Cowboy Christmas (A Henley Christmas Novella) (Down Under Cowboy series) Read Online Free

some window shopping while we’re here.  Oscar spots a model train display set up in the middle of the shopping centre and he drags us all over to inspect it.
    After about an hour, we give up trying to battle the crowds and cut our losses.  It’s too hard to browse the window displays peacefully when people are being rude and pushy.
    “Ugh! I just want to stop people and grab them by the shoulders and tell them to calm their farms! Just because you’re in a hurry, doesn’t mean you have to be rude.”  I fume to Ava as we walk back to the car.
    Ava giggles.  “You sound just like Jackson.  Calm ya farm ,” she mimics my husband’s favourite saying.
    It brings a smile to my face.  He’s definitely rubbing off on me.
    ~*~
    After dropping off Ava and Oscar at their house, Olive and I go back to ours.  The sun is beating down and I really don’t want to get out of the car to walk the short distance inside.  I suck it up though, and take Olive from her seat.  I only make it a few steps before I see a glimmer on the ground.  My heart skips a beat as I see the brown snake, sunning himself on my footpath.  I spin around and walk over to Jackson’s Ute.  I open the door, wind the window down half way and then close the door.
    “Wait there, baby.  There’s a big bitey out there and mummy needs to take care of it.”
    “Ooo, bitey,” Olive says, looking every bit as serious as I’m feeling.
    “Yes, darling, now be a good girl and wait here for mummy.”
    She turns and sits on the seat and begins playing with the two-way radio.  I glance around and spot a hoe and shovel leaning up against the wall of the shed.  Either will do.  I reach for the hoe and go to walk back to the snake, but I decide to take the shovel as well.  So, with the shovel in one hand and the hoe in the other, I make my way back to the deadly animal that’s made my path its afternoon nap spot.  I know by the deep, rich brown colour of his skin that he’s a King Brown. Deadly.  More deadly than an Eastern Brown – way more deadly.  The snake is healthy as well, judging by the thickness of him.  And he’s huge.  He must be at least six and a half feet long.  At least .
    I position myself about two metre’s away from him.  Spreading my legs so they’re shoulder width apart, I raise the hoe over my head.  I breathe in slowly and release it just as slowly.  My hands are shaking.  I wish I had a shotgun.  I would blow this fucker to pieces.  I breathe in again, and not taking my eyes of the snake, I bring the hoe down over his body.  Hard.   I hit him about thirty centimetres from his head and the impact of my shot easily slices him in half.  I spin quickly on my heel and pick up shovel.  Then, I proceed to smack into him until he’s practically unrecognisable. 
    I grin.  The snake is ly ing mutilated on the path, squashed and definitely dead , beyond a shadow of a doubt.
    I sigh.  Damn , now I have to clean the bastard off the cement.  If I leave him out here any longer, he’ll bake in the sun and become a permanent fixture.
    “You alright, darling?”  I call out to Olive.
    She looks over at me and grins. I take that as a yes, and I grab the hose.  I spray the remnants of reptile into the grass.  At least washing it away will keep the ants away, too.
    I sit the hose down and walk over to take Olive from her father’s Ute.  Placing her on the ground, I quickly scan the area for any other dangerous animals.  Seeing none, I grab the hose and place my thumb half over the spout, partially blocking the flow of water.
    Olive squeals as the water makes contact with her skin.  Giggling, she jumps up and down in the wet grass, like it’s a puddle.  I hose her down until she’s soaked, then I carry her inside so we can have a cool bath together.

Chapter 3
     
    “Daddy!”  I hear Olive screaming out excitedly to her father.
    Jackson must be home.
    I smile and walk down the hall from where I was cleaning the