Outback Blaze (32 page)

‘Okay, now I'm really listening. Spill.'

Although Ruby's face burned red at some of the details, her heart glowed talking about how Drew made her feel.

‘I was worried about you being all alone up there, but it sounds like the good cop is looking after you,' Faith said when Ruby finally finished.

‘Oh yes. He is. The government should give him some kind of medal.'

They both giggled and then Faith sighed.

‘I'm happy for you, really I am, but I'd kind of hoped you and Ryan might get it together.'

‘Sorry to disappoint. And don't go building this up to be more than it is, we're just having a good time together,' Ruby explained. ‘As for Ryan, I thought he and Simone might be involved but that seems to have fizzled.'

‘Simone?' Faith's voice contained a mixture of shock and hope. ‘Did something happen between them?'

‘Simone hoped it might, but he seems to be happy being friends.'

‘Damn, I don't think he's gone out with anyone in months. He goes out to the pub, has a good time, flirts aplenty but no one seems able to keep his interest. I just want him to be happy.'

‘You never know,' Ruby said, trying to cheer Faith up. ‘Maybe the right woman is just around the corner.'

‘Maybe.'

Sensing a need for a change of conversation topic, Ruby asked, ‘When are you and Monty going to come back for a visit?'

‘Actually,' Faith began, a smile sounding in her voice, ‘we're coming up for the Bunyip Festival. We'll see you in three weeks.'

‘Really?' Ruby couldn't wait to see her friend and hoped somehow the whole mystery of the fire had been cleared up by then. She hoped her parents would have found their way home where they belonged.

‘Yep. Monty's done the run every year since he returned to Bunyip and he didn't want to break the tradition.'

‘That's fabulous news. I'll look out for his registration.'

‘Are you still organising it?' Faith asked. ‘After everything else you've got on your plate, I hope you've got help.'

‘I do,' Ruby rushed. ‘Simone and Frankie have been great and they've rounded up plenty of volunteers for the actual day.'

A mobile phone ringtone sounded in the background at Faith's place. ‘Oh, speak of the devil, I've got Ryan calling on my mobile. I'm going to grill him about messing around the local girls. You have a good night with the cop, won't you.'

‘I hope so. And you have a good night too.' Ruby was smiling when she hung up the phone. Hopefully she hadn't got Ryan into too much trouble.

She glanced again at the clock on the wall pleased to see she'd passed an hour talking to Faith. Her insides somersaulted at the thought that Drew wouldn't be long.

‘You know one good thing about your parents not being here, about there being no Ag Store for you to work at and most of your horse-riding students having cancelled is that you have no excuse not to go riding with me today,' Drew announced.

It was just after nine on Tuesday morning and Ruby lay in his arms while he played with the dark hair that had fallen across his chest. Yes, he was being Mr Unprofessional sleeping with the daughter of persons of interest who were now on the run but he couldn't summon one iota of care.

‘Don't you have to work later?' she asked, twisting her head to meet his gaze.

‘Nope.' He stole a kiss while he had easy access and then said, ‘It's my day off. Tomorrow too.'

‘Are we talking horse-riding or motorbike riding or something else entirely?' she asked, a wicked gleam in her eyes.

‘The something else goes without saying.' He moved his hand down from her hair, sliding it across her naked chest. ‘And considering I still don't have a spare helmet, we'd better go with the horses but you know I do like the idea of you pressed tightly against me on the back of the bike, so maybe we should venture into Geraldton later and get you fitted up?'

‘I've never been on a motorbike before.' She shifted in his arms as he continued to explore her breasts.

‘You haven't lived until you've ridden against the wind on an open stretch of road or soared past stopped traffic on a highway. Say you'll come out with me. Give it a shot.'

‘Yes. I will.' She sighed blissfully her head flopping back against the pillow. ‘How long did you say you have off?'

‘Two days.' He rolled onto his side, pushed up on an elbow and grinned down at her. ‘We can fit a lot of fun into two days.'

