Chapter 2.

She needed to smile to the small gesture, the few words. Rolling up her eyes, finding support in the cool air she blinked. 'Nah, I tried to sell opals on the black market today, just cause I think thát suddenly will change the past. What an idiot am I? Like a bit of money will suddenly make me worth being a mother to Rose.'

Alex had blinked, and looked at her. He remembered that small bit of talk after Jarred had left, sitting on the edge of the veranda of the Shearer's quarters when he had asked about Rose. Her explanation had been short, obviously she hadn't felt much like talking about that aspect just after breaking up with Jarred again. And he had let her. The only thing he knew was that Rose was her daughter and that she already had been a mum before he had met Stevie for the first time. Which had been a weird thing to realize, picturing her when he had first met her. A small little redhead, 16, tough as hell already on the rodeo. But a mother, she had only been a kid herself. It had been one of her screw ups so Rose ended up living with Stevie's sister Michelle. For the better, she had told him.

Since that day, a few months ago, he had waited for her explanation. The moment she would feel ready to share it with him.

'Well you are her mother after all', he quietly spoke, suddenly unsure what to say to her.

Stevie looked at him, fighting away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. 'She doesn't know. She thinks Michelle is her mother. I wish I could tell her, but what do I have to offer?', she muttered. Glancing way up to the sky hoping it would make her able to hold those damn tears in.

'I think you've got a lot to offer Stevie', Alex suddenly replied, swallowing as he could feel her emotion.

'Not enough', she had answered. 'I better get us some chips'. Stevie had walked away, quicker than he could respond to her words. He took another swig, wondering why life was sometimes such a bitch.

She returned, moments later, with nothing. 'Gone', Stevie spoke, referring to the empty bag of chips she had found minutes ago. 'When it comes to that, that ball wouldn't have been bad. I reckon we're through our stash of beer soon too.'

'No worries, no need to get all drunk anyway', he answered.

'Yeah like no need to get drunk to make those ugly guys look any better', Stevie chuckled. Alex had to grin, shaking his head. He took in his last amount of beer. 'Not like it makes my dancing any better either.'

'I can tell you Stevie, guys don't mind much about a girl's dancing, surely when we can't dance ourselves', Alex spoke.

'Oh and that's why there are like those dance strip clubs, which make guys spill all their money', she chuckled daring at him.

'That's something different. That's just a perving way, not when it comes to what guys really like about women. I mean of course the way hotter body, but to actually live with them. It asks for more', he said wisely, which made her grin impressed. Curious what exactly.

'Like?'

'Fun, sweet, caring, you know. I guess that's what you girls all want to find in a man anyway.'

'Apart from the hot bod, I guess so', Stevie snickered. 'They should sticker such guys, so we won't fall for the bad.'

'Stickered all over', he said with a smirk, pointing his empty bottle of beer to his chest. She gave him an amused studying look.

'Don't even see one', she chuckled pushing her lower arm above his hip; 'nah you're a pretty okay guy. At least when you're really smitten.'

'Well thanks Stevie', he replied funny, pretending to be half hurt with the fact she had told him he most of the time wasn't an okay guy when it came to women. But she smiled at him and he knew she was honest and meant the fact he could be a great guy.

Stevie knew she was right. Probably more than anyone else she knew how Alex could be; how crazy he could be about a girl he really loved and how heart broken when things didn't turn out the way he had hoped for. One day he would make some girl really happy, one day when he was ready.

'The next guy you fall for I will surely try to spot stickers on him, otherwise he's dead meat', Alex grinned.

She smiled thankfully at him. His funny words being rather sweet. 'Anyway, wanna try to share a funny dance to this funky music.

'Oh yeah, Ring of Fire is one hell of a funky song', he chuckled, following her to the 'dancefloor'.

Love Is A Burning Thing
And It Makes A Fiery Ring
Bound By Wild Desire
I Fell Into A Ring Of Fire

{The End}