Cowboy Redemption (Down Under Cowboy Book 6) (14 page)

Kye

“Bet you’re keen to get out of the joint tomorrow, bro,” Boston comments, shovelling a spoonful of the cold bullshit they call food here into his mouth.

“Yep.  Can’t wait to get myself a fucking hot meal, that’s for sure.”

“You’re making me jealous now.”

“You’ll be out soon.”

He grunts his response.  In the past two months he has had another meeting with his lawyer and apparently they are doing the best they can to try and get him a retrial.  In prison, ninety per cent of the people here claim to be innocent.  Very few actually are.  But I really believe Boston when he says he was set up.  Time will tell, I guess.

“Give me a call when you get out, yeah?  Keep in touch,” I tell him.

“Yeah, man.  Will do.”

We finish our food and get sent back to our cell for the night.  During the last eighty-nine days, I have kept to myself, not wanting to be associated with any cliques and desperate to keep away from any drama that happens here.  Getting involved in fights is a sure-fire way to spend some time in the solitary or to increase your stay.  I didn’t want any part of either of those, so I kept to myself.  I played cards with Boston, worked out in my cell and filled my scrapbook with ideas for my coaching clinic.  I did all of that while fighting back thoughts of Kennedy.  It didn’t work.  She plagues my mind every minute of every day.  When I get out of here, I’m going to be the man she deserves.

If she’ll have me.

~*~

Free.

Fucking free.

Finally.

Ninety days in jail is too long for me and I’m in no fucking hurry to get back inside.  Time to get my life back on track.

The sky is blue, the birds are chirping, a soft breeze is blowing and I am fucking free.

Fuck yeah.

~*~

“Oh!  Oh, my gosh!” My mum comes running toward me, her tiny body colliding with mine.  I swoop her into my arms and lift her up.

“Hey, ma.”

“My sweet boy.  I’ve missed you so much.”  She starts crying and I rub her back.

“Come sit down.  Do you want anything? A coffee?  Something to eat?” She pats my chest as she’s speaking, staring up at me in wonder.

“Food’d be good, ma.  Don’t care what it is, so long as it’s hot.  And if it involves eggs, make sure they don’t taste, look and feel like rubber.”

“My sweet boy,” she whispers.  She goes up on her toes and pulls my neck down, kissing my cheek tenderly and full of love, as only a mother can.  “Go sit.  I’ll be with you in a minute.”

I walk outside and sit, needing the fresh air.  Thankfully, the café where my mum works is quiet at this time of day, so there isn’t a lot of foot traffic.  Surprising her at work wasn’t my initial intention, but after being released, I wanted to set the ball rolling immediately.  That means not delaying anything for any reason.  So today, I’ll spend time with my mum, let her know my plans.  Then tomorrow, I’m going back to Pine Creek.

“You look deep in thought, darling,” mum says, sitting down across from me. 

“Got a lot to think about,” I tell her. 

She places a plate of food in front of me and my mouth waters.  Hamburger with the works, chips and a bottle of Coke.  Fuck yeah.  I dig in right away and the food is gone in minutes.  I down half the bottle of Coke in two big gulps, then lean back in my chair, letting the food settle.

“How have you been?  I wish you would have let me visit you, Kye,” she admits softly.

“Didn’t want you seeing me like that, ma.  I felt like shit…I
still
feel like a piece of shit for letting my life get to that point.”

“Everyone makes mistakes, Kye.  And everyone is entitled to a second chance,” she tells me.

“I hope you’re right, ma.”

We spend a few hours catching up and I show her the plans for my clinic.  I decided to name it ‘The Kye Austin Football Coaching Clinic.’  Mum thinks it will be a great idea, especially locating it in Pine Creek, where the communities are disadvantaged and the youths are often struggling to find ideas to occupy their time.  Not only will my clinic give them skills, but it will also hopefully stop them straying off track and finding illegal things to do.

“You’ll have to come visit me up there, mum.  You’d love it.”

“I promise I’ll get up there as soon as I can, son.”

“Just let me know when you’re ready and I’ll get you there.”

