Page 83 of Stockman's Stowaway

In no time they had built him an entire obstacle course with the proper placings you’d find at any fancy dog trials. That pair never said who won. And Bree dragged her welding gear away refusing to accept anything more than thanks.

Harper opened the boxes containing their station’s brochures and set them out in a fancy fan on the display table in their tent. ‘We should have bought balloons.’

‘What for, babe? It’s not a kid’s party.’ Ash playfully tapped down the brim of his son’s cowboy hat. Mason giggled and started playing peekaboo.

‘This reminds me of a political campaign, where we’d shake a few hands, talk the talk, and win a few votes,’ said the daughter of a federal minister.

‘None of us are politicians, Harper.’

‘I know. But this is what I do. So, Ash, you can take Mason and go find Ryder and get the okay from the organisers for using the drone. Cap, you go see to your dogs and let me and Mia do our jobs.’

‘Don’t worry, we’ll be there to see the dog trials. I can’t wait.’ Mia kissed his cheek and pushed him out of the tent.

Cap hesitated. Not only was he beginning to feel the pressure of representing the station in the competitions, but he also didn’t want to leave Mia behind.

‘Go, I’ll be right here while you get the dogs settled in.’

‘Promise?’

Thirty-one

Mia could feel Cap’s nervousness. For a man who was normally so calm, it wasn’t often she saw any nerves. She had no doubt it was about the dog events they’d been practising for. She was a little nervous herself, hoping it all went perfectly for them.

‘Stop searching, the party has arrived.’ Bree pushed up her sunglasses as she dragged her large cart into their tent. Her long loose curls had a glorious shine. Dressed in a cute summer dress and western boots, even wearing make-up and jewellery.

‘You look so different, Bree,’ Ash said.

‘Town clothes. But I’ll take that as a compliment, thank you.’ She propped a hand on a generous hip. ‘Aren’t you meant to be somewhere, Cap?’

Again, Cap hesitated as he turned to Mia.

‘I’ll watch over the girls. You boys go do what you do while we set up. You’ll just get in our way.’ Bree shooed them away.

‘Thanks, Bree.’ Cap squeezed her upper arm before leaving. Cap went left, Ash and Mason went right, leaving the three women to organise the tent.

‘Right, ladies, let’s do this.’ Bree rubbed her hands together. ‘We’ll set it up to suit the crowd. If I know Territorians, they like to chase the shade and will come inside just to get out of the sun. And when they find a suitable spot,’ she said, dragging a large floor fan from her cart, complete with extension cords, ‘theytend to stay and have a chat as they cool off. Which gives you more time to talk the talk. There should be a plug back here.’ She lifted the tight back of the tent flap that had no room to wriggle under. ‘Stop looking. I found it.’ And in a matter of minutes, they had a fan circulating the air, plus a water station with a stack of paper cups cleverly placed near their glossy brochures.

‘You’re a genius, Bree.’ Harper with her immaculate polished appearance, nodded with approval. ‘What are you selling?’

‘The usual cattle brands, fire pokers, and some of my herbal products.’ Bree snapped out a black cloth over her table, pushed to the far side of the tent, where she pulled out her laptop and a very comfy camping chair.

‘I hope you brought your sunscreen,’ Harper said, helping Bree with the corners of the tablecloth to make it perfectly symmetrical. ‘I love that stuff, as well as your hair products.’

‘I did.’ Bree pulled out some boxes and started sorting out the small bottles. ‘The way that kelpie looks, I should have brought some dog shampoo, too.’ She patted Willow’s nose. ‘Don’t you look pretty, Willow? We should talk your owner into buying you a new collar.’

‘Cap is with the dogs,’ said Mia.

‘I wasn’t talking about Cap.’ Bree rolled her eyes as she sorted out the small vials that Dex called her witchy potions.

‘Did you bring out any of your cooking oils?’ Mia asked. ‘Everyone loved your chilli oil when I used it the other night.’

‘I make them for the Station Hand’s Daughter. It’s the brand name for Lucy’s food van parked near the grandstand. Normally she has it parked by the train station in town.’

‘But it’s your oils.’

‘Lucy provides the herbs, and she pays me to do the distilling. If I didn’t need a liquor licence that gives the government a chance to steal tax from me, I’d be selling my gin, too. I like how you did your displays, Harper.’

‘Dad would drag us out to all the local shows in his electoral district to listen to the locals’ concerns. Normally, we’d have balloons for the kids to entice the people to come near us. And buttons and stickers.’

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