Page 78 of Stockman's Showdown

‘Harry, Penelope, in the short time you were together, you showed an enormous amount of love for each other. You showed love is about sharing fears and finding comfort in each other. You showed love for each other by working through the many challenges you faced, the painful times, and the hopes that had you planning your future together. You started your journey through life apart, and through the threads of time, you finally found each other to end your days together. I wish it had been different for you, but in the end, you chose each other because of love, because it was that once-in-a-lifetime kind of love.’

Placing her hands over their ring fingers she said, ‘They say love is felt in the bones, where you truly become a part of each other, and I believe your love story will continue. Maybe you’ll meet again in the afterlife, or in a new life where you’ll meet for the first time, but know you were together to the end in this one. Rest in peace, Mrs PenelopeSplint. Rest in peace Mr Harry Splint. May your souls be forever entwined. For you are his. She is yours. Alwaystogether forever.’

Ryder slid his arms around Bree’s shoulders, and tenderly wiped the single tear trickling down her cheek. ‘Together. Forever.’

It sounded like a promise that silkily glided over her skin to shift something inside her chest, spilling a gentle warmth from deep within her stone-cold soul. Was the fortress of granite guarding her heart, once reduced to ash, now stirring to life for Ryder?

Twenty-nine

‘Do you want us to wait, kid?’ Charlie asked from the front passenger seat of Ryder’s ute, as he parked in front of the Post Office on Elsie Creek’s main street.

‘No, I’m good, Pop.’ Bree unclipped her seat belt and quickly hustled out the back door, before Ryder could help. ‘You can take the rest of the deliveries to the pub.’

At least Ryder could help her with the thin boxes that held her various branding irons, fire pokers, and swords. ‘I’m happy to wait for you.’ He didn’t want her out of his sight. But it was daylight, on the main street, in a small town where Bree and Charlie knew everyone.

‘I’ll be catching up on the town gossip with Mrs Sternston for a bit.’ She nodded at the sewing store next to the post office.

‘Do you sew?’

‘Steel and metals, sure. Needle and thread, no. However, I know some lovely ladies who’ll happily do any sewing for me for a bottle of gin.’ She gave one of her outlaw gin-maker grins that made her green eyes shine with mischief. Damn, she was pretty with her hair down and in that dress.

‘Do you barter a lot with your gin?’

‘Aw come on, cupcake, we live in the outback, it’s the land of mates’ rates. And I know you play that game, giving a certain senior sergeant two bottles of your top-shelf bourbon.’

‘You saw that, huh?’ But he bought those bottles, Bree illegally distilled hers.

She ignored him as usual. ‘I’ll meet you at the pub when I’m done. Pop, please be sure to take all the branding irons inside. The rodeo is on next weekend, and a lot of our customers are coming in to collect. Mean Rene knows all about it. Be sure to give her a tip when you do.’

‘I know what I’m doing, kid.’ Charlie gave her a short wave, the grin growing as he rolled up the electric windows, then rolled them down again. ‘Look, this car’s so fancy the windows roll up with the touch of a button.’ He was like a big kid in that car, rolling up the windows, again.

‘Pop loves your car, almost as much as Dex’s ute.’ Bree took the boxes from Ryder’s arms and stepped up onto the pavement.

‘Are you going to the rodeo?’ Ryder spotted the rodeo’s poster on the Post Office noticeboard as he closed the back tray of his ute.

‘Probably not. Ask Charlie. If he goes, I’ll go.’ With a twirl of her skirt showing off her creamy legs, her thick hair trailed down her back as she headed for the front doors of the post office. A stockman quickly jumped the steps to open the door for Bree, tipping his hat to her.

But then the guy tilted his head to perve on Bree as she disappeared inside.

Ryder glared with pure heat at the stranger.

‘Sorry, mate. Didn’t realise she was taken.’ The stockman tapped his hat and hurried on by.

Even though he wanted to wait for Bree, Ryder drove Charlie to the pub. It was a quick trip to the building that towered over the one and only main intersection of Elsie Creek. An outbacktown so small it didn’t even have a set of traffic lights, just a pedestrian crossing that he’d seen a pet water buffalo use more than the residents. ‘Bree mentioned there’s a rodeo on next weekend.’

From the front passenger seat, Charlie peered out the passenger window. ‘Yep. Out the back of the pub.’

‘Do you want to go?’ He wouldn’t mind taking Bree out. ‘Bree said she’ll go if you go.’

‘I don’t go anymore, son.’

‘Why not? Is it an ex-rodeo thing?’

‘It’s a family thing.’

Ryder shrugged, not getting it.

‘I’ll go to the rodeo in Isa, Heartbreak, Katherine, Borroloola, Noonamah, and even the smaller rodeos across the Territory. Heck, I’ve even been to that smancy one on the Gold Coast for the national titles. But I don’t go to the local one out ‘ere at the pub.’

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