Outback Miracle

Chapter One

Kasey Caruthers took a sip of her sparkling white wine and sighed. Leaning back in her spa bath, she gazed out of the floor to ceiling windows surrounding the bathroom in her penthouse apartment which overlooked the magnificent Sydney Harbour. Sinking her tired body deeper into the pomegranate scented hot water she closed her eyes on the twinkling lights in the city below and sighed a deeper, longer, more contented sigh. It had been another long week and the office. Her beauty company had overtaken two smaller companies, making Caruthers Beauty the most highly sought after product in the hair and beauty industry, which also meant she had had to organise more training for more employees, more office staff and equipment, more warehouses, and more production of products. The list went on. She was getting tired of being a workaholic with her company. She had developed Caruthers Beauty from the ground up, making her first lip stick in her tiny one bedroom flat in the western suburbs of Sydney. From there, she did made to order party plans which expanded into her own shop and now she exported her products to London, Paris, Milan and New York. She had been working non stop for eight years, never once taking a holiday. Everything with the business was working together like clockwork. And then to top off a stressful month at work, she was reminded of her one failure in life when the news of her ex—husbands new wife haven given birth to their first child—naturally the baby was a boy. The third page of the daily newspaper had showed a photo, half the size of the page, of the successful business man and his new family. Greg and Tonya had appeared blissfully happy as the gazed at the baby. Kasey had to admit, for a newborn baby he was beautiful. Beautiful enough to make her feel as though someone had pushed their hand into her chest and squeezed her heart, reminding her of something that she just couldn’t have. Greg had looked at her that happily once, and then he had found out that they could never have a baby together.

Family had been very important to Greg.

He had left.

Now he looked at Tonya and their newborn son that way.

Bringing her thoughts away from the past and back to the present, she sipped at her wine.

Maybe she should take time out to holiday for a few months. She could learn to relax and enjoy life outside of work. Take a cruise on the Caribbean; hire a small island for a few weeks or maybe some time out in Paris? Taking a deep breath, she sunk lower into the warm water, with its relaxing scent lapping at her chin. She knew that she would never take a holiday like that, no matter how much she wanted too.

Closing her eyes against the gentle lighting of the many candles scattered around the bathroom she placed her wine glass on the side of the bath and put all thoughts of work out of her mind. The soft strands of classical music filled the air and Kasey felt the tension drain from her body as she began to relax and unwind.

Her mobile phone started buzzing in it’s silent mode on the stand next to the bath. Opening one brilliant blue eye, she looked at the phone.

This had better be important. She mumbled to herself raising her weary body up to dry her hand and answer the phone.

Hello? she asked, stifling a yawn.

Hi there cousin! came the deep male voice in reply.

Ryan! Kasey exclaimed excitedly, now fully awake, And just what would my favourite cousin of all time be doing with himself?

I am your only cousin, he answered, then a deep sigh flowed down the end of the line, Kasey, I need your help.

Panic buttons went off in Kasey’s brain. Ryan never needed her help. When they had been kids it was always Kasey who had needed Ryan’s help, it had always been Ryan who had saved Kasey. Everything from the black eye he had given Reggie Evans in kindergarten for pulling her piggy tails to the massive beating Ryan had given Scott Fitzgerald when they were seventeen for stalking her for a month and then when Kasey actually talked to the creepy guy had had gotten the wrong idea. Scott had thought that hello meant she was his for the taking, and that no actually meant yes. Kasey had told Ryan then and there that she would be forever in his debt. Not only had he arrived just in time, but Scott had run away with his tail between his legs and never bothered her again. Ryan was the big brother that Kasey had never had. He was her confidant, her protector.

You need my help? she repeated.

Yeah, it’s Jen. After a short silence she heard a muffled sob and her panic soared.

What’s wrong with Jen, Ryan? Has something happened to the baby? What is it?

She’s in hospital Kase.

Tell me everything Ryan. She ordered.

She had a fall yesterday, and then she started bleeding and having contractions. The doctors won’t let her come home to Harford Run until she’s had the baby.

But that’s another four weeks! Kasey exclaimed.

I know. The doctors say Harford Run is too isolated and that it is too much of a risk letting her come home.

