Divine Mortals (5 page)

He glanced at me again quickly, his eyes large dark pools of amber, my breath caught and I felt my fingers tingle, I couldn’t look away, so much for playing hard ball.

With the sack balanced safely in the barrow again he walked away, saying nothing, back on whatever errand had bought him this way.

“Hey,” I called just before he disappeared, he paused looking back at me, confusion on his face.

“Thanks for your help.”

He didn’t answer, just continued on his way.

“Snob.” I muttered, taking up the handles once more.

I
decided to make a detour on my way back to the house and go via Beauts pen to say hello, if that’s what you did with horses.

I was hoping in the fresh light of a new day I wouldn’t feel so terrified just being in the same vicinity as him.

It turned out to be a really bad idea, as I got to his pen Pop was leading him out, saddle and bridle in place, looking strangely and terrifyingly like he was ready to be ridden.

“I thought you were gone for the rest of the day?” I asked, trying to keep the panic from my voice as I eyed my overly large new pet.

“Jed ended up going,” Pop answered simply, “Ready for your first lesson?” he sounded eager, and I couldn’t see any way of getting out of this when he was standing right here, with
my
horse, awaiting some poor schmuck who was tired of living to climb on.

Well the schmuck had arrived.

“Ahhhh… sure?” my voice shook a little as I tried miserably to hide my reluctance, Pop chuckled.

“You’ll be fine love, come on I’ll help you up.”

I froze as soon as I was on his back, it seemed suddenly as if I was sitting on the peak of the empire state building, it was so far to fall and I really had no control should this horse decide he took offense to my being perched on his back.

Half an hour later, after walking numerous times around the pen and ending with a short heart stopping trot, I could barely feel my legs. Sliding from the saddle stiffly I had to focus to keep them from crumpling beneath me. Pop seemed to find this hilarious and it took all my control not to shoot him a filthy look.

“Don’t you worry about your legs none sweetheart,” his smile was wide and approving, apparently I was more worthy when I could ride?

“A couple of weeks’ worth of lessons and it won’t hurt anymore.”

“It
will
hurt when I fall off.” I mumbled,

Pop laughed, “You can’t fall out of a stock saddle honey, it’s impossible.”

“I hope so.” I muttered, walking carefully. I felt as if I still had three hundred pounds of horseflesh beneath me. Perhaps I could just lead Beaut around like an oversized dog, why did you have to ride a horse anyway?

Grandpop showed me how to remove the saddle and bridle, thankfully he returned them to the stable for me, my legs could hardly carry my own weight, let alone the weight of the huge leather stock saddle.

I waddled cautiously across the main yard to the house, dreaming of a bubble bath, past Jed and Shaun who were throwing more tools onto the back of the old pickup.

“First lesson huh?” Jed called as he spotted me.

“Yeah,” I grumbled.

Both he and Shaun laughed at my expression,

“We could always get you a side saddle, wouldn’t hurt your legs then!” he laughed again, his face dancing, loving the joke. Oh how amusing, the city girl can’t ride.

I thought of the movies I had seen based in the eighteen hundreds, women riding in long gowns on the side of their steed. I didn’t know whether to find his comment humorous or insulting, maybe the farm was making me lose my sense of humor.

No
the thought came unbidden,
you lost that the night of the prom
.

Frowning I decided not to answer them at all, instead taking up my waddle again as I mounted the stairs of the porch. They laughed once more, this time a little louder, squaring my shoulders and ignoring the pain I stomped the rest of the way indoors.

Nan was inside, her apron on as she poked something into the oven.

“What are you making?” I asked, hopeful, this riding caper was hungry work.

Nan laughed.

“Nothing for lunch sorry, these are for Jed, it’s his birthday tomorrow and he loves my cupcakes.”

It looked like I was going to have to find my own lunch, I dug around the fridge not sure what I felt like. Sharing the kitchen in companionable silence I settled for a sandwich, boring, but it filled the huge gap I had.

I half limped, half walked back out to the porch, lowering myself stiffly onto the hammock, to finish eating. Pop appeared from the direction of the vegetable garden carrying a large shopping bag full of something green before disappearing inside, obviously hunger was calling him indoors as well.

