Page 2 of Outback Reunion

‘No rush. Just wanted to pay for my dinner,’ replied a deep voice belonging to the shadow. ‘Evening.’

It took Gabi a second to realise this last word had been addressed to her. She opened her mouth to say ‘Hi’, but the word died on her tongue as she turned and came face to face with his piercing blue eyes. No; blue was too dull a word to describe all the shades and flecks of colour she saw. Perhaps crystal or electric blue was more apt.

Crystal Eyes smiled. ‘You here on your own?’

This might have sounded creepy, but she was too bamboozled by the mystical colour of his eyes to do anything but nod.

The bartender placed her cocktail down in front of her. ‘Here ya are, love.’

Gabi dug into her jacket pocket to retrieve a twenty-dollar note she’d shoved there a couple of nights ago when someone had bought fairy floss—she hadn’t had time to put it in the till before heading back to the Big Top to perform.

‘It’s on me.’ Crystal Eyes pressed his card against the EFTPOS machine before she could hand over the money. ‘And I’ll have another mid-strength, please.’

‘You didn’t have to do that,’ she blurted. ‘I can pay for myself.’

He smiled. ‘I’m sure you can. Don’t worry, I’m not expecting anything in return.’

She forced a laugh as she lifted the drink to her mouth. ‘I should hope not.’ It tasted delicious. ‘But just in case... I’m paying for your beer.’

The barman chuckled as he put a frothy pint in front of the guy and Gabriela thrust the twenty-dollar bill at him.

‘Thanks.’ Crystal Eyes smirked, lifted his glass to clink against hers and then offered her his free hand. ‘I’m Mark. Pleased to meet you.’

For a few seconds, all she could do was stare. She guessed he was about the same age as her although the dimple on his right cheek gave him a boyish expression. In addition tothose eyes, he had lovely, tanned skin, thick hair the colour of brown sugar that curled a little at the ends and a smile that caused her breath to catch in her throat. He was taller than her, taller even than Dante, and had broad shoulders, a muscly chest and arms that his t-shirt did nothing to hide.

‘And you are?’ His hand still hovered awkwardly between them.

‘Sorry.’ Her cheeks burning, she shoved her hand into his and gripped, totally flustered by her reaction to this man. She couldn’t blame the alcohol because she’d only had one sip, and it wasn’t like she was a stranger to hot guys. Dante was very good looking and had an amazing body—most circus folk did—but there was justsomethingabout this man. ‘I’m... Gabriela.’

‘A beautiful name to match your beautiful face,’ he said, their hands still gripping each other.

It was clearly a pick-up line and a cheesy one at that, yet something about the way he said it made it feel anything but.

‘Don’t let me keep you from your friends or girlfriend,’ she said, retrieving her hand and taking a much-needed cool sip of her cocktail.

OMG.Why had she mentioned a girlfriend? As if she cared about his relationship status! When she most certainly didn’t. Or at least,shouldn’t.

‘I’m on my own tonight too. Was feeling a little sorry for myself and got sick of staring at the walls of my apartment. Decided to treat myself to dinner.’

‘Why are you feeling sorry for yourself?’

He smiled—‘I’m not now’—and the way he met her gaze sent a hit of serotonin straight to her heart.

She couldn’t help but smile back. ‘Whywereyou feeling sorry for yourself, then?’

‘It’s a boring story. I’m a footballer, but I can’t play at the moment.’ He gestured to his knee. ‘Tore my ACL late last season and I’m out for a year.’

‘That’s terrible,’ she said, unable to imagine taking a whole year off performing. ‘Do you play professionally?’

‘Yeah.’

‘What team?’

‘Essendon. You an AFL fan?’

She shook her head. Circus people didn’t stay in one place long enough to form alliances to a team and were often performing during game times. ‘But I can understand how frustrating that must be.’

‘Happens more often than you’d think, unfortunately. Ah well, it’s not the end of the world. I’m young, fit and in good rehab hands, so I’ll be back. But I moved all this way to play football and when I can’t do it, I sometimes feel a little homesick.’ He concluded with a shrug and another sip of his beer.

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