The Sunburnt Country (30 page)

Dan’s arms tightened around her waist and held her close as she nuzzled into his neck. It felt like he was breathing her in.

‘Thank goodness. I was hoping you’d say that.’ He let out a sigh of relief.

Was this a dream? All those lonely nights she’d tried to remember how it had felt in his arms and nothing had come close to the real thing. The feeling of protection. The feeling of home. The tears began to spill from her eyes.

Dan pulled back, held her face in his hands, wiping a tear with his thumb before kissing her gently. ‘How could I not come back to you?’ he whispered. ‘Jonelle, you are the most wonderful thing that has come into my life, and because of you, I found out who I am.’

‘Really?’ she stammered through her tears. Her senses were in overload.

‘Really.’

Then he crushed his lips against hers, igniting the fire that had been dormant in her since he left.

He mumbled against her lips. ‘I have so much to tell you. About my family, about my job.’

‘And so do I,’ she said breathlessly.

She pulled back a fraction so she could see his eyes. ‘But that can wait till later. You’re not going anywhere, right?’ Dan traced a finger over her lips, causing a heat that only he could create.

‘That’s right.’

Dan kissed her again and in that moment they missed the heavy drop that fell onto the tin roof above their heads. They never heard the many more that followed. It wasn’t until Ryan went running past them screaming that they pulled apart.

‘It’s raining. It’s bloody raining! And I mean really raining.’ He jumped up and down by the door. ‘Woo hoo!’ He took off out the door and they followed. Standing in the pitch black of night, the smell of rain was strong and no one could tell Jonny she was dreaming this time as the large drops fell all around them.

‘I told you it smelt like rain,’ she cried as she held her hands out to the rain. It was cool on her skin. She licked the drops off her lips. They tasted so fresh and smelt like nothing on earth.

‘You bloody beauty!’ cried Ryan as he danced around the yard, jumping in the small puddles that were starting to form. The ground had been so dry for so long that it would take ages for the rain to begin to soak in.

Jonny turned back to Dan, who was looking up at the sky in awe. She snuggled her wet body against his as he turned his attention back to her.

‘Where were we?’ she said over the noise of the rain on the roof.

‘I believe we were celebrating,’ he said before his lips found hers.

Now she truly was home.

SIX MONTHS LATER

JONNY
drove her Torana out of the workshop, dodging the Subaru waiting for a service and the pile of tractor tyres that had just come in. It was a cold August day and she was rugged up in jeans and one of her dad’s old work jumpers.

‘It’s good to see the workshop up and running again,’ said Dan, who was in the passenger seat. He looked at home in his workboots, jeans and rugby jumper.

‘I know. It’s a dream come true. I’ve looked forward to this. And thank you for getting my car back,’ she said, stretching her fingers over the steering wheel. It felt just right.

Dan had tracked down the address of the young bloke who’d bought her Torana and offered him a deal he couldn’t refuse. Coming back from her shift at the mine to find a polished Torana, her Torana, out the front of her workshop had brought her to tears. She literally hugged the car. Life was finally back to the way it should be.

‘Well, this car holds so many memories for me. Did you know I fell in love in this car? I think it was listening to its owner try to sing,’ Dan said with a smile.

Jonelle laughed, deep and carefree. She had arrived home permanently just a week ago and already the workshop was busy. Dan and Zac had swept and scrubbed the place to make sure it was ready to open as soon as she got home. She’d sobbed like a baby. With the rain came hope, and the farmers had all put in crops this year and the rain had continued to fall. She now had a full workload in Bundara and was able to quit the mine after just six months of work, while Ryan remained.

Dan was watching her as she changed gear and roared out of town. ‘Just blowin’ a few cobwebs out,’ she laughed.

Dan’s laughter bounced around the musty old car.

Even though it was cold out, they had their windows down, enjoying the crisp air. They had Goanna blaring out ‘Solid Rock’ on the tape deck and were nodding their heads to the tune.

‘You know your brother brought me here?’ said Dan as they got out and leaned on the front of the Torana at the top of the lookout.

‘Was it like a man date?’ Jonny asked.

‘Ha ha. The view back then was so different.’

And he was right. Jonny breathed in the scent of the recent raindrops that had left their mark on the ground. Certainly no more sunburnt country to be seen. It had been a great start to the year with above-average rainfall. The gum trees and shrubs had lost their brown dullness, now sprouting new shoots of lush, vibrant colours. Different shades of green were all around them, from the thick weeds on the side of the road to the deep-dark-green crops in the paddocks. No barren patches of dirt could be seen, as crops grew strong and healthy.

‘It’s hard to believe this is the same town as the one I saw seven months ago.’

Jonny held Dan’s hand; she hadn’t let him go since she had come home.

‘I know. See how beautiful Bundara can be?’

Dan leaned over and kissed her. ‘I already thought she was beautiful.’

‘You romantic,’ she teased.

They snuggled together to watch the changing colours in the sky as the sun descended.

