Blackpeak Station (26 page)

‘Hi.’

‘Hello.’ Charlotte looked up into those achingly familiar blue eyes. Her heart stopped as they crinkled into a smile. A strand of wavy gold hair fell across them, and she only just stopped herself raising a hand to brush it away. ‘Your hair’s grown.’

‘Oh …’ He pushed it back with his long, lean, muscular hand. ‘Yeah, I haven’t quite got round to getting it cut since I got back. I’ve been away for a while.’

‘It suits you.’

‘Thanks.’

Unable to stand any more, Charlotte dropped her gaze.

‘Look, I know it’s weird, me being here. I’m sorry. When Emma asked me to her friend’s wedding, I had no idea it was Nick’s … I didn’t work it out till last week, and it was a bit late by then. I couldn’t let her down.’

Well, of course not. How could he let Emma down? ‘No, it’s fine,’ she told him. ‘Don’t worry about it. It’s nice to see you.’

His voice dropped. ‘Is it?’

Charlotte looked up sharply.

‘Hi!’ A blonde girl arrived at Rob’s side. ‘You must be Charlotte!’ She held out her hand.

Oh God, it was Facebook-girl. Charlotte shook her hand. Her teeth looked pretty good in person.

‘Emma, this is Nick’s sister, Charlotte,’ Rob smiled.

‘Nice to meet you,’ she mumbled. Oh crap, she couldn’t do this. No way. ‘Excuse me. I just have to go and … do, um — a thing.’ Turning on her impractical heels, she escaped back across the lawn.

‘Hey!’ Nick caught her as she passed. ‘Are you okay? What’s happened? You look like someone’s just died.’ He looked over her shoulder. ‘Oh Christ, is that Rob over there? With …’ He stopped.

‘With Emma,’ she finished for him.

‘Who is Emma?’ demanded Flavia.

‘A friend of mine from uni.’ Nick winced. ‘I’m really sorry, Charles.’

‘But,’ Flavia searched Charlotte’s face. ‘What is this? You want Rob?’

So much it hurt. Charlotte bit her lip.

‘Well, you must go and get him!’

‘I can’t do that. He’s with someone.’

‘Not the right someone.’ Flavia took Charlotte’s hand. ‘Do not make me ashamed of you,
cara
. Go and tell him how you feel.’

Oh God. Could she? Should she? She looked at Nick. ‘What about Emma?’

‘Hey.’ He shrugged. ‘She’s not that good a friend.’

Slowly, Charlotte turned round. Rob was still looking straight at her. But Emma had gone.

‘Go!’ Flavia gave her a discreet push in the back.

Crap, did they have to have such a big lawn? Charlotte
picked her way back to the rose arch.

‘Hi.’

‘Hi,’ Rob smiled. ‘Again.’

Oh, this was hard. ‘Um — you know, you were asking me something. Before.’

‘Was I?’

Crap again. So he wasn’t going to make it any easier. ‘Yeah. About whether it was …’ Good to see him! Christ! Spit it out! But the words just wouldn’t come.

‘Oh, hello again.’ Emma handed Rob a fresh glass of wine and sipped at her own.

No, no, no. Charlotte stared at the ground and wished it would open up. She could feel her cheeks starting to flame.

‘Charlotte,’ Rob said softly. God, it hurt when he said her name. ‘I never finished introducing you — this is my cousin, Emma.’

Her head jerked up. Rob’s eyes moved over her face.

‘Um, Charlotte,’ Emma sounded amused. ‘Why don’t I go and get you a drink?’ She moved off.

‘Is there something’ — Rob took a step closer — ‘you’re trying to tell me?’

She nodded.

‘What is it?’

Charlotte bit her lip. All she could do was look at him.

His hand stroked her cheek, brushing under the line of her jaw. Her lips parted. She let out her breath.

‘Come on.’ Rob seized her wrist.

She tottered behind him as he set off at speed up the lawn. ‘Where are we going?’

‘Somewhere. Anywhere. Now.’

She stumbled. Turning, he scooped her up into his arms. Oh … but … weren’t people watching? Over the backs of the assembled guests, she saw Flavia smile as Rob
carried her into the house.

Kicking the bedroom door shut behind them, he propped her against it and kissed her, hard. Charlotte lost the power of thought.

‘But,’ she managed, as his mouth moved down to her throat, ‘you’re in a relationship.’

‘What?’ He leaned back a little, still pinning her to the door with his hips — which was just as well or she’d probably fall down. ‘Who told you that?’

‘Facebook.’

‘
Facebook?
Seriously?’ His eyes laughed down at her. ‘I just put that to stop ex-girlfriends cyberstalking me.’

Ouch.

‘Actually …’ He stroked her neck. ‘You know, I don’t think I ever changed it.’

Charlotte frowned. Since what?

Smiling, Rob shook his head. ‘For such a smart girl, you really are incredibly thick sometimes.’

Um?

‘It’s you, Charlie. It’s always been you.’

