Cowboy Redemption (Down Under Cowboy Book 6) (3 page)

“Hi everyone,” Ava says with a smile as she walks onto the porch, pushing a stroller with the twins in it.  Following her is Jeremy, who is toting a large bag filled with all the necessities they need for three kids under three. 

“Hey,” I greet, walking over to give them a quick hug and kiss before bending down to place kisses on my sweet niece and nephew, Lila and Jagger. 

“Look at you, beautiful girl,” I coo to Lila.  She’s dressed in a pretty little dusty pink dress with a tutu attached.  Around her head is a headband with a big white flower on it.  Her skin and hair is dark, just like her dad’s.

Jagger makes a noise so I turn my attention to him, finding him giving me a toothless grin.

“Hey, big man.”  I tickle his tummy.  His skin is fair, his eyes are blue and his hair is blond.  He is his mother all over.

“They’re getting so big,” I observe.

“They sure are.  They grow too quickly,” Ava agrees.

“Won’t be long and they’ll be running around the yard like Oscar,” Jeremy chimes in.

“Time for another one,” I joke.

“Uh-uh,” Ava says, shaking her head.  “You’re next.”

“I doubt it,” I scoff.

Looking over, I catch my mum’s eye and she has the most contented smile on her face.  She gets that way every time she sees Ava and me getting along.  It makes me sad because I realize how much it hurt her for all the years we didn’t get along.

“Come sit, girls,” mum says as Jeremy walks off to help dad with the barbeque.

I take a rug and spread it out on the wood floor for Ava to let the twins play, while we all catch up.

“Where’s Oscar?” mum asks, glancing around for him.

“Kicking a football out the front,” Ava replies.

“Oh?” mum sounds intrigued.

“Yeah,” Ava sighs.  “Gone is Thomas, and now he’s set on football.”

“We’ll have to keep an eye out for some balls while we’re travelling,” mum says.

“He likes the Canberra Raiders, after hearing you and dad are travelling that way.”  Ava laughs.  “So, his new favourite colour is green, and he’s been watching replays of the games on YouTube constantly.”

“I hope Jagger or Lila like Thomas the Tank Engine, then.”  I smile, knowing how many trains, DVDs and books Oscar has accumulated over the years.  Oscar was diagnosed with autism when he was younger and he was obsessed with Thomas the Tank Engine. 

“Me too,” Ava grimaces.  “So, what’s new with you?” she asks me.

“Not a lot, really.  Just work.”

“What about Kye?” she asks, fishing for information.

“What about Kye?” I question innocently.

“Anything to tell there?”

“No,” I respond truthfully.  “He’s a former resident who decided to stay on in the area.  I took him along at Easter purely to help him meet people.”

“He’s cute,” she says coyly.

“Definitely,” mum agrees, shocking me.

“Yes, he is,” I agree hesitantly.

“Is he single?” mum asks.

“I don’t know.  What’s with the twenty questions?” I laugh.

“He’d be good for you,” Ava says.

“I don’t know …” I trail off, not wanting to continue talking about this anymore.

“Oh, look!” I exclaim.  “Jagger just rolled over.”  Everyone turns to look and clap as Jagger grins up at us from his belly, proud of himself.

A while later, dad and Jeremy bring the food out and we all eat, with the conversation turning to mum and dad’s travel plans.  As the day wears on, I say my goodbyes and head back to my hut.

~*~

With roughly two hours of daylight left, and all my chores taken care of, I decide to walk down to the waterhole near the retreat and have a swim.  After returning from my parents’ house, I managed to do some cleaning and a few loads of washing, as well as glancing through the paperwork of a new resident arriving tomorrow.  I also signed off on four residents who are leaving, so all in all, it has been an extremely productive day.

The waterhole is a ten-minute walk from the retreat.  Keeping my eye out for snakes, I find a nice spot under a shady tree and lay out my towel before shimmying off my cut-off shorts and peeling my tank top over my head.  I adjust my bikini bottoms and then walk over to the water’s edge, dipping my toe in the crystal clear water.

