Sky Cowboy (6 page)

“Hi, what can I get you?”  I ask the woman standing on the other side of the counter.

After I had changed out of Jeremy’s shirt and into my own clothes, and after Oscar had woken up and Jeremy had finished in the shower, I had served them pancakes with maple syrup.  I had then said goodbye and made my way into Pine Creek to do a morning shift at The Coffee House.  I decided not to tell Jeremy what Oscar had said the night before about me being his mummy.  I thought it was probably a onetime thing, and if he was to bring it up again,
then
I would tell Jeremy.

“I’ll have a tall skinny latte with a shot of caramel, please,” she answers, before adding, “Can I grab a ham and cheese
toastie, as well?” 

I jot down her order and then take a good look at her.  She’s definitely not a local – not only because I haven’t seen her before, but also beca
use she’s decked out in city clothing.  She’s most likely from another state.  Nevertheless, she’s still beautiful.  She decides to sit outside and I set about fixing her order.  Once it’s done, I take it out to her.

“Phew, it’s warming up out here today
,” I tell her as I set her order on the table

“I’m loving it.  If I were in Sydney today I’d be rugged up with a scarf, gloves and jacket.   This is gorgeous weather!  I’m Edie, by the way.”

“I’m Ava.  So you’re from Sydney?  You staying a while or just passing through?”  I ask. 
I knew she was from out of state!

“Think I might be staying a while,” she replies, showing me a smile that lights her entire face.

“Awesome.  We’ll have to catch up, have beers at the pub,” I offer.

“Sounds good,” she replies.

“Better get back to work.  Nice to meet you, Edie,” I say, gesturing towards the Coffee House.

“You too, Ava,” Edie calls as I walk away.

I’ve got a spring in my step for the rest of the day.  I hope Edie sticks around.  I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be great friends.

I was right.  Edie and I became great friends.  She
is funny, nice, genuine, honest and the complete opposite of my sister.  More than once, I have imagined that Edie was my sister instead of Kennedy.  Edie also comes with Jules – they’re like a package deal.  Jules is just as stunning as Edie.  Where Edie has long chocolate coloured hair, Jules’ is cropped short and black.  Jules is also loud, hilariously funny and outspoken.  She’s also just as genuine and nice as Edie.  They’ve quickly become my best friends and the best thing about it is, Jules is moving here as well.

It’s been almost a year since the first time I met Edie.  She blew into town one day after finding her ex cheating on her.  She was on a mission to find herself.  Instead, she found Pine Creek and Jackson.  From the minute he met her, Jackson was tied in knots trying to win her over
.  It was fascinating (and a little bit funny) to watch.  Eventually Edie caved and they were happily busy, building their life together, which was about to get even busier because Edie was pregnant. 
Heavily
pregnant.  Tonight is her final shift at the Cow & Calf (Doreen gave her a job when she first arrived in town) and it’s also Karaoke night.  Karaoke night doesn’t happen often, but when it does, it’s
off the chain
.  It’s one of the best nights all year. 

I recall one time that Jules, Edie and I went out.  It was just before Jackson won Edie over.  She somehow got it in her head that I was into Jackson.  Of course, I partly explained the situation and fully set the record straight – how I had feelings for Jeremy, not Jackson.  Thinking about Jeremy makes my heart ache.  I haven’t really spoken to him a whole lot since the morning he came home and I was in his shirt.  I still mind Oscar when I’m needed
, though.  That will never change.  I’m not sure whether Jeremy is in a relationship with the woman he spent the night with that time.  As much I want to know, I know I have no right to know, so I’ve minded my business.  As much as I try to convince myself that I have no feelings for him, I’m not silly enough to deny my body’s automatic reaction anytime I hear his name (or Jackson’s for that matter.  This is because usually, where one is, so is the other) or see him.  My back straightens of its own accord and I feel shy and a little self-conscious.  I try to ignore it and I pray no one else notices, but Edie did so obviously I’m not being as inconspicuous as I thought.

