Page 3 of A Chance to Believe

‘Yeah. I manage the merinos. Shayne does the coloureds. Goats and alpacas too.’

‘I thought he was into horses.’

Ben raised an eyebrow. ‘He has a few. It’s more a hobby.’

‘I do barrel racing,’ Kim interjected. ‘Like my mum.’

Oh great. Shayne had been involved with a rodeo queen. This whole day was turning into cruel and unusual punishment. ‘Does she still race?’

‘Yeah. It’s one reason she went to America. Then, when she met Cal, she stayed. He’s a bronco rider. They have a cattle property.’

Maybe the aggressively cowgirl outfit wasn’t just about her dad. ‘Do you compete at the rodeo?’

‘Yeah. I’m training now. Maiden’s Landing rodeo is next month and soon after that will be Bialga.’

Would she still be here in a month? She’d planned to stay in town, but maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. Sure, he wasn’t married, but his daughter would be a priority. It was too late to escape. She’d committed to at least wait until Shayne came back. Why was he taking so long? A glance at the clock on the old-fashioned mantle told her it was only a few minutes. It was her nerves that made every moment stretch out. The brother’s curious eyes and his daughter’s hostile gaze didn’t help. It was going to be a conflagration when they found out why she was here. Worse than she’d thought, considering it wasn’t only Shayne who would be impacted.

* * *

Shayne stuck his hair under the showerhead, grateful for the cooling stream on his face. He hadn’t expected her to turn up on his doorstep. A civilised drink at the pub to find out what was so important she’d left the city to come see him was a reasonable compromise. He hadn’t even hoped to see her again, though he’d thought of her too often for comfort. For all his adult life, he’d prided himself on being self-contained. He’d learned early, when Kim’s mother had turned up pregnant looking for the security she knew he could offer, that he was a target for women. The owner of Maidens Hill, with its acres of productive land, was a prize for any woman, even if they had to put up with him. He was no prize, and he knew it. He could only assume Cassie had somehow found out anonymous Shayne Smith was more than the simple horse-coper he’d sold her.

It had been nearly six months since he’d been to the Ekka in Brisbane. He’d been showing some of his rams and a couple of horses at the prestigious agricultural show. It had been purely accidental meeting Cassie Long on the first night.

He rarely went to the fashion parades, but one exhibitor at the Natural Fibres parade had used some of his specialised coloured wools in his designs. It had been over by the time he’d made it, the models leaving the catwalk while he was making his way through the tables.

Cassie had been standing by the compere and he’d recognised the garment she was wearing as done by Rasmus Brandt, the brown tones in the vintage style woollen coat dress enhancing her dark colouring. Glossy black hair to her waist and the elegant height of a model made her a standout in any room. His interest had been sparked immediately and the appearance of the designer beside her had been a bonus. The surge of something feral when Brandt kissed her was less welcome. Sensing danger, he’d almost turned away, but the designer had spotted him, beckoning Shayne to join them.

The next two weeks had been nothing short of amazing. From the moment he’d taken her hand in greeting and seen her dark, lustrous eyes widen, there had been no doubt of the outcome. He’d joined her in her hotel suite above the function room where the parade was held, and it had become his pied-à-terre for the next fortnight.

They’d both been busy with Ekka commitments, but every spare moment had been spent together. Not only in bed. She’d introduced him to some great little eateries he’d never have found as a visitor. They’d walked all over the city and across the river at the Parklands. The connection had blown his mind. Something he didn’t expect.

He’d almost invited her to come visit. Only the obvious fact of her being city born and bred dissuaded him. He’d been there once when Kim was a pre-schooler. The woman had turned up her nose at being a mother, and then at Maidens Hill when she realised he was a working farmer and wouldn’t be spending the bulk of his time in more civilised places while his brother and managers did the work.

As it turned out, Cassie quietly bade him goodbye with her luggage packed up at the door of the suite. He hadn’t even considered the idea that she would leave Brisbane. He should have, knowing she’d been staying at the hotel despite her intimate knowledge of the city. If she had a home, it would be somewhere else. Sydney or Melbourne, where the fashion world was larger and had more opportunities for work. He’d been so busy protecting himself, he hadn’t noticed that he’d learned nothing about Cassie Long’s real life.

Running a comb through his hair, he braced himself for the coming confrontation. He’d kept it simple, jeans and one of his checked Ariat short-sleeved shirts. Smart but casual. His heart had leapt at seeing her, but her disclaimer to Kim about marriage had sent it plunging down to his gut.Get it over with, dickweed.

The three of them were still in the lounge room, conversation zilch. Ben had that look in his eyes that told him he was enjoying this. Which was something. His brother hadn’t enjoyed much in the last twelve or thirteen years. The sullen downturn of Kim’s mouth boded trouble later, but she’d wait to give him hell once the visitor was gone. His daughter was nothing if not loyal.

Cassie looked tense, nursing the brown paper shopping bag on her lap like it held something precious. He couldn’t imagine what. He’d been missing a t-shirt and one sock when he arrived home, but not something worth travelling hours to return when she could have asked for the postal address and shipped them.

‘Ready for that talk?’

She jerked into life, the bag tumbling to the floor. ‘Yes, of course. Sorry.’

He came to pick it up, keeping hold of it as she stood, unusually flustered. So damn tall. He was a fraction under six foot, so he considered himself average tall for a guy, but women were usually still shorter. Cassie, in her flats, came close to meeting him eye to eye. That first night, in fashionable stiletto heels, she’d been taller than him by a measurable amount.

Kim’s sharp exclamation made him turn. She was standing, her eyes wide, mouth agape. ‘Shit, Dad. Looks like you did it again.’

‘Language, Kimberley.’ He handed Cassie the bag before he registered Kimberley’s meaning.

He almost echoed her words as he took in the new and unfamiliar curves of their guest, half concealed by the loose dress and flowing wrap.

Pregnant.The room faded as he grappled with the possibility. Probability. His body took the hit, the shock weakening his knees. He fought it, drawing himself up, flexing his fingers to stop the tremors. Swallowing the knot in his throat, he dragged his attention up to Cassie’s anxious face. Her eyes were sympathetic, as if she knew what was going on inside him. ‘Is this …’ He cleared his throat again, searching for control. ‘Is this what you came to see me about?’

She bit her lip, her eyes darting around his watching family. ‘Can we talk in private?’

Kim stepped forward. ‘Why? This affects us, doesn’t it?’ She cast a hopeful glance at her father. ‘Unless it isn’t yours.’

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