“Have you got a little lady friend yet?  I’m getting old, you know.  I need some grandbabies.”  She has been saying the same thing to me for the past ten years, at least.  My answer has always been
Got plenty of time for women and babies, ma.  Football’s more important. 
But now, I know for sure and certain the right woman is more important than anything else.  And I have found that right woman.

“Matter of fact, I have found a woman, ma,” I tell her.  Her eyes light up and she smiles huge.  Everyone has always told me I got my smile from my ma and the rest of my features from my dad.  When her mouth smiles, her whole face lights up.  Maryanne Austin is a beautiful woman.  My dad was a lucky man, and he knew it.  He passed away when I was twenty, but my mum has never been with anyone else.  She was dad’s one true love and he was hers.  I think that’s why she wants grandbabies so badly, because she misses my dad.  She doted on him, and me.  Now he’s gone and I moved away.  She must be lonely.

“I have to meet this girl.  She must be a special one.”  She eyes me knowingly.

“She is, ma.  Very special.”

“What’s her name?”

“Kennedy.”  Sweet, beautiful Kennedy, who I hurt.  Who I’m going to win back. 
My Kennedy.

Kennedy

“I think I’m drunk,” I slur.

“I think we all are,” my sister giggles back.

“These drinks are way too good.”  Edie laughs.

I nod and drain my glass.  “I’m empty.”

“It’s my turn to shout,” Ava says, standing.  She collects our glasses and goes into the kitchen to refill them.

Tonight, Ava, Edie and I decided to get together and have a few drinks.  It was a spur of the moment decision and only came about because I was out walking the property and called in to Ava’s house to say hi on my way past.  A few minutes later, Edie turned up to borrow something and we decided to have margaritas.

“How’s things with you, miss Kennedy?  You doing okay?”  Edie asks softly.

“I’m doing fine.  This alcohol is helping me a whole lot,” I add jokingly.

“Alcohol is good for that.  The problem is remembering in the morning – and having a hangover.” 

“Cheers to that.”

“Cheers to what?” Ava asks, handing out drinks out.

“Hangovers and drowning our sorrows.”

“I hate hangovers, so I’m not cheersing to that,” Ava says

“
Cheersing
…is that even a word?” I ask.

“Is now,” Edie says.

We talk and laugh for hours and by the time Jeremy helps me out to their car to drive me home, my legs are numb and my head is waaaay fuzzy.

“I think I’m drunk, Jer,” I mumble, closing my eyes.

“You think?” he mutters and I can hear the grin in his voice.

“You’re such a good man.  You’re good for Ava. I’m glad she’s got you.”

When we pull up at my parents’ house, Jeremy turns to me.

“You probably won’t remember this in the morning, but I’m telling you anyways.  Ava and I’ve got something to discuss with you.  I’ll give you a call in the morning.”

“After lunch,” I mumble.

“Yeah, yeah,” he agrees with a grin.

“Thanks for driving me home, Jer.  You’re a gem.”  I exit the car, misjudging the distance to the ground and fall arse over head.  Jer comes racing around, trying to hold back his laughter. I can’t contain mine; I burst out in uncontrollable laughter, rolling on the ground.

“Come on,” he says, helping me up.  He walks me to the front door and I stumble inside.  I manage to shut the door, then I go to the bathroom.  After I’m done, I walk into the kitchen and drink a big glass of water with two pain pills.  Then I go to my room, face plant the bed and it is lights out.

~*~

The next morning I am lounging on the couch watching a marathon session of ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ and nursing a slight headache when the phone rings.  Not wanting to tear my eyes from the television (Kim and Kourtney are having a little tiff), I hit the green button on my phone and bring it to my ear.

“Hello?”

“How you feeling this morning?” Jeremy asks.

“Not as badly as I probably should be.  My legs are grazed though.  Any idea how that happened?” I ask.  I discovered the bruise and grazes when I took a shower this morning.

“You fell out of my Ute,” he replies.

“Oh.”

“Yep.  Do you remember the part where I told you Ava and I have something we wanted to talk to you about?”

I rack my brain, trying to remember.  “No?” I reply, confused, wondering what they want to speak with me about.

“I thought you wouldn’t have.  Listen, you know my parents are travelling around the country, right?”

“Yeah.”

“Right, well when they’re done with Australia, they’re looking at going to Europe to America, so they’ll be away for years.”

