Free Taming the Outback by Ann B Harrison Page B

evening air as Libby tossed them to cook the other side. She called the boys and organized them to bring plates and cutlery while she grabbed the salads and put them all on the table. Two tall candles added a soft glow over their meal. She sat Tom at the head of the table, took the other end for herself, and placed the kids on either side. It was a good feeling, eating outside together after what they’d achieved that day. They were all happy with their day’s work and looking forward to the shearers coming and cleaning the animals up.
    “That was a lovely meal.” Tom leaned back and rubbed his belly with his hands. “Thanks. It’s been a while since someone has cooked for us so much, eh, Winton?”
    “Yes, missus, um, sorry, Libby.” Winton’s face split with a huge grin. “That was pretty damn good.”
    “Holly, you can help me clear the table, and the boys can do the dishes,” Tom instructed. “I think your mum deserves to sit this one out. What do you reckon?”
    A chorus of yes rang around the table, and Libby felt pleasantly relieved to have someone else in charge for a change. Tom was great for her children, and he was becoming a good friend to her. She had no qualms about having him in her house and ordering her kids around. They all accepted and treated each other as family, and that made for a big glow in her heart. They were all orphans of a kind. For too long her kids and her had missed out on having family around them. John’s father was never accepting of Libby to start with, and after the funeral, well, she tried to not go there very often.
    Her mother had died when she was a teenager, and she’d been on her own until she had met John. Now they were starting to feel like they belonged again, a widow, her two kids, an old man, and an orphaned boy. We’ll survive or die trying. She smiled to herself. This was their home, and they were all staying and making the most of it. Will or not, Nathan Miller was not getting his hands on their land.
    Libby listened to the good-natured bantering between the kids as they cleaned up the dishes. She picked a book off the side table, and curling up in the rocking chair, tried to read up on her vegetable garden some more. She was pleased with the success of her efforts, despite Josh still insisting she killed everything she touched. They were eating out of it quite well, and she was adding to the list of vegetables that had been planted before they had arrived.
    ***
    Nathan looked out of his kitchen window and cursed his earlier actions. I should have just asked her nicely instead of rushing forward like an idiot. Now he had to wait his turn, and judging by the state of her ratty sheep, it was going to take the team a while to clean them up. Much more time than it would have taken to fully crutch all his stock. Disgusted with himself, he grabbed his hat and headed to his truck. Going to play nice went against the grain, but he may as well give it one more shot.
    The buzzing of the cicadas was the only noise in the still night as he headed over to see Tom and Libby. The lights were on, bathing the old house in a soft, warm glow against the darkness of the country evening. Nathan could see her curled up in one of the old rocking chairs on the front veranda with a glass of wine in her hand. Her head lifted as he drove over the cattle grate and parked the truck.
    Tom was standing at the top of the stairs when he walked into the yard.
    “Tom, Libby.” He nodded in her direction, his gut tightening as she stared at him. Taking another sip of her wine, she turned back to the book on her lap and ignored him.
    “What can we do for you, Nathan?” Tom asked.
    “I wanted to apologize for my outburst this afternoon.” He kept his gaze on Libby and tried not to notice she looked like she’d just stepped out of a warm bath. Her hair was loose with damp ringlets clinging to her neck and falling softly on her face. A healthy, pink glow covered her cheeks, and his blood