Cowboy Redemption (Down Under Cowboy Book 6) (2 page)

He finishes and I look around the fire at everyone.  They’re all silent, staring at Uncle Barney, enraptured.  Totally captivated in his words.  It’s almost like you can see the wheels in their mind turning as they become inspired. 

“Thank you so much, Uncle Barney.”

“Anytime, Kennedy.”  He shakes my hand and then leaves.  We finish up with the fire and turn in for the night at ten pm.  Tomorrow will be another busy day in paradise. 

Since I primarily work with the under eighteens, it isn’t often I get to spend time with the older residents.  However, today, one of the sponsors is sick, and since she usually oversees this group, I’ll be filling in for her.  We are going to a place not far from here where the group is helping to rebuild a community that was destroyed by a tornado last year.

We are taken by bus to the site, which is only about ten minutes away.  Once we arrive, the residents get started on their jobs.  Since they have been working here for the past week, they all know what to do, and they set about doing it immediately.  I supervise and lend a hand where necessary. 

It is plain to see the sense of accomplishment the residents feel when they complete each task.  The pride is obvious, their self-belief beginning to emerge.

Some of the previous buildings weren’t completely destroyed, so the residents do the repairs that are needed.  Walking around, I see another team of residents constructing a large brand new building.  I see the sponsor, Joanie, standing off to the side supervising, so I make my way over to her.

“Hi, Joanie.”

“Hey, Kennedy.  How are things going?”

“Really well.” I smile.  “They’re all doing such a great job!”

“I agree.  This place is coming together so quickly.”

“What is your team building?”

“An outreach school for the kids.  Because the community is so isolated, the children do their school lessons via phone.  This way, they’ll have a classroom and we plan to erect a small playground for them as well.”

“That’s fantastic.”  I pat her shoulder and look back to my team.  “I better get back.”  Turning to the residents, I say, “Great work, guys.  Keep it up.”

“Thanks, Kennedy,” they reply.

“Do you need some help with that?” I ask David, as he carries a bag of cement across the site.

“No thanks, Kennedy.”  He continues on.  I pick up some rubbish and clear it away, before finding Kye.  He is laying some bricks as part of the exterior of the house.

“Hi, Kye.  Need a hand?”

“That’d be great.” He smiles.  Kye is my age, thirty-seven, and he isn’t a resident anymore.  He finished the program about three weeks ago and decided to stay on in the area. 

“It’s great of you to keep helping out on the rebuild, considering you’re not a resident anymore,” I say, handing him a brick.  His large, manly hands make contact with mine as he takes the brick from me and I am briefly struck by the feeling of his warm skin on mine.  I am not exactly sure how to process the moment I just had, and I don’t know if he felt it as well, so I push it to the back of my mind and smile up at him.  I find his eyes on me with a curious expression.  His depths draw me and I find myself staring into his gorgeous gaze, wishing I could read his mind.

He is an intriguing character – not because I
know
this about him, but because that is the feeling I get when I am around him.  He makes me feel like I want to know everything about him, though I am not sure what level I want to explore.  Of course there is friendship, but there is also something else, something deeper, something more erotic about his entire being that stirs something deep,
deep
down inside me.

“I started the job, and I wanted to see it through,” he explains.  Suddenly I am hyper aware of everything about him.  His voice and the way words roll off his tongue, every extension and contraction of his muscles as he moves, the bead of sweat that is sliding down his neck, the fresh, invigorating scent of his cologne.

Realising I have been completely beguiled by him, I clear my throat and murmur, “That’s really great of you.”

Even though I didn’t see a whole lot of Kye while he was in the program, he still caught my eye immediately.  He’s tall, dark and handsome; the epitome of my dream man since I was a child.  His smile is captivating and contagious, and his eyes are friendly and carefree.  That is just the effect he has from a distance. 

Last week, I took him along to Edie and Jackson’s house for our Easter celebrations in the hopes of him becoming mates with Ava’s husband Jeremy, Jeremy’s twin brother Jackson, and their mates Clay, Luke, and Luke’s brother Zeke.  It worked, and Kye got along great with the guys.  I had to do my best to keep my distance, because the consequence of getting too close to him could tear down the walls I have strategically built in the past couple of years.

