The Brothers of Brigadier Station Read online

  The Brothers of Brigadier Station

  Sarah Williams

  Copyright © 2017 by Sarah Williams

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, without prior written permission.

  * * *

  Publisher’s Note: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or to businesses, companies, events, institutions, or locales is completely coincidental.

  Serenade Publishing

  www.serenadepublishing.com

  For my kids -

  Joshua, Toby, Raphaella and Arabella

  Thank you so much for reading The Brothers of Brigadier Station. I hope you enjoyed this sweet journey to love. For more information about me and my books, including the inspiration behind my stories, how I help other authors, and plenty of other fun stuff visit my website. If you’d like to know when my next release becomes available, plus gain access to exclusive content, news and giveaways, please sign up to my newsletter via my website and social media:

  www.facebook.com/sarahwilliamswriter

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  Help others find their next read by leaving a review of this novel on your favourite book website.

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Untitled

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Sarah Williams

  About the Author

  Chapter 1

  “Settle down, boy." Meghan coaxed the huge German Shepherd, using all of her strength to keep the great beast on the cold, metal table.

  "Almost done, just a little longer." Jennifer, the veterinarian, called from the end where the dog’s great head lay as his owner watched.

  Having your teeth checked at the dentist was never a pleasant experience, so Meghan couldn’t blame the old dog for being agitated. She held chunks of its sweaty fur in her fists. It stank of dirt and urine. It had probably gotten anxious in the car ride and wet himself. Owners never told them that. It was common to find wet patches on the animals that visited Spotty Dogz Vet Surgery.

  Still, in all her years working as a vet nurse, being wet on wasn't her worst experience. She was often a scratching post for vicious cats and had lost count of the numerous bites from a variety of rodents and birds. Her pain threshold had increased dramatically since she had finished her training. There were other parts of the job that were far worse. Like caring for a cat who was in constant, agonizing pain or having an innocent young puppy die in her arms. Those experiences left a mark that couldn't be seen.

  While healthy, domestic animals were cute and adorable, but it was the larger animals, especially horses, that Meghan wanted to work with.

  "All done." Jennifer stepped back. The dog hurled itself out of Meghan’s grasp and off the table. Claws scrapping on the metal surface.

  Jennifer and the owner tackled the creature out of the room, leaving Meghan alone to clean the instruments and sterilize the table. After washing her hands, she visited her patients. A new litter of short haired, tabby kittens had been brought in after being found abandoned. Meghan had already checked the kittens for fleas and ticks when they had first arrived yesterday, now they were just waiting for microchipping and vaccinations. A brown and grey boy cried mournfully and Meghan couldn't help wishing she could adopt them all. She scooped up the tiny kitten and snuggled it against her chin. Its soft fur tickled her skin and its small heart thumped against her fingertips.

  After a few minutes of loving, she placed the kitten back with his siblings, stroking all six in turn, saying a quiet goodbye and hoping they all found good homes before her next shift.

  She sighed as she glanced at her watch, it was almost the end of her shift. It had been a long day and she was looking forward to spending the night on the couch with her fiancé, Lachie. He had only arrived yesterday from his home in the outback and she had barely seen him yet.

  Her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She pulled it out and answered when her best friend's name appeared.

  "Hey, Jodie," a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Jodie could always make her feel better.

  "Are you still at work?"

  "Yeah. Almost over."

  "I just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow. What time are you leaving?"

  "First thing. Lachie said it takes about seven hours plus breaks."

  "Geez, what a long drive. Did you really have to fall for a guy who lives on a farm in the outback?"

  Meghan laughed. "It's a cattle station, not a farm. It's been in the family for generations so he didn't get much of a choice where it was."

  Jodie was quiet, but Meghan knew her friend well enough to know when she was rolling her eyes.

  "Well, good luck meeting his family. Use these two weeks to make sure moving out there is what you really want."

  "I will." Meghan's eyes prickled with threatening tears. "I’m going to miss you. We’ve been friends for what… twenty years? We’ve never been apart this long."

  "It’s going to be harder if you move out there permanently."

  After the wedding, Meghan would call the station home. Leaving her best friend wouldn't be the only thing she would miss about Townsville. The beach, the food, the music. But the country promised excitement; a new start, a new identity, the family she longed for. She would become Mrs. Lachlan McGuire of Brigadier Station. She bit her lip, containing a grin. His country upbringing had been appealing right from the start. He was outgoing and confident. The fact that he was gorgeous helped too.

  "Call me. I want updates. And photos. Find out about the other brothers. If either are single and hot, I want to know." Jodie was always keeping an eye out for her next boyfriend.

  "I will. Love you."

  "Love you too. Safe trip."

