The Road Home (18 page)

‘Should she go in?’

‘Oh, yeah. Just head straight up,’ he nodded to the other woman.

The stripper smiled with bright red lips, winked, then headed up the stairs, her outfit squeaking as she walked. Jack stayed, watching Lara as the shed erupted in wolf whistles and shouts.

‘You’re missing out on the show,’ Lara said with a smile.

Jack didn’t care. Reaching out his hand, he touched her hair and curled a strand around his finger. It was softer than he’d imagined.

Lara moved a fraction closer, snapping him out of his trance. He withdrew his hand, glancing into her curious blue eyes and clearing his throat.

‘Yeah, I better get back,’ he said, taking a step away before he did something reckless. Something more reckless than what he’d just done.

‘Jack?’

He didn’t want to answer her unasked question. He couldn’t go down this road again.

‘’Night, Lara.’ He started up the steps, almost tripping on the last one, and dived into the safety of the shed. At last he could breathe again.

He sat in the nearest plastic chair, not interested in joining the circle of men around the woman. The music blared as bits of clothing burst out of the centre, only to be snatched from the air by large male hands. Jack just sat there, staring into space, rubbing his fingers and concentrating on breathing slowly. He was going to need another beer.

AFTER lunch the next day, Lara saw the lightning start up as thick black storm clouds rolled in. They looked troubling, just like her thoughts had been all morning. The way Jack had studied her hair with such infatuation had caused her a sleepless night. But he’d run like a skittish fox when she’d moved closer, taking off up the stairs as if she’d been chasing him with the rifle.

The weather was not helping her mood. It was still hot and the air was filled with electricity. From the shed she had a marvellous view over the land and at the dark clouds that moved low and fast. But as menacing as they looked, there was still no rain. Hopefully it would come.

About ten minutes later she saw dark smoke on the horizon and knew it wasn’t a good sign. At first it was just a black smudge, as if someone had smeared charcoal on the view with their finger, but it grew thicker by the minute and spread out like a fan. No two ways about it – this was a fire.

She jumped into the ute. ‘Roy, Dippa, stay.’ They shot her
murderous looks but obeyed. As she left the farm and headed in the direction of the fire, she put the two-way radio on scan to see if she could pick up any information.

She arrived at the end of a bush reserve, nearly fifteen kilometres away. She could smell the smoke and see it wafting through the scrub bush and mallee trees. Lights from the two fire trucks flashed further up on the road, near local farmers in utes and water trucks, who were no doubt waiting on instructions. Even Lara could see that the bush was too thick for them to just drive in and put the fire out.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ a voice boomed in through the ute window. Jack stood there with a scowl on his face.

‘Jesus, Jack.’

‘You shouldn’t be here.’

‘Why not? I have every right, just like every other land owner or worker here.’

‘You don’t know what you’re doing and you’ll just get in the way.’

‘Oh, you’re so supportive, Jack. I think that’s what I like about you. You know how to make a person feel welcome,’ she said sarcastically. ‘How am I supposed to know what to do to help if I don’t get out and learn? One day Erindale could have a fire and I don’t want to run around like a nit in a fit while everything burns down around me.’ She saw her words hit the target and she reached out and grabbed his wrist. ‘Help me, Jack. Tell me, show me things so I’ll be prepared. Please.’

His eyes trailed to where she held him and she quickly let go, feeling a flush pass through her body. He was weighing up her words.

‘Okay, but you have to stay with me. I don’t want you wandering off trying to put out flames or save wildlife. You get your arse burnt and Noah will skin me alive. And it’d be a shame to singe off all your hair.’

The heated way he gazed at her hair caused a shiver through her bones. ‘I promise, I’ll stick to you like glue.’ The corner of Jack’s lips twitched and it eased the seriousness of the moment.

‘So, I guess Noah has already gone home?’

Jack angled his head curiously. ‘Yes. He left about ten. Did he not stop and see you?’

Lara quickly waved him off. ‘Oh, he probably did but I had to run into town about then,’ she said, making up an excuse. She tried hard to keep the disappointment from showing. She’d really hoped Noah would stop in, but maybe facing her alone was still too much for him to bear.

Jack nodded. ‘Well, I’ve just gotta go talk with Evan over there and see what the plan is. You stay here,’ he ordered like a drill sergeant, which just made her imagine him as an SAS soldier, decked out in a sexy uniform. She could picture Jack being all tough, mean and dangerous. Maybe he’d be in the bomb department, she thought. He sure was good at pressing buttons.

Jack jogged back over.

‘So? What’s the go?’ Lara asked.

