Page 75 of Rough Stock

‘Besides coming to say hello,’ asked Bree, jumping out of the truck’s cab, ‘do I need an excuse?’

‘As my favourite redhead, you’re always welcome.’ Craig kissed her cheek like the sister she was. ‘Ryder.’ He shook hands with the stern stockman. ‘This is my wife, Izzy.’

Ryder removed his sunglasses before shaking Izzy’s hand. ‘So you’re the lawyer who did the caretaker’s caveat for Elsie Creek Station.’

‘I am.’

‘That was a watertight contract.’

‘It’s what I do.’

‘Good. I could do with a decent lawyer.’

‘Einstein is my lawyer, cupcake.’ Bree hooked an arm around Izzy’s shoulders. ‘But we can share. Anyhoodle, we have a surprise for you.’

Ryder opened the truck’s rear door and Bree disappeared inside.

‘What did you bring out?’

‘Stockhorses.’ Bree’s voice echoed from inside the truck. ‘You can’t run a quarantine station without stockhorses.’

Having a stockhorse of his own had always been on Craig’s wish list. But he’d been too busy to even start looking for a decent horse. Plus, there was the tricky issue of his leg.

But he soon forgot all about his leg when Bree walked out a large grey horse.

‘Slim.’ Craig’s jaw dropped as he ripped off his hat and gripped Izzy’s hand. ‘It’s Slim.’

Izzy shrugged.

‘What Craig is trying to say,’ said Bree, ‘is Slim was Charlie’s horse.’

Slim was more than that. Having seen Slim in action, Craig knew he was an Australian stockhorse that ticked all the boxes. Not only tough and built for endurance as a well-seasoned station worker, Slim came with a calm disposition and bucketloads of intelligence. He had the ability to read cattle, while pivoting and cutting with the agility of a horse half his size. ‘Why is Slim here?’

‘Because he’s yours now.’

Craig blinked back at Bree, shaking his head. ‘No, I can’t.’ But he wanted to.

‘You can and will.’ Bree slid the reins into his hand. ‘He’s yours. I have my horse, Black Hand.’

‘Nah. Ryder, you should take him.’ Considering the man was living in Charlie’s old house, married to Charlie’s granddaughter.

Ryder stroked his trimmed beard. ‘I’ve got three of my own back home. And I agree with Bree on this, Charlie would want you to have him.’

Craig was stunned, staring at the proud grey horse.

Bree brushed down the grey horse’s mane. ‘I know you’ll spoil the big sook, and I know you two will get along famously. Have you ridden since the accident?’

‘No.’

‘Well, now you can ease back into it, cowboy.’

Izzy squeezed Craig’s arm. ‘You’ve always wanted your own stockhorse, it’s one of the reasons we bought this place.’

Damned yard dust.It was in his eyes, he had to wipe the moisture away with a shirt sleeve.

‘What’s the second horse for?’ Izzy asked, as Ryder led a chestnut mare out of the back of the horse truck.

‘For you, Einstein.’ Bree smiled. ‘Craig is buying her for you.’

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