orders down the mountain for two of the men to come free the bleating sheep. Caine frowned and mounted Titan again. He’d bide his time, stay out of Macklin’s way while they drove the sheep down to the winter pastures, then demand an explanation that evening when he went to discuss the day with Macklin.
As long as Macklin didn’t slam the door in his face.
Chapter Nine
M
ACKLIN managed to avoid Caine for the rest of the day, not that Caine tried that hard to talk to him. This wasn’t a conversation they needed to have where the men could overhear them. As they rode back into the valley that sheltered the main station, Caine wondered if they should even discuss it at Macklin’s house. While the foreman lived alone, his house was near the others used by the families that lived at Lang Downs permanently, and if they ended up shouting at each other, it might be audible outside. He could try to get Macklin to come to the big house where they were more assured of privacy, except he doubted the foreman would agree, and Caine didn’t want to make it an order. They had enough issues without adding a power struggle to the list.
Macklin didn’t come to the canteen for dinner, adding to Caine’s suspicion the other man was going to pretend the kiss had never happened. Caine spent the meal talking with Jason instead, who was excited about having participated in his first drive with Polly at his side. From everything Caine had seen, Jason had done a great job, and Caine made sure to tell him so.
“Really?” Jason asked.
“I’m not an expert,” Caine reminded him, “but it sure seemed to me like you and Polly were where you were supposed to be, moving the sheep along with all the other men and dogs. I didn’t see her running off to do something else or you goofing around instead of working. Maybe you still have stuff left to learn, but you helped today, and that’s good.”
“Mr. Armstrong said I could start helping around the station this winter,” Jason explained. “I don’t want to let him down.”
“I’m sure you won’t,” Caine said, “and you can teach me all the things he lets you do while you’re at it. I certainly have plenty to learn.”
“Not a lot going on once the breeding’s done,” Jason said. “Make sure the sheep have enough to eat, make sure they have shelter if it snows, make sure the dingoes don’t come in too close. We spend a lot of the winter fixing things that broke during the summer, and I spend it doing lessons.”
“It sounds peaceful.”
“It’s bloody boring,” Jason disagreed. “I have lessons to do. Mum said I could do them tonight because of the drive, but I can’t get behind or she won’t let me do the next one.”
“Good luck,” Caine said. wandered casually—he hoped it house. The door was closed, but he could see lights on inside so he knocked and waited. Macklin opened the door a moment later. “I missed you at dinner.”
“I had things to do,” Macklin said, not opening the door any wider or inviting Caine in.
“I figured,” Caine said, keeping his voice steady by force of will alone, “but I didn’t want to miss our b-beer.”
“I don’t have time tonight,” Macklin repeated.
“Bullshit,” Caine said, pushing past Macklin into the house. “You’re avoiding me.”
“I was out of line up there,” Macklin said. “Just forget it ever happened.”
“What if I don’t want to forget it?” Caine asked. “What if I want it to happen again?”
“You’ve been here a month. You could be gone again in another month,” Macklin said. “You’re lonely, and you think I’d be a good substitute for the guy who dumped you in the States. You don’t know me well enough to want me.”
He finished his dinner and then was casually—toward Macklin’s
The speech left Caine momentarily flabbergasted. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said since we met, have you?” he said finally. “I’m not leaving. Even if you don’t want me, even if the kiss
As long as Macklin didn’t slam the door in his face.
Chapter Nine
M
ACKLIN managed to avoid Caine for the rest of the day, not that Caine tried that hard to talk to him. This wasn’t a conversation they needed to have where the men could overhear them. As they rode back into the valley that sheltered the main station, Caine wondered if they should even discuss it at Macklin’s house. While the foreman lived alone, his house was near the others used by the families that lived at Lang Downs permanently, and if they ended up shouting at each other, it might be audible outside. He could try to get Macklin to come to the big house where they were more assured of privacy, except he doubted the foreman would agree, and Caine didn’t want to make it an order. They had enough issues without adding a power struggle to the list.
Macklin didn’t come to the canteen for dinner, adding to Caine’s suspicion the other man was going to pretend the kiss had never happened. Caine spent the meal talking with Jason instead, who was excited about having participated in his first drive with Polly at his side. From everything Caine had seen, Jason had done a great job, and Caine made sure to tell him so.
“Really?” Jason asked.
“I’m not an expert,” Caine reminded him, “but it sure seemed to me like you and Polly were where you were supposed to be, moving the sheep along with all the other men and dogs. I didn’t see her running off to do something else or you goofing around instead of working. Maybe you still have stuff left to learn, but you helped today, and that’s good.”
“Mr. Armstrong said I could start helping around the station this winter,” Jason explained. “I don’t want to let him down.”
“I’m sure you won’t,” Caine said, “and you can teach me all the things he lets you do while you’re at it. I certainly have plenty to learn.”
“Not a lot going on once the breeding’s done,” Jason said. “Make sure the sheep have enough to eat, make sure they have shelter if it snows, make sure the dingoes don’t come in too close. We spend a lot of the winter fixing things that broke during the summer, and I spend it doing lessons.”
“It sounds peaceful.”
“It’s bloody boring,” Jason disagreed. “I have lessons to do. Mum said I could do them tonight because of the drive, but I can’t get behind or she won’t let me do the next one.”
“Good luck,” Caine said. wandered casually—he hoped it house. The door was closed, but he could see lights on inside so he knocked and waited. Macklin opened the door a moment later. “I missed you at dinner.”
“I had things to do,” Macklin said, not opening the door any wider or inviting Caine in.
“I figured,” Caine said, keeping his voice steady by force of will alone, “but I didn’t want to miss our b-beer.”
“I don’t have time tonight,” Macklin repeated.
“Bullshit,” Caine said, pushing past Macklin into the house. “You’re avoiding me.”
“I was out of line up there,” Macklin said. “Just forget it ever happened.”
“What if I don’t want to forget it?” Caine asked. “What if I want it to happen again?”
“You’ve been here a month. You could be gone again in another month,” Macklin said. “You’re lonely, and you think I’d be a good substitute for the guy who dumped you in the States. You don’t know me well enough to want me.”
He finished his dinner and then was casually—toward Macklin’s
The speech left Caine momentarily flabbergasted. “You haven’t heard a word I’ve said since we met, have you?” he said finally. “I’m not leaving. Even if you don’t want me, even if the kiss
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