Maxine Morrey - Second Chance At The Ranch

‘I’m pretty sure I knew it started off on a sheep, Jules, but thanks.’

Hero smiled under her lashes at her older sister. Despite the temptations having been scouted by a model agency when she was fifteen, Hero had continued her education, achieving good grades and fitting in modelling assignments around her academics until she was in a position to model full-time. Her looks, added to the fact that she was easy to work with, if a little distant, meant she hadn’t stopped working since.

‘Are you ready to be a bridesmaid for your big sister?’

‘Ready and waiting.’

They had decided to marry in Australia as Pete had a large family and Juliet had almost none, only Hero. Her sister had been back in the UK finalising details on the sale of her flat, and was about to return back to Australia, and Pete. The wedding was in a month’s time. Apparently, Pete’s mum had been a godsend when it came to the arrangements, and Juliet was loving spending time with her and Jack, Pete’s father. They in turn had loved her immediately.

‘Are you really sure you’ll be able to make it?’ Juliet asked again.

Juliet was desperate for Hero to be with her on such a special day, but she also knew that her sister’s job took her all over the world. As they said their goodbyes at Heathrow, she couldn’t help checking one more time.

Hero waggled her phone. ‘I have the date here and I’ll book the time off with the agency first thing tomorrow. No problem. If someone wants me that bad during those weeks, they’ll just have to wait. And if they don’t want to wait, then that’s their problem.’

Juliet looked concerned.

Hero laughed. ‘Oh, stop worrying. I love you. You’re more important than any shoot. I wouldn’t miss this for anything! And I can’t wait to meet Pete either. He sounds wonderful.’

‘He is.’

‘Jules?’

‘Yes?’

‘I’m going to miss you.’

Juliet pulled her little sister into her arms. ‘I’m going to miss you too,’ she said, holding Hero close, not wanting to let go.

‘Call me when you get home.’ Hero paused for a moment and looked at her sister. ‘I love you.’

‘Don’t! I’ll cry!’

‘I know. You always do, you big blubberpuss.’ Hero giggled and gave her sister a huge squeeze.

‘I know. I’m a wimp! And I don’t care.’

Hero grinned, her own eyes dry. ‘I’ll be there in a month.’

Hero nodded at the dedicated first-class security area in front of them. ‘You’d better go. Don’t want to keep him waiting.’

Juliet reached up to hug her baby sister again. At five foot eleven, Hero was three inches taller than her elder sibling and today she wore boots with heels that took her to over six feet. Juliet’s feet were snug in trainers. Hero had upgraded her sister, despite Juliet’s protests, but she still had a long flight ahead, and then another hop to Adelaide. Comfort was a priority.

‘I hope you’re not wearing those on the day?’ Hero nodded down at her sister’s footwear. Juliet followed her gaze, then laughed.

‘No. Definitely not! With the groom and best man at six foot three and six foot four, I’m definitely wearing heels!’

‘Good. Then if I wear flats, I won’t tower over you.’

‘You can be quite sweet when you want to, can’t you?’

Hero pulled a face. ‘Don’t tell anyone!’ she whispered, and then winked. ‘Go on. Get on the plane, and I’ll see you in a month.’

Four weeks later, Pete was back at the airport, waiting with his fiancée to meet her sister. Excited to see her, Juliet was incapable of standing still, constantly checking the screens and looking around.

Pete was intrigued. Juliet had told him all about Hero, her jet-set lifestyle, and her personality. From what he knew, it seemed that the sisters were a little like him and Nick, different in their make-up but close and reliant on each other. Even more so as a result of their parents’ relative disinterest in them.

Hero stepped through the doors to Arrivals, a wheeled Louis Vuitton suitcase trailing behind her. Pete saw the difference immediately. He’d seen photos obviously, but it wasn’t quite the same thing. The sisters might be similar in heart, but they didn’t share such similarity in their looks as Nick and Pete did.

Pete watched as his sister-in-law-to-be glided through the crowds to meet them. Hero’s brunette, waist-length hair fell in a shimmering sheet of rich brown as she crossed the space, her walk conveying absolute confidence. Her shoulders were strong and straight, with no hint of the roundness some tall people gain as they attempt to blend into the crowd. Hero certainly didn’t blend. Couldn’t blend. She was stunning. Completely, undeniably stunning.

Whereas Juliet’s beauty was soft and crept over you, Hero’s hit you straight away, right between the eyes. Pete watched the people around her and nudged Juliet as one poor guy, whose eyes were glued to Hero, got a whack from his girlfriend. Juliet pulled a sympathetic face.

‘Oh dear! She can have that effect.’

Pete shrugged. ‘She’s very beautiful,’ he said truthfully, ‘but she’s not you.’ Juliet reached up and kissed him.

‘You just remember that.’

‘I hope that’s Pete.’ Hero appeared in front of them, a wide smile playing on perfectly painted lips. Juliet hugged her and introduced her fiancé.

‘Pleased to meet you, Hero.’ He leant down a placed a kiss on her cheek. It struck Hero that few men she met had to bend to do that. It felt rather nice.

Pete took control of the luggage and led the way back to the car. They loaded themselves into the off-roader and started on the long drive back to the station. Juliet filled Hero in on the wedding arrangements and their plans for after the wedding.

‘So that’s it really. The hotel has been great about the reception considering it’s such short notice.’

‘That’s because they don’t get many weddings. Can’t believe their luck at all the cash we’re handing over.’ Pete’s eyes were on the road, and a small smile was on his lips. Juliet turned towards him.

‘Maybe they’re just excited. Weddings do that to some people, you know.’

‘Right-oh.’

‘Cynic.’

‘Never.’

Juliet rested a hand on her fiancé’s thigh and placed a kiss on his cheek.

Hero listened to the exchange with interest. She didn’t really date as much as the media liked to make out but the men she did go out with pretty much did their best to always be in agreement with her, or let her do her own thing. That was an unconditional part of the deal. Hero Scott had known the pain of rejection before. A pain that still sliced at her heart even now, when she was in demand from all angles, commanded thousands of pounds for a shoot and could pretty much have whatever she wanted. But the pain was still there. No amount of money, investment, or any of the other trappings could soften it. Whenever she thought about it, it burned as deep as ever.

Of course, not everyone agreed with her views on dating. Rupert, for instance, usually just sat and rolled his eyes, then, with a mischievous twinkle, would tell the man in question to ‘stop bloody fawning’. To their face. Hero was never surprised when she didn’t see them again.

But Juliet and Pete clearly had a different relationship. From the moment they’d met, she’d been able to see that he was just as smitten with her sister as Juliet was with him. Hero was happy to see it, the knowledge allaying the remaining worry she had about her sister’s whirlwind romance.

Vivid terracotta dust kicked up from the unsealed road as the vehicle drove on through the landscape. Hero watched it fill the air and swirl around the car. They’d left the city far behind them some time ago and now drove on through the countryside. Looking past the dust, she saw that this part of the country was much greener than she had expected. She’d travelled to Australia a couple of times before for work, but both of those trips had been centred in Sydney, and she was enjoying getting to see more of the country, thanks to her sister.