‘YOU want to have a go?’ Drew asked as Nat watched him closely.
Her eyes went as big as tractor tyres and she shook her head quickly. ‘It looks hard and that looks dangerous,’ she said over the noise, pointing to the cutter blades before moving the fleece into position.
An hour later she was still with them. His sister, Amy, would have made up some excuse and escaped the shed by now.
‘Hey, Sadds. Need a break?’
Drew glanced up to see Kim smiling down at him. She was wearing her favourite R. M. Williams jeans and belt, and a blue-checked shirt with the sleeves rolled up; her hair pulled back in a low ponytail. It was her standard work gear: she’d come to help him. He could always count on Kim to turn up when she had a free moment to see if he needed help with anything.
‘Hey, KC, how are ya, mate?’ Drew finished the ewe, pushed her down the chute then pulled his cord. ‘Come to lend a hand, have ya?’
‘Yep. Seems like you’ve got some help already?’ Kim glanced at Nat, who was at the table with Billy, skirting a fleece.
Billy had been so busy with Nat he hadn’t seen Kim yet. When he did, he ran over and Kim picked him up for a hug. She used to throw him up in the air, but now that Billy was getting older, just holding him up there was hard enough on the arms.
‘Hey, kiddo.’
‘Have you come to help out? Is Uncle Matt here too?’ asked Billy.
‘He’ll be over soon with the kids.’
‘Awesome.’ Billy turned as Nat walked up beside him. ‘Kimmy, this is my teacher. She’s come out to help us.’
‘Hi. Loz has told me lots about you,’ said Kim, holding out her hand.
‘Ah, so you’re Kim. Nice to finally meet you.’ Nat wiped her hand on her jeans before shaking Kim’s hand.
‘I’m trying to show Natty how to roustabout. Maybe you can help?’ Billy turned to Nat. ‘Kimmy can do everything. She’s just like Dad.’
Drew chuckled. ‘She can probably do more than me.’
‘Except shear and shoot as good as you,’ Kim said quickly.
‘Now, Kimmy, you gotta leave me with something,’ he teased. She already welded better than he could – she just had a bloody knack when it came to using a mig welder. She had a gift, that was for sure. Not that he could tell her that.
‘Okay, short stuff. How about we throw a few fleeces before I take over from your dad?’ said Kim.
Billy’s toothy grin filled his face as he nodded.
Drew only shore another twenty sheep before Kim was tapping him on the shoulder. ‘My turn,’ she said with a smile.
Drew joined Nat by the skirting table while Kim picked a ewe from the pen.
‘Oh my god, is she going to shear?’ said Nat.
‘Yes, our Kim is a jack of all trades.’
‘She’s amazing.’ Nat was staring at Kim like she was some famous actress.
Drew glanced towards his best friend and tried to see what Nat saw. He probably took Kim for granted – she’d always been one of the boys, could do whatever they did and, if truth be told, her farming ideas were better than Matt’s.
‘Are you guys dating?’
‘Huh?’ Drew was confused. Was that a joke? But Nat looked serious.
‘Lauren said she’s single but how could you not be together? She’s gorgeous, so capable and she loves Billy to bits.’ Her eyebrows were raised slightly and Drew was struck by how perfect they were.
‘Um, we’re friends,’ he said as Billy threw the next fleece on the table. Drew started skirting the fleece automatically.
‘So you’ve never gone there?’
Nat was like a dog with a bone. Drew didn’t want to have this conversation at all. He shook his head and was relieved when Seth and Mallory ran into the shed, yelling out to Billy. Before Natalie could start up again, Drew went over to Matt.
‘Hey, mate. Good to see Kim is pulling her weight,’ Matt laughed.
‘Someone has to, ’cos you’re too podgy to get down that low,’ teased Drew, tapping Matt’s round belly.
‘You bastard,’ said Matt with a smile. ‘Oh, I see you already have some help.’ Matt had spotted Nat, who was now encircled by the kids. ‘The talk around town was right. She certainly is a looker. Man, I envy you,’ said Matt quietly.
‘She’s engaged, Matt.’ Drew was about to say, ‘Besides, I’m not interested,’ but he stopped. Something didn’t feel right with that. Sure, he wasn’t blind – she was gorgeous, funny and intriguing – but was he interested like that? Maybe if she was single he’d think about it, eventually. But life was easier with just him and Billy.
‘She’s good with the kids,’ Matt added as he watched her listen to them intently, taking the time to hear what they had to say.
‘Yeah.’ Drew watched Billy put his little hand in hers as if to say he had her first. ‘You hanging around for long?’ he asked.
‘Until the kids drive me nuts and I can take them back to Lozzy.’
‘Cheers. I might get the next stand going then.’
Moments later Drew was shearing alongside Kim while the kids played in the hocks bins and chased each other around the shed, leaving Matt and Natalie to rouse. He put the music back on and the afternoon went quickly, the shed alive with action. His mum would have loved this – the shed full of people working and having fun at the same time. She would have made sure they all stayed for dinner and drinks. Drew doubted the stew he’d put on this morning would feed them all, but maybe there would be enough if just Kim and Nat stayed.
