Chapters (48)
- Cover
- Praise
- About the Author
- Also by Tricia Stringer
- Title Page
- Dedication
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-One
- Twenty-Two
- Twenty-Three
- Twenty-Four
- Twenty-Five
- Twenty-Six
- Twenty-Seven
- Twenty-Eight
- Twenty-Nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-One
- Thirty-Two
- Thirty-Three
- Thirty-Four
- Thirty-Five
- Thirty-Six
- Thirty-Seven
- Thirty-Eight
- Author’s Note
- Acknowledgements
- Excerpt
- One
“Well, you’re a complete surprise to me,” Kate said. “I thought my little sister was celibate but that’s obviously not the case.”
Owen grinned. Bree opened her mouth but was distracted by her mobile ringing. She got up and went to retrieve it from the bench. Granny didn’t allow phones at the table but it was agreed they could be excused to answer them. It was an ingrained habit they followed even when she wasn’t there.
“Mum.” Bree looked back at them with a slight shake of her head. “Yes, Laura’s here.”
Kate waved her hands frantically. “Don’t tell her I’m here,” she hissed.
“It’s okay, Mum.” Bree looked away. “I took a lasagne out so Laura’s happy. Everything go all right with your meeting?”
There was a pause while Bree listened. Laura dished herself some lasagne and offered it to Kate. Anyone would think it was the only food she ate, the way they all went on about it. She’d been a bit fussier as a kid and lasagne had been one of her favourite meals but her tastes had broadened since then.
“Okay,” Bree said into the phone. “Yes, I’ll tell her. You don’t have to hurry home. Laura and—” She glanced at Kate who was waving her hands frantically sideways again. “Laura can help with the mustering until Dad gets here. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Laura reached for the salad. She hated mustering. She didn’t have the natural instincts for sheep work that Bree and Kate seemed to, but Kate could go with them. Laura would volunteer for food and drink duties.
Bree dropped the phone on the bench, came back to her chair and frowned at Kate. “Why didn’t you want me to tell Mum you were here?”
Kate shrugged. “I wanted to surprise her. If I get half the reaction I did from you it’ll be worth the trip.” She turned to Owen. “Now let’s hear all about you.”
Laura glanced at Bree’s thunder-like face and helped herself to salad. She felt sorry for Bree but Kate was only doing what they’d put her boyfriends through. Laura and Bree had delighted in giving anyone she brought home the third degree. Just as well Dad wasn’t here. He was always full of questions. Living in the city had meant she’d never had to go through the family interrogations. She understood why Bree would want to keep Owen to herself.
