Thirty-five
Inside the rodeo, Ryder leaned against the tall pub tables, alongside Ash, watching the many people coming and going.
Dex plonked three schooners of beer on their table and handed them out. ‘Where did Harper and Sophie go?’
‘To look around.’ Ash sipped his beer.
‘Any sign of Bree and Charlie?’ Dex took a sip from his glass, with his eye on the shifting crowd. ‘Pandora’s here.’
‘I think I spotted the redhead over there.’ Ryder pointed to the crowd that shifted between the bleachers, the bar, or the stalls that were selling food, drinks, and assorted paraphernalia. It was busier than expected.
‘I spotted Bree earlier,’ said Ash. ‘She’s looking hot tonight. I’m so used to seeing her in riding gear or her blacksmithing gear that it’s always a shock when she shows off her legs.’
Ryder grumbled behind his beer, keen to find her. But then she’d tell him to nick off, unlike any other women he’d met.
‘What’s going on with you and Bree?’ Dex poked up the brim of his hat, resting his elbows on their beer table, his keen eyes taking in the details.
‘Nothing.’ Ryder shrugged.
‘Nah…’ Narrowing his eyes, Ash leaned in from the other side of the table as if to get a closer look at Ryder. ‘I agree with Dex. Even Harper asked me if there was something going on between you two. You’re being nice to each other, when normally you’d be bickering or complaining about her.’
‘But maaaate …’ Dex let rip that cheesy grin, pointing his beer at Ryder. ‘Cap told me he spotted you this morning, putting on your shirt while sneaking out of the caretaker’s cottage.’
‘No way.’ Ash raised his eyebrows at Dex. ‘Gotta admit, our big brother did look like he’d just gotten out of bed at this morning’s meeting.’
‘So, you gonna share, brother?’
‘Why? Are you going to give Bree some warning lecture?’ He’d like to see them try.
‘Like you gave Sophie and Mia.’ Dex grinned behind his beer glass.
Ash shook his head. ‘Don’t forget what Ryder did with Harper, too.’
‘I was only protecting you guys. You don’t need to protect me from Bree.’
‘So, there is something going on? How long?’ Dex asked.
‘Not long.’ He hung his head, knowing they’d harp on him just like boys. Normally, he’d say nothing about any female because none of them had mattered enough. Yet, what he really wanted to do was shout out to the world that he was with Bree, and she was with him—especially with this crowd of cowboys. ‘Bree’s keeping it quiet for Charlie. Reckons he’ll shoot me.’
‘I’m surprised Bree hasn’t.’ Dex laughed. Only to lean in again. ‘Did you notice Charlie calls you son , and us lads ?’ Dex missed nothing.
‘Wait…’ Ash wiped the beer froth from his top lip as he thought for a moment. ‘Charlie does too. Is that because he knows you’re sleeping with Bree? Which I struggle to picture.’
‘Me too. Bree’s like a sister.’ Dex shuddered. ‘But you look like you’ve finally been getting some sleep, brother.’ Dex patted Ryder on the shoulder. ‘And you look a lot more relaxed, even with the whole neighbour situation.’
‘Best sleep I’ve had in decades.’ And that was the truth.
‘Oi, ten o’clock.’ Ash nodded at some people behind them.
Ryder turned and scowled. It was Leo. ‘Do not engage, Dex.’ He could feel Dex’s death look that was normally kept to the fighting rings. ‘Ash?’
Ash was facing the other way. ‘I’m looking for Harper. I’m not leaving her alone with that idiot in the same breathing space.’
‘Hey…’ Ryder grabbed Ash’s arm. ‘Don’t do anything silly.’
‘I won’t.’
‘And don’t breathe a word about Bree to anyone.’
Ash grinned that cocky know-it-all grin. ‘Oh, I’m telling Harper now. I keep no secrets from my lady, and she’s going to love this.’
‘Arsehole.’
Dex chuckled as Ash walked away.
‘Well, well, well, look at what we’ve got here. I thought you boys would be busy stirring up spinifex fairies or something on the station.’ It was Leo, with two of his men who Ryder recognised from their surveillance cameras.
‘Leo.’ Ryder was cold.
Dex casually leaned his elbow on the table, sizing up the competition. With the reflexes of a cat for fighting, Dex liked to lull people in, fooling them with his relaxed stance. While Ryder just glared.
‘Are you here to try your luck at the rodeo, Leo?’ Dex asked. ‘They’ve got a sheep they save for children, but it’ll be a good start for your boys to ride.’
One of Leo’s men scowled. ‘I’ll ride you in a minute, mate.’
‘Sorry, slick, I don’t swing that way. But we can get you downgraded to a billy goat’s saddle.’
Leo grinned. The sick prick. ‘Get us a beer and calm down, Gator. Bones go with him.’