“Are you liking it here in the Northern Territory?  You’re originally from the A.C.T, right?” I ask, handing him another brick.

“Can you pass me that trowel, please?” he says, pointing to a tool.  I pass him it over to him. “I was actually born in western Sydney.  I moved to the A.C.T for my job, but yeah, I like it here.  The heat and humidity takes some getting used to compared to the cold and moderate temperatures I’m used to, though.”

“That’s good.  What are your plans for when you’ve finished the project here?”

“Hopefully I can get a job locally.” He shrugs.

“Well, let me know if you need anything.  I’d be happy to help you out.”  I mentally kick myself in the shin for offering to spend more time with him. 
I’m such a glutton for punishment.

“Will do.  Thanks, Kennedy.”  He gives me a smile, and I can’t help but return it.  My heart flutters, too, and I am afraid it is already taken by Kye Austin. 
I have to get it back.

I move away to check on everyone else.  Dewayne and Tonia are erecting sheets of fibro on to a frame, which will be the exterior of a house.

“Great work, guys,” I comment, looking at all they’ve accomplished.  The entire frame is complete, and all that is left to be done is the final few walls.

“Thanks, Kennedy.  It’s great to take some anger out with this nail gun – very therapeutic,” Tonia says, waving the gun at me before lining it up and pulling the trigger.

“Looks like it would be,” I say, tongue in cheek.

She winks at me and keeps on working.

We cook up sausages on a barbeque for lunch, and then get right back to work for the afternoon.  By the time the end of the day comes, I’m beat, but feeling surprisingly energetic.  It’s a great feeling to work on something where you can actually
see
the difference you’re making.

*~*

A few mornings later, I wake early and can’t get back to sleep.  So, I make my way over to the hall.  The staff is all in the kitchen preparing for the breakfast onslaught, so I quickly make myself a cup of coffee and get out of their way.  Walking outside, I see someone has stoked the fire up from last night.  As I get closer, I see Kye sitting there, warming his hands.

“Morning, Kye,” I say, as I take a seat by him.  I really should have walked in the opposite direction, but my feet just seem drawn to him.

“Mornin’, Kennedy,” he replies, giving me an easy smile.

“How are you guys doing on the rebuild?”  The other sponsor is back at work, so I only had the one day at the construction site.  The rest of this week I have spent with the younger kids, doing activities with them.

“It’s coming along great.  I think we’ll be done in the next two weeks.”

“That’s amazing.  You all should be very proud of yourselves.”

He remains silent for a few beats, taking a sip of his drink.  “You know, I thought I had everything.  I was one of the best football players in the League, I had all the money, fame and a lifestyle anyone could dream of. But, I let the fame go to my head and I took on the belief that I was invisible.  Then, in one moment, I lost it all.  Turns out I wasn’t invisible, just a fucking idiot.  After being here, and helping that community rebuild their lives and their homes, I realize my life didn’t end with my football career, it just took a different turn.”

“That’s a good way of thinking.  I’m glad we played a part in helping you through a tough time.  Means the job we’re doing here is working, and worth it.”

“I don’t know where I’d be if it weren’t for this program,” he murmurs.  Part of me wants to ask him to tell me all about his past, but I know he will tell me in his own time if he wants to.  He stays silent and I know the moment has passed.

I finish off my coffee and stand.

“It was nice talking to you, Kye.  Hopefully I’ll see you around.”

“Count on it.”  He gives me a grin, which of course, I return, ignoring the small flurry of butterflies swarming in my stomach.  Then I head back to the hall for the breakfast rush.

Work is, as usual, a blast for the remainder of the week.  We have had two new residents come to stay.  Briony is a sixteen-year-old runaway, sent to us for a three-week stay after she was caught vandalizing property and stealing food supplies.  According to her file, it is her last chance before she is sent to juvenile detention for repeated offences. 

