“He’ll be out of your way in a minute,” he spoke softly, trying to keep calm.
“What, you’re not going to do anything?”
“Not with you standing there.”
“I won’t faint or anything.”
Max had to admit, Zoe didn’t look at all frightened at the sight of the rather healthy snake slithering on the ground less than three feet away from her. He’d handled more than his fair share of snakes growing up, and living on a farm he’d killed plenty too, without incident. But with her standing so close, the last thing he wanted was to disturb the snake and it flick around and bite her.
“Good. Don’t go fainting.” He spied an old broom by the back door and went over slowly and picked it up. This snake had made a big mistake coming into his backyard. He had his own family to protect.
The tail of the snake finally slid over the path, and as it kept on its way over the dying grass, Max stepped confidently over to it. Lowering the broomstick, he tried to encourage the snake to wrap around it. He wasn’t sure if it was going to work. The snake was long, and heavy, but it was the best approach he had right now. He wasn’t about to kill it in front of Zoe. She didn’t need such a harsh introduction to farm life and especially not while she was pregnant.
“You going to kill it or what?”
He glanced over his shoulder at her. “Not while you’re here.”
She huffed loudly. “Aren’t they territorial?”
Max wasn’t sure how she knew so much about snakes. “True. I’ll relocate it.”
“Don’t you need a bag or something to put it in?”
“Shhh… let me concentrate.”
Max inhaled slowly, trying to reduce his pulse, and keep himself calm. Zoe was obvious not rattled by this encounter. At all. He lowered the wooden broomstick a little further, coaxing the snake over it, then he lifted, moving it toward the fence. Luckily the snake didn’t protest, and with patience, he got it to slither through a small hole at the bottom of the corrugated iron fence.
He exhaled with relief as it went on its way. If he did have a bag he’d have put it inside, but then again it was a huge snake and he didn’t necessarily like his chances of successfully doing that. Hopefully, the snake was just passing through. Max hit the broom on the fence, making a hell of a noise, hoping to let it know that this wasn’t a peaceful place for it to decide to call home.
“You think that will convince it to move on?”
“How do you know so much about snakes?”
“Year Ten project in Science.” Her voice was entirely matter-of-fact.
He didn’t think a year ten project in science would be enough to deal with seeing a brown snake live, they were one of the most dangerous snakes in Australia.
Max strode back to her, perplexed at how calm she was. “Are you all right?” He rested his hand on her bare arm, her skin smooth and hot, and a delight to touch. He shivered. He didn’t know what he’d do if anything happened to her or the baby.
“Of course, I am. I only watched a snake do what’s natural. It wasn’t like it was about to attack me or anything.”
He was speechless. Zoe might be a city girl, but she was undoubtedly behaving like a country girl.
“Come on, don’t you have water to check?”
“Now, hang on…” Max rushed to catch up with her. “This is why you need to stay here.”
“Bloody hell, Max.” Zoe spun around her eyes blazing with fortitude. “You want me to stay here to avoid snakes? Well, guess what, there was a snake in the house yard, and I was just fine. I don’t see how it’s any safer for me here than going out with you to check the water.”
Max’s eyes widened. He was about to tell her to calm down but managed to stop the words from slipping out. The last thing he wanted to do was to fuel her emotion.
Zoe crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at him.
He knew he’d lost the argument.Too damn easily.
“Come on then.” He stepped in front of her and opened the gate. “After you.”
“That’s more like it.” She smiled at him as she walked past.
