Breaking The Drought by Lisa Ireland Page B

thing you’re only a lightweight, or we’d be in real trouble.’
    â€˜We can’t carry her like that all the way back to the ute,’ said Rob. ‘It’ll be too uncomfortable for her.’
    â€˜No,’ said Luke. ‘She can wrap her arms around our shoulders and we’ll support her that way. The splint is pretty secure so her leg should be fine.’
    â€˜It’s a pity it’s so far away,’ said Rob.
    Luke looked at Jenna. ‘You could go get the truck. It won’t get far along this track but even a couple of hundred metres would help. The closer you can get the better.’
    â€˜But…’
    â€˜You can drive, can’t you?’
    â€˜Of course I can drive.’ So long as it’s an automatic transmission .
    â€˜Well?’
    â€˜Where are the keys?’
    â€˜The keys are in the ignition,’ Rob said.
    Jenna shook her head. No one she knew would ever leave their car unlocked, let alone the keys in the ignition. She turned and headed back down the track once more. What were the odds of Rob’s old truck being automatic? Pretty slim she thought. Last time she’d driven a manual was the day she passed her driver’s test, almost 10 years ago now.
    When the ute came into sight she crossed her fingers. Please be an auto .
    She climbed up into the driver’s seat and cursed. No such luck. She clenched her teeth in determination. How hard could this be? Thousands of people drove these types of vehicles everyday, why not her? It wasn’t as if she was stupid.
    She turned the ignition and released the handbrake. So far so good . She put her foot on the clutch and slid the gear stick into first and then slowly released the clutch while pushing on the accelerator. The ute stalled. Damn .
    It took three more false starts and some bunny hopping before she managed to propel the vehicle forward. Too scared to change out of first gear, she nudged the truck along until the track was too narrow and overgrown to continue.
    Beads of perspiration trickled down her face as she opened the door and swung herself down. So much for the swim cooling her off. Hot and dirty, she made her way back up the now too familiar track.
    Luke’s face was sporting a large grin when she caught up with them. ‘Have a bit of trouble getting the ute started?’ he asked.
    â€˜No,’ she said.
    â€˜Sounded that way from here.’
    Jenna felt her face colour. ‘I’m not used to driving trucks,’ she said.
    Luke and Rob laughed. ‘Don’t worry. At least you managed to bring it up a bit further,’ Luke said.
    â€˜I’m not sure how much further I can go,’ said Brooke. Her face was now twisted in pain.
    â€˜The ute’s not far,’ Jenna said.
    â€˜Thank God,’ said Brooke.
    They walked the final length of the track in silence.
    When they finally reached the ute Brooke kissed the bonnet. ‘I never thought I’d be so happy to see such an old rust bucket,’ she said.
    Rob and Luke helped her into the front passenger seat, which Rob had pushed as far back as possible. ‘Try to keep your leg still,’ Luke said as he propped the toolbox and a towel under Brooke’s foot.
    Jenna had to sit in the middle of the backseat because Brooke’s seat was pushed back so far. Luke climbed in next to her. Her skin tingled as his bare skin grazed hers.
    He reached down and took her hand.
    Jenna felt a lump welling in her throat. She hadn’t held hands with a boy since high school.
    â€˜I’ll drop you two off at Tandarra on the way to the hospital,’ said Rob.
    â€˜No, I want to come,’ said Jenna.
    â€˜The nearest hospital is nearly an hour away,’ said Rob.
    â€˜I don’t care,’ Jenna replied.
    â€˜Jen, I don’t want both of us to miss the bush dance. I’ll be fine. I’ll have Rob with me.’
    â€˜But…’
    â€˜We have to go to Tandarra