Page 27 of Stockman's Stowaway

‘It’s Ash’s paddock, he can’t wait,’ said Harper. ‘He’s got his new tags he wants to test out.’

‘I can’t wait to see them myself.’ Cap then faced Bree. ‘But we need to re-muster the herd we brought in from Wombat Flats. We’re hoping to have enough fats to make a sale.’

‘Got a stock agent?’ Bree asked.

‘Not yet. Do you know of one?’

Bree shrugged. ‘I might.’

‘Do you have any idea what they’re talking about?’ Mia asked Harper. ‘I only know sheep.’ Mia tugged at the bib straps of her overalls. ‘We’d bring in the sheep for shearing and do health checks.’

‘No, it’s all over my head.’ Harper cleared her throat and waved at Bree and Cap. ‘Hello, can you please explain to us in the private theatre boxes what you just said?’

‘Well, aren’t you two in for a treat, because a day in the drafting yards is something you’ll never forget. Just be ready to jump some fences, protect your shins and enjoy the smell of—’

‘Bree, don’t scare them off.’ Cap warned her.

‘Fine. It’ll be the stuff of stories, ladies.’ Bree removed her hat, her locks spilling everywhere, to deeply bow to them like they were royalty.

‘Please, Bree,’ implored Cap. ‘We need your help. It’s our first draft at Elsie Creek Station, and Charlie told me you’d be an asset to the team.’

Bree huffed, crossing her arms over her generous chest. ‘Fine. I’ll help muster the mob to the drafting yards, and that’s it. Then I’ll start on the support frames for your deck.’ She looked at the patch of parched dirt, bleached from the sun, and the old demountable with its walls covered in red dirt. But Bree looked at it with excitement.

‘On your own?’ Mia blurted out.

‘Listen, precious, it’s not my first building makeover, when I work with steel all day.’ Bree then playfully poked Cap’s arm. ‘While Mia and Harper paint Mia’s new room, your job is to get your brothers to screw the decking boards in place. But we need Dex to play grader driver first, or I’ll be giving you flippers and matching pool floaties for Christmas.’ She then slapped her hat on her head and gathered her hair into a thick loose braid. ‘In the meantime, I’ll order the wood from the hardware store. You can pick that up when you collect Mia’s paint, and those new guardian dogs from the vets.’

‘They’re gorgeous, big white fluffy bears.’ Harper just swooned. ‘I want one.’

‘They’re not pets,’ Cap said. ‘Dex is still complaining about you turning the ex-police dogs into house pets.’

‘I don’t care what Dex says.’ Harper raised her chin. ‘I love spoiling Ruby and Scout, and Sarge from a cordial distance because he’s a boss dog.’

‘Alpha,’ corrected Cap.

‘Yeah, that. And Dex had better not complain to Mia about Willow, either.’ Harper pointed to the kelpie leaning against Willow’s legs, while all the other dogs lay under the shade of the demountable.

‘Willow’s not my dog.’

‘Are you sure about that?’ Bree again playfully tickled the little boy sitting on Cap’s shoulders and said, ‘And you, Mason, can tell your father and his brothers that they’re needed for a working bee on Saturday afternoon. Your Uncle Cap can put on a barbecue.’

‘Unnncle Cap.’ Mason’s little cowboy boots swung over Cap’s broad shoulders, as he tapped down on Cap’s hat like a drum.

‘Easy, Mason, that’s my head.’ Cap scooped the boy off his shoulders and held him to his chest as if he’d been doing it all his life.

The scene only tore at Mia’s heartstrings.

‘I don’t have a barbecue, just that little gas burner for my kettle.’ Cap pointed at his comfy camping chair.

‘You can pick one up from the hardware store when you collect the wood. Keep the receipts to give to the bank.’ Bree waved as she walked off.

‘So, it looks like you’re moving in,’ Harper said to Mia.

She looked at Cap. ‘Really?’

‘Do you think Mia should move in, Mason?’ Cap asked the little boy, who nodded. ‘Well, the manager agrees. Do you?’

Hell, yeah, she wanted in. Then she paused with eyes widening. ‘Does that mean I have to meet your brothers?’

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