‘Yes, boss.’
Leo put his hands on his hips and surveyed the crowd. ‘I saw that FJ Holden of Charlie’s in the car park. Is he around?’
‘Why?’ Ryder asked coolly.
‘Just wanted to say g’day. Being neighbourly and all. We could talk about musters, but we all know you have little to muster at that station of yours.’
‘What’s it to you?’ asked Dex. ‘Do you muster any cattle? Or do you just like to pretend you’re a stockman, wearing that hat like the rest of the concrete cowboys in the city?’
Leo grinned again. ‘We all know wherever Charlie is, Bree isn’t too far behind. I’m going to ask her to dance with me later.’
‘Leave Bree alone.’ The growl was more heated than he’d realised, with Dex putting a hand on his shoulder.
‘As Bree will tell you, she’s her own boss. I’ll let her tell me herself and make my night with her sassy comebacks that always make me smile.’ With a chuckle, the smarmy bastard met up with his two men to grab his beer and join the crowd.
‘Leo’s right.’ Dex nodded in Leo’s direction.
‘About what?’ Ryder sculled down the rest of his beer. It didn’t even touch the sides to control his temper.
‘Bree will tell Leo to get nicked, she always does. But I think Leo’s doing that to stir you up. You looked like you were going to rip his head off, which means you’re in deep, brother.’
Ryder scrubbed a rough palm over his face. ‘I am.’ He wasn’t going to deny it. He’d suspected that he’d been falling in love with Bree since the beginning, though he hadn’t recognised it for most of that time—and once he did, he’d fought against it for as long as he could.
He spotted a rodeo rider, shaking hands and patting backs, with that white toothy grin and golden tan, highlighting that blond hair. The lights caught on his super shiny champion rodeo belt buckle, that went with the rodeo rider’s vest, and chaps.
Dex swivelled around. ‘Oi, look out, it’s Cowboy Craig, looking all shiny with that belt buckle.’
‘G’day, Dex.’ Craig shook hands with Dex like old friends, giving Ryder a cordial nod.
‘So why all dressed up?’
‘For the parade they have on first, then the bulls begin.’
‘Do you ride the bulls?’
‘Nah. I’ve heard Charlie’s story, and I’ve had my close call with a bull to know not to play with those horns.’ Craig peered around at the crowd. ‘I’m looking for Charlie and Bree. Have you seen them?’
‘That way.’ Ryder pointed to the bleachers.
‘Are you two going to have a shot at the bulls?’ Craig had a definite swagger, his leather chaps swishing with each step, along with the tink tink of his spurs on the dusty ground.
‘The only bull I ride is the mechanical one,’ said Dex. ‘The one they have close enough to the bar.’
‘Like my mate, Ryan, the vet. Except he’ll only ride that thing if it’s unplugged. If you guys want a shot at bull riding, they’ve got plenty of spaces available.’
‘I’m good.’ Dex rubbed his ribs, in particular the one that caused him lots of trouble a few months back.
‘How is Charlie, after finding out his brother is innocent?’ Craig asked, concerned.
‘Good.’ Ryder nodded. ‘Charlie had everyone dancing last night, except me and Dex. We were holding up the bar.’ It was the best spot to keep one eye on the monitors, and on Bree’s smile as she danced. ‘When did you find out?’
‘Bree called. She wanted help organising something special for Charlie.’
Ryder never got jealous, and he trusted Bree. Even so, Craig was a single man. If it’d been Porter, it wouldn’t have bothered him. But Cowboy Craig had the reputation of being a ladies’ man. And why hadn’t Bree asked Ryder for help? ‘What sort of help did Bree need?’
‘You’ll have to wait and see. And there she is.’ Craig pointed to the crowd that parted. ‘Wow!’
Bree was turning heads among the rodeo crowd in a town where there were never enough women to go around.
Ryder’s scowl darkened.
‘Easy, brother.’ Dex patted Ryder’s shoulder. ‘Craig’s a mate. Bree and Craig are just platonic friends, since school, like a brother and sister. It’s the same type of friendship I have with Bree.’
‘Ah huh…’ It still didn’t make him breathe any easier.
But it was Bree that was making him feel things he didn’t normally feel.
She was stunning, like a sunrise on the outback’s horizon, captivating him with her colours that shone from her shiny thick red hair flowing past her shoulders, with her wide smile and green eyes. She wore a simple, strapless denim dress that not only showed off her legs, but accentuated her waist and hips, barely containing her generous cleavage. She was mouth-watering, even with her light and flowy jacket that barely brushed the tops of her sexy tall black boots, and her usual leather witchy sack that she never left the station without. How much gin was in that bag?
But seeing her like this, he had to do something big to show Bree and everyone else that they were together, and fast. But what?