relishes, cheeses, and salads, creating an endless combination of flavours. ‘Bree made ‘em fresh this morning.’

Ash’s stomach growled. He’d never had such fancy sandwiches, nor had so many choices that he wanted to stuff his face silly.

‘Don’t mind if I do.’ He was famished. Plucking a soft buttered triangle sandwich of ham, Swiss cheese, a tarty jam, and seeded mustard, with crunchy lettuce and alfalfa. He devoured it in a few bites. What a feast!

Should he put a plate away for Harper before his brothers devoured the lot? Thinking of others … ‘Mason, come and get some food.’

The little boy’s eyes were enormous as he quickly sloshed through the water to grip on the sandwich with his little fingers and chow down.

Should he have fed the boy sooner? He’d made sure the boy had plenty of water to drink in between his naps, but hadn’t thought of snacks.

‘Tank-u.’

Aww. The boy had manners, and was chatty at times, though he struggled to say the letter H. But he was easy to please, plus he loved the outdoors with an obvious sense of adventure, he wasn’t shy about peeking around corners. Just like Ash. ‘Stay close, Mason.’

The boy nodded, kicking at the water, eagerly taking another sandwich from Ash, with his little cheeks full of food.

With only the sounds of the tumbling waterfall filling the shallow rock pool, the men stood around the food bag eating, all of them watching the boy.

Nearby, the horses grazed on slender grasses growing in between the cracks and crevices in the slate-like floor. The wet cattle dogs were having a fat time rolling in the soft sand, eroded from the hard rock beds due to the wind and time.

It was common for stations in the Northern Territory to have their fair share of hidden waterfalls, but Grass Tree Creek was impressive. A hidden oasis in the middle of a towering rock garden.

‘Here come the girls now.’ Dex nodded in their direction.

Ash raised his eyebrows, with his half-eaten sandwich frozen in his hand, watching Bree and Harper arm in arm, giggling over some secret.

Harper’s smile was so bright, as if the stress she was under was finally lifting from her shoulders, smoothing out the worry lines she’d had crinkling her brow. In its place were shiny eyes, and her natural beauty.

‘I think the snooty city girl is enjoying herself,’ said Dex. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever seen her smile until today.’

‘Yeah …’ Damn, it was pretty. Nah, Harper was better than pretty—

Dex slapped the back of Ash’s head. ‘Oi, stop it.’

Ash rubbed the back of his head. ‘Don’t hit me, ya brute. I’m not your punching bag.’

‘I’m building a boxing ring at my place so we can punch up anytime.’ Dex grinned, scooping up another sandwich. ‘But I was talking about you going all starry-eyed at the babysitter. She’s outta your league, and don’t forget she’s not here for long.’

‘Did you remember to advertise for a real nanny?’ Ryder asked, between mouthfuls of his sandwich.

Ash shrugged. ‘It’s on my list.’

‘Did Harper say how long her holiday was?’

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