Oh! Wow … she closed her eyes as he kissed her again.

He pulled back. ‘Except that you don’t look like you in that dress.’

She giggled. ‘Want me to put some gumboots on?’

For answer, his hands tugged the ties at her neck and back. The dress slid to the ground. Rob sighed. ‘I’ve been wanting to do that ever since you walked down the aisle.’ His eyes ranged down. ‘Hmm. And I don’t think those are achieving a lot, do you?’ His hand assessed the gauze strap over her thigh, then gave a sharp pull. The fabric yielded without protest.

A second later, Charlotte found herself on the bed. She looked up at him.

‘You know, you don’t look like you either.’

Kneeling between her thighs, Rob loosened his tie. ‘Is that better?’

She shook her head.

Slowly, he unbuttoned his shirt. Oh …
That
was better. Just as good as she remembered, in fact. Those muscles that ran down the sides of his stomach … what were they called? Oh, who cared, she just wanted to touch them. She bit her lip as his hands moved down.

He leaned over her. ‘How about now?’

She gasped. Now was very good indeed.

Charlotte opened her eyes. She was too happy to move. She could smell the pot of coffee on the fire, and in front of her, beyond the open door of Two Burn Hut, the mountains were glinting in the morning sun. Rob was leaning in the doorway, looking out at the view, his old jeans on, a battered enamel mug in his hand.

It was perfect. She ran a mental hand over the golden skin of his beautiful back, up the muscles above his shoulder blades and into his silky hair. Well, maybe it wasn’t quite perfect … he could be closer. She sat up, searching the floor of the hut for her clothes.

‘Hey, you.’ Rob looked back over his shoulder and held out his hand. ‘Come here.’

Giving up on her underwear, Charlotte threw her bush shirt on and joined him in the doorway. Rob pulled her into his arms, wrapping the bush shirt more tightly around her, and she leaned back against his chest.

The morning after the wedding, they’d ridden out first thing. ‘Let’s get out of here,’ Rob had said when they woke up. ‘There are way too many people in this house.’ So
they’d slipped away before the Sammartinos, or anyone else, got up — well, almost. On the verandah, they’d bumped into Andrea, high heels in hand, sneaking in through her bedroom doors.

‘Oh, hello darling. And — Rob! How nice to see you.’ Her mother had blushed. ‘I was just, um …’

‘We’re off up to Two Burn for a couple of days,’ Charlotte had smiled.

‘Oh? Well, be—’ Andrea had stopped herself and grinned. ‘Have fun, darling.’

Charlotte watched the sun creep down the tussock slope. Above the snow-covered alps, the sky was a deep and cloudless blue.

‘It’s beautiful up here today,’ she sighed.

‘I don’t know.’ Gently, Rob turned her around, propping her against the frame of the door. ‘I think it needs something.’ He opened her shirt. ‘There. Now it is.’

Charlotte smiled. His hand brushed over her lazily. ‘Want some coffee?’

Hmm, not particularly, no … maybe later … A horrible thought occurred. She straightened. ‘When do you have to go back to work?’

‘Actually, I don’t.’ He sipped his coffee. ‘I quit the firm.’

What? Well, that was news. Shivering a little, she pulled the shirt around her. ‘Why?’

Rob shrugged. ‘I got up there to Christchurch, and … well, I just couldn’t really seem to’ — raising his eyebrows, he slid a hand down the side of her shirt — ‘concentrate.’

Oh!

‘Then I heard you were—’ Frowning, he broke off.

Charlotte winced.

‘Anyway, Ems was organising this big trip, and there were a few of them going, and suddenly it seemed like a
really good idea, so I booked my ticket and handed in my resignation and tagged along.’

Wow … But …

‘When I saw you, that day at the airport, that was my last week of work.’ His eyes searched her face. ‘And you didn’t call.’

‘I wanted to.’

‘But you didn’t.’ He looked away. ‘Why?’

Ugh. ‘Well, you were in Christchurch and I was here, and it just wasn’t …’ She sighed.

Rob sighed too. ‘Yeah. That old chestnut, eh?’ He tugged the hem of her shirt. ‘So here we are again.’

Charlotte swallowed. ‘So … what will you do? Now you’re back, I mean.’

‘Look for a new job, I suppose.’

‘In Christchurch?’

‘Yeah.’ He shrugged. ‘Sure. Christchurch, Auckland … wherever the work is.’

‘Don’t.’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Don’t look for work.’ Oh God, that didn’t sound right at all …

‘Are you asking me’ — Rob looked her over, a glint in his eye — ‘to stay?’

Oh, God. Charlotte bit her lip. ‘Yes, please.’

Forever, in fact, if she had her way.

‘Actually … I have seen a job I thought I’d apply for.’

No! He couldn’t leave. She couldn’t bear it. Eyes welling, she looked down at the doorstep.

‘It’s a bit of a stretch for me, qualifications-wise.’ Rob raised her chin. ‘But I saw someone around these parts was advertising for a shepherd.’

