Page 26 of Outback Reunion

The beach was only a short walk from the lot and it was a gorgeous summer’s day, so of course, there were already a bunch of people walking dogs, swimming and enjoying the serenity. Bunyip Bay almost seemed too perfect to be real with the beach on one side of the cute little town and bush and farming land on the other.

Mark must have really loved football to be able to tear himself away.

If she had a home like this, she’d never leave.

On the sand, Luna kicked off her thongs and grabbed the snorkel Eve had found her in town and tugged at Gabi’s hand. ‘Come on!’

‘Why don’t you build a castle to start with? I’ve got some admin stuff to do.’ They had a promo team who went ahead of them on the road to put up posters and blow-up clowns in the next town, but social media and all other publicity was Gabi’s responsibility and she needed to schedule some posts on Facebook and Instagram.

‘You’re always working,’ Luna groaned. ‘Daddy would have come in with me.’

Gabi’s heart twisted and she bit down on the impulse to say thatperfectDaddy had demons too. He’d always found it funny to compete with her for their daughter’s affections and, even in death, he was still winning.

‘Fine,’ she relented, torn between spoiling Luna by giving her what she wanted and being selfish herself. Most of the work she needed to do could wait, but she’d also hoped to sneak in a few pages of her book while Luna played.

‘Yay!’ Luna’s face filled with a smile and Gabi looked longingly towards the novel poking out of her bag as she yanked her t-shirt over her head.

‘Not too far in, remember,’ Gabi called, as Luna charged into the water. ‘And stay between the flags!’

Luna wasn’t a bad swimmer, but unlike most kids her age, she hadn’t ever had proper lessons, so Gabi only let her in the water when she or one of her grandparents was with her.

‘Watch me,’ Luna shrieked, diving into a gentle wave and then popping her head up again seconds later. ‘I’m a seal.’

Gabi tried to enjoy her time splashing around with Luna, but her mind kept drifting to Mark. She not only felt guilty about standing him up but also disappointed. She’d wanted to have that drink with him. She’d wanted to find out if that night had meant as much to him as it had to her and to apologise for running out on him. If she were honest, that’s notallshe’d wanted—it was impossible to be near Mark and not think about what it would feel like to kiss him again—so maybe standing him up had been for the best.

Maybe it had been fate stepping in before she did something stupid. Again.

‘Mum!’ Luna called. ‘You’re not watching!’

‘Sorry. Do it again.’

This time Luna spun around in the water until she was so dizzy, she fell.

They both laughed and Gabi felt her tension easing. Never mind Mark. This was what mattered, quality time with her daughter. Not thinking about a man she barely knew or a different life that might have been if she’d played her cards differently.

After a while, Luna tired of swimming and she and Gabi collected her plastic buckets and spades and plopped down onto the sand to create magic. She found it surprisingly therapeutic pummelling wet sand into buckets. The buzz she got when a perfect mould came out and didn’t crumble was almost embarrassing, but the joy on Luna’s face as they created tunnels and turrets in their rapidly growing sandcastle was even better.

Was this what a holiday felt like?

For as long as Gabi could remember, she and Dante had been so busy, so consumed with the circus, which travelled around Australia for eleven months of the year, that when they paused for February all he’d ever wanted to do was stay put. They didn’t have time off because they needed it—they couldn’treallyafford it—but simply because in almost all parts of the country, February was too hot to perform under the Big Top. They usually retreated to the Jimenez property back in South Australia, which was basically a storage facility. The house was almost falling apart due to next-to-no upkeep, and its yard looked like a graveyard for circus equipment like broken clown heads from their sideshow and damaged seating. There was a pool, but it always took at least a week to make it swimmable again.

It was nice not to have to worry about hot water and generators, but that was the extent of the luxury during their break—and the only thing that made it feel remotely like an actual holiday. They still had to train, because if they didn’t their muscles would shrivel, and their fitness rapidly decline. A whole month off would have dire consequences for their bodies and the show.

Gabi made a mental note to try and book in more locations like Bunyip Bay, so that moments like these with Luna weren’t as few and far between.

‘That’s a really cool castle,’ said a sweet voice as two shadows, one small, one bigger, fell over them.

Gabi and Luna looked up to see a cute little girl, her hair a mane of strawberry-blonde curls, admiring their handiwork. She had the biggest smile on her face.

Luna beamed right back up at her. ‘Thanks.’

‘I’m Heidi. What’s your name?’

‘Luna.’

Gabi couldn’t help but notice that Heidi had the flattish nose and almond-shaped eyes that indicated she had Down syndrome. Behind her was a tanned man with a tiny baby in a sling at his chