Page 125 of Stockman's Stormcloud

‘Well, if you give me an hour, I’ll take the boat to carry the rest of the tourists and meet you there to unhook him. I’ll have enough life jackets, even one that’ll fit Mason.’

‘Got my vote,’ said Ash, looking at Harper who too was nodding with excitement, holding their son’s hand.

‘Can I pilot the boat?’ Dex asked Bree. ‘You drive like you got your licence from a Weet-Bix box.’

‘Do not.’

‘Do too.’

‘It’s my boat.’

‘It’s my life.’

‘Alright, children,’ said Cap, patting them on the back. ‘Why not let Mia pilot the boat? Mia’s got a skipper’s ticket.’

‘You do?’ Dex couldn’t picture the girl in overalls, who loved playing with dirt, being a skipper on the water.

‘I love fishing. Grew up on the river.’

‘Deal.’ Bree nodded. ‘I’ll drive the Razorback, towing the boat for Mia to play skipper because you’ve seen me back a trailer into the water.’ Bree playfully poked Dex’s shoulder.

‘Yeah, alright, I’ll give you that one.’

‘While you mob get ready, I’ll stick here and babysit the billy and keep Carked-it company.’ Charlie led the charge to the bank where Willow, the kelpie, was digging in the sands with Cap’s cattle dogs, Fern and Atlas.

‘What are the dogs digging for? China?’ Charlie chuckled.

The dogs dragged out something from the sand, playing a game of tug of war between them.

‘What is that?’

Cap whistled. ‘Drop it.’ He approached the dogs and lifted their latest chew toy. ‘It’s a woman’s handbag.’

‘Did you lose your bag, Bree?’ Ash asked, scooping up Mason to carry on his hip, tapping his son’s little cowboy hat.

‘Oh, absolutely—with my lipstick in there to make sure I look pretty for the cattle at daybreak.’ Bree propped a hand on one hip. ‘That is not my bag.’

‘No, Bree has the witch’s sack,’ teased Dex.

‘It’s not your style, Bree,’ said the station’s personal shopper, Harper. ‘My grandmother had one just like it, so I’d say it’s vintage.’

‘It would have been a pretty bag,’ said Mia.

‘It looks like one of the bags from that movie—’ Sophie clicked her fingers as if to remember. ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s.’

‘Oh yeah.’ All the females nodded in agreement. While Dex and Ash rolled their eyes.

‘Bree, we should watch that movie at our next cooking lesson,’ suggested Harper. Where everyone knew it was code for liquid ladies’ lunch, because Harper couldn’t cook.

‘I agree.’ Even little Mia was nodding with enthusiasm. ‘You should come, Sophie.’

‘I don’t need cooking lessons.’

‘What about asking the most obvious question first?’ Dex shook his head. ‘Where did it come from?’

‘Aren’t you a little old for me to explain the birds and the bees, Stormcloud?’

Lord flipping help them, he loved that woman like a sister, who’d even made Ryder drop his head to hide his smile. But Dex smiled a lot easier these days and wasn’t afraid to show it. And why not? Life was good.

---