Arriving back in Gungellan Alex glances over at his Fiancé' Fiona.
He's only known her for five days.
She's a pretty girl.
A girly girl.
The complete opposite of Stevie in every way.
He pauses in thought and thinks about Stevie.
...
"Alex be careful there's sheep on the road up here." Fiona warns.
Slowing he grins and tells her. "It's ok Fi it's the Drover's girls."
Winding down his window he mimics an old man telling the girls to get a move on.
Neither turns around keeping their eyes glued to the mob.
Stevie waves her hand and says. "Yeah in a minute pal.'
He chuckles to himself and then calls in his own voice. "Come on Cowgirl move em along."
Tess and Stevie turn.
Stevie's face lights up.
Like a lightning bolt her face and her smile reach his eyes then his heart.
Home he thinks.
...
Without the smile leaving her face she hands the reins to Tess and runs at him.
He watches her closely.
Like he's seeing her for the first time as she runs towards him.
His heart trips then skips as she gracefully throws herself into his arms.
...
Despite her heavy drizabone coat he feels her breasts push against his chest.
Her legs wrap around him.
He imagines her naked.
With the force of a rock splashing into a pond his heart opens when she says. "Oh where have you been, I've missed you."
Her perfume invades his nostrils as her soft red curls brush his cheek.
"I've missed you too mate." He says and thinks the sentence sounds lame even as the words leave his lips.
...
Fiona opens the car door and all eyes shift to her.
Alex looks across at her and she seems like a stranger let loose in his reunion.
He introduces her, smiles and kisses her cheek.
She smiles as she speaks to the girls.
Alex watches Stevie.
She holds the smile that she'd conjured up just for him.
A few short seconds ago he was smiling down at her and realizing she was cuter than he could ever remember.
...
Stunned congratulations follow.
He drives away with Fiona beside him heading for Kilarney.
She playfully chips him about the Drover's girls being beautiful.
He replays Stevie running into his arms and her embrace, her words, her smell, her smile and her softness.
"Oh are they." He replies absent mindedly.
...
Harry is as he always will be.
Mean, nasty and rude.
Alex grabs a few things in his suitcase and throws it onto the back of the Ute.
Sandra has turned on the charm and Fiona has impressed Harry with her family's connections by the time Alex returns to them.
While they are busy chatting Alex sends a text message.
...
"Come on Stevie I'll make us a cuppa." Tess consoles her friend.
On the verge of tears Stevie repeats. "Five days Tess. Only five days and he falls in love?"
Tess rubs her arm and says. "Stevie an engagement can be broken. Look at what happened with Dave and I."
Shaking her head Stevie says. "I'm glad they're going back to the city Tess. I couldn't stand to see her with him. I know I just couldn't."
"Stevie you need to tell him how you feel otherwise you'll regret it for the rest of your life."Tess offers.
"No Tess he's happy I can't do that to him." Stevie argues.
"He's leaving Stevie if you make a fool of yourself you won't have to see him every day. If he's meant to be yours he will be." Tess says.
"He's engaged Tess he's already asked her to marry him. He's not meant to be mine."Stevie replies.
Stevie takes her phone from her pocket and reads the message.
"It's Alex he wants to talk to me."Stevie says looking puzzled at Tess.
...
Later that night Alex arrives with a six pack of beer and no Fiona.
"Where's your Fiancé'?" Stevie asks.
"Do you care?" Alex asks.
She shrugs her shoulders and sits on the seat.
...
He takes in everything about her.
She lifts her hand to push a curl back behind her ear.
Inhaling his senses jolt as her movement sends a waft of her perfume at him.
"So what's so important Alex?"She asks.
"I wanted to know if you'll miss me when I go to live in the city."He says.
He hears her inhale sharply and without looking at him she replies. "No."
He smiles.
...
"Ah well I'm disappointed about that Stevie. I thought after your lovely welcome home earlier you might miss me." He pushes.
"Don't go getting all sentimental on me Cowboy you know I'm no good at farewells."She replies softly.
"So you will miss me that's good Stevie, I'm glad." He states.
