Page 22 of Road to Rosalee

Regarding her for a few more moments, he turned and flicked the tap on, washing his cup and plate then drying them and putting them away. ‘The blokes are going to feel like all their Christmases have come at once, with your amazing cooking.’

‘I hope so.’

‘I know so.’ It was said with absolute certainty.

With the kettle boiled, she poured a hot stream into her cup. ‘Have you figured out how I’m getting out there yet?’ Dolloping in two teaspoons of sugar, she decided to drink her tea sweet and black this morning. ‘And when?’

‘I wish I could take you myself but I just can’t get away from here.’ He offered her an apologetic smile. ‘So, you’ll be catching the plane from Cairns to Mount Isa, stay overnight at the pub, and then old Stan Loot who flies the mail plane will take you from there to the station, with a few stops along the way.’ He wiped his hands on the tea towel. ‘Does two days from now work for you?’

It was all really happening. It made her head spin. ‘Of course it does, thank you.’ She felt a rise of panic, especially as Matt wouldn’t be the one to take her out there and introduce her to the men, but she shoved it back down – at least she knew Zai.

‘Great. That’s settled then.’ Matt propped himself against the kitchen bench, crossing his mismatched socked feet at the ankles, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. ‘Word of warning, though. Stan is a little bit of a wild boy in the sky, but he’s super safe, I promise.’

‘Oh, lord help me. I’m not good at flying at the best of times.’ Melody grimaced.

‘I’ve hitched a lift with him many times over the years, as has Sarah, and I’ve always arrived alive, although sometimes a little nauseated from the landing.’ He offered a good-humoured wink.

‘Far out, thanks for that info, now I’m crapping myself even more.’ From a small plane to an even smaller one – this was going to be one hell of an adventure, she could feel it in her bones.

‘Ha, sorry, but seriously, you’ll be right.’ He reached out and gave her shoulder a squeeze. ‘Just keep reminding yourself you got this, okay?’

‘Kind of like fake it til I make it?’

‘Yeah, something like that.’ Matt strolled over to the hook beside the back door, and grabbed his hat. With one tap to his leg, Duke hurried to his side, and Duchess half scuttled, half tripped over her floppy paws to join them. ‘Sarah, Beau and I will meet you at the station in about four weeks, give or take, depending on what’s happening here. We’re just waiting for her parents to get back from their trip to visit some friends down in Tassie so they can take care of the critters.’ He scooped Duchess up, chuckling when she sideswiped his cheek with a lick.

‘Sounds like a plan.’ She pulled up a chair at the bench and sat, wishing they were all heading out there together. It was going to feel strange arriving on her own.

As if reading her mind, Matt sauntered back towards her, spun a breakfast stool around and planted himself in saddle position opposite her, his forearms resting on the chair back. ‘I know this is all surreal, and a little scary, but I want you to know, I’m so glad you came and found me, as is Sarah. And the extended family can’t wait to meet you when they get back for Slim and Sherrie’s wedding.’

Staring into her father’s eyes, Melody found herself overwhelmed with emotions – what if she didn’t live up to expectations? What if she didn’t get along with the men or, even worse, her extended family? What if she got there only to decide she hated it and wanted to go back to the city? She desperately didn’t want to let them down.

‘You’re very quiet.’ Matt reached out and placed a hand over hers. ‘What is it?’

She felt stupid saying it out loud, but … ‘I’m just worried they won’t like me. The men. And the family, when I meet them.’

He looked at her with genuine shock. ‘How could anyone not like you?’

‘You’re just being nice.’

‘No, I’m being honest.’ His frown gave way to the hint of a smile. ‘It gets me in lots of trouble, saying things how I see them, but I have to be real, or why bother saying anything at all?’

‘True. And I like that about you.’

‘You’re going to have the time of your life out there, you’ll see.’ He stood and tucked his chair back under the bench. ‘The outback changes a person. There’s just something about being in the middle of Mother Nature’s heart, where you can feel and hear her beat so very clearly. It makes you reassess everything in your life and gets rid of the limitations we all put on ourselves. In a strange way, it draws the real you out.’

‘Well, then.’ Melody’s admiration for her father’s fathomless depth intensified. ‘If that’s the case, I’ll never want to leave.’ It was said frivolously, but a part of her, a very small part, wondered if it would be so.

‘Like I said, magic happens out there.’ Matt gave her a knowing smile, as if he knew what she was yet to experience, or maybe something she was yet to tell him … but no. There was no way he knew about Antonio – he was the kind of immoral man that she wouldn’t want her father meeting. Ever.

She took a sip from her tea. ‘I’ll soon see.’

‘Yes, you most certainly will.’ Golden sunlight poured into the kitchen when he yanked the back door open.

Watching her father disappear out the door with Duke and Duchess in tow, Melody tugged her phone from her pocket and huffed. It was now or never. She dialled Antonio’s number. He answered just as it was about to be diverted to message bank.

‘Hey, you.’ His voice was crackly with sleep. ‘What’s up?’

‘Hey.’ Used to being up at the crack of dawn now, she hadn’t stopped to think about Antonio’s yearning to sleep in until midday on his day off – it had always driven her nuts. ‘I’m so sorry for waking you. I can call back later if you like.’