“Okay.” 
What has this got to do with me?

“Ava and I spoke to them the other night and they think it’s a great idea.”

“What’s a great idea?”

“You moving into their house.”

“What?!”

“The house is just sitting there and it needs someone living it.  You need a place, so it makes sense.  With your folks back now, I know you’d prefer your own space.  Give it some thought and let me know.”

“Are you serious right now?” I gasp, totally keen with the idea.  I don’t even need to think about it.   I have lived on my own since leaving home when I was eighteen.  To now be back at home, it feels like I have failed, in a way.

“As a heart attack,” he replies.

“Then the answer is yes!  Thank you so much, I would love to move in there.”

“Awesome. I thought you’d be keen.  Ava’ll bring the keys up this afternoon and you can move in whenever.  It’s ready to go.”

“Thanks so much, Jer.  And give my appreciation and love to your parents when you’re talking to them next.”

“Will do.”

We end the call and I do a little happy dance.  For the first time since Kye left me, I feel a lightness spreading through my heart.

~*~

The house is larger than the cottage Kye was in, but smaller than Ava and Jeremy’s homestead.  Originally, this had been Jeremy’s house and then after he had Oscar, he moved into his parents’ homestead and they moved down here before leaving to travel Australia.  They come back home sporadically and usually stay here at the house.  But when Ava gave the keys to me last week, she assured me Scott and Maggie would stay at her house when they visited.

Some larger items of furniture are here, but I have managed to make the space my own with some knick-knacks and my personal items.  With two bedrooms and one bath, the house is just perfect for me.  I have been here three nights already and every afternoon, I have sat on the wraparound porch and watched the sun go down while drinking a glass of wine.  It’s peaceful and beautiful, but I have felt a little bit lonely.  After living in the hut at the Retreat for almost three years and then moving back in with parents for a couple of months, I have always had people near.  Now, I am totally on my own and I’m not enjoying the solidarity as much as I thought I would.  To fix that, I’m buying myself a puppy.  I have never owned a puppy before, so I am super excited.  I wanted something cuddly, but still protective.  I found a lady selling Rottweiler puppies not far from me, so I am going to pick up my new pup today.

I park my car out the front of her house and walk up to the front door. 

“Hi, you must be Kennedy?” a friendly looking middle aged woman says, opening the security door for me to enter.

“I am.” I smile.  “Judith, isn’t it?”

“That’s right.  Great to meet you.  Come on in.”  She leads me through the house and out into another room where a bunch of gorgeous little puppies are playing with each other. 

“Oh my gosh!  They’re all beautiful,” I croon, scooping up one that immediately comes running over to me.

“Aren’t you just beautiful,” I say, kissing her sweet puppy face and laughing when she licks me.  She’s all black with tan on her face, and she is simply adorable.  I don’t even need to look at the others to know this is my girl. 

“I’ll take this one,” I tell Judith.

“Okay.  You’re sure?”

“Absolutely.” I laugh again when the puppy licks my face and then snuggles into my neck.

“She’s a delight,” Judith tells me.  “Let’s sort the paperwork.”

After leaving Judith’s with my new pup, I call into the shops and buy a bunch of goodies for her.  I walk out with a puppy bed, some toys, a blanket, food and water bowls, dog food, puppy milk, and a collar and leash.  Then we head for home.

“This is your new home, sweet girl.  What do you think?” I ask her.  She runs off, sniffing around and inspecting everything. I fix up her bed and toys and then pour her some food and water.  Then I sit on the lounge and she immediately whines to get up with me.  Of course, I oblige her, lifting her up and playing with her.

“You need a name, sweetie,” I say, rubbing her tummy.  “I think you look like a Roxy.  Roxy the Rottweiler.  What do you think?”  She licks my face so I take that as an
I love it!

“Okay, come on Roxy girl, let’s go outside and do some chores.”  She follows me around outside as I hang some washing on the line and weed the garden beds.  As night starts to fall, we head back inside and curl up on the lounge together.  She is such a little character.  She makes me laugh and it is a refreshing change.  Plus, with Roxy to keep me company, I have only thought of Kye fifty-three times today, which is a nice change from my usual over one hundred times.