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Tully gave them all free soft serve ice creams for the inconvenience. At least the kids seemed happy.
    She was thrilled to see a friendly face when Tam and her mum came through for frappés a little while later. After getting their mango-flavoured frosty drinks, Tam reached across her mum to Tully. ‘Pick a hand,’ she said, smirking.
    Tully shook her head. ‘You’re gonna get me in sh—’
    â€˜Go on!’
    â€˜ Fine! ’ Tully smiled sympathetically at Judy – who was struggling for breath underneath Tam’s full chest – and jabbed at Tam’s right fist.
    â€˜Nah!’ Tam said.
    â€˜Oh, for God’s sake, Tam!’ Tully said, glancing behind her to make sure Moe wasn’t back from her break.
    Tam brought her left hand around and opened it up, revealing a tiny rearing horse with a flowing black mane and wild eyes. ‘I got one, too,’ Tam said. ‘An early Chrissie pressie from Mum.’
    â€˜Take care, love,’ Judy said, giving Tully’s hand a squeeze.
    â€˜Thank you so much!’ Tully cuddled the smooth, cool model against her cheek, pressed her lips against its shoulder. ‘Is this a Breyer?’ She’d always wanted one of the coveted horsey collectables.
    Tam nodded, then yelled out as the car behind honked and Judy shifted into ‘Drive’, ‘Sleepover soon, Tulls?’
    Tully gave Tam a thumbs up, waved them off, then kissed her little horse again and tucked it into her breast pocket. She pulled it back out after her shift, while she was waiting out front with Taylor, enjoying the drench of orange sunset across the wide-open paddock beside their workplace, the dark mountain range framing the horizon.
    Tully almost didn’t recognise him, when he pulled alongside her in the rusty dual cab ute. ‘Bucko?’ she said, drifting around to the open driver’s side window. ‘What’s up?’
    â€˜Hop in, doll,’ Bucko said, a grin lighting up his rugged face in a way she hadn’t seen in months. ‘I’ve got a surprise for ya.’

8
    The Pink Queenslander

    â€˜You’ve gotta tell me where we’re going.’
    Bucko smiled, shook his head gently.
    Tully grinned, hugging her backpack in her lap. Her gaze drifted out to the open paddocks beyond the shop-fronts. The land was heavily tinted a brilliant mandarin and rich pink, the parrots and lorikeets and galahs out for an evening feed, swooping in the brown grass and chattering in the trees. Tully’s mind whirled, she glanced back at the empty horse trailer squeaking and bumping along behind them. ‘Seriously, Bucko,’ she blurted, leaning across the middle seat, her seatbelt restraint bringing her up short and digging into her chest. ‘What’s going on? Have we picked up another owner?’
    Bucko grinned, clearly enjoying himself. He tipped his hat with his thumb, one hand resting casually on the wheel. They passed the timber yard, then the vet, heading out of town.
    â€˜Are we goin’ to Ipswich?’
    â€˜Maybe.’
    â€˜Is that a yes?’
    â€˜Probably not.’
    â€˜ Oh …’ she tossed her hands in the air in frustration, ‘How far are we going?’
    â€˜As long as it takes.’
    Tully sighed dramatically, bit her bottom lip. She leaned an elbow on her door, resting her chin in her hand. The old ute creaked and whirred as they drove through the dip in the highway, past a new estate, its houses twinkling with red, green, even purple lights and festive displays reminding her it was only a few weeks until Christmas. On past the wide river land opposite, stretching far into the sunset.
    Her foot started tapping as they blew past the Billabong Hotel, with Santa in his green plastic sleigh being pulled by his reindeer fastened to the roof. Tully’s heart jumped, wondering if they’d be turning into the huge thoroughbred facility on the hill to their right,