He wasn’t in the kitchen, however.
Ellie turned on the kettle and went to the doorway while she waited for it to come to the boil. Almost immediately, she saw movement out in a paddock.
Joe?
She crossed the veranda to get a better view through the misty rain. It was definitely Joe out there and he was bending over a cow that seemed to be on the ground.
Ellie frowned. Most of her pregnant cows had calved, but one or two had been late to drop. She hoped this one wasn’t in trouble.
Grabbing a coat and Akubra from the pegs by the back door, she shoved her feet into gumboots and hurried down the steps and over the wet, slippery grass, dodging puddles in the track that ran beside the barbed wire fence.
‘Is everything OK?’ she called as she reached Joe.
He’d been crouching beside the cow, but when Ellie called he straightened. He was dressed as she was in a dark oilskin coat and broad-brimmed hat. In the dull grey morning light, his eyes were very bright blue.
Ellie had always had a thing for Joe’s eyes. This morning they seemed to glow. They set her pulses dancing.
‘Everything’s fine,’ he said. ‘You have a new calf.’
And now she dragged her attention to the cow and saw that she had indeed delivered her calf. It was huddled on the ground beside her, dark red and still damp, receiving a motherly lick.
‘Her bellowing woke me up,’ Joe said. ‘So I came out to investigate, but she’s managed fine without any help.’
‘That’s great. And now we have a little Christmas calf,’ Ellie said, smiling.
‘Yes.’ Joe smiled too and his gaze rested on her. ‘Happy Christmas, Ellie.’
‘Happy Christmas.’ Impulsively, she stepped forward and kissed him lightly on the cheek.
He kissed her in reply—just a simple little kiss on her cheek, but, to her embarrassment, bright heat bloomed where his lips touched her skin.
Awkwardly, she stepped away and paid studious attention to the little calf as it staggered to its feet. It was incredibly cute, all big eyes and long spindly legs.
‘It’s a boy,’ Joe said, and almost immediately the little fellow gave a skip and tried to headbutt its tired mum.
Ellie laughed, but the laugh died when she saw Joe’s suddenly serious expression.
‘I’ve been thinking about you,’ he said. ‘I never asked what it was like—when Jacko was born.’
She felt winded, caught out. ‘Oh, God, don’t ask.’
He was frowning. ‘Why? Was it bad?’
You shouldn’t be bothering with this now. Not after all this time.
‘I know I should have asked you long ago, Ellie.’ Joe’s throat worked. ‘I’m sorry, but I’d like to know. Was...was it OK?’
Even now, memories of her prolonged labour made her wince. She’d been alone and frightened in a big Townsville hospital, and she’d been unlucky. Rather than having the assistance of a nice, sensitive and understanding midwife, the nurse designated to look after her had been brusque and businesslike. Unsympathetic.
So many times during her twenty plus hours of labour, Ellie could have benefited from a little hand-holding. A comforting companion. But she wouldn’t tell Joe that. Not now.
Especially not today.
She dismissed his concern with a wave of her hand. ‘Most women have a hard time with their first.’
A haunted look crept into his eyes. ‘So it was tough?’
OK, so he probably wouldn’t give up without details. She told him as casually as she could. ‘Almost twenty-four hours and a forceps delivery.’
She wouldn’t tell him about the stitches. That would totally gross him out. ‘It was all perfectly normal in the end, thank heavens, but it had its scary moments.’
Joe looked away. She saw the rise of his chest as he drew a deep breath.
‘But it was worth it,’ Ellie said softly. ‘It was so worth every minute of those long hours to see Jacko.’ And suddenly she had to tell Joe more, had to help him to see the joy. ‘He was the most beautiful baby ever born, Joe. He had this little scrunched up face and dark hair. And he was waving his little arms. Kicking his legs. He had long feet, just like yours, and he was so amazingly perfect. It was the biggest moment of my life.’
You should have been there.
Oh, help. She was going to cry if she kept talking about this. Joe looked as if he was already battling tears.
It was Christmas Day. They should not be having this conversation.
Forcing herself to be practical, Ellie nodded to the new calf and its mother. ‘I’ll bring them some supplements later but, right now, I’m hanging out for breakfast. Are you coming?’
It took a moment for the furrows in Joe’s brow to smooth. He flashed a scant, uncertain smile. ‘Sure.’
‘Let’s hurry then. I’m starving.’
* * *
On the homestead’s back veranda, Ellie pulled off her gumboots and removed her hat and coat. Joe shouldn’t have been paying close attention. But, beneath the outdoor gear, she was dressed for Christmas in skinny red jeans and a frilly white top. Winking gold earrings swung from her ears and her dark glossy hair hung loose.
‘So I was thinking scrambled eggs and smoked salmon?’
Breakfast? With his emotions running high, Joe’s thoughts were on tasting Ellie’s soft pink lips and hauling her red and white deliciousness close. He wanted to peel her frilly neckline down and press kisses along the delicate line of her collarbone. Wanted to trace the teasing seams of her jaunty red jeans.
Yeah, right, Brainless. Clever strategy. You’d land right back where you started with this woman. Ruining her life.
‘Joe?’
He blinked. ‘Sorry?’
With evident patience, Ellie repeated her question. ‘Are you OK with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon?’
‘Sure. It sounds—’
‘Mummy!’ cried a high-pitched voice from inside the house. ‘Look, Mummy, look! A puppy!’
Ellie grinned. ‘Guess we’ll deal with breakfast in a little while.’
* * *
For Joe, most of Christmas Day ran pretty much to plan. Jacko loved his gifts—especially the little dog, and the colourful interlocking building set that Ellie had bought for him. The three of them enjoyed Ellie’s leisurely breakfast menu, and Joe and Ellie took their second cups