‘You can park just off the main gravel road behind my ute. Ev’s just checked on the forecast and the wind is heading in a steady westerly. Brett’s bringing down Greg’s grader. We’re going to make a break through the bush and hopefully cut it off at this end.’ Jack pointed to the nearby paddock. ‘We don’t want it to get out here.
Ned’s house is just over that hill. He’s bringing his tractor up now to plough up along the fence line.’

‘It sounds so organised.’

‘That’s why we have a fire chief. Need to be prepared, as the wind could change.’

A truck pulled up in front of them on the road. ‘That’s Brett with Greg’s grader,’ he said, hanging onto the open door. ‘If you wanna stay here, I’m just going to help unload and then I’ll come get you.’ He said it lightly but his tone ordered her to stay put.

Lara parked her ute, grabbed the water bottle from the seat, and sat on the bonnet as she watched Jack untying the grader. Brett came over as Jack reversed the grader off the low loader.

‘Hi, Lara. Long time no see.’ Brett Thompson was Noah’s age and they’d gone to primary school together. His family lived just out of town on a small farm.

‘Yeah. Pity it’s not under better circumstances,’ she said. ‘Did you go to the bucks’ party last night?’

Brett pulled a face. ‘I did and I’m still suffering slightly. Great night, though.’ Brett towered over her, blocking out the patch of light filtering through the storm clouds. He’d always been Luc Longley–tall.

‘Do you drive the grader?’ she asked, pointing to the large yellow machine.

‘No. Uncle Greg contracts out to the shire but he’s in Perth today so I brought it here. Lucky Jack’s around to drive it.’

Lara must have looked confused, because Brett explained. ‘Jack drives for Greg from time to time. Not many people out here know how to drive a grader, especially through bush.’

Jack climbed down, his long-sleeved shirt flapping open as he walked towards them.

‘Ready to go?’

No, not really, she thought, but she managed a grin. ‘Yep.’ She grabbed the water bottle. ‘See ya, Brett.’

‘I’ll catch up with you at the pub some time and buy you a drink,’ he said with a wave.

She waved back before catching Jack’s look. ‘What?’ she asked.

‘You were with him for a minute and you’ve already scored a drink?’

Was it just her imagination or were his eyes really a deeper shade of green? ‘It must be my wonderful wit and charm,’ she said, laughing. Jack groaned.

‘Sorry, it’s a bit tight in here. You’ll have to sit on the side,’ he said, climbing into the driver’s seat.

‘That’s fine. Reminds me of when I used to squish in with Dad on the tractor or the header.’

Lara sat on the esky that was in the cab, and Jack moved the grader off towards the reserve. At the edge of the bush he put the blade down and began driving through the scrub, carefully choosing his path around the larger trees. They moved further in, the smoke always on their right side, seeping through the bush like a ghostly figure.

Lara was too scared to speak, and it didn’t seem like the time to start up a random conversation anyway. Jack needed to concentrate. Further in they drove, scraping the top layer of dirt and bush, while Jack talked occasionally to Evan on the two-way.

‘How you holding up? Not exactly the fire-fighting you had in mind?’ Jack asked.

‘No, not really, but at least I know I can get in the tractor and plough off a fire break or something.’

‘If it ever happens, just make sure you let someone know and keep in contact. Always try to keep water in the fighter tank. Check everything still runs so you’re prepared. Especially through harvest. You never want to be out in a paddock on your own with no water.’ Jack ran her through a few more things she could do if there was a fire on Erindale. It was the first time ever that he was actually helping her, offering her advice about the tried and true method of how things were done. It passed the time quickly.

The two-way crackled into life, cutting Jack off. She was disappointed. She was enjoying listening to him talk, especially without any irritation lining his voice. ‘You on channel, Jack?’

‘Yeah, Ev, go ahead.’

‘Mate, the wind’s turned and it’s coming your way. Best you move, now.’ His voice held a sense of urgency that crawled up Lara’s spine.

‘Roger, Ev. On my way.’ Jack hung up the microphone hand-piece. ‘Shit.’ He leant forward, peering through the bush, searching for the approaching flames.

‘That doesn’t sound good.’ Lara tried to keep the unease from her voice.

Jack pointed out the side window. ‘Look – here it comes. The smoke’s blowing our way now.’ Jack swore but he didn’t sound panicked. He turned the wheel and they headed to the left. She shot him a curious glance. After a while, she realised he was going
around in a circle. She desperately wanted to ask him why, but before she could work up the courage, she spotted red, licking flames on the far right.

‘Jack! Jack, I can see it. It’s coming straight for us!’ Now she was panicking. ‘Are we …’ She couldn’t finish. Too many options rushed into her head. Were they in danger? Were they going to burn?

‘Don’t worry. I’ve put a break around us; there’s no way we can outrun it.’ He drove to the the centre of the circle and stopped.

