With tears streaming down her face Fiona had turned onto the road leaving Kilarney and Alex behind.
He was so angry and he'd yelled at her.
Even though she was upset, she was also thrilled by the shear strength of the man.
His pure aggression and power exhibited to her was exhilarating but just a tad scary.
Deciding to book into the pub Fiona forms a plan to get back into his good books.
She'll convince him they belong together he just needs time to calm down.
...
Regan follows Stevie back to the hay shed and finds her in tears doing up the back of the Ute.
"I'll come with you Stevie." Regan offers.
Stevie looks up at her with tear filled eyes and quips "I thought you were scared of dogs?"
"Not dead ones."Regan retorts and immediately regrets her words.
Stevie's eyes overflow and she replies. "If I wasn't so bloody sad I might find that funny."
Regan walks around the car to her friend and hugs her.
Rubbing her back she soothes her and whispers. "Just when I think he can't hurt you anymore he finds another way."
"It's not his fault this time Regan." Stevie says standing upright and wiping her face with the back of her hand.
"No! I beg to differ Stevie he brought her here." Regan argues.
"Took a lot of guts to come and tell me what she had done Regan." Stevie defends.
Regan shakes her head and replies. "When are you going to stop defending him and his actions Stevie?"
Stevie gives a small smile and replies. "Old habits die hard."
...
"How's Stevie?" Riley asks as Alex climbs from the Ute.
Frowning Alex asks. "What?'
"How's Stevie?" Riley asks again.
"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Alex growls.
Riley looks at his boss and says "I might just do that. Might even ask her out for dinner."
Alex turns on him and warns. "You just stay away from her Riley alright."
Riley holds his smile but niggles a little more.
His gut instinct tells him there is more to Alex and Stevie than friendship.
"What are you her Father?"Riley teases.
Alex looks cornered and says "No... it's just... she's had a rough time lately."
"Well if talk on the street is right, you and your misses have caused most of that."Riley retorts.
Alex's face reddens and he spits his words at Riley. "Well pack your bags then if you feel that way."
"Oh ok I'll head over to Drover's and see if Stevie will hire me." Riley teases again holding a grin.
Alex stands staring at him and then quips. "Haven't you got some work to do?"
Chuckling Riley walks back to the sheds and calls over his shoulder. "When you calm down I need a hand to take these portable yards over to Drover's."
...
Fiona has booked into the local pub and is charging her expenses to Kilarney and Alex.
Cunningly she has fed the owner a story about Alex having the painters in and him sending her into the pub because her asthma plays up with paint fumes.
She's spent the morning on the phone pulling in favours from her Father's friends to set up an extremely low interest loan for Kilarney as she knows Alex would love to expand his herd and redevelop the yards and shedding close to the house.
She convinces herself he'll be thrilled with her efforts and see that she's an excellent business woman and take her back on that alone.
...
Later in the afternoon Stevie is loading the Ute up for tomorrows fencing when Alex and Riley pull in to deliver the portable yards.
"Hi Stevie how are you?' Riley calls cheerily.
She smiles and replies. "Good thanks Riley and yourself?"
"Not bad. Hey there's a band on at the pub tonight are you girls heading into town?" Riley asks.
"I'm not sure yet depends on what time we finish up."She replies.
Alex has walked around to join them and offers. "I'll buy you a beer if you turn up Stevie."
She looks at him warily and replies. "Right.'
He feels uncomfortable but continues. "What about if I threw in a free meal."
"No thanks." She answers a little too quickly.
He nods his head and moves off to untie the load on the back of the Ute.
Riley pats her on the back as he moves past.
...
"What time are you starting in the morning Stevie?"Alex asks.
"Sunrise. We're supposed to get storms later in the day so I want to get as much done as I can before it hits." She replies.
Riley offers. "Do you want to get a start now? We haven't got much on today?'
Alex agrees and says. "Are any of the girls free to help as well? Many hands make light work."
"Just Taylor the others are busy with other things." Stevie replies.
Alex nods and adds." I'll give Patrick a call and get him and Nat to meet us out there."
Stevie smiles at him and answers. "That would be great Alex, Thank you."
...
Moira and Regan pull into the truck stop.
Moira offers to fill the car and Regan heads inside.
Regan is shocked to see Fiona sitting at one of the tables having a coffee.
Fiona smiles and says "Hi Regan! How are you?"
Regan walks past but doesn't acknowledge her.
