She twisted a strand of hair around her finger. “Yeah. She saw the doll I crocheted and said she wanted to learn, so I’m going to teach her when she video calls.”
He loved the idea they would have something to bond over. “Sounds perfect.”
They walked inside.
Amy was still in the kitchen doing dishes. He took the dishcloth from her. “I’ve got this, Ames. You deserve a break. Why don’t you take the afternoon off?”
Amy smiled. “I don’t mind the work, Darce.”
“I know, but you’ve been working hard for us and you’ve got your wedding to plan.”
“It’s all planned.”
He shook his head and shooed her away from the sink. “Then hang out with your fiancé for a couple of hours.” Brandon had been muttering something about doing maintenance on the equipment in the shed.
She laughed. “All right. Thanks. Call me if you need anything.”
He finished the dishes and then heard someone yelling outside. He went to the door. Jay sprinted towards the house, fear on his red face, pointing and shouting. “Fire!”
Darcy wrenched open the door and dashed out. Smoke rose into the air right above the area where their bales of hay were piled.
Fuck.
He stormed towards the sheds where they kept the water truck filled, ready to go. “Brandon!” His brother appeared at the entrance to the shed, glanced behind Darcy, and sprinted back inside. Seconds later, the truck’s engine roared.
Darcy jumped aboard and Brandon drove towards the smoking pile. The horses in the nearby yard were pacing nervously as they smelled the smoke. If they panicked and tried to jump the fence, they’d be hurt.
Shit.
The haystack wasn’t completely alight, thank God, maybe the bales were packed too tightly together. Brandon parked as close as was safe and Darcy unwound the hose before Brandon turned on the water.
The smoke came from the bottom of the stack and flames licked towards the scrubby grass nearby. He sprayed the flames, dousing those closest to him and preventing them from spreading further. As he did, he scanned the pile. No way of telling how far in the fire had spread. They’d have to take the whole pile apart to check. The last thing he needed was for it to combust in the middle of the night.
Brandon had dragged the waterproof cover off the wall of bales and Amy and Lara ran up. “I’ve rung the fire brigade,” Amy called.
Fat lot of good that would do. If they didn’t have the fire out by the time the fire truck arrived, they were screwed.
“Can you both move the horses to the sheep pens?” Darcy yelled. “They’re stressing out. Get Jay and Cheryl to help you.”
“On it!” Lara said and pulled Amy away.
Brandon climbed on top of the wall and threw bales down, away from the flames. Lee joined him and soon a few of their guests had joined in, moving the bales which had been thrown down further away.
The heat scorched Darcy’s face, and he glanced at the water tank. Half empty. He needed to get it out before he ran out of water.
His livelihood, hopes, and dreams were going up in the flames. If they couldn’t feed the sheep, they’d lose everything. He kept the water directed at the smoke, unable to see the flames over the water. That was good, wasn’t it?
“Over there.” Brandon pointed from the top of the pile.
A lick of flames was spreading out along the grass towards the now empty horse yard. Darcy redirected his spray, before scanning the rest of the ground around him. A bush was smoking right next to one of the gum trees, and he doused it.
The haystack still smoked and smouldered. The stench of wet hay and smoke stung his nose and he turned the hose back on the stack.
Across the yard, Lara ran towards him with Amy, Jay and Cheryl. Beyond them the horses were calmer in the sheep pens.
Good.
When Lara reached him, he said, “Be my spotter. Search the area in case the fire spread without me seeing.”
