Page 131 of The Me I Left Behind

“That man needs to be dragged by a team of horses into the Outback and left to die over a nest of brown snakes.”

Lilly laughed. “I think that’s a bit harsh, isn’t it?”

“Humph. They did that in the old days.”

“Maybe in the movies, Poppy.”

But whatever got Poppy to come with her, Lilly was grateful. She wasn’t sure what Max was capable of, and if he thought Leo could be at her apartment for any reason, she wanted to avoid a scene if he showed up there. She also wanted to keep Poppy safe, and didn’t know what she would do if anything happened to her.

Lilly was frightened, she had to admit. Frightened of Max, and his behavior, and of what he might do next.

How in the bloody hell did I get here?

She’d ignored the red flags. Hadn’t she?

Nearly an hour later,Poppy yawned and stretched, angling her body toward Lilly. “Are we close?”

“I think so. Freya said the farm is an hour out of Brisbane, and we’ve been driving for about that long, so we should start watching for the station sign.”

“Good.”

“She is looking forward to seeing us. I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s put on a spread for us.”

“I could use some tucker about now,” Poppy said, laughing.

Lilly had to chuckle as well. Poppy and her food fetish.

“What’s the name of her farm again?”

“Ballymore Station.”

“Sounds Irish.”

“I believe it is. There’s some history there, I think. Maybe Freya will share with us.”

Poppy nodded, watching the side of the road. “On my side or yours?”

“Should be yours.”

“Then there it is,” she said, pointing, then reading the sign. “Ballymore, Cattle and Sheep Station, Freya and Nate O’Brien. Well.”

Lilly pulled off the road and crossed the stock grid at the entrance. She glanced in the back again at Leo, who was fussing and squirming a little. “Well?”

“I like her husband already.”

“That so, eh?”

Poppy grinned. “Her name’s on the sign and he put her first. Dare say you don’t see that a lot in these parts. Bloody blokes.”

Lilly grinned and traveled down the farm road. Ever since Poppy had left her husband back at Min Min, she’d been down on blokes. “The house looks to be set back a ways here.”

“Probably around that curve.”

And it was. Lilly pulled up to a very large old home, settled between outbuildings, a veggie patch, and a couple of barns. She noticed a sheep shearing shed and shearers’ quarters out back of it. A smaller house set off to the side in a grove of trees. She shut off the car engine and rolled down her window, sitting for a minute, just breathing.

“Smells like home,” she whispered. “Like Min Min.”

“Smells like shit,” Poppy countered, then cackled. “Sheep shit.”

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