Page 47 of Outback Reunion

But Loud Mouth had other ideas. ‘Bout bloody time. Bout bloody time. Bout bloody time,’ he squawked as she passed his night cage.

‘Shut up,’ she hissed, before opening the caravan door as quietly as possible.

Basset was staring up at her from his position beside Luna, and Gabi stilled as the little girl stirred.Shit.

Thankfully, Luna merely rolled over and hugged Basset closer to her little body.

As Gabi undressed in the bathroom and washed the day’s sweat and make-up off in the shower, all she could think about was her conversation with Eve. Was that how people survived the pressures of circus life? How could she not have known, having grown up in this world?

She’d heard the statistics about adultery—apparently almost everyone did it—but despite her own indiscretion, deep down she hadn’t wanted to believe them. Maybe reading too many romance novels had given her unrealistic expectations of relationships. Hers with Dante had certainly never lived up to what she read between the pages. Or maybe she was just naïve to believe in the kind of love that made you want to be faithful to one person. The kind of all-consuming, self-sacrificing, yet also life-affirming love that gave you security. That made you feel like you were home wherever you were, as long as you were with that one special person.

Yoursoulmate.

For years Gabi had beaten herself up for not feeling that way about Dante, and when he’d changed from looking at her with adoration to looking at her with something like repulsion, she’d blamed herself, yet until Eve’s bombshell, she’d believed in the notion. But if Eve and Lorenzo—the couple she’d grown up admiring for the way they lived, laughed and worked together—didn’t even have that kind of love, then, didanyone?

Was it even possible?

Chapter Eleven

His house was dark as Mark approached and the only noise aside from the swish of the plants in the garden was Rookie barking her disgust at being left alone.

‘Hey, girl, sorry.’ Mark let her out of her cage on the verandah and was immediately accosted as she jumped up at his legs.

Although he’d been looking forward to a break from his mum’s fussing, inside felt eerily quiet without his parents, reminding him that this was what he was destined to come home to once they retired. He supposed he should be grateful he had some company; Rookie was always happy to see him.

After tearing round the house like a banshee, she followed him into the kitchen where he made a beeline for the fridge and grabbed a beer. Then another, for good measure. He cracked the first on his way to the lounge room and took a long gulp as he flopped down onto the couch.

‘Cheers,’ he said to Rookie when she jumped up beside him and started digging under some cushions. She’d likely left one of her chew toys there.

Because there wasn’t anything better to do, he picked up the remote and started channel surfing free-to-air TV, unable to believe it whenThe Greatest Showmancame on. He’d seen it at the cinema with Tahlia—their first or second date—and been surprised how much he enjoyed it. Musicals weren’t really his thing, but the story and costumes and colour of the whole production had drawn him in.

Now when he watched Hugh Jackman parading around in a sparkly red and gold suit with a shiny top hat, all he could think of was Gabriela.

Could he havebeenmore of a dick tonight? He downed half his beer in one gulp.

What the hell was wrong with him, cracking onto a widow whose husband had only been dead six months? And in such a public place! What if Drew Noble had driven by in a patrol car and caught him with his hand under her dress? They might have been charged with indecent exposure, although that wouldn’t have been half as bad as the rumours that would circulate if that happened.

Mum would be mortified, and he’d never be able to show his face in Bunyip Bay again.

But it wasn’t his reputation he was worried about.

It was Gabriela.

He’d almost had her right there in the front seat of his ute like a horny teenager, and she deserved so much more respect than that. He didn’t think he’d ever be able to forget the horror on her face as she’d fled from his car, those two big blow-up clowns swaying on either side as she hurried through the temporary circus gates.

His fist still hurt from where he’d slammed it into the steering wheel. The whole way home he hadn’t been able to stop beating himself up, wishing he could go back in time and rewrite the evening from the moment they left the pub. They’d had such a great night—laughing about silly things, talking about serious ones. He’d been shocked to hear about Dante, wishing he could somehow ease her pain, but the last thing he’d expected after hearing about her husband was for her to kiss him goodnight. And with so much passion.

Blood had rushed to his groin, lust crashing over him, rendering all logical thought impossible.

Yes, technically she’d come onto him, but after what she’d told him, he should have hesitated. Instead of shoving his tongue in her mouth, he should have asked her if this was what she really wanted. Clearly the answer would have been ‘no’.

If only he had her phone number so he could text her and apologise, he thought, as he drank the rest of his beer. He didn’t buy that line about her not having a phone. Who in this day and age didn’t have a mobile?

He cracked the second beer and took a sip, slightly slower this time. There were only four in the fridge so he needed to pace himself.

Perhaps he could go back to the circus tomorrow and try to make amends. Then again, would she think him a crazed stalker if he watched the show for the third day in a row? Maybe he could get a message to her some other way. He could take a note over to Adam’s and ask him to deliver it.

Or maybe you should leave it the hell alone. Didn’t she make it clear she wants nothing to do with you?

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