Regan pays for their order and Phil tells her to bring the Ute around the back as Stevie called earlier and wants them to drop a roll of wire out to her on their way home.
Regan nods and turns to walk back out to Moira.
...
Fiona rises and says. "Regan I'm sorry for what happened to Turbo, I really am."
Regan stops and says "You can't seriously expect me to believe you."
"It was an accident." Fiona pushes.
Regan shakes her head and says "You accidently brought meat laced with strychnine to Drover's and accidently dropped it where he'd find it. Yes I believe you Fiona...NOT."
" I was going to put it near our chicken shed because a fox has been taking chickens and then Alex said we were going to Drover's and it was in a little plastic bag in my jacket pocket ,it must have fallen out when I took out my hanky." Fiona gushes.
"Oh piss off Fiona. Alex might be stupid enough to believe the rubbish and lies you tell but I'm not. Stay away from me, stay away from Stevie and stay away from Drover's Run or I'll call the police."
...
Between Alex, Riley, Nat and Patrick all the post holes are dug and most of the posts are in.
Taylor and Stevie have laid out the stays for the corner and all the gear needed to attach the wire.
The girls have also dragged away the old fencing wire and thrown the old posts onto the Ute to be used as firewood later.
Riley offers "The next generation won't be able to burn these treated pine posts when they get old."
"No that was the beauty of using bush wood perfect recycling." Stevie offers.
Taylor asks "Why can't you burn treated pine posts?"
"They're treated with arsenic. Before we lost our organic status we never used them on Drover's Run. The only reason I'm using them here is because it's always so wet and the others rot quickly." Stevie explains.
Alex has heard her and offers. "I never even thought Stevie we could have used the old railways sleepers."
Shaking her head she replies. "They're not time and cost effective Alex we'd have to drill every single hole in them because they're aged and too hard for staples."
He nods and smiles.
She's smart when it comes to farming and never fails to come up with financially plausible outcomes without skimping on quality.
...
Moira and Regan head across the paddock.
"Bloody hell Alex is there." Regan growls.
"Regan just settle down. Stevie's a big girl and she's known him longer than us and I think she can take care of herself." Moira cautions.
Regan steals a look at Moira then quips. "I know but I just hate that he keeps hurting her Moira."
Moira smiles and says "I think you'll find out later on that he was unaware of most of the pain he's caused.'
Regan looks at Moira and asks "What do you mean?"
"Their friendship has gotten in the way for both of them." Moira offers.
Regan thinks and then has a light bulb moment.
"Do you think he feels the same way about her?" Regan asks.
Moira chuckles and says "I'd bet my crystal ball on it!"
"Well why in the hell hasn't he done something about it and why did he marry Fiona?" Regan growls.
"Like I said they're friends." Moira offers as she pulls the car to a halt she adds. "Watch him when he's near her Regan. Blind Freddie can see there is more than friendship going on."
Regan looks at Moira and tells her. "Alex told me that he'd thrown Fiona of Kilarney but I saw her at the truck stop."
"Interesting." Is all Moira says smiling to herself.
...
Stevie walks over to the Ute and smiling says "Perfect timing girl's thanks for that."
"Hey there's a band playing at the pub tonight .Feel like having dinner out?"Regan asks.
Stevie smiles and says. "It's my turn to cook, so it sounds good to me. What do you think Moira?'
Moira laughs and says "Well I've had an easy day I think a beer to finish it off sounds really good."
Stevie turns and yells to Taylor. "How'd you feel about a counter meal instead of me cooking?"
"God anything is better than your cooking Stevie! I'm in."Taylor calls back.
The men laugh.
...
Stevie grins and says "I'll remember that comment for the next time the troughs need cleaning."
Taylor smiles broadly and quips. "Stevie you know I was just kidding... I loooove your cooking."
Stevie stands with her hands on her hips and says "Right that just earned you the right to clean the chicken shed out too.'
"Quit while you're ahead Taylor or she'll have you scrapping out the manure from under the shearing sheds." Alex quips.
Stevie smiles at him and replies. "I was actually saving that job for you!"
He gets a delicious grin on his face and says. "Always thinking about me Stevie aren't you."
She blushes and biting her lip moves off to unload the wire.
Everyone else gets back to work.
Alex smiles broadly watching her , and then moves over to help with the wire.
Regan nudges Moira.
Moira whispers. "Told you."
...