  It’s beautiful and cool, a stark contrast to the sticky heat of today.  I dive straight in and swim right to the other side and back to the middle before treading water and floating on my back, enjoying the peace and tranquillity this place provides.

The sun peeks through the trees above me, and as the leaves blow in the breeze, I’m given glimpses of the bright blue sky.  I wade around, floating on my back with my eyes closed for who knows how long, just enjoying the peace and quiet.  When my fingers start to wrinkle and the sun dips low turning the sky darker, I swim to the waters edge and climb out.

My breath catches in my throat and my hand immediately flies to my chest to calm the rapid beats.

“Holy crap!  You scared me, Kye,” I pant.

He holds my towel out to me and I take it gratefully, wrapping it around my exposed body.  He looks incredible, dressed in a pair of shorts and a navy blue polo with splashes of white.  His eyes,
god,
they are so deep and kind.  I could get lost in them for days.

“Didn’t mean to scare you.”  He shrugs.  “Water nice?”  He gazes off in the distance, appearing nonchalant, but I catch his eyes darting back to my body sporadically, and he looks
hungry.
  Part of me loves he is looking at me that way.

“The water’s beautiful.  How long have you been here?”

“Long enough.” His voice is husky when he speaks.  I have a feeling he has been watching me for a while, the thought excites me for some reason.  “Want to walk back?”

“Sure.”

I deftly towel myself dry and then slide my shorts and tank on.  I catch him looking at me occasionally as I dress and I have to bite back a smile. 

“Ready,” I announce. 

“Let’s get back then.  Be dark soon.”

We start the walk back in silence.  Even though it sounds like it would be incredibly uncomfortable, after all I’m walking through a bush land with a practical stranger, it actually feels really nice and not awkward at all. 

“Did you have a good day off?” Kye asks, breaking the silence.

“I did.  My parents are heading off on another of their Golden Years Adventures,” I say with a chuckle, “so I spent the day with them and my sister’s family.”

“Sounds like a good time.  How’s Jeremy and everyone?”

“They’re doing well.  You should call the guys sometime.  Hang out,” I suggest.

“I might just do that.”

“How was your day?”

“Busy.  I’ve got a side project I’m working on in my spare time, so I worked on that.”

“Sounds interesting.  Want to share?”

“Maybe one day I’ll show you,” he says, glancing at me from the corner of his eye.

As the retreat looms in the distance, my heart dips and I find myself wishing the walk were longer.  I really enjoy Kye’s company. 

“Do you swim much?” he asks.

“When I get the chance.  I really enjoy it, but I don’t get many opportunities these days.”

“You know, a lot of the kids can’t swim really well.  Might be an idea to incorporate some lessons into your team and trust building exercises,” he comments casually.

“That’s actually a really good idea.  Thanks for that,” I say, rubbing his arm in appreciation.  I catch myself quickly and pull my hand back.  Usually the act would be considered purely gratuitous and friendly, but something I’m feeling deep down and underlying has me doubting myself.

He’s just a friend.

But is he?  What if I want him as more than a friend?

No.

I’m concentrating on my new life, bettering myself, making me a good person.  I don’t need a man to mess things up for me.

Friends.  Just friends.

I stop and take a deep, refreshing breath, solidifying the conclusion I’ve just come to in my mind.

“Thanks for the company, Kye.  I’ll see you around,” I say chirpily.

“Good to see you, Kennedy.”

He treks off and I start toward my hut.

“Kennedy!  Kennedy!”  I turn at the sound of my name being shouted in the distance.

“Hey, Glory,” I say, smiling as the teenager runs toward me.

She’s panting when she comes to a stop in front of me.  “Hey, Kennedy.”  She stops to rest her hands on her knees as she hunches over to catch her breath.  “Sorry.”

“That’s okay.  What’s up?”