Oh Ryan, Kasey said softly into the phone.

And Roger is ropable. He is storming around the place with steam coming out of his ears. Roger is a great guy, but he is stuck as well. The cattle muster is coming up and it is going to need all the stockmen he has. Kase, I need you to come up here and help me run this place while Jen is in hospital.

Kasey was slightly shocked. Her beloved cousin wants her to help him run a cattle station! She could hold a video call conference with four different countries while developing knew lines of product but could she help run a cattle station?

As you know, Ryan continued, Jen does all of the cooking for the station hands and the house cleaning for Roger. He has been great, even bought us the cot he did, but Jen has enough on her plate at the moment without having to worry about how us guys are running things at home. I checked with Roger about asking you to come up and giving us a hand until Jen can come home.

After a moments silence he added, You would be required to come out on the muster with us and cook for all the hands.

You mean I’ll have to cook over a campfire? she asked.

Ryan laughed a weary laugh at the other end of the phone. Kasey, times have changed. You will have the luxury of a stove and oven and all the technology you will need to cook meat and three vegetables.

Kasey listened to the silence on the end of the phone, ideas running fast through her head.

The takeovers were now complete. All the restructuring that still needed to be organised could be done by her second in charge, Melissa. All she needed was her mobile and her laptop to keep in touch via e-mail.

She could do with a break, she had just been contemplating the idea of taking a break! Granted she had been thinking of luxury holidays on tropical beaches and cruise ships, and not a stay on a cattle station. Though the thought of some time in the Australian Outback was beginning to hold some appeal for her.

She had never been west of the Blue Mountains.

She had never even met Ryan’s wife in person, she had been in Paris launching a new product the week they had gotten married.

And Ryan hadn’t complained one little bit.

It would probably do her good to get away for a while.

Having made her decision she told him, I’ll be there as soon as I can Ryan. Don’t tell Jen anything. I’ll take over for her until my new little cousin arrives, ok?

Oh Kase, I knew I could count on you. I’ll tell Roger that everything is sorted.

What does Rogers’s wife do? she asked. She must be a very busy woman if I will be doing all the cooking and cleaning.

He doesn’t have a wife Kase. He spends most of his time out on the fields with me and the other stockmen. Speaking of cooking, I’ve never even asked you if you can cook, you can cook can’t you?

Like a five star chef. She replied.

Laughing with relief, Ryan replied, We don’t need any fancy caviar food out here, just meat and three vegetables for tea and bacon and eggs for breakfast.

I’ll try to lower my standards, Kasey laughed into the phone, Get some rest Ryan, It will all work out. Just think, at least now I get to meet your wife.

"Yes,’ He sighed sounding happier than he had earlier.

And I get to meet my new cousin as soon as he or she is born!

Let me know when I can expect you here cousin. I’ll meet you out on the airstrip.

How far from Harford Run is the airstrip? Kasey asked.

We have our own airstrip here.

Harford Run has it’s own airstrip?

Your mind will boggle at how much land this cattle station takes up. You have to fly over it in a chopper to get a fair idea on how large it really is. Call me when you know the arrival details and I’ll organise Murray to bring you out to Harford Run

Who is Murray?

Murray is out postman. He flies out here a few days a week but he’ll do a special trip for us to bring you in when you land at the airport.

Ok Ryan, I’ll call you tomorrow with the details.

Kasey hung the phone back on the wall and relaxed back into the bath.

First thing tomorrow she would book a seat on the first plane out of Sydney, and while she was doing that, she’d contact Melissa, her second in charge, and organise her company for the next month or so. Family was family, after all, and Ryan was the only family that she had left. He had always been there for her, and now it was time for Kasey to be there for him. Ryan was only two years older than Kasey and when she was sixteen and her parents were both killed in a car accident he had helped her through. He had offered her encouragement when she told him of her dreams to develop her own make up. He had offered her strength when she opened her first shop. Without Ryan, she wouldn’t be where she was today.

With an ironic laugh she realised that only half an hour ago she had contemplated taking a few months off from her hectic business lifestyle and now she actually was.

