A distressed neigh sounded behind them and he turned to see Rey trotting up and down behind them. The little colt was fine. They were all fine. But they wouldn’t be if something wasn’t done about that fire.
‘Go. I’ll be fine here with Cherry, but you need to go deal with that before it takes everything.’
He looked down at her, this woman he loved so much it was an ache in his body, knowing she’d read his mind, read his worry, and was giving him what he needed. He breathed in deeply, choking a little on the smoke in the air, tensed but didn’t freeze. The fear was still there, the horrid memory ready to swamp him that smell brought forth. But he didn’t feel weakened by the fear and the sickening memories, he felt strengthened in this moment. Helped by the woman, the doctor, his lover, who despite her own trauma and injuries—it hadn’t escaped his notice the blood on the back of her head—was busy saving another.
If she could do it, so could he.
A siren sounded in the distance and then he heard the rumbling of a truck, closer than the sirens. Someone was driving one of their tankers down the road towards the cottage. They were going to be able to get water on it sooner than he’d imagined. Reid must have got back.
But then the door swung open and it was his mum and Connie and Lisa and Ben. They all piled out and, in a moment, had the hose attached and water spraying down on the house and bush around, Ben and Barb manning the hose and Connie and Lisa with packs on, running around looking for spot fires to put out.
He had to go and help. He looked down at Prita. ‘Go,’ she said.
She understood, as nobody had understood before, the push and pull inside him, the terror that he wasn’t good enough, wasn’t strong enough, but in her eyes, he saw that she was sure. She had faith in him. She knew he could tackle anything thrown in his path.
And he could, as long as she was standing there beside him.
‘I love you.’
The words were flung out of him, like he had no choice but to say them even though this wasn’t the time or the place. But it was right, so right, as she stood and clasped his face, and brought his lips down to hers. The kiss was brief—it had to be—but it was everything he needed in that moment to do what must be done. As were the words she said as she pulled away. ‘I love you too.’
He kissed her again hard, then let her go to tend to Cherry as he ran towards the tanker and the CFA truck that was screaming down the dirt road even now. A part of him wanted to turn back and take Prita in his arms, keep her there and take her away to somewhere safe where he could tell her he loved her again and then show her that he’d welcome her into his life in any way she could give him. Married to Chandra to help him keep face with his family—he knew how worried she was about that—or not. He didn’t care. He would build a life with her regardless of the barriers in their way. But that could keep for later. Now he had to save his farm.
Chapter 30
The fire was still raging when Prita left with Frank to drive Cherry to the hospital after making sure Carter and the others were safe. Mac was already in surgery when they arrived and Cherry was whisked off soon after to surgery as well.
The doctors in emergency wanted to look at her wounds, but she didn’t want to leave Frank—he was so desperately upset about Cherry and she couldn’t help but feel responsible.
‘Don’t be silly, love. It’s not your fault some madman stabbed my Cherry.’
‘He was here because of me.’
‘No. He was here because he was a greedy bastard with no moral compass.’ He rubbed his hand over his face then through his thinning hair. ‘I’m just so glad you were there to look after her right after.’
‘I’m the one who is grateful. She saved my life.’
‘I think you saved each other. But go on.’ He nodded towards the doctor hovering a metre away. ‘Go get your wounds patched up. I’ll just get some coffee and meet you in the waiting room.’
She went grudgingly and escaped emergency as quickly as possible. Then started the longest wait of her life. Waiting to hear how Cherry and Mac were. Waiting to hear what was happening at CoalCliff. Waiting to hear if they’d caught the bastard responsible for all of this.
She wanted to call Flynn—she was so worried about him and how he was dealing with everything—but she didn’t have her phone. Besides which, he’d be too busy to answer his phone. She just had to wait to hear what had happened.
The hours ticked by.
A commotion at the door had her lifting her head. Barb and Ben rushed in.
‘How’s Dad?’ Ben asked at the same time Barb said, ‘How’s Mac? What about Cherry?’
She stood and held her hands out to them. ‘They’re in surgery. We should hear something soon.’ She swallowed, desperate to ask, but terrified of the answer. ‘What about CoalCliff? The fire?’
‘It’s out. Only the cottage was lost. Everything is saved. Everyone’s safe.’
‘Oh, thank god.’ She sank down on the hard couch behind her, feeling a little dizzy.
Barb sat down next to her and took her hand, hers shaking a little. ‘Flynn wanted to come down but there was too much to do and the police needed to speak to him.’
‘I understand.’ They each had their responsibilities. ‘He’s okay?’
‘He’s fine. He’ll be even better when he sees you later.’
She gave Barb a wobbly smile. ‘Good. Me too.’
A little