The phone rang before he could list some suggestions. He immediately lost Ruby's attention. Her eyes widened, she leapt up and ran out of the room. Drew sighed as he lay back against the pillow and stretched his hands behind his head. Going against his good sense, he'd spent the last three nights at Ruby's place and every time the phone rang or her mobile beeped with a message, she sprang to action like a woman possessed. Every time she was disappointed when it was one of her friends or a telemarketer.

If this call
was
her parents – as he knew she hoped it would be – it would be better if he didn't know about it. It was only a matter of time before O'Leary found out Drew was spending nights with Ruby and the man already had it in for him. Climbing out of bed he headed for a quick shower and was towelling himself dry when Ruby returned to the room. He looked at her, asking the question with his eyes.

‘Someone doing a phone survey,' she said with a shrug. ‘They sounded so disheartened when I said I didn't have the time and so I changed my mind. I didn't want to be responsible for someone having a bad day.'

He crossed the room to pull her into his arms. Her head fell against his shoulders. ‘You're so full of goodness, you know that?'

She didn't reply but he heard the telltale sign of a sniff.
No tears please
. Tears had been bad enough before he was sleeping with her but now…'Let's get some breakfast and get this day started. I've waited far too long for a ride on Miss Roxie.'

Pulling back, she tucked her messy bed hair behind her ears and nodded. Ruby was unusually quiet through breakfast and Drew hoped being out with him and the horses would help put a smile on her face. When they'd finished eating, he cleaned up while she had a shower. She returned just as he was wiping over the kitchen bench.

‘All set?' she asked.

He nodded. ‘You look amazing.' Yes, he was trying to make her feel better but it wasn't a lie. He'd known from the get-go she had something that set her apart from the other women in this town but he hadn't expected her to get even more beautiful each day they spent together. It was damn hard to keep his hands to himself but if he didn't they'd never go riding.

‘Thanks.' Ruby, her hair tied back in a neat tail with a sunflower tucked in at the band, crossed the room and hauled out a backpack from the pantry. She unzipped it but he stopped her, grabbing her hand, before she could start to fill it up. ‘Yes?' She glanced down at his hand on hers and then looked up at him, smiling.

‘What's with the flower in your hair?' He reached behind her and tapped the bright flower. ‘Some days they're real, some days a fake one like this, but I'm yet to see you without one.'

Her free hand went up to the back of her head, as if checking the flower he spoke about. ‘When I was in hospital, Mum and Dad bought me a massive bunch of bright gerberas. Mum plucked one out of the bouquet and tucked it behind my ear. It was so beautiful. I decided then and there if the world could have such beauty in it, there was still goodness, still hope. Not a day has passed since when I haven't worn some sort of flower. It's like my little reminder to myself that life is good.'

‘Well, it suits you,' he said, stealing a quick kiss. ‘And I'm glad to see you still wear them, even after everything that's happened lately.'

‘I must admit, there's been a few times over the last few weeks where I've almost forgone it, but you've made me reconsider.'

‘I'm glad.'

Smiling, she turned away and proceeded to fill the backpack with water bottles and snacks.

With Roxie and Riley all saddled up and ready to go, Ruby looked to Drew. She stood between the two horses and gave each of them a pat on their necks.

‘Are you sure you want to take Roxie out?' she asked Drew.

Nodding, he stepped up to the mare and ran his hand over her muzzle. ‘Sure I do. We're going to be just fine, aren't we, honey?'

Roxie leaned into him, almost as if she wanted to whisper something in his ear. He chuckled and gave her another rub, then grabbed hold of the saddle and swung himself up on Roxie as if he'd been doing such a thing everyday for…Ruby realised she had no clue of his age.

‘How old are you?' she asked, trying not to drool at the sight of him astride her horse.

‘Why do you ask?' He looked down at her, amusement scrawled across his face.

She mounted Riley, gave him another pat and looked back to Drew. ‘I just realised I could draw a map of your body but I don't even know your age. Or your middle name.'

‘I'm thirty-two and Andrew is my middle name.'

‘Andrew.' She tried it on for size. ‘Hang on, but Drew is short for Andrew. Don't you use your first name? Oh God, is it something ridiculous like Lesley?'