Epilogue

Charlotte walked across the flat to the hut in the last of the autumn dusk, the dogs trailing wearily at her heels. Smoke drifted over the old tin roof. The sheep bleated in the yard. She opened the door. Mmm, something smelled good. She leaned on the frame and pulled off her boots.

Rob paused beside her, a clean shirt and a towel in his hand. ‘You know, these mustering huts are really much more fun’ — leaning in, he ran his other hand speculatively over the upright beside her head — ‘when there aren’t any musterers in them.’ Looking up at him, Charlotte breathed in. His skin smelt of fresh sweat and woodsmoke.

‘Give it a rest, you two. This isn’t school camp.’ Jen rolled her eyes. ‘And if it was, you’d be sent home.’

Charlotte moved back to allow Flavia through the door.

‘
Grazie
.’ Not quite meeting her eye, Flavia set two fresh billies of water on the table. That was funny — Flavia hadn’t been at the creek a few seconds ago. Nick sauntered in, looking flushed.

‘Oh, for Christ’s sake,’ sighed Jen. ‘Am I the only one who’s actually come on this muster to work?’

Smiling, Charlotte sank onto her bunk. ‘You’re just jealous.’

‘Not for long.’ Jen raised her eyebrows. ‘One more night on this hill, then it’s Friday.’

‘What time’s Hannah coming down?’

‘She said she’d be there before six — she’s going to leave work early.’

Nick sniffed the air. ‘No way — have you made pesto?’ His arm circled Flavia’s waist.

‘
Si!
Peasant food,’ she smiled. ‘We Italians, we know how to cook over a fire.’

‘
Amore mio
. You’re amazing.’

Flavia beamed. ‘And there is only one pot to wash!’

Nick kissed her neck.

Jen threw her towel at them. ‘Enough!’

The towel fell at Rex’s feet as he opened the door. ‘Thanks.’ Picking it up, he took off his hat and wiped the sweat from his head. ‘Oh good, grub’s up, is it? I’m starving.’

As the six of them rode back to the homestead the following evening, a helicopter whirled over their heads. Charlotte watched it touch down on the lawn.

‘Looks like Mum’s home.’

‘I hope she had a nice time in Queenstown,’ Flavia smiled.

Nick shot her a look.

‘What? It is a very nice place.’ She pouted wickedly. ‘I liked it.’

Hannah’s ute was already parked in the drive.
Dismounting
, Charlotte looked at Jen. ‘Go on, then — we’ll see to the horses.’

Archie breathed heavily down her shirt, and she scratched behind his greying ears. ‘Good work today, mate.’

‘Well, I don’t know about you’ — Rex heaved his saddle off — ‘but I’m about ready for a beer.’

By the time they’d tacked down and turned the horses out, Jen was in the shower, and Andrea was nowhere to be seen. In the kitchen, Rex gave Kath a kiss on the cheek. ‘Gidday, love.’

‘Right!’ Nick cracked the beers open. ‘You’ll have a chardonnay?’ he suggested to Flavia.

‘No! I am a musterer now. I shall have one of these.’

Nick grinned. ‘You sure?’

Raising her eyebrows, Flavia took a swig from the bottle. ‘
Amore
, it is not my first, you know.’

Hannah wandered in. ‘I’ll take that chardonnay if it’s going spare.’ Glass in hand, she sidled up to Charlotte. ‘Charlie,’ she said quietly, ‘look, I don’t want to interrupt the party, but could I have a word?’

Uh-oh. That sounded like trouble. ‘Sure.’ Charlotte followed her through to the lounge. ‘What’s up?’

Hannah smiled and sat down. ‘Well, you know your housekeeping job.’

‘What about it?’

‘I want it.’

‘You!’ Charlotte stared at her. After six years of vet school? ‘You’ve got to be kidding.’

Hannah smiled again. ‘Not quite the reaction I was hoping for.’

‘But I thought you loved being a vet?’

‘I love being out on the farm. The vet part,’ — she shrugged — ‘well, that I can take or leave.’

Wow. Charlotte closed her mouth.

‘Anyway,’ Hannah went on, watching Charlotte’s face, ‘some things are more important. Right?’

Yeah. She smiled. They were.

‘So.’ Padding in, Jen sat on the arm of Hannah’s chair and looked down into her eyes. ‘Did she say yes?’

Hannah smiled up at Jen. ‘Actually, she hasn’t said anything yet.’

‘Charlie? Well?’

Charlotte shook herself. ‘Yes! Yes, of course. Absolutely.’ Hurrying over, she put a hand on Jen’s shoulder and, bending, kissed Hannah’s cheek. ‘Welcome aboard.’

‘
Ciao, ragazze!
’ Uncle Gianni stood in the doorway, a vision in cashmere and jeans. ‘Excuse me, but I have been sent for champagne.’ He gave them a dazzling smile. ‘Perhaps you might help me find it?’