Page 42 of Jillaroo from Jacaranda

Feeling a tumble of emotions, she watched him wander away into the night.

* * *

Ty went from an absolute high after leaving Rose’s place last night to an absolute low. The nightmare had felt so damn real. They always did.

He sat on the edge of his bed, wishing to god he could have a decent night’s sleep, his head pounding like a jackhammer. Grabbing his mobile phone, he tapped the screen to see what time it was: 4.14 am.

Shit.

There was no way he’d be going back to sleep now. He might as well start his day. Dragging himself to the bathroom, he stepped beneath an icy-cold shower in a bid to wake himself up. Goosebumps covered him, but it did the trick. He had to stop trying to lull himself to sleep with a shot of whisky – it wasn’t doing him any favours. If he could only find peace within himself, then he could heal from the inside out instead of trying to do it from the outside in.

After dressing in his usual work gear of jeans and a button-up shirt, he found an odd set of socks, dragged them on and plodded down the steps in search of a strong black coffee, making sure to be quiet so he didn’t wake Leah. His appetite eluded him at such an early hour; he’d come back for some breakfast later. For now, he just wanted to get his hands, and mind, busy.

Just after midday, he’d decided to retreat from the harshness of the sun and go over the farm financials. With the office air-conditioner deciding to go on the blink smack-bang in the middle of summer, the little room was hotter than hell and now, at almost two, the egg and lettuce sandwich Leah had made him sat uneaten and water pooled at the bottom of what had been an icy glass of water, now gone warm. The plug-in tropical air-freshener usually made the room feel fresh, but today, heaviness hung over everything in sight.

Squirming in his chair, he swallowed expletives. He really needed to focus on the figures in front of him, but damn it was hard when he felt as if he was melting. Add in the fact his mind kept wondering off to places with Rose Jones front and centre, and he was getting nowhere fast. Frustrated, hot and exhausted from thinking, he pushed back his chair and rose. This would have to be a job for later.

By the time he’d finished his long list of chores, darkness was settling over the station. He tucked the wire-cutters into his back pocket, dragged his hat from his head and wiped the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his shirt. What he’d do for an icy beer right about now. It was time to head home. It didn’t take him long to get there. Kicking his boots off at the back door, he stepped inside to the mouth-watering smell of roast beef.

‘Smells like you’re at it again, sis,’ he called from where he was washing his hands in the laundry sink before wandering into the kitchen and straight for the fridge.

‘Hey, bro.’ Leah smiled up at him from where she was bent over, stacking the dishwasher. Then, with acute eyes, she gestured. ‘I have a friendly helper with me today, though.’

Standing at the stove, her hair twisted up into a knot, stirring a pot of what looked like gravy, Rose flashed him a heart-warming smile over her shoulder. ‘Welcome home, Parker.’

‘Hey, Rose.’ His smile widened at seeing her in his kitchen. ‘That apron suits you.’

‘Why, thank ya.’ She curtsied playfully as she licked a bit of gravy from her fingertip.

He sank down onto a breakfast stool, hoping that by taking a long sip from his beer, he was hiding his goofy smile. ‘Man oh man, this is something I’d like to come home to every day.’

Rose wrinkled her nose as she dumped the spoon into the sink. ‘What, the mess, or the yummy food?’

‘All of it, to be honest.’

Leah started dishing up, and Rose carried the plates piled high to the set dining table. ‘Come on, then. Let’s eat before it gets cold.’

They got settled and tucked in, with very little conversation needed as they savoured their dinner. Ty couldn’t help but keep glancing in Rose’s direction, and he liked how she seemed to be doing the same thing.

Stabbing another piece of meat, he held it up. ‘My god, Leah, what did you put on this beef?’

‘Some garlic and thyme, and a little sprinkle of love.’ Her fork paused in midair, Leah grinned. ‘I can write it down for you, if you like.’

A matching grin spread across his face. ‘Nah, all good, sis. I reckon I can remember that. And these spuds! They’re perfectly fluffy on the inside but crispy on the outside.’ He rolled it around on his plate, as if seeing a roast potato for the very first time. ‘How’d you do it?’

‘That’s all on Rose,’ Leah said proudly.

He turned to the woman who was stealing greater pieces of his heart by the moment. ‘You’ve got many hidden talents, Jonesy.’ He whistled under his breath. ‘What’s your secret?’

Her cheeks blushed a dusty rose. ‘If I tell you, I might have to kill you.’

‘Oh, come on, please?’ He studied her gratified smile, and it made his insides twist and tumble.

‘Oh, okay then, just this once.’ She reached for her glass of red wine and took a sip. ‘Steaming the potatoes for nine minutes, then rough them up before chucking them into hot duck fat to roast for forty-five minutes, give or take.’ She shrugged, like it was no big deal.

Ty was mighty impressed, but then, everything she did had him in awe of her. ‘Holy moly! It’s like food science at its finest.’

Rose beamed. ‘Ha. Not really, it’s just good old-fashioned cooking.’