With half a grin she glances at him and says. "I'm unhappy and you're glad about it."
...
She watches that smile as it mischievously lights his eyes when he smirks at her and says. "It tells me that you care about me Stevie that's why I'm glad."
She draws breath her thoughts race she wills herself not to cry.
Tess's voice echoes around her head tell him how you feel.
She wants to throw herself at him and beg him not to go but instead she quips. "Of course I'll miss you, who am I going to make fun off, who is going to tell me stupid jokes and who will I find to partner me at pool. Come to think of it good riddance."
He smiles at her and wishes she'd open up.
...
Finishing his beer he stands. "I'd better get going Stevie no point dragging this out. I'll see you sometime."
She rises and nods.
He steps forward and hugs her.
With her heart pounding she hugs him tightly.
He kisses the top of her head and says. "See ya mate. Take care of yourself.'
She nods and softly says. "You too."
He walks away.
She hears his car start and listens as it slows for the front gate and turns and powers back towards Kilarney.
...
With trembling hands she puts her beer down on the window sill.
Leaning against the wall she begins the downward spiral.
The only other time she can remember crying like this was when Rose went to live with Michelle.
A darkness inside her opens up threatening to swallow her heart.
...
Great sobs of sadness engulf her as her tears sweep in a torrent of lose and regret.
She hears footsteps nearby.
In between sobs she manages to say. "I couldn't tell him Tess."
"You didn't have too Cowgirl I already guessed." His voice spears her.
He scoops her up.
...
She wraps her arms around him and with her head buried in his chest she lets her sadness wash over him too.
He sits on their seat cradling her gently.
Eventually the sobs and tears stop.
Her head remains buried in his chest.
...
"Are you gunna look at me?" He asks.
"No." Comes her muffled reply.
"Am I that ugly?" He teases.
"I'm too embarrassed. I can never look at you again Alex .I'm so sorry."She offers.
"What sorry for wetting my new shirt or sorry for loving me?" He replies softly.
She slowly looks up at him.
He smiles at her.
...
Her face crumbles again and tears return.
"I'm so sorry Alex I've tried so hard not to." She says melting a little more.
He laughs and says. "Yeah thanks for that Stevie you're sorry for loving me. I thought it was oh I'm sorry I stood on your foot or crashed your car?"
"Alex you're engaged."She says.
"Am I?" He asks.
...
"Alex what happened?" She asks.
"I paid her and she's going back to Melbourne." He replies.
Standing up she asks. "You paid her? I don't understand."
"She was an out of work actress Stevie; I hired her to piss Harry off." He offers.
...
Stevie feels relief, anger, betrayal and embarrassment in the pit of her stomach.
"You tricked me?" She says stunned.
He panics searching her face. "No Stevie I didn't mean too. But I saw your reaction out on the road and I hoped..."
"How could you do that too me Alex... that is the cruellest thing I've ever heard. " She yells at him and begins to storm off.
At the top of his voice he calls. "I love you Stevie don't run away please."
...
She stops.
He waits to see what she'll do.
Turning she looks at him.
He smiles.
She runs and gracefully throws herself into his arms.
...
"I've missed you Stevie. You're the only reason I came back." He whispers.
With her legs wrapped around his waist and her arms around his neck she smiles at him and asks." Really?"
Nodding he says. "I love you and anywhere I go from now on you're coming with me."
He kisses her softly at first then deeper.
...
She stops him and asks. "So who was in your car?"
He grins and says. "Tess! When I explained about Fiona she said I needed to have one more Act in my play and that was when she drove the Ute away and I got to see your reaction."
"It was still mean Alex." She rebukes him.
"I'm not sorry Stevie. If I hadn't done that you might never have shown me how you felt."He replies.
...
"How long's Tess gone for?" She asks.
"She's driving Fiona to the airport for me. Why?" He asks.
Sliding to the ground she takes his hand and leading him inside says. "I want to show you how I really feel about you."
Laughing he quips. "Does it involve nudity?"
"Oh yeah." She giggles.
...