It was just after six when Matt left with Seth and Mallory, who were covered in wool and grimy dirt from the lanoline. Mallory had had a meltdown when she couldn’t find her loom-band bracelet but Nat had promised to make a new one with her, which had stopped all the tears and allowed Matt to get them home. Drew sent him on his way with a few cold beers, the usual currency for his helping hands.
‘Thanks, guys, I appreciate it.’ Drew handed out cold beers to Kim and Nat. They sat on the bales stacked by the side wall while Billy played with Turbo in the last rays that crept along the dirty boards as the sun descended.
‘It was fun,’ said Nat, who looked as if it had been anything but. She had grime on her face and wool in her hair, and that perfect veneer of hers was gone, but he had to admit she was still sexy as hell. Shed work had brought real colour to her cheeks. ‘Hard work, but fun,’ she admitted. ‘You both make it look easy.’ Nat retrieved the dip and crackers she’d brought, placing them on the bale between them.
‘Oh, yum, thanks. Well, we’ve had years of practice,’ said Kim before taking a long scull from her beer. ‘Ain’t that right, Sadds?’
Drew smiled and raised his beer to her. ‘Yep. Hey, KC, my birthday is getting closer. How’s my gift going?’
‘Andrew Saddler, keep that up and I’ll give it to someone else. You little shit.’
Nat gestured to the food. ‘Eat up.’
‘Age before beauty,’ said Drew to Kim.
‘Shit before the shovel,’ she returned before they both reached for a cracker.
‘Oh, may I have some, please, Natty?’ said Billy who’d spotted the food.
Nat touched his shoulder gently. ‘Of course, Billy, help yourself. You worked so hard today. I was impressed.’
‘And you tried really hard too,’ he said, returning a compliment.
Drew couldn’t hide his smile. Such well-meaning words. Luckily Nat took it all in her stride.
‘Why, thank you. I know I’m not very good but I’m sure if I practise hard I’ll get better.’
‘Yeah.’ Billy gave her a smile that was more like a grimace and they all laughed.
‘Well, I’d love to stay and watch another sunset with you, Sadds, but I’ve got the folks over for dinner tonight,’ said Kim.
‘Good luck with that. Is it burnt fish or gluggy risotto?’
Kim stood up and punched his arm hard. He tried not to wince. ‘Bastard. I only burnt the fish once and you kept talking so much the rice went yuck.’
‘Oh, I get the blame for the rice?’
‘Too damn right. And I’m taking a roady – you owe me.’ Kim went to the fridge and pulled out a few more beers and left her empty one on the bench. ‘It was nice to meet you, Nat. I’ll see you at the P & C meeting.’
‘Will do. Thanks for your guidance today. I needed it.’
‘Nah, you’ll be an old hand in no time. At least you gave it a go.’ Kim raised her beer to Drew in a final goodbye. ‘See ya, mate.’
‘Later, Kim.’
Billy followed her out to her ute while Drew remained inside with Nat. They listened to Kim’s vehicle driving away and then Billy calling out to Turbo as they ran around outside.
‘You don’t see it at all, do you?’ asked Nat.
She was leaning back on one arm, her check shirt open. Drew tried to keep his eyes from wandering down to where her chest rose in soft mounds. Damn, it had been a long time between drinks. Her body was starting to mess with his head. ‘See what?’ he asked. He was trying not to see. How her jeans hugged her hips, or the way a loose strand of hair fell across her flawless cheek.
‘Kim. She cares for you a lot.’
‘Yeah. We’ve been mates for years.’
Nat rolled her eyes. ‘God, men can be so clueless sometimes.’
Drew scratched his head. What had he done now? ‘Did you want to stay for dinner?’ he asked, changing the subject. ‘I have a stew cooking at home. It’s the least I can do to say thanks for today.’
‘Ha, I thought you’d be happy to see the back of me.’
‘No, really. You got the hang of it and saved me a lot of time. I really appreciate it,’ he said. ‘You’re welcome back anytime. But I can only pay you in beer and food,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye.
‘Dinner sounds nice, thanks.’
Her words were music to his ears. He didn’t want her to leave just yet. She brightened up the place – her smile, her gentle laugh. That killer body. It was nice to have someone new to talk to.
‘Great. I’m glad.’
Nat shared a beautiful moment with the Saddler boys as the sun went down, sitting at the open door of the shed, vibrant gold and pink hues filling the sky while Billy and Turbo kicked up dust that drifted in the breeze. It was the perfect way to end the day – chatting over a beer, discussing their tastes in music. She was shocked to hear so much pop music coming from his iPod dock and he teased her for assuming he listened to country music just because he was from the country. Then, when the sun dipped below the horizon, they headed back to the house for stew and toast.