Page 21 of A Home Among the Snow Gums
Probably just as well Josh had given him the head’s up; the jolt to his heart wasn’t so unexpected.
Hannah was atop the horse she’d once stabled at Ironbark, before The Incident That Was Never To Be Discussed. Josh was beside her, holding the horse’s reins while she fussed about with a hair tie, taming that long hair of hers. Should he go over?
His boots had turned in her direction before his head could decide and pride—or something else that he had no name for, because he was pretty sure his pride was currently smashed into smithereens—kept him moving towards her just as she looked up. Her eyes locked with his.
CHAPTER
7
Hannah’s nerves were still on the simmer when she spied her brother and his fiancée picking their way across the paddock. Behind them, as close to her brother’s ankles as the laws of physics and rough grass fields allowed, scampered an old brown dog.
‘Get off, you great oaf,’ she said, as Josh kissed both her cheeks and ruffled her hair. ‘You’d better not let Jane Doe get anywhere near the cattle. There’s a no dogs rule at campdraft. Isn’t that right, Kev?’
‘That’s right, love.’
‘You hear that, Jane, my love? Auntie Hannah doesn’t want you here. What a meanie.’
She shoved her idiot brother away and turned to Vera. ‘It’s not too late to ditch him. I’d totally understand.’
Vera just grinned. ‘We’ll keep her well away, I promise.’
‘What time’s the maiden event starting?’ said Josh.
‘Soon,’ Hannah said, then frowned. ‘Forty minutes, maybe, but I have to be near the pen ten minutes ahead of time. Speaking of, how did you know I was competing?’
Josh slung his arm around Vera. ‘How do I know anything?’
She groaned. ‘That bloody coffee shop.’
Vera made a huffing noise. ‘Hey, we’re not the only blabbermouths in Hanrahan.’
Josh smirked. ‘You should have found a BFF who wasn’t so chatty. Kylie told me, of course; she’s in the queue at the coffee truck. The whole fan club’s here for your debut draft.’
Great. So much for discreetly failing on her first go.
‘Where’s old mate?’
‘If you mean Lionel, he said he was going up to sign us in, but I interpreted that to mean he was going to go gossip at the bar,’ Hannah said.
‘Speaking of,’ said Kev. ‘He might need a hand. Let’s get Skipjack out of the float and ready to rumble, then I can go supervise.’
‘Have a beer, you mean,’ said Josh.
Kev tapped his nose.
‘I can take care of Skippy, mate. You go hang out and we’ll see you before the event.’
Josh led Skipjack out of the float while Hannah pulled all her gear from the boot of the LandCruiser. Saddle, reins, helmet, gloves, thick jacket … none of it carried the authority and familiarity of her vet kit, but with every piece, she felt her confidence growing.
Josh fitted the saddle over the blanket Hannah had laid over Skippy’s back and she tightened the girth under the horse’s belly until it pulled on his warm, rough coat. Water from a thermos into a bucket for Skip; his reins looped loosely over a bollard on the horse float so he couldn’t wander off: they were ready.
‘Skip’s looking good,’ said Josh.
The horse tossed his head and gave an affirmative whinny and she laughed. ‘I had no idea he’d love all this fuss and bother.’
Josh smiled. ‘You seen yourself in the mirror today, Han? Skipjack’s not the only one who’s feeling chuffed with themselves, I’m guessing. I’m proud of you. It can’t have been easy, deciding to enter.’
She shrugged. If leaving home and being comfortable amongst strangers was going to be her new normal, she had to stop being congratulated every time she did something that was—well, that should be—normal.