Chapter Two

Roger Harford stood leaning against his Ute, staring at the clear blue skies above him.

What the hell was he doing waiting out on this runway for some city girl? He should be back at the office finalising all the details for next weeks muster. He wanted to find another stockman to help out so Ryan could stay at the hospital with Jen.

Looking at his watch he grew even more irritated. The city girl was late. She had told Ryan her plane would be here at two, and now it was two thirty. The Australian sun caused sweat to trickle down his shoulder blades and soak up into his blue chambray shirt. Taking the battered akubra hat off of his head he ran his work calloused fingers threw his thick brown hair and replaced the hat, pulling the brim low.

Hell, it was his fault he was out here waiting for this city girl anyway. He should just grin and bear it.

If he hadn’t insisted that Jen take the Ute to meet the mail plane instead of riding the horse as she had been doing every other time, Jen wouldn’t have slipped in the mud. He thought that at this stage of the pregnancy Jen would prefer to drive instead of ride a horse.

I have ridden a horse every day of my life Roger. I don’t intend to stop now. Jen had argued with him.

I thought it would be better for the baby Jen. He had replied.

The doctors have told me a gentle ride is ok Roger. I’ll be fine.

She had finally agreed to drive, and it turned out to be a mistake.

His mistake.

He would never forgive himself if something happened to her or the baby. Ryan and Jen had been his saviours. Two years ago when he was all ready to give up everything he owned, they had helped him get through his own personal problems and before too long Harford Run was once again a thriving cattle station. In fact, it was one of Australians biggest and most profitable cattle stations.

The truth of the matter was, he envied his friend Ryan. Ryan had it all, working on and pretty much running a cattle station he loved, married to a wonderful woman and due to have a baby soon. Yep, Roger was jealous. He was getting close to his mid thirties, and it was time for him to settle down and have a family of his own. He needed a son to hand the land down too. He was the last male Harford. Harford Run had been in his family for over a hundred and fifty years and he wanted it to stay that way.

Roger had thought that he had found his dream two years ago when he had met Suzannah. Tall, classically beautiful, stunning Suzannah. They had met in Sydney when Roger was showing some cattle at the annual Royal Sydney Show. They had had a whirlwind romance, with Suzannah proclaiming her undying love for Roger. After a month she had come to the cattle station to plan their wedding but after a week of no shopping malls, restaurants and no social scene, Suzannah had decided that this wasn’t the life for her and left.

He had blamed his downfall on Suzannah. Everything had gone wrong after she had left.

He was still kicking himself for taking his anger out on Ryan. He hadn’t meant it. Ryan had caught him at a bad time—a very bad time. Ryan had been like a brother to him and Roger would have done anything to make it up to him so when Ryan suggested getting his cousin from the city to come out and give them a hand for a few weeks while they waited for little junior to come along, he couldn’t say no.

Frowning, he cleared his mind as he saw a black dot appear far off in the never ending blue sky.

About time too, Roger mumbled as he stood away from the Ute.

Roger had kept insisting that they would cope just fine, but then Ryan had continued to nag and Roger finally caved in. Still feeling bad about Jen’s fall, he had agreed to this crazy plan. He had a lot to do over the next couple of weeks with the muster and he did not need to baby sit some green horn from the city. When Ryan had added that his cousin was one hell of a classy cook, and that she would happily go out on the muster to cook for them, the deal was sealed. Since Roger liked to oversee all the annual musters on his property and he still did it all traditionally on horseback, with the muster taking sometimes up to two weeks. He was terrified of flying, and had been ever since his father had crash landed the small plane kept on the property when Roger was six years old. No one was hurt during the accident, but the sound of twisted metal and the smell of burning fuel were still fresh in his mind to this day. He had almost one hundred and eighty thousand head of cattle of his station, and every year they had to be caught, tags checked, new calves tagged and branded. It was hard physical work, but rewarding. And a good meal at the end of the day certainly wouldn’t be out of the question.

The small twin engine plane landed and came to a standstill not too far from where he stood. He watched as the passenger door opened and a pair of long legs planted a pair of high heeled feet on the ground.

Roger huffed as he shook his head.

High heels. The woman obviously had no