‘So, what’re you saying? We’re going to just stay here!’

Lara was becoming hysterical. Jack held her with both hands and shook her gently.

‘There is no other option. Try not to panic. We should be fine. The scrub bush around here isn’t tall and the fire should just go straight past and around the break circle. Okay?’

She felt like screaming ‘No!’ but Jack was so calm that she relaxed, just a fraction.

He took off his shirt and began tearing it into strips, and asked for the water bottle. He soaked the material and handed her a wet strip. ‘To put over your mouth in case the smoke gets too bad.’

Her eyes felt like they were going to fall out of her head as she tried to imagine the cab full of smoke, and flames right outside. She couldn’t believe how scared she was. Her hands trembled.

‘Here. Come sit in the middle. It’ll be safer.’

She just stared at him, paralysed, but then her arm, which had been resting against the metal wall of the grader, began to feel warm. She imagined the paint blistering off the outside of the grader as the metal became red-hot, and got a sense of just how much hotter it would get inside. Awkwardly, she moved over to Jack and sat
on his lap, feeling incredibly uncomfortable to be pressed so close up against him. He leant forward and reached around her for the two-way. His heart beat rapidly against her back and she realised he wasn’t as calm as he appeared. This did nothing to soothe her own panic.

Jack relayed to Evan what they’d had to do and reassured him that he’d stay in contact. Lara shook with fear and Jack put his arm around her. Her body was confused. Half of her was scared and the other half was flat-out thinking of Jack’s arm resting against her. He was so strong and she could feel his breath tickling her neck. He smelled slightly of soap from a morning shower, and her body was starting to relax when she saw smoke coming through the holes in the cab.

‘Oh, shit!’ She turned herself so she could see Jack’s face. ‘You know, if I’d known being in the country was so dangerous, maybe I wouldn’t have come! Snakes and fires …’

‘It was a harmless snake, remember?’ Jack said with a half-smile that took the edge off her fear. ‘And this fire won’t get out of hand. The trucks will be following along our break, trying to put it out as it comes towards us. We’ll be okay.’

She wasn’t so sure. Frantically, she tried to look out of each window, when Jack’s hands tightened on her arms.

‘Please stop wriggling,’ he said in a strained voice. She thought her weight must be making him uncomfortable, but then she felt the real reason for his request. She was arousing him. Lara sat deathly still and felt twice as hot, with her cheeks now burning too.

The flames began to circle around them and she watched the way the red heat engulfed the dry bush. She’d never been this close
to an out-of-control fire before, and to see it moving faster than she could run was incredible. Kangaroos and rabbits bounded out in front of the fire, some coming right near the grader. A spiny anteater scurried along as fast as its little legs could take it, but it wasn’t fast enough, and Lara watched the flames overtake its tiny body. Her eyes clamped shut, not wanting to watch the rest. They opened again as the smoke in the cab made her cough, and she pressed the wet shirt to her nose. Jack had done the same. The temperature was skyrocketing and the crackling of the fire echoed around them. Sweat was running down her back, along her hairline and neck, and soaking into her clothes as the cab became an oven.

It was exhausting trying to watch every part of the break just in case the fire managed to jump over. The flames came closer, edging towards them.

Lara dropped the wet cloth from her mouth. ‘Jack, in case it gets ugly, I just want to say I’m really sorry about misjudging you, and … thanks for being there.’ She paused. ‘The last few months haven’t been easy.’ She met his emerald eyes and shivered at their intensity, despite the heat. His lips were inches from hers and she was very aware of how soft they looked. As their breath combined, Jack closed his eyes and so did Lara. She breathed him in.

‘Lara,’ whispered Jack. ‘It’s me who should be apologising. I’ve been a right tosser.’

Lara’s opened her eyes and ran a finger over his lips. ‘It’s okay. I understand.’

Jack was rubbing her thigh and his touch burnt her skin as if his fingers were red-hot embers. He looked out the window. ‘Most of it’s just about passed.’

She turned her head, searching the landscape for the blazing flames. Blackened sticks and grey ash covered the ground. Some of the bigger shrubs were still alight, and tiny orange flames sucked the last from the thicker branches and trunks. Pale smoke wisps trailed up from the crispy black remains, before the wind whisked them away. Gone were the animals, gone were the thick green shrubs, and gone was any sign of life. This was a strange new world of death.

Lara’s heart was still pounding. ‘That was so scary. I was so scared. That was so close.’ She coughed and spluttered in between her adrenaline-filled words. Jack just held her tight. ‘You didn’t even look fazed,’ she went on.

Jack half laughed. ‘Believe me, I was a little worried.’ He brushed back his fringe from his sweaty brow.