Anyways, it doesn’t matter.  I’m pretty sure it’s safe to say that ship has sailed. 
That
being my hope of Jeremy and I being together.

“We have a deal:  If it’s a girl, Jackson chooses the first name, while I pick the second name.  If it’s a boy, it’s the other way around.”  Edie’s voice pulls me from my thoughts.  We’re sitt
ing out in front of the Coffee House catching up.  I’d just asked her if they’d picked names for the baby.

“Oh
, wow.  So have you shared the names?” I ask.

“No, he wants to keep it a secret.”

Edie and I continue chatting, throwing about baby names and catching up on general gossip for a few hours.  Before I know it, it’s time to head home and get ready for karaoke night.

“See you tonight,” I say excitedly
, as I make to leave.

I down the last of my drink and make my way outside to the toilets.  Instead of watching where I’m going, I’m waving hello to some locals as I pass by them.  That’s my mistake
, because by the time I see them, it’s too late for me to turn away and make a hasty exit.  A pained, whimpering sound escapes my lips before I can swallow it down.  Jeremy’s hands are resting on the ass of the woman who is pushed up against his front.  His mouth is close to hers, but not touching.  I stand frozen as pain sears through my body. 
God it hurts to see him with another woman.

Hearing my whimper, Jeremy lifts his head and his eyes come to mine.  His are wide with shock, and I’m sure mine are filled with the pain I feel inside.  At that moment, my feet decide to come unstuck and I spin around and race back through the pub.  I run, pushing past the people in my way.
My ears are filled with the loud sound of my heels clicking on the wooden floor.  I can vaguely hear someone singing an off-key version of
Mustang Sally
and even though I’m right there amongst it, the noise of the packed bar is muffled.  I reach the front of the pub and head straight toward my car.  That’s when I hear the thudding sound of boots hitting the ground heavily behind me.

“Ava!
”  Jeremy yells.

I don’t answer. I don’t stop.  I just keep running as fast as I can in these stupid,
stupid
fucking heels.  I should have worn boots but no,
stupid me
wanted to dress up to impress Jeremy.  Maybe get him to make a move on me, if he wasn’t seeing that Farmer’s Council woman.  It’s
stupid
, I know.  You don’t have to tell me.  But even knowing how bloody stupidly ridiculous it was, it still didn’t stop me from sliding on my sexiest underwear, dragging on my new RM Williams jeans and pairing it with a pretty, deep purple halter top that had drapey chiffon over a silk camisole. 
Then,
to top it off, I had borrowed a pair of Edie’s “city shoes”.  They were black, with a high (probably not really high for most women, but high for a woman who spends her days in boots) stiletto heel.  The black leather straps criss-crossed over my foot and up to wrap around my ankle, where it was secured by a pretty silver buckle.  I could see my car ahead, so I reached into my purse and dug out my keys.

“Ava.  For fucks sake. 
Ava!”

Jeremy was getting closer. I needed to speed up.

I was almost at my car when I trod on a rock and rolled my ankle over.  I let out a yelp as I was going down, and then another one when a firm arm slide around my waist; stopping my fall.

“
Jesus
.  You alright?” Jeremy asks as he curls me into his chest.  Immediately, my senses are clouded with the intoxicating smell of his cologne and
him.

“Y
eah…uh, sure I am,” I manage.  My brain clears and I blink, remembering why I was running.  I put my hands up on his shoulders and put pressure there so he’ll release me. It doesn’t work. He doesn’t budge an inch. 

Why did he chase me? 

What does it mean that he did?

“
Stop, Ava,” he orders at the same time his hands around my waist give a squeeze. 

I give his shoulder’s another push, harder this time, and say, “Let me go, Jeremy.”