Elliott is the second new resident.  He is a twenty-two year-old, who is battling a drug addiction.  After cleaning himself up, he stayed sober for two years before relapsing and committing robbery to fund his habit.  Since he has a high chance of being rehabilitated, the judge sent him here in an effort to help his recovery.

Today is Sunday, my day off.  My parents are going off on another one of their adventures, so I am going out to the family farm in Pine Creek to see them off.  Since Jeremy married Ava, they took over the running of both our property and the Henley farm (along with Jeremy’s brother, Jackson’s help).  When mum and dad are home, they stay in their house, since it is vacant, but they’re usually only home three months of the year, preferring to spend their retirement years living out of a caravan and traipsing across our beautiful country.  Tomorrow they head off for the Southern highlands of New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and the North Coast, before driving inland to see some of our relatives in Western New South Wales.

I’m feeling nervous as I come to a stop outside the gorgeous homestead I grew up in.  I always feel this way when I come home, knowing I will see my sister.  Even knowing she has forgiven me for the way I behaved in previous years doesn’t tame my anxiety.  I still feel it.  I still worry this is all a trick and she will laugh in my face before slapping me and telling me to get out of her life.  It wouldn’t surprise me if she did that – I deserve it.  But, Ava is a beautiful soul, and it isn’t in her nature to act that way.  Actually, it is.  One memory brings an instant smile to my face.  I can’t even remember what the fight was about, but I do remember it was the first time Ava brought Jeremy home for dinner.  I was jealous as hell, unable to control it.  We had a catfight.  My smile instantly fades as I remember that was probably the sole reason I wasn’t invited to my only sister’s wedding.

Sighing, I climb out of the car, shut the door, and walk up the wide paved path.

“Kennedy, sweetheart, how are you?”  My mum greets me warmly as she meets me on the porch.  She pulls me in for a hug and kisses my cheek. 

“Hey, Mum.  I’m good.  How are you?” 

“I’m fine, darling.  Come inside.  Ava, Jer, and the kids should be here soon.  Your father’s just finishing up cleaning the pool before we leave.  How’s work?  You look beautiful and content.”

“Thanks, Mum,” I reply, blushing slightly.  I follow her through the house and into the kitchen.

“Drink?” she asks, taking a bottle of wine from the fridge and waggling it in front of me.

“Please,” I say, bobbing my head.

She takes two glasses and fills them before handing me one.  I take a sip and the crisp, fruity flavour bursts on my tongue.

“This is nice.  What is it?”

“It’s a new wine from a local vineyard.  He’s just starting out, but his wines are absolutely divine.  We ordered a couple of boxes to take away with us.  Even your father drinks them occasionally.”

My eyebrows climb.  My dad is strictly a beer drinker and believes wine is for women.  “I’m surprised,” I gasp.  “Dad, drinking wine?  What’s the world coming to?” I fight a smile.

“I know.”  Mum gives me wide eyes back.  “Between you and me, it’s annoying really.  Means there’s less for me,” she says, before laughing.  I can’t help but giggle myself. 

Sipping our wine, we make our way outside to see dad and wait for my sister and her family.

“Hey, dad,” I say, smiling.  I walk into my dad’s arms and hug him tight. 

“Hello, darling.”  He greets me warmly, as usual.  My sister and I were very lucky to grow up in a home with two exceptionally loving, forgiving and supportive parents who always encouraged us to strive to reach our dreams.

“Aunty Kendy,” my niece, Haidee squeals as she races toward me.  She’s completely adorable and my face lights up in a smile as soon as I see her.  Her hair, with the cutest little kink in it, is in pigtails, bouncing wildly beside her ears.  Her blue eyes are shining and her little baby teeth are exposed, thanks to the humungous smile adorning her adorably chubby face.

When she reaches me, I scoop her up into my arms and plant a smacking kiss on her cheek, causing her to giggle hard.  I pepper kisses along her neck, making her squirm and laugh harder.

“Beautiful girl,” I tell her, placing her down so she can go say hi to her grandparents, like the little social butterfly she is.