  Meghan slipped her phone back in her trousers and glanced at her watch again. After her rounds, it would be time to say goodbye and her two-week holiday would start. She would finally meet Lachie's Mum and brother and see where he lived and had grown up. They would also be announcing their engagement.

  At twenty-nine, Meghan Flanagan was about to have everything she had ever wanted. She was in love and moving to the country to start a new life. A better life. She had never been happier.

  The television was blaring when Meghan got home. The air smelled musty when she stepped into the kitchen. She placed the bags on the kitchen counter and opened a window, allowing a cool breeze to waft in. She peeked into her small living room. Lachlan McGuire was sprawled on the couch, beer in hand, watching the North Queensland Cowboys defend their title. He was relaxed and happy. She knew he liked spending time in her modest little house. Away from the station, he could ignore the paperwork and bills that were no doubt overloading his email account; he worked hard, so Meghan couldn't blame him wanting to take a break.

  "What's the score?"

  He looked up and grinned the grin that made her insides quiver. "Cowboys are up by twelve."

  Cowboys ga
mes always reminded her of when she had met Lachie eight months earlier. Jodie had dragged her to a home game. By sheer good fortune, they had been seated next to each other. Lachie had quickly won her over with his good looks and charm. She had been surprised by the attention. Gorgeous guys didn't waste their time on plain girls like her. She wondered if he was being nice to her to get to Jodie. The tall, blonde beauty was often the centre of attention. But when the game was over, he asked for Meghan's number and within a week they were an item. Whenever she asked him why he had chosen her, he always replied: ‘You're a girl I can take home to Mum.’

  "Is that Thai food I smell?" He climbed off the couch and followed his nose to the kitchen.

  "I got that Pad Thai you like." She watched as he opened containers appreciatively and started serving it up onto two plates.

  Meghan moved into the sitting room, kicked off her shoes and curled up on the couch before turning the TV volume down with the remote.

  "Did you do anything exciting today?" She called out as she waited for Lachie.

  "Nah, just hung out here. Watched some TV." He carried the plates back to the living room to join her on the couch, balancing his plate on his knees.

  "How was work?"

  She shrugged. "I always liked my job, but now it's gotten so repetitive. I’m ready for a change."

  "I reckon you'll love the country. Lots of wide open spaces and you're a country girl at heart." He winked at her before scooping a generous forkful of food into his mouth.

  She had heard so much about their sprawling cattle property in the outback and his beloved mother.

  "I'm nervous, I've never met a guy's Mum before."

  "Mum's a treat. Don't be scared of her. Did you talk to Jodie today?"

  "She called me at work and assured me it'll all be okay."

  "It will and this visit is only for a couple of weeks. After the wedding, we can still come visit once a year or so."

  She looked into his blue eyes and smiled. Her future was so full of hope and possibilities, it was exciting and a little frightening.

  "I love you, Lachie. I can’t wait to start our life together."

  His lips brushed gently over hers causing warmth to pool in her belly.

  She would meet his mother and brother tomorrow and she would finally see the property. Her future home.

  Brigadier Station.

  Chapter 2

  Cracked brown dirt stretched flat in every direction. The occasional ironbark tree provided the only shelter from the harsh elements of the North Queensland outback.

  Although Meghan had never been this far from the coast before, she knew in her heart she would love the country and quickly adjust to living on the land. It had been a long drive from Townsville, passing through the small township of Charters Towers then the smaller, communities of Hughenden and Richmond. In these places, she had learnt of the abundant dinosaur fossils which were often found in the hard earth.

  Now on the final stretch of dusty road between Julia Creek and Brigadier Station, she decided the stark, austere scenery was, surprisingly, quite beautiful.

  "Don't worry," Lachie glanced at her as his ute rattled over a cattle-grid. "Brigadier isn’t as bare as these stations. We’ve got plenty of shade and good bores.

  "So, you're doing okay despite the drought?" Meghan had heard plenty of stories about how hard the outback graziers were doing it in this drought. Cattle were starving to death and many owners were killing their own stock rather than see their beasts suffer.

  Lachie had grown up on the cattle station and had inherited it when his father died a few years ago. He had told her what to expect and she was more than up for the challenge.

  "Well, we manage. It's not easy, though. Lots of hard work."

  Meghan admired his profile. His trim and toned body were the result of that hard, physical work. The sleeves of his grey work shirt rolled up above his long, suntanned forearms. Meghan was shorter by a foot, but he towered over most people at his lofty six-foot-four height.

  "What?" He caught her watching him. "You checking me out?"

  She giggled flirtatiously. "So, what if I am?"

  He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I can always pull the ute over."