“I was wondering if you could teach us how to cook one day?”

“As part of the program?”

“Yeah.  I’ve been watching the kitchen staff cook and they say we’re not allowed in there because of the regulations or something, but they said you might be interested in helping us learn some basic skills,” she rushes out without taking a breath.

“Okay.  That sounds like a great idea.  Let me think it over and organize some finer details.  We’ll go from there.”

“Thank you.”  The smile that lights her face is addictive. 

“You’re welcome.”

I continue back to my hut, all thoughts of Kye pushed aside as I conjure up ideas to help these kids learn kitchen basics.

And swimming skills.

And just like that, my thoughts of Kye spin to the forefront of my mind.  The naughty side of my brain imagines him bare-chested and wet, in a pair of swim shorts, his muscular body glistening from the water. 
Water sex with Kye
… My stomach clenches.

“Kitchen skills!” I snap to myself, thankful no one is around to hear my nonsense.

After spending all night brainstorming ideas for new, interesting, engaging topics for the residents to participate in, I wake early, shower, dress and gather my paperwork.

“Knock, knock,” I say, tapping on Maria’s door.

“Come in,” she calls.  I pull open the door and walk through.  “Morning, Kennedy.”

“Morning,” I chirp.

Maria is the Life Coach here at the retreat and oversees and coordinates all the programs we put in place.  She doesn’t often do field work, unless necessary instead she spends her time indoors managing the paperwork side.

“How are you?” she asks.

“Good thanks,” I say, noticing she must have just stepped out of the shower.  She’s dressed, but her short brown hair is damp and hasn’t been styled for the day.  She’s also sans makeup, which is almost unheard of for Maria.

“I don’t want to interrupt you for long, but I was hoping you had time for a quick chat?”

“Absolutely,” she says, gesturing for me to take a seat at her two-seat dining table.  “Excuse the paperwork.”  She moves it off to the side with a chuckle.

“After a couple of suggestions from residents, I got thinking last night and I’ve put together some ideas that I wanted your approval on.”

“Sounds interesting.  What are you thinking?”

“Well, one of the teen residents suggested basic cooking skill classes.  I thought it would be a good idea to teach them how to make a few meals with meat and vegetables.  Then, maybe we could offer a class for those interested in learning to bake.”

She stays silent, thinking, until she brings her eyes to me.  “I like it.  Learning to cook is a necessity and a life skill worth having.  Basic meals such as meat and vegetables, damper even, is absolutely worth having.”

“Fantastic,” I say with a smile, bolstered at her enthusiasm.  “The other thing is swimming skills.  It was bought to my attention that many of the residents only have extremely basic water skills, and no life-saving education.”

“Right.”  She appears to be mulling it over in her mind.  “Have you thought about how we would go about implementing the swimming program?”

“Actually, I have,” I hesitate.  “I hold all the legal qualifications to teach the residents standard life-saving skills in accordance with the governments regulations.  I’m happy to facilitate the program,” I offer.

“Wow! I had no idea.”  She beams.

“It was just something I undertook in high school,” I admit shyly.  “I’ve got my ideas all drawn up here if you’d like to check them over?”

“Sure.  Leave them with me and I’ll look over them.  I’ll stop by your hut this afternoon.”

“Sounds great.  Thanks Maria.  Have a good day.”  I stand to leave, feeling really hopeful and proud of myself.

By the time I reach the communal hall, breakfast is in full swing. 

“Morning,” I say, smiling as I greet the residents.

I receive a bunch of good mornings in response as I walk past and move toward the buffet.  I take a plate and spoon on some scrambled eggs and rashers of bacon.  After buttering my toast, I place it on my plate and fill a glass with orange juice.  Finding a vacant seat with the other sponsors, I sit down and enjoy my meal before the day begins.

“Mind if I sit?”  The voice comes from beside me.  Looking up, I see Kye.  I smile warmly at him and nod my head.

