When Stevie came downstairs the next morning to see Alex curled up on the couch, her heart stopped for a moment. She had thought the events of yesterday must have been a dream. But here he was, in the flesh. She longed to touch him, but hesitated. She decided instead to throw a pillow at him and wake him up.
"Wake up sleepy head" She yelled at him.
Alex jumped a mile in the air with fright
"Oy, what are you doing cowgirl?" He threw the pillow back at her.
"Time to wake up sunshine. What are you doing here anyway?" She asked him.
He looked slightly embarrassed and told her "I…um…Just wanted to make sure you were ok."
Stevie suppressed a smile, not wanting him to know just how much that mean to her. But she couldn't help the way her eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but notice.
"So where's breakfast, I'm starving!" Alex asked as he raced into the kitchen.
"Well you'll have to cook it yourself, Meg isn't here anymore." Stevie reminded him.
"No problem," ….he stood for a moment looking round the kitchen, unsure where to start.
"Here let me cook…" She offered "To thank you for driving me home last night."
As she prepared breakfast for him she let her mind wander off into a fantasy world. She imagined that he was her husband, that this was one of thousand of mornings they'd wake up and share breakfast together. Stevie was enjoying this time alone with him, but wondered briefly where Kate and Jodi were this morning.
As if Alex read her mind he announced "Kate and Jodes went to the sales, I helped them move the cattle yesterday…."
"Thanks" She responded. She felt bad for not helping round Drovers lately, she should have moved the cattle with the others. She had been so distracted by other things, but now she was determined to give all of her energy to Drovers Run.
"…So that means we got the whole day to ourselves." Alex continued.
"I have a heap of book work to do." She informed him.
"Do you have plans with…...Him?" Alex asked
"No" She told him honestly "And his name is Lawrence. He's out of town for the week anyway."
"Really? Where? " Alex asked, not that it mattered where he was, as long as it wasn't here.
"Queensland probably, that was going to be our honeymoon." Stevie told him.
It would have been a moment of awkward silence had there not been food to eat. So they ate.
After the meal Alex looked at his watch and then announced, "Ok I'll let you do your work, then I'll pick you up at lunch time, I have a surprise for you." And with that he jumped up and headed out the door.
"I hate surprises…!" She called after him, but it was too late, he was gone.
Lawrence had one more stop to make before he left for the airport. Killarney.
"So what's the hold up" Harry demanded to know. "I ran into your fiancé in town yesterday. You told me you would be married by the end of the week. So why is it taking so long? Just tell Stevie she will have to marry you, or else you will go to the police."
"I don't have to run according to your timetable Harry, and I don't have to blackmail Stevie into marrying me, our relationship is deeper than that." Lawrence insisted.
"If you're not going to blackmail her then just bribe her. She's always been a gold digger, after Alex for him money. Just pay her off and get on with the wedding." Harry ordered.
"It really is none of your concern Harry. You can't play with people's lives like this." Lawrence was shocked to see the true colours of Harry Ryan coming to the surface.
"I am playing with lives?" Harry asked incredulously "Excuse me. Your fiancé murdered one of my best farm hands."
"It was self defense." Lawrence yelled at him. Harry knew the right buttons to push, and he had pushed them this time.
"Prove it. It's only Stevie's word about it, who would believe that? And even if you could prove it, I know you falsified the autopsy report Dr Wilson. What do you think the medical board will have to say about that?" Harry smiled smugly.
Lawrence stopped for a moment in thought. Harry is right, perhaps no one would believe Stevie's side of the story. And that is why he forged the autopsy report to make it look like an accident. But how did Harry find out about that? And now he and Stevie both could get in quite a bit of legal trouble over that issue if anyone found out. But that was never the reason they had agreed to get married. There was so much more behind it, but for the moment it seemed Harry was unaware of the rest, and Lawrence decided to keep it that way. Lawrence dreaded to think what Harry was capable of if he knew the whole story.
"What do you want Harry?" Lawrence finally asked calmly.
"I told you I want Stevie out of the way……….you marry her!…..I want my son to marry a decent girl from a decent upbringing. I want him to get over his silly crush on Stevie Hall once and for all." Harry declared.
"If that's what you want then don't worry. Stevie will marry me, next week. And not because of you and your threats Harry." Lawrence responded.
"I don't care why, just make it happen. You and your fiancé have a lot to lose."
Lawrence didn't need to be reminded of this. He knew what was at stake for him and for Stevie. But he had done all he could do. The rest was up to Stevie. Lawrence had seen the way Stevie looked at Alex when she thought no one was looking. And he also had seen the way Alex looked at her. He thanked his lucky stars that Alex was engaged to Fiona. With Alex out of the way, his job would be a lot easier.