  She crinkled her nose and gestured to the tools and machinery parts at her feet and between them.

  "There's not enough room in here to move. Remember the last time we did it in here?"

  His deep chuckle sent a shiver down her spine as it always did.

  "Good point. But I do have my swag in the back." He gestured behind him to the tray, where her suitcase was tied down.

  "That stinky old thing? I love you, but no thanks."

  Winding the window down she let the warm air blow on her face, whipping her long hair about as they sped down the road. She gazed over the land, barren and deserted.

  She hoped Lachie's family liked her. Especially his mum—a woman he admired and loved. Would she be hard and stern, like this land? Disappointed that her oldest son was with a city girl? Or would she be accepting and kind? Weren’t country people supposed to be friendly?

  "Don't be nervous."

  She looked over and realised she had been gnawing on her bottom lip.

  "That obvious?"

  "There’s no need. Mum will love you." He reached over and patted her knee briefly. "I’ll tell her about the engagement at dinner. After she gets to know you a bit."

  "I hope she approves." She rubbed her sweaty hands over her jeans. Lachie had proposed over pizza last weekend. It hadn’t been a passionate gesture. He didn’t even have a ring. But she had been delighted, throwing herself into his arms. That she might not be cut out for remote country life hadn’t occurred to her. She loved the idea of wide-open space, animals, country quiet, and of course she loved Lachie.

  They soon pulled into a gravelled driveway, marked only by a worn wooden sign attached to the fence that read Brigadier Station. Meghan straightened in her seat as the homestead appeared. Excitement curled in her stomach; it was just as she had imagined it would be. Set on higher ground with sloping views across the brown paddocks, the modest, cream coloured building had a veranda that wrapped around the front of the house, creating lots of comfortable nooks to take in the view.

  Lachie parked the ute in a vacant spot in an old shed, next to a four-wheel drive and a tractor. As she climbed out of her seat, she wrinkled her nose as the aroma of hay and molasses wafted by. Familiar farm smells that brought back her earliest childhood memories. Meghan whirled around. Carefully pruned rose bushes stood proudly in the front garden beds. Strolling over to a bush burdened with white rose buds she touched the soft petals with her fingertips and inhaled their sweet fragrance.

  "It’s nice to see another woman appreciating my roses."

  Startled, she looked over at the tall, older woman who had appeared by her side.

  "I’m not much of a gardener, but I love flowers, roses in particular. I didn't think they grew out here."

  "These are a hardy variety. My mother-in-law planted them before my time and showed me how to keep them going before she died. She was a cranky old lady, but she knew her stuff. She taught me a lot."

  "Mum." Lachie bent down and hugged his mother with his free arm.

  "Already giving Meghan gardening advice, I see."

  Meghan offered her hand. "It's lovely to meet you, Mrs. McGuire."

  Harriet's accepting hand was warm and soft. "Call me Harriet, honey. We're not formal out here."

  Harriet McGuire had a face that looked like she laughed easily and often. Her shoulder-length hair was streaked with grey and had been cut by someone with a good eye for style. Behind her glasses were eyes just as blue as her son's. Harriet placed an arm around Meghan’s back and led her inside.

  "It'll be fun to have another woman in the house for a while. Gets a bit rowdy with two boys here."

  "That wouldn’t surprise me." Meghan grinned, touched by such a warm welcome.

  Lachie dropped their bags hap
hazardly in the hallway before giving her a quick kiss.

  "Just going to check the emails. Mum will help you settle in." Before either woman could object, he was disappearing down the hallway.

  "He'll be busy for a while, I'm afraid." Harriet directed Meghan through the small but practical kitchen and into the larger living room.

  "That's what happens when he takes time off. But I'm glad you could come back with him this time."

  "I’m glad I could finally join him. Work has been so busy."

  "Make yourself comfortable. I’ll put the kettle on, then you can tell me all about yourself."

  She slipped out of the room leaving Meghan to wander around the living room.

  The inside of the house was every bit as welcoming as the outside. The walls were filled with photographs, and she took them all in, absorbing the family history. There were several black-and-white wedding photos and portraits of elegant men and women. She recognized Harriet in her wedding photo with her late husband. What had Lachie said his name was? David? No, Daniel. They were both attractive and looked good together.

  The modern photos were all of the same three boys. A picture of them together caught her eye, and she studied it. The boys wore swimming shorts, and were sitting on a rock in a river, their hair wet. They looked similar with light brown hair and bright blue eyes. Meghan recognized Lachie and guessed him to be about ten in the photo.

  Harriet reappeared and came to stand next to her.

  "Those are the Brothers of Brigadier Station. They’ve been getting called that since they were little," she explained. "Did you recognize Lachie?"