“Thanks.  Morning, everyone,” he says, adjusting himself in the seat.

“Morning, Kye,” is echoed around the table and we all continue on with eating and the random chatter that always seems to take place at the breakfast table.  It’s the kind of chatter that breaks the silence but isn’t memorable or worth noting.  Still, it is definitely better than sitting together in complete quiet.

When I finish my food, I put my cutlery down and drain the rest of my orange juice.  “That was delicious.”

“The pancakes were beautiful this morning.  So fluffy and light,” one of the other sponsors agrees.

“Thanks for your company this morning, guys.  I’ll see you out there.”  I stand and leave, making my way back to my hut to quickly change into a pair of runners before the day’s activities commence.

“Kennedy, wait up,” I hear called from behind me.  I immediately stop and turn, spotting Kye as he jogs toward me.

“What’s up, Kye?”

“I wanted to ask if you’d given any thought to the swimming lesson idea we were talking about yesterday?”  he asks as we walk side by side back to my hut.

“I did, actually.  Last night I put a proposal together and I’ve submitted it to Maria for further review.  It looks to be a go ahead though.”  I smile broadly.

“Awesome.  That’s fantastic news!”

“Thank
you
for the idea.”

“No problem.  Listen, I have to get going but, uh,” he pauses to run his hand over his head and down his neck, seemingly a small part nervous.  My brow furrows, but I wait patiently for him to continue.  “If you need an extra hand with the swimming lessons, I’ll be available to help out,” he offers.

“Thank you so much, Kye!  I really appreciate the offer.  I’ll definitely let you know.”

“Cheers.  See you around, Kennedy.”

“Bye, Kye.”  He jogs off in the opposite direction and I watch him for a few seconds before I walk into my hut.  After tying my shoes, I head back over to the communal hall just in time to meet the residents as they are all exiting. 

“Listen up, everyone!” Mitch, one of the sponsors, shouts loud enough to gain everyone’s attention.  “Today we’re all going to be working over at the re-build area.  There’s a lot of work to do, and not much time to do it in.  So we need all the help we can get over there.”

“You heard Mitch.  It’s all hands on deck today,” I tell the younger residents. 

They all make sounds of enthusiastic agreement.  Thirty minutes later we arrive and immediately get stuck into the jobs that need doing.  I spend the morning supervising and helping to clean up.  By the end of the day, I’m filthy dirty, covered in sweat, dust, concrete and mud.  My fingers have splinters in them, thanks to a piece of timber, and my feet are killing me. 

But, as I look around the site, and see the exhausted, but still smiling faces of the residents, a sense of achievement and pride fills my chest.  Everyone pulled their weight today and no one complained, despite the heat and the laborious conditions. 

When the sun begins to dip beneath the trees, we all collapse onto some makeshift seating and take a breather.  I’m handed a cold bottle of water from someone, and I take it gratefully.

“Thanks so much for your help today, guys.  We should be finished tomorrow, that means folks can start moving into their homes and getting on with their lives.  You should all be incredibly proud of yourselves for the impact you’re having on these people’s lives.  Congratulations,” Mitch says. 

I look around the group of residents, and even though they look tired and exhausted, they also look extremely happy and there are plenty of smiles to be seen.

Kye takes a seat next to me and I give him a weary smile before gulping the rest of my drink.

He’s wearing a white tank top that is covered in dirt and sweat.  It shows off his incredibly thick biceps and highlights the tribal tattoo that runs from his left shoulder to his wrist.  I’d like to spend more time examining the ink, but that would be inappropriate, so a quick glance here and there will have to suffice.  His dark navy jeans fit him well.  Not too tight, not too loose.  On his feet is a pair of heavy-duty lace-up work boots.

