"No, you go backto her. I'll do it." She pushed him toward the door and with a nod, hereturned to the lounge. "Oh that poor girl."
"Yeah, I don'tknow how the hell she managed to stay calm throughout that. I reckon I would’vestruggled if I had a knife held at my throat."
The door opened andKate came in, tears in her eyes.
"What is it?"Cade walked over to her and put his hands on her shoulders, looking down intoher face and watched as she let the tears fall.
"It's nothing. I'mbeing silly." She shrugged and tried to laugh. Cade itched to take her inhis arms and soothe her fears, but he didn't want to scare her off. "Lifecan be gone in a puff and then it's too late. Poor Rooney, it must have been sohard."
"She's okay now,Kate. We need to be strong for her and she will get over it. The Williams genesare pretty resilient you know." He ran his thumbs under her eyes and wipedher tears away. "I think you could do with a cup of tea too."
She shook her head."I have too much to do."
"Let me helpyou."
Kate smiled and shookher head again. "No, you need to be with your sister. I'll be fine."She broke away from him and ran out of the kitchen door.
Cade looked over atEssie, wondering what he was missing.
"I think the poorthing is probably remembering how she lost her parents. She had no one to holdher together apart from your father and me."
"Shit." Cadehalf ran and skipped out the back door to find her.
He looked toward thebarn and Kate's cottage. She was crouched on the ground with her arms wrappedaround herself. You poor kid. He hurried as fast as he could and droppeddown beside her, pulling her into his arms. The gut wrenching sobs increasedand she clung to him, her fists gripping the front of his shirt tightly as hertears soaked the cotton through to his chest.
Cade sat on the grassin the sunshine and let Kate sob away her grief. He couldn't imagine beingalone, losing two parents whom you loved at the same time. It made him realise howclosed off his life had been when he was playing football.
She sniffed and dug inher pocket for a tissue. "Sorry about that. I don't know what came overme."
"That's okay. Whatare friends for?" Cade held her away from his chest and looked into her brightgreen eyes. "Do you think you should take a bit of time to yourself? Ithink you're pushing yourself too hard. I can help you tomorrow with whateveris needed."
"Not really what Iget paid for, is it? Having a meltdown, I mean." She heaved a great sigh.
"I won't tell ifyou don't. I seriously can't see Tory giving you a dressing down for takingsome personal time anyway." He wiped a stray tear from her cheek andgrabbed her hand. "How about the two of us play hooky together? We cantake the new bike for a ride over the farm and you can fill me in on whatyou've been doing. I have a lot to catch up on."
"Why would youwant to do that with me?"
Her breath waswarm on his face and Cade was tempted to taste her lips and devour sweet Katewhere they sat on the grass. Timing was going to be the key with her though. Hehad to convince her he wasn't the Cade she thought he was. "Because I wantto see what's going on around here and I want to do it with you."
"Why? I'm not oneof your groupies, Cade." She looked down at her hands and pulled at astalk of grass at her feet.
"I know that andI've already told you the media portrayed me differently to what I'm reallylike. I want you to get to know the real me."
Kate lifted her headand looked at him long and hard before he saw the spark in her eyes light up."Okay, but I drive the bike."
Cade laughed, the soundbreaking the tension in his chest. "Fine then. Help me up please."
Kate stood and grippedhis hand, pulling him up from the grass. He dusted himself down before takingher hand. Together they walked toward the shed where he’d parked his ute.
"How about I getthis off from up here? You'll probably do more damage than good." Katedropped the tailgate of his ute and grabbed a couple of long planks, settingthem behind the tyres of the bike. When she had them lined up, she climbed upand held her hand out for the keys.
Cade got them frominside the ute, throwing them up to her. She caught them, grinned and straddledthe bike before starting it up. Careful to watch where she was going, shereversed the bike down to the ground.
"Get on and hangon." Her tear stained face lit up as she revved the throttle of the bike.
Cade climbed on theback, swinging his sore leg over and getting it settled before wrapping hisarms around her stomach. "Go, boss."
Kate laughed as shegunned the bike down past the barn toward the bottom paddocks where two farmhands were repairing fences. She slowed down when they reached them.
"How's itgoing?" She killed the engine and got off, leaving Cade sitting on thebike. "You seem to be doing a good job here guys. Thought I'd bring thenew hand down to meet you and check out the rest of the farm." She turnedto Cade. "Cade, this is Jeff and Tiny. Tiny, Jeff meet Cade."
They exchanged smalltalk for a few minutes before Kate climbed back on the bike. With a wave, theytook off again down the fence line. "The cattle in this paddock will beready for the sales in the next few months. I like to hold them closer to thehouse so I can keep an eye on them. We should do well this year." Sheslowed down when they got closer to the herd.
"You've done well,they look
