Page 56 of Stockman's Stowaway

Mia dropped her head, feeling Bree watching her. ‘I’ve never had difficulty falling in love. It’s the staying in love I can’t seem to figure out. I know this makes me sound pessimistic , but when a woman can’t have children, I learned that only a certain type of guy will accept that idea. And Gavin he was…’ She didn’t want to say it, but Bree patiently waited. So with a deep breath, and on a whisper she finally admitted the truth, ‘Gavin wasn’t the best. He wasn’t a good guy.’

She lifted her head expecting to be judged for her poor judgement. ‘I think I knew that already, but...’ Again, another long pause, she couldn’t help but give a pleading face to Bree to fill that awkward silence.

‘Let me guess, I’d say he’snotthe forevertype of guy, but the chemistry is just too damn intense to ignore, especially when his touch sets you on fire and his kisses make you crave more. Oh, and don’t forget how he draws you in with his charm to not only break the rules, but your heart, and sometimes your bones, before you learn that everything about him is wrong. Yet you can’t stay away, while he cleverly pushes all your friends and family away leaving you to think that all you have is him.’

Mia’s eyes widened and she stepped back from the redhead who had somehow cracked her open to peer deep into the well of secrets that Mia had hidden from herself.

‘Maybe the reason you can’t stay in love is because you’re picking the wrong kind of guys because you don’t think you deserve better. When you deserve the best kind of guy. A good romantic partner makes everything in life easier and they will add value to your life,’ Bree said. ‘A bad romantic partner makes everything more difficult. You learn to walk on eggshells, watching for the signs, the secret codes, the unwritten rules that bend and twist the way light flows through a prism, waiting, wondering when he’s going to snap. Most of all, you learn to notfeel, because they’ve pushed you so much that if you don’t feel, you have nothing to fear because they can’t hurt you then.’

Mia felt the tears stinging her eyes, never feeling more exposed. ‘How do you know?’

Bree remained eerily calm. ‘I know. Believe me, I know. I also know the power of learning to fight for yourself, for what is right for you. You need to be true and fierce in your beliefs. And all that can be summed up in one word:Fearless.’ She then pointed at Mia’s chest. ‘You have that inside. I saw it today in the yards. Pop saw it in you, last night while spotlighting. You are far stronger than you realise, Mia.’

Bree then sighed, her voice and stance softening. ‘You shouldn’t see the fact that you can’t have children as a fault. It’s just a part of who you are, like me, with my red hair. I know I’m simplifying it, but you said you’d accepted it already, which shows how strong you are.And if a person can’t accept you for you, and decide to use your infertility—that you see as a flaw—against you as a form of control, they don’t deserve to even share the same air you breathe. You, my friend are imperfectly perfect.’

Mia wanted to hug the woman, standing there sipping gin, while covered in dust and dirt.

Bree once again nudged Mia’s shoulder. ‘If you feel Cap is right for you, go for it. Forget what the world is telling you, when it’s you who has to live with your decisions. And if I had a vote, I’d say fate brought you here for a reason.’

Hope filled her chest as she looked up at Bree. ‘Cap believes in fate.’

‘I know he does.’ Bree gave a schemer’s wink. ‘Come on, let’s go hassle these boys, before Pop spills too many secrets to the police.’

The men’s voices greeted them as they walked into the shed. ‘Anyone care for a thirst quencher?’

The shed was like a garage with a wide workbench, filled with assorted tools, that ran the length of one wall. On one side was a deep pit with stairs to allow them to work under the cars, the other bay held a hoist.

‘Not another witch’s brew?’ Dex mumbled by the workbench.

‘My best one for the day. It’s full of goodies to help us replace the salt and sugars we all used up today, or we’ll all be suffering with night cramps.’ Bree poured Dex a glass, then one for Charlie. ‘Porter?’

‘How potent is that mix?’

‘Mild. You can breath-test yourself later, and then you can charge yourself for DUI. But you can’t have the couch. Mia’s got it until we paint her room.’

‘Yeah, alright, small glass. I don’t mind your mixes. When are you guys having another pizza night?’

‘Not this week.’ Bree passed Porter a glass.

Mia took a sip from the glass she’d been carrying. The cool lemon drink wasn’t too fizzy or overly sweet, but smooth and refreshing. ‘Mmm, this is good.’ She held up the glass. ‘I can’t taste the gin, though.’

‘That’s the problem,’ said Porter, also taking a sip. ‘Bree’s gin goes down so smooth you’ll drink half a jug before you know it and start wearing wobbly boots.’

Charlie laughed, clapping Porter’s shoulder. ‘Talking like a man who’s been there before.’

‘I can see why.’ Dex drained his glass and held it out for more. ‘It’s a thirst quencher. And as you are my favourite friend, Bree, let’s have another, eh?’

‘Please, don’t give yourself false hope that we’re friends, Dex. I’ll still pretend I don’t know you in public.’ But Bree poured him another glass. ‘What do you think of Pop’s car, Porter?’

‘I gotta hand it to the Riggs brothers, they did a great job helping me restore it.’

‘It’s in great condition.’ Porter stepped back from the pale green antique car. It was so big and shiny, like a gangster car, but a retro green.

‘It’s gorgeous. I love the colour.’ Mia peered inside. The leather work was immaculate. ‘How long have you had it, Charlie?’

‘We found it hiding in the Stoneys a few months back. It belonged to my brother. I was there when he bought it spanking new in Melbourne. We took turns driving it home when the Stuart Highway was just an old wallaby track, when roadhouses never shut their doors or their pub, making it one long pub crawl to get here. We blew our savings that trip, making it back with only spare change in our pockets and half a tank of gas, just in time for the musters.’ Charlie pulled out some papers from the glove box and passed them to Porter. ‘This is Harry’s rego papers, the service book and everything.’

‘What are you going to do with this car?’ Mia asked Charlie. ‘It looks like it should be in a museum.’

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