“
Stop, Ava,”
he repeats, though his tone is harsher this time.  It shocks me, because he’s never used that tone with me before.  I stop pushing and look up at him.  That’s the wrong thing to do.  My breath gets caught in my throat as his tongue snakes out and runs over his bottom lip. 
Hot.
I stare, unashamedly, at his full lips as the memory of what they feel like melding with mine assaults my brain.

“Why’d you run?”  Jeremy asks.  My eyes snap up to meet his dancing-with-
humour beautiful blue ones.

“I, uh…I,” I pause and try to think of a good excuse.  “I wasn’t running,”
I say in an accusing tone.

“You weren’t running?” He asks back in a
humourous tone.

“No!  Well, I was running, but I wasn’t
running
away
.  I’m just ready to go home.” I lied.  Lame, I know. You don’t have to tell me.

“
Right.  So you walk out the back of the pub to go to the ladies room and see me with another woman and all of a sudden you’re desperate to get home-,”

“That’s not-,” I try to cut him off but he gives me another waist squeeze and keeps talking.

“-So desperate, that you run out into the parking lot in those sexy as fuck shoes and almost break your ankle.  That about right?” He cocks his eyebrow, questioningly.

“You think my shoes are sexy?” I ask and t
hen cringe a little bit, first because my voice sounds a touch breathy and second because, out of all that he said, that’s what my brain decided to hone in on.

“Honey, seriously?  They’r
e fuck-me shoes,” he states.   Then his voice drops to a low rumble and he adds, “And all night I’ve been watching you, imagining you naked in my bed with nothing but those shoes on.”

“Sure you have. 
That’s
why you had your hands on another woman’s ass and
that’s
why you were about to take things further.  Speaking of which, why are you here with me and not back there with
her?
”  The acidity in my words betrays the hurt I feel.

His eyes soften as he stares at me.  He stares at me so long I start to get uncomfortable and I dart my eyes to the side.  Gently, he grabs my chin and turn my head back to his.  Then,
finally,
he speaks.  “Think it’s about time me and you had a talk, Ava.  The talk you’ve been avoiding for
years
.”

“So talk,” I mutter.

“Not talking here.  We’ll go back to my place.” He states emphatically.

“Or, we could sit in the car.  Then, when we’re done having the
talk
, you can go back inside, and I can go home,” I offer.

“Not
gonna happen, Ava.  We’re going to my place and we’re sorting this shit out once and for all.”  At that, he releases his arms from my waist but takes my hand and leads me over to his Ute.

“Jeremy, I can take my own car,” I say, pulling on his hand so he’ll stop.

“We’ll get it later,” he replies, still walking.

“Fine,” I say on an eye roll.

We arrive back at Jeremy’s and I follow him up the path.  My eyes are glued to the way his ass moves in his jeans.  I know, this is the last thing I should be thinking about, but you try ignoring such a fine jean-clad butt when it’s right there in front of you.

“Is Oscar at your mum’s?” I ask as we approach the door.

“Nah, I got Celeste to babysit tonight.  She’s trying to save some money up for a school excursion to China, so I thought I’d help her out a bit.”

Gee, that’s incredibly sweet and thoughtful.

Celeste is a local school girl. She’s about seventeen and her family now lives in town. Many years ago her father used to work for my father but he was unable to work after he was attacked by a crocodile.  The croc took his leg from the knee down, and because he was getting on in age, he decided not to bother returning to work and instead retire.  They’re a lovely family, and Celeste is a lovely girl.

“Hey Celeste,” Jeremy says quietly as we walk in the door.

“Hey Jeremy.  I didn’t expect you home for a while,” she says, pointing a remote at the television and pressing a button to pause the movie she’d been watching.

“
Thought an early night might do me good; gettin’ old ya know,” Jeremy quips.

Celeste giggles and nods her head, then looks to me, “Hey Ava.”

“Hi Celeste,” I smile warmly at her. “Jeremy tells me you’re saving up for an excursion?”

“Yeah, our year eleven class is going to China for ten days.  Mum and dad have paid for my flights and stuff but I wanted to save some extra cash for spending money.”