‘I’m so glad that when I stormed out of the pub, ready to head home after I heard you’d left for the mines with Ryan, that I barged right into him. I was this close to giving up and going home, thinking I’d lost you.’ Dan shook his head. ‘He saved me, you know.’

Jonny snuggled in closer to Dan. ‘Yeah, you and me both. Ryan reckons it was fate or karma trying to thank us for saving his life.’

‘Maybe he’s right.’ Dan kissed the top of her forehead and she revelled in his warmth.

‘We better keep going, you wanted to see how Zac’s house was coming along and we’re running out of light,’ he said.

Jonny shrugged, not keen on moving from Dan’s warmth. ‘Nah, there’s always tomorrow. Besides, I think Nae wants to be there to show us around. Zac wouldn’t know which end was which,’ she said, laughing.

‘How about us?’ he said giving her a squeeze. ‘When do we build our own rammed-earth place?’

‘What, is it getting too crowded at Ryan’s for you?’

‘Yeah, just a bit. I’d like to have you to myself all the time.’

‘But Ryan’s hardly home as it is and I’ll miss seeing you out driving the tractor and looking like a farmer,’ she said, playing with his top button. While Ryan was still at the mine, Dan had been helping Barry finish seeding and had become a little lackey boy when he wasn’t working. He hadn’t payed rent in the last four months because of all the work he’d done on the farm. ‘And I think Mr C will miss your help.’

‘That doesn’t have to stop. But my new job will keep me busy.’

Ryan had seen a job going with the Rural Financial Counsellors Service. They offered free financial counselling and support to primary producers. Ryan thought Dan would be perfect after all the help he’d given him. Dan applied and got the job.

‘Yeah, I guess you will be travelling a bit.’

‘Yep, but I like the fact that I can try make a difference in these people’s lives. Just like we did for Ryan.’ He squeezed her hand. She knew how much of a thrill he got from helping people. ‘But I sure would like our own place . . . and before you suggest your pint-sized room at the workshop, that is not what I meant. I was thinking something with a few more rooms.’

‘For?’ Jonny was wondering where he was going with this.

‘So we’ve got room when my family visit. Last time it was just Cam that came out but now he wants to bring Myree and little Brock as well. I miss my nephew. I’d like to be able to have a place for them.’ He wrapped a strand of her hair around his finger. ‘And also for us and our own family,’ he said coyly.

Jonny stood so she could face Dan. She touched his face, which was warm against her cold fingers. ‘Now I like the sound of that. You can have anything you want, babe,’ she said, before kissing him.

‘Hmm,’ he groaned. ‘Anything?’

Her laughter echoed out across the land as the sky over Bundara glowed red with the setting sun. ‘Anything.’

I decided to dedicate this book to both my grandads. One was the farmer and the other was the revhead. They are very much alive through me today.

A big thankyou goes to Rachael and Craig Blair and Jacinta Holmes for answering my questions about ambulance procedures. Thanks to Ron Silver for helping with the fire and rescue details. Writing this part of the story made me truly appreciate what the volunteers go through and how lucky we are to have such amazing people looking after us.

Much appreciation to Paul Rawlings and Steve Curtin for taking time out to answer my questions, even when I didn’t know which questions to ask. Thanks so much, Steve, for chatting with me during your busiest time.

And as always, how could I write a book without the help from my family, especially my cousin Meagan Morrison. Thanks, Megs, for finding answers and info for me, yet again. Cheers to Rachael Jensen for doing the last-minute read through.

Big thanks to Terry and Lenore Gladish and Ollie and Lucy Trevenen for your generous help with my book sales. Your generosity is warmly appreciated.

Thanks to my agent, Lyn Tranter. And sincere thanks to Ali Watts, wonderful as ever. To the Penguin team, especially Dianne Biviano and Caro Cooper, thank you. And huge praise to Andre Sawenko and Jono Van Hest for making the trip out to my tiny town and capturing it so well in the Penguin Presents clip.

To my supportive family, husband and kids, thanks for being so wonderful.

Lastly, I’d like to thank all the nameless volunteers who help keep our small communities together with their dedication and spirit.

THE ROAD HOME

When your life is at a crossroads, how do you find the road home?

Lara Turner has a boyfriend, a nice house in the city and a chance at a big promotion. So when her brother calls asking her to come home, she hesitates. Can she face the memories that inhabit the beloved place of her childhood? And how does she feel with the news it’s to be sold? Could she be the answer to saving the family farm?

Jack Morgan has memories of his own to contend with. A falling out with his family and a bitter end to a past relationship have left a big chip on his shoulder. When his best mate’s beautiful sister arrives on the scene, he finds himself deeply conflicted.

Lara and Jack have a powerful attraction but are constantly at odds. Will their love of the same land keep them apart, or grow into a love of a different kind?

From the bestselling author of
The Family Farm
and
Heart of Gold
comes a heartwarming novel about finding your true place in the world, and the healing power of the land.