I lay back enjoying the warm air and flexing my toes until my legs hurt. Robert and Shaun appeared from the shed across the yard loaded with yet more tools and walking briskly towards the pickup. I watched Robert as he dropped the tools he carried, raising his head suddenly his dark eyes met mine, I felt myself flush and looked away.

Leaping into the cab they headed off down the track towards the hills, quickly disappearing from sight.

Robert was a strange one.

Why was I so fascinated by him, and why did he not make even a token effort to be polite?

The following evening threw me into Roberts company, if that’s what you could call it, yet again.

Pop decided to cook a Barbeque dinner for the three ranchers after a successful day of sowing to celebrate Jeds birthday.

I was busy chatting to Joel on the phone and avoiding the get together when Nans voice called from the porch.

“Ava Hun, can you please bring some drinks out, the boys are here.”

I groaned.

“What’s wrong?” Joel asked, I could hear him smiling down the telephone line, “Roped you into a game of bingo or something?”

“Ha ha,” my sarcasm struck, “No its worse, Barbeque with the workers.”

“What’s so bad about that?”

“Nothing really, just, one of them is really, ah… arrogant, he won’t speak a word to me.”

Joel laughed, “Then ignore him, no great loss is it?”

I sighed, he was right, why did it bother me so much?

“I guess.” I conceded, “Anyway I’ve gotta go,
apparently
I’m on drinks duty.”

“Oh drunken farmers, watch out you’ll be square dancing next.” Joel chuckled,

“Not likely,” I grinned despite myself, “I’ll talk to you in a few days?”

“Definitely, take care Ava.”

“You too.”

The line went dead and I couldn’t procrastinate any longer, I had the beginnings of a headache, maybe, I thought with hope, I could use that as an excuse to stay away from dinner, although I knew I was being a chicken and Joel was right, why should I care if Robert didn’t like me.

Grabbing four beers from the fridge I headed out into the dazzling afternoon light.

I come across Shawn and Pop first, deep in conversation over sizzling steaks they barely noticed as I passed each of them a bottle, Shaun gave me a brief smile but didn’t break from their discussion.

I spied Jed next, sitting on a deck chair soaking up the last of the day’s sun, his eyes closed.

“Happy Birthday.” I grinned, passing him a bottle.

“Thanks honey,” he winked at me, taking his beer, “So what do you think of the farm?” His weathered face creased as he smiled.

“Well it’s very er… quiet.” I answered honestly, shrinking into the chair next to him and gazing out towards the distant snowy peaks.

Jed laughed, “It’s definitely that. Do you think you’ll be happy to stay for a while?”

I shrugged, “Well there’s not much choice about
that
at the moment.”

“True, but it’s good to be happy where you are, makes things easier you know,” his eyes searched mine, “you probably don’t want to make things harder than they already have been is what I’m meaning, it would be nice for you to like it here.”

That horrible sympathetic look crept over his face, I couldn’t deal with it, and at this point Jed’s eyes oozed with it.

Managing a stiff nod but not meeting his eyes, I remembered that I still had one drink to distribute.

“Excuse me,” I mumbled, I wasn’t sure what I preferred, to stay here and speak of uncomfortable things or make my way to where Nan was speaking with Robert and be openly snubbed. With a quick glance back at Jed who was still looking at me with pity eyes I made up my mind, snubbed beat out sympathy any day and I made my way over to the last two in our small Barbeque party.

“And so,” Nan was finishing her spiel, “That’s how I came to find out about that Smithfield boy poaching cattle.”

“Is that right?” Robert laughed, his smile so stunning and totally uncharacteristic that I froze, gaping at him like a deranged goldfish for a second before snapping my jaw shut.

I had never heard him laugh, I had never really heard him speak let alone smile. I managed to pull myself together, offering him the last bottle in my hand. Robert turned to me, his smile slightly less but still there.

“Thanks,” his eyes were too deep, I felt as though I couldn’t breathe.

“Don’t mention it,” I mumbled, berating myself for sounding so pathetic, I turned to leave, feeling my head begin to throb in earnest.