He laughed but the expression on his face said she wasn't far off. ‘Or Archibald. No, I'll bet it's Cyril, isn't it?'

‘Well, I'm glad we've found something to make you smile again.'

‘Don't change the subject.' She positively grinned at him. ‘What is it?'

‘It's Connor.'

‘Connor. I like it. Why don't you use it?'

He sighed. ‘Long story. One day I'll tell you, but right now let's get this ride on the road.'

Not satisfied with his answer, which was so obviously a brush off, but not wanting to ruin the day by pressing him, she gave Riley the signal to go forward. They'd already opened the paddock gate on their way in and agreed that if Roxie behaved, Ruby and Riley would lead the way. She took them down the driveway and turned in the opposite direction to the main town. This way meant they'd have limited time riding on the side of the roads before they reached the beach.

Although he'd said he'd ridden horses years ago, the skill and ease with which he did surprised her. She'd seen professional jockeys come a cropper on Roxie and had been fully prepared to turn back or swap horses if she started playing up. But the two of them looked like they'd been riding together for years and after about five minutes, Ruby stopped waiting for something to go wrong and let herself enjoy her favourite pastime with the person who was rapidly becoming her favourite man.

‘Where to now?' When they arrived the beach, he smiled at her, waiting for direction.

This time of day, Ruby was pleased there wasn't even anyone walking their dog along the sand. She didn't have to worry about others startling or upsetting the horses or seeing her with Drew and putting two and two together. Although he'd made it clear he didn't mind being seen with her, she didn't want his association with her to make things awkward for him at work.

Pointing ahead to the right, she said, ‘How about we race to that bend and then let the horses rest for a while?'

‘Sounds like a plan.' Before she had the chance to say ‘Ready, set, go,' he and Roxie were off. As sand kicked up behind them, Ruby squeezed her legs giving Riley the signal to follow. She'd never been a horse racer but Riley had and revelled in being given the chance to speed along the beach. His hooves thundered across the sand and within less than a minute, they were passing Roxie and Drew. Grinning, Ruby lifted a hand to wave. Drew smiled, but Roxie wasn't pleased in the slightest. She threw her head back, her mane flying all over the shop in the wind and ran harder. By the time they approached the bend, both horses were neck and neck and Ruby and Drew were laughing so hard she feared one of them might fall off their horse. Somehow they both managed to draw the horses to a stand.

‘Hey, better luck next time,' Drew said, as he climbed down off Roxie and ran his fingers affectionately through her mane.

‘What do you mean?' Ruby slid off Riley and wrapped her arms around his thick neck. ‘We won fair and square, didn't we, boy?'

‘I think we'll have to agree to disagree on that.' Drew shrugged off the backpack he'd insisted on carrying and drew back the zipper. ‘Now what goodies do you have in here?'

She took the bag off him and dug around, bringing out an apple for each of the horses. They chewed contently as she retrieved a compact picnic rug and laid it just in front of the dunes. Thankfully, it was a warm winter's day and the biting breeze that often blew in the bay was absent. Drew and Ruby sat on the mat and the horses wandered freely close by.

‘I'm not much of a sweet baker,' she said, lifting a plastic container onto the rug and peeling back the lid. ‘But I got this recipe from Faith. Custard and white chocolate cookies. They are to die for.'

In response, he leaned forward and swiped a couple. After one bite he nodded his approval and moaned appreciatively. ‘Good indeed,' he said when he'd devoured the first one.

Ruby leaned back on one arm, smiling as she looked out across the still, blue water. She'd come down here for walks and the odd ride since coming home, but surprisingly, hadn't sat down and simply enjoyed her surroundings. Maybe when next summer came and the water was actually warm enough to swim in. Comfortable silence surrounded them, bar the gentle lapping of the water against the sand, and Drew ate three, maybe four cookies. Although Ruby didn't want to break the restful atmosphere, something had been on her mind since he'd mentioned it their first night together.

‘Drew?' she asked. ‘When you said you'd met Jonas, what did you mean?'

‘I was hoping you might forget that,' he said, snapping a cookie in half.