he moved across to help them. Indi was stacking twice as fast as Jasper.
‘I’m sorry I was late, Troy. I got caught up. And I really have to run now: Dad’ll be wanting his dinner.’
‘And me,’ said Jasper. ‘I was thinking a roast.’
Indi turned to her brother and shot him a look. ‘Great, I’m sure you do a wonderful roast. Can’t wait to try it.’
‘Still got your manhood after a comment like that?’ Troy joked.
‘Yeah, well we would cook for ourselves but Mother Teresa here thinks she needs to look after us. I’m quite happy to live off pub food.’
‘Which would be a liquid diet of beer, no doubt,’ said Indi.
Indi brushed some loose strands off her face and held out a big basket to Troy. She offered it with a huge grin.
Indi’s smile held his attention but he forced his eyes to the basket.
‘It’s to say welcome to Hyden and thank you for coming. We’re so grateful you’ve taken on coaching the team.’
Troy stepped forward, his neck heating with a rising blush as he reached for the gift. It was filled with local products and even vouchers from some nearby small businesses, like the hardware store, restaurants and cafes. There were jars of olives, handmade soaps, fancy coffee, chocolates and more. He glanced back up at Indi. ‘Um, thanks. That’s very kind. But you know I’m happy to do the job.’ He knew they couldn’t afford to pay him but he wouldn’t have taken it anyway. This was a job of love.
‘We just wanted to show our appreciation. Also, at some stage when we’re both free, I’m taking you on a tour of Wave Rock. You’ll love it.’ She paused, her face glowing.
She was stunning, and so full of life she could power a light bulb. He was swept away. Swallowing hard he tried to control his senses. Lucky for him she was bound to have a boyfriend. It was okay to appreciate a beautiful girl, but he would never go any further.
‘That’d be nice,’ he replied. ‘Thanks again.’
Jasper smirked as he shook his head. ‘God, you’ll wish you hadn’t. Indi is like a walking advertisement for Hyden’s tourist attractions. Good luck, buddy.’
Indi sighed. ‘Just ignore him. He doesn’t appreciate what we have here. Some of us are trying to keep this town alive and with farming the way it is, the tourism industry is the next best thing.’ Indi checked her watch. ‘I gotta go. But thank you and welcome.’ She smiled again and Troy felt himself nodding at her like a bobblehead doll. ‘You right to lock up?’ she finished.
‘Yeah, sure,’ Troy replied.
Indi’s shoulders relaxed as she smiled. ‘Thanks. That was great tonight, by the way. You were brilliant. The way you were with the guys, I mean they were really listening. You know your stuff. I knew you’d be good for us. See you later,’ she said before darting out the door. Her praise kept repeating over and over in his head as he watched her leave. Was she normally this upbeat? She really was his type.
‘Want to come for dinner, Yoda?’ Jasper’s words snapped him back.
‘What? Really?’ asked Troy.
Jasper laughed. ‘Come on. Indi loves it when I bring people for dinner without letting her know.’
Troy shook his head. ‘Thanks, but I think I’ll pass, mate. I just want to go home, crack a beer and relax.’
‘Righto, then. No dramas. Catch ya round.’
Troy finished tidying up and collected his clipboard, shoving it into the basket. The keys were still hanging in the door so he turned them, locking up. The night air was crisp and cool. Instead of heading towards his ute, Troy stepped onto the oval and sat down. He pulled out the box of chocolates and opened it, picking the peppermint cream. He was feeling content in this town, which was as close to happy as he got. He liked the guys and he liked the challenge of bringing out the best in them. Maybe he could stretch out a few years in Hyden. Something about this place seemed different to the rest. He flicked through the chocolates and
‘I’m sorry I was late, Troy. I got caught up. And I really have to run now: Dad’ll be wanting his dinner.’
‘And me,’ said Jasper. ‘I was thinking a roast.’
Indi turned to her brother and shot him a look. ‘Great, I’m sure you do a wonderful roast. Can’t wait to try it.’
‘Still got your manhood after a comment like that?’ Troy joked.
‘Yeah, well we would cook for ourselves but Mother Teresa here thinks she needs to look after us. I’m quite happy to live off pub food.’
‘Which would be a liquid diet of beer, no doubt,’ said Indi.
Indi brushed some loose strands off her face and held out a big basket to Troy. She offered it with a huge grin.
Indi’s smile held his attention but he forced his eyes to the basket.
‘It’s to say welcome to Hyden and thank you for coming. We’re so grateful you’ve taken on coaching the team.’
Troy stepped forward, his neck heating with a rising blush as he reached for the gift. It was filled with local products and even vouchers from some nearby small businesses, like the hardware store, restaurants and cafes. There were jars of olives, handmade soaps, fancy coffee, chocolates and more. He glanced back up at Indi. ‘Um, thanks. That’s very kind. But you know I’m happy to do the job.’ He knew they couldn’t afford to pay him but he wouldn’t have taken it anyway. This was a job of love.
‘We just wanted to show our appreciation. Also, at some stage when we’re both free, I’m taking you on a tour of Wave Rock. You’ll love it.’ She paused, her face glowing.
She was stunning, and so full of life she could power a light bulb. He was swept away. Swallowing hard he tried to control his senses. Lucky for him she was bound to have a boyfriend. It was okay to appreciate a beautiful girl, but he would never go any further.
‘That’d be nice,’ he replied. ‘Thanks again.’
Jasper smirked as he shook his head. ‘God, you’ll wish you hadn’t. Indi is like a walking advertisement for Hyden’s tourist attractions. Good luck, buddy.’
Indi sighed. ‘Just ignore him. He doesn’t appreciate what we have here. Some of us are trying to keep this town alive and with farming the way it is, the tourism industry is the next best thing.’ Indi checked her watch. ‘I gotta go. But thank you and welcome.’ She smiled again and Troy felt himself nodding at her like a bobblehead doll. ‘You right to lock up?’ she finished.
‘Yeah, sure,’ Troy replied.
Indi’s shoulders relaxed as she smiled. ‘Thanks. That was great tonight, by the way. You were brilliant. The way you were with the guys, I mean they were really listening. You know your stuff. I knew you’d be good for us. See you later,’ she said before darting out the door. Her praise kept repeating over and over in his head as he watched her leave. Was she normally this upbeat? She really was his type.
‘Want to come for dinner, Yoda?’ Jasper’s words snapped him back.
‘What? Really?’ asked Troy.
Jasper laughed. ‘Come on. Indi loves it when I bring people for dinner without letting her know.’
Troy shook his head. ‘Thanks, but I think I’ll pass, mate. I just want to go home, crack a beer and relax.’
‘Righto, then. No dramas. Catch ya round.’
Troy finished tidying up and collected his clipboard, shoving it into the basket. The keys were still hanging in the door so he turned them, locking up. The night air was crisp and cool. Instead of heading towards his ute, Troy stepped onto the oval and sat down. He pulled out the box of chocolates and opened it, picking the peppermint cream. He was feeling content in this town, which was as close to happy as he got. He liked the guys and he liked the challenge of bringing out the best in them. Maybe he could stretch out a few years in Hyden. Something about this place seemed different to the rest. He flicked through the chocolates and
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