Page 54 of Devils Tooth Ridge

I smiled to myself as I went to the laundry where the little baby roo was hanging out. These men were already at home with each other, I was a fool to second guess them.

Twenty seven

Beau

Wyattstokedthefirepitoutside as William and Mikhail talked over the barbie with a beer in hand. Anya and Rosslyn were under blankets in fold-out chairs near the fire, a fire safe distance away that Anatoly had approved of course, and Anatoly and Gabriel were playing with Anouska on the small patch of lawn.

“Did you know that Beau here can play the guitar? He used to be really good at it too.” William said and everyone looked at me.

“What? My dad taught me. I only know a few things.” I shrugged and looked at Anya, seeing the gleam in her eye.

“I distinctly remember you playing that thing every night as a kid and entering competitions down at the pub. You should play for us.” She said and I shook my head.

“No. I haven’t played in years.” Anya grinned wickedly.

“Anouska loves music. You should play some for her.” She said loud enough that the little girl squealed.

“Ohhh low blow Darlin. Using the child against him.” Wyatt said with a laugh.

“You can’t disappoint my daughter now,” Gabriel added with a grin, and I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck as I went inside to get my guitar.

I had lied a little. I still played from time to time, the guitar was my sacred space, a thing I did in the field on my own when I wanted to escape reality.

As I walked back outside with my guitar in hand, Anya grinned and clapped, the others taking a seat while William stayed manning the barbie.

I sat down and strummed my fingers a few times to check the tune. I let out a long breath as I considered the song I wanted to play.

I remembered a challenge for a cover I had done not long after Anya disappeared and smiled.

It was perfect.

Closing my eyes, I let my fingers move over the strings, plucking the long, slow chords. Then took a breath and sang.

“Desperado. Sitting in old Monte Carlo.”

I opened my eyes to look at Anya as I sang, wanting to watch her reaction.

“There ain’t nothing here for me anymore, and I don’t wanna be alone.”

I put everything I had felt into the song, the years of longing to leave it behind, to run with her when I thought she had left us.

I watched her, singing to her and only her in this moment, and as the song came to an end, I watched her wipe a tear away from her face.

Everyone was silent for a moment as they looked at me, even little Anouska before they clapped.

“Wow. I never would have thought a Rhianna cover could sound so damn good from a man but damn, you killed it.” Gabriel said.

I smiled, not sure what else to say as I looked at Anouska.

“Hey sweetie, want to hear a song about an emu?” I said and her eyes widened before looking at Rosslyn who smiled and nodded enthusiastically to her daughter.

“Wow, that sounds like fun!” Rosslyn said as I began to strum the chords.

“Let me tell you of an interview, with an Old Man Emu…”

Anouska grinned as everyone clapped along with the upbeat song that my dad would sing to us.

“Ba-da-do, do-do-do-do. Take a look it’ll prove to you, he ran the pants off the kangaroo!”

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