Watershed by Cd Brennan

Author:Cd Brennan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kensington
Published: 2013-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Gray

“What are you bringing all that gear for?” Travis asked Gray the next morning as they loaded up their saddlebags. “Decko and I are going onto Yearling paddock without you and Maggie. You guys could be here by late arvo.”

“You never know what might happen out there,” Gray said, avoiding Travis’s eyes.

Gray could feel Travis’s stare on his back as he stooped to check Business’s leg, running a hand along the front to the hoof. He tilted his head back to Travis. “What?”

“Nothin’. I’ll leave it up to you.” Travis turned and left without another word.

Gray knew his brother was a man of few words and quite often didn’t talk about what he was thinking. Travis knew Gray was up to something, but wouldn’t say. He appreciated that about his brother. They were different individuals. Travis was the strong and silent type, who always acted rationally. Gray envied him at times for his stoicism, especially when it came to conflict and problem-solving. Gray always seemed to attract a drama. Travis was the antithesis, manifesting calm by his presence alone.

In some ways Maggie and Travis were much alike, those of the world who had an inner strength few achieved in a lifetime.

Gray let out a breath when he heard Maggie calling to Travis from the far end of the stables. He busied himself at the saddle in case she stopped at his stall. God, he acted like a teenager around Maggie. Worse than a teen. Gray hadn’t felt such insecurity around a girl even when he was in high school.

He sensed Maggie walking past, and the fresh scent Gray now associated with Maggie lingered behind her.

She smelled like rain, but more, she was the essence of rain coming. With her approach came the same anticipation, excitement, energy, and in some way, gratitude, Gray felt with each good rain that came to the station. In Gray’s eyes, there was nothing better.

He yanked at the gelding’s reins and led him from the stall and out the far end of the stables. From the corner of his eye, he saw Maggie in Music’s stall. He didn’t stop. There would be time once they set camp out in the bush to say what needed to be said. And more, Gray planned on showing Maggie exactly what she meant to him.

Gray mounted and let Business dance a few steps before reining him in to quiet down. He glanced around him. There was something different in the air, not altogether unpleasant but not right. Something felt off. Everything appeared the same, but Gray knew after spending his entire life in the outback to trust his instincts. Cumulonimbus clouds were in the distance. Gray frowned. They weren’t expecting rain.

He was about to find Decko to ask when Maggie rode up, adjusting the length of the stirrup, one leg dangling. Within no time, Maggie had taken to the riding, had taken to living on the station, almost as if she belonged.

Again, she wore one of Jo’s old mustering shirts, the cotton worn shear in places that revealed her figure.

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