The Outback Heart by Fiona Palmer Read Free Book Online Page A

need to start moving like one. The experienced players can help.’
    Troy looked at his clipboard and unclipped his pen. ‘Can we meet in the clubhouse?’ he asked Indi.
    ‘Yep, I’ll sort out the whiteboard. Want me to print up some rules and positions to hand out?’
    Troy lifted his eyes to her and squinted. ‘Great idea.’ He turned back to the men. ‘Right,’ he said. ‘How about six o’clock Monday evening?’
    There was a wave of noncommittal murmurs throughout the group.
    ‘Okay, it’s settled. You’ll all be here. Those who don’t bother to show up will be fined —’ He tapped the pen to his full smooth lips. Indi tried hard not to wonder what they would feel like. ‘— I was going to say a six-pack, but on second thoughts, they can shout the whole team.’
    ‘Ah shit,’ said a few fellas up the back.
    ‘Come on,’ protested another.
    ‘Right, I guess I’ll see you all on Monday. Five laps around the oval and you’re done. Off you go.’
    Troy dismissed them by turning around and collecting the balls.
    The guys groaned but they headed off around the oval. Indi tried hard not to smile but it was good to see them following Troy’s orders. Maybe they weren’t game to upset the new bloke? Well, at least they had enough players for a team and hopefully they’d all turn up again next week.
    Indi watched Troy bend over to pick up the last ball, his shorts tight, and she had to concede that she’d be back too. Even if it was just for the view.

7
    ‘TROY , can you take an order out to this farm please? I’ve put the directions and what they need on here,’ said Jenny, handing over an order. ‘You won’t miss it, there’s a big I&P Schofield and Sons sign right by the driveway.’
    ‘Righto. Cheers.’ He made to leave the office area of the large open shop but Jenny was still standing there.
    ‘I saw the huge crowd at training the other day,’ she said. ‘I don’t know how you managed it, but it’s great to see. And I heard about the meeting tonight. Good luck, you’re going to need it with that rabble of restless blokes,’ she laughed.
    ‘Well, Indi’s going to make up some help sheets. Hopefully the guys’ll study them.’ Troy realised that was the first time he’d said Indi’s name out loud. He liked the way it rolled off his tongue, and the image of her on Mrs Bateson’s verandah came to mind. He wondered what she would wear tonight. He could picture her long dark hair softly braided down her back and her tall feminine body, thin but strong. He hoped she came in those little denim shorts; her legs were long and toned. But anything would be better than the uniform that covered her from head to toe.
    ‘Oh, good. Indi’s great like that, always helping. That’s if she’s not at work. She bloody loves that footy club and it probably wouldn’t be here this year if she hadn’t headhunted you. She’s got guts, that girl.’
    ‘Where does she work?’ he asked and then regretted it. He could see the spark of intrigue in Jenny’s eyes. ‘She came to training in hi-vis,’ he added quickly.
    ‘Oh, right. Yeah, she works at the CBH bins on the edge of town. She runs it at harvest when all the grain comes in, and spends the rest of the year outloading it onto trucks and trains.’
    ‘That explains it,’ he said and tried to look uninterested. ‘Right, so we have all this in stock?’ He studied the order.
    ‘Should do, but if not, come and find me.’ Jenny smiled and then headed back to her desk.
    Troy saw Phil was busy with a farmer looking at poly fittings as he headed out the back. A huge cream shed behind the shop housed all the chemicals. Jumping on the little green forklift, he started loading up the 110-litre drums of chemical onto the back of the work ute. By the fifth one the ute sank down and the tyres looked almost flat. He threw on some smaller twenty-litre drums of wetter and he was done. He wrote it all down in the book ready for invoicing