“Ava,” Nans voice made me stop, I cringed and turned, trying to keep my expression pleasant.

“Robert was just telling me that one of the cattle had twins today,”

“Really?” I feigned interest, keeping my eyes fixed firmly on Nan.

“I thought you might like to see them, Robert could take you down to have a look, they’re very cute.”

I could see exactly what she was up too and I wasn’t going to have a bar of it. I bit my lip, waiting for Robert to reject the idea, wanting to see how he would get out of
this
without looking bad in front of Nan.

He wasn’t looking at me
but
he was looking thoughtful, his gaze drifting towards the paddock in question.

“Sure.” His eyes swung back to meet mine, “Maybe we could go for a look after dinner.” his voice wasn’t quite as enthusiastic as when he had been laughing with Nan, but it was polite.

“Ah… sure.” I murmured, looking away, something that was hard to do when my eyes seemed to be riveted to his face.

“Robert,” Pops voice rang out, he nodded politely at Nan, glanced at me, his face unreadable, before heading over to Pop. It wasn’t until Nan touched my arm that I realized I was staring after him.

“Come help me with the Salads love.” her smile was knowing, I hated it.

After dinner came all too soon, thankfully Pop had allowed me to have a beer with my meal, apparently the occasional underage drink wasn’t taboo out here on the ranch.

I had drunk before and didn’t particularly like the taste, stretching one beer into two I was still tense at the thought of going to see the calves with Robert, alone.

Shawn and I were sitting on the porch watching the sun sink below the hills in a stunning haze of purple and pink, discussing the Bears super bowl chances for next season when I saw his eyes flicker past me.

I knew
he
was there before I turned, his presence seemed to radiate a warmth behind us.

My god
, my mind ranted,
you’ve gone completely insane, a warmth?

When I did look, however, it wasn’t Robert that first caught my attention, it was Nan, standing a little way behind him with a hopefully smug expression plastered on her face, I ignored this and stood up. Perhaps I was going to have to tell my grandmother to butt out.

“Ready to go for a look?” he asked, his voice impartial, I floundered for a minute, not used to him actually speaking to me.

“Shawn?” I hoped I didn’t sound like I was pleading, “Do you want to come and see the twins?”

“All calves are the same to me Ava, they’re all red and white and a pain in the backside, I’ve seen hundreds, you two go along.”

I directed a rather uncharitable thought Shawn’s way. There was no escaping this, turning back to Robert, who was looking a little amused at my efforts not to be alone with him, I headed towards the edge of the porch.

“Well, let’s go then.” I mumbled, striking off down the porch steps without waiting for his answer, heading to where I could see the cows in the distance.

Robert quickly overtook me, his stride hard to keep up with.

“It’s not a race is it?” I asked, coming alongside him again, he glanced at me briefly but slowed his pace a little.

I watched him surreptitiously from the corner of my eye, his bronze skin seemed to catch and reflect the last of the sunlight, he lifted his hand sweeping his hair back from his face, I pulled my eyes away, my face burning.

He had not spoken a word since we had left the porch and I felt my hackles rise a little at the continued wall he seemed to have built purposely between us.

The paddock was just ahead, I could see two calves inside the gate, exactly the same as the large terrifying red beasts that had spawned them, just smaller versions.

When we reached the gate Robert didn’t move to open it, he just leaned on the top rail looking towards the two newest additions to the property, his silence still firmly in place.

I glanced only briefly towards the calves before turning my full attention on him. He must have known I was staring, however he kept his gaze firmly ahead, the only give away was the slight tightening of his jaw as I continued to look at him.

“What’s your problem?” I demanded finally, sounding more annoyed then I had intended.

“I don’t know what you mean?” he answered sweetly, his face transforming into the picture of innocence.

I snorted a little, tossing my hair over my shoulder.

“Ah, for one you ignore me, blatantly, whenever I’m around, but when we are near my grandparents you act as if you have no problem with me at all? You snubbed Sally as well when she was just being polite the other day, do you have some strange aversion to people your own age or were you just born an arse hat?”

The corner of his mouth twitched a little at my outburst, especially at mention of Sally, but he hid it again quickly, infuriating me further that he found what I said amusing.