I’m suddenly annoyed at how gorgeous I think he looks.  I shouldn’t be having thoughts like that.  In the past, I made a lot of errors when it came to guys.  Two years ago, I promised myself I was going to change.  So along with my job, my clothes, my lifestyle, my
everything
, I also changed my attitude to men.  I don’t
need
a man – even though I spent most of my life thinking I did.  I actually don’t, and once I realized that, it was liberating.  For the first time since I began my new life, I have an attraction to a member of the opposite sex.

It’s scary.  To be honest, I don’t want to slip back into my old ways.  Ways of thinking that only a man can make me happy.  Thinking only a man can make me feel complete.  I have done the emotional work, looked deep inside myself and discovered
I’m
the only one who can make myself complete.  But, what if all it takes is one hot guy and I’m back to my old self?  I don’t want that to happen.  It’s frightening.

Kye turning toward me and slightly nudging my knee with his pulls me from my internal struggle. 

“You did good today, Kennedy,” he compliments me and my chest warms.

“Thank you.  It’s backbreaking work, but so rewarding.  Seeing this entire project come together has me wishing I were part of it from the beginning.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do when it’s done.  I’m so used to coming here everyday,” he comments casually, but I can sense the underlying melancholy in his tone.

“I’m sure you’ll find something to occupy your time.  You can always come and help me teach the kids how to bake,” I offer with a laugh.

He flexes his generous muscles and jokes, “I’d break the whisk if I let the guns loose.”

I laugh and bump into him with my shoulder. Suddenly feeling a little self-conscious, though why, I’m not entirely sure, I duck my head and bite back a smile before tucking my hair behind my ear.

I feel awkward.  It’s a strange feeling for a thirty-something year old woman who, growing up, was popular, full of confidence and had a tonne of friends.  I’m not the same person I was, though.  I’ve come to realise I gained my confidence from attention of boys.  I got noticed a lot, so I felt on top of the world, and I used and abused that, taking full advantage.  Not caring what girls I hurt in the process. 

Now, I’m different.  I’m just me.  Kennedy Crawley.  I allow myself to
feel.
  I don’t use sex to erase my self-doubt.  Instead, I embrace it, analyse why I feel that way and move on.  I’m a stronger and better person than I was before.

“Listen, Kennedy, I, uh, I wanted to ask you something,” Kye says.  Immediately, I note the hesitation in his voice and my heart thuds before dropping into my stomach.

“Okay.  What is it?”  Trepidation laces my words.

He reaches his hand up and massages the back of his neck, before dropping his hand back onto his thigh and lacing his fingers together.  I concentrate on his movements, attempting to decipher his body language, even though I’m no expert.  I think I just want to distract myself, but I won’t go there.

“Will you have dinner with me tonight?” he asks. 

Oh shit.  I was not expecting that.

“Um,” I drag the word out.

“No pressure.  Just a nice dinner to thank you for all you’ve done for me,” he rushes out, his deep voice filling my ears.

“I haven’t really done anything,” I say weakly.

He barks out a soft laugh.  “Easter with your family – you didn’t have to take me, but you did.  I appreciate that.  Let me take you out.”

“Okay,” I finally relent.

“I’ll pick you up at seven.”

“Seven,” I repeat as nervous energy swims through my veins.

Shit.

“Kennedy,” I hear hollered from afar.  Kye stands and reaches down to run his index finger across my jaw. 

“See you at seven.”

“Yep,” I croak out, suddenly losing the ability of my vocal chords.

“Kennedy,” I hear shouted again, this time a little closer.

I stand and look over to see Mitch jogging toward me just as Kye walks off.

“Hey, Mitch.  What’s up?”  I ask as he slows to a walk in front of me.

“I wanted to catch you before you left.  Would you be happy to come back tomorrow and help out?  I know you’ve probably got activities planned, so if you can’t, I understand.  But, it’s the final day and I thought you and the younger residents might be interested in seeing the project through to the end.”

“Absolutely!  We would love that.  Thanks for thinking of us.”

“No problems.  You guys did an awesome job and we’d be honoured to have you here again.”

“See you in the morning then.”

“You bet.”