JESS HUNCHED HER shoulders against the wind as she watched Opal prance around the paddock on knobbly long legs, nostrils flaring. Dodger followed and together they galloped through the long grass with sudden bursts of speed and frantic skidding around corners. Dodger stopped abruptly at the top of the hill and trumpeted across the valley.
‘Come on, you big wild boy,’ Jess called, and walked into the paddock with a steaming molasses and bran mash. It smelled so good she could have eaten it herself. ‘Get it while it’s hot!’
The old stockhorse gave one last snort and trotted across the slope towards her, succumbing to the temptation of the feedbin. Opal followed and ducked in under his neck to take a mouthful too.
Jess ran a hand along the filly’s neck. The time out west on Lawson’s cattle station had done her good. She was a yearling now, taller at the rump than at the wither. Her woolly coat was a deep liver colour, unbroken but for three white spots over her left shoulder. One ear stood proud, the other flopped at a funny angle, something that Jess found endearing. She didn’t mind if Opal wasn’t perfect.
As the horses devoured the feed, Jess grabbed her saddle and bridle from the shed. Today, her boyfriend, Luke, and his stepbrother, Lawson, were coming home with a truckload of wild horses from New South Wales. Soon it would be time to ride over to Harry’s place to help get the brumbies settled, and see Luke again.
Jess slung a rope around Opal’s neck, then mounted Dodger and rode down the driveway with the filly trotting along behind. The horses knew the track to Harry’s place well. Although Harry had died a couple of years ago, Jess and her friends still met at his stables often. Luke, as his adopted son, still lived there with Harry’s widow, Annie.
When Jess arrived, Grace was perched on the yard rail, texting, in old joddies, thongs and a baggy fur-lined hoodie. ‘About time!’ she said, tucking her phone back into her pocket and jumping off the rail. ‘I wish the truck would hurry up and get here too! I can’t wait to check out the brumbies.’
‘Me too,’ said Jess. ‘Hey, maybe one of them will be your dream horse, Gracie.’
‘Surprise!’ Shara burst out of the stable block and did a star jump, making Opal startle.
Jess gave an elated squeal. ‘What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be at boarding school!’
‘Corey drove down and picked me up. He brought me home for the weekend,’ said Shara. ‘He knew I was busting to see the brumbies. And to see you.’
Jess slipped off Dodger and hugged her best friend.
Grace’s phone jingled. ‘That’ll be them!’ She pulled it out and read the message. ‘It’s from Lawson. They’re on Coachwood Road. The horses’ll be here any minute!’ She jumped off the fence. ‘Let’s open the gates!’
Jess felt her heart beat faster in her chest. She could hear the truck coming, groaning and hissing around the last bend. She saw its dirty red cabin, like a bald sunburnt head, appear above the line of trees. Hooves stomped and banged in the crate behind. But it wasn’t the horses that had her all wound up.
She led Dodger and Opal to the stable block, grinning at the floor. Doing something useful might stop her from dancing on the spot and making a total git of herself.
The truck gave a final hiss as the brakes released. As Jess shut Opal inside a stable, she heard a door slam. Back outside, she saw Lawson walk around the nose of the truck in his standard jeans, shirt and peaked cap. Two wolf-like dogs leapt out of the passenger side, one after the other, and then came Luke.
Jess stood back and drank him in – tall, lanky, all rumpled hair and dirty jeans. He reached back into the cabin for a tattered mustering hat and clamped it onto his head, then hauled out a rolled-up swag. He cast a glance about the property and stopped at Jess. She smiled. On the outside she was calm, but on the inside she was leaping about like a puppy itching to be let off its chain.
Within moments Luke was surrounded by excited, noisy people. Tom ran down from the house and started punching him. Annie called out from the front door and shuffled down the pathway, wiping floury hands on her apron. Grace climbed the side boards of the truck and peered in through the gaps. Grunter the pig squealed and screeched. The dogs barked.
Jess laughed. It was a mad scene. It always was when one of the gang came home.
Luke threw his swag over one shoulder and a bag over the other. ‘As soon as I dump my gear you’re dead meat, Tom!’ He walked towards the small stable that was his living quarters at the property, catching Jess’s eye again briefly before Tom pushed his hat down over his head.
The pair of them disappeared through the flat door. Jess heard laughing and wrestling. Something smashed. She rolled her eyes and led Dodger to the end stable. ‘Boys,’ she said as she let herself in, giving the gelding a quick rub on the forehead.
Within minutes she heard the sound of boots coming down the stable aisle. The quiet clink of the door latch. Three steps through soft wood shavings.
‘Hey.’
She spun around. ‘Hey!’
He grinned and held out his arms. She leapt into them, twined herself around him and took in his hair, his skin, his warm, bristly neck. She squeeeezed him.
He lifted her up and squeezed her in return. ‘Missed you,’ he whispered into her hair.
She pulled back and looked at him, beaming. There was so much she wanted to ask. Where had he been? What had he done? Why had he been gone so long?
He beamed back at her, and in his eyes she could see a million thoughts buzzing in his head. His mouth opened and he inhaled, as though he was about to tell her something amazing.
‘Ahem!’ Lawson stood in the doorway, clearing his throat. ‘You guys gonna help get these brumbies off the truck?’
‘No!’ they said in unison.
‘Suit yourself,’ Lawson muttered, and he disappeared down the stable aisle.
‘Oh my God, come and look at this!’ Grace yelled from somewhere outside. ‘Where’s Jess?’
Luke groaned. ‘We should go help them.’
‘No we shouldn’t.’
‘Yes we should.’
‘No we shouldn’t.’
‘You’re right, we shouldn’t.’
Jess sighed. ‘We probably should.’
‘No we shouldn’t.’
Jess laughed and reached for the stable door. The questions could wait. ‘Coming!’ she called. She looked at Luke and felt a rush of excitement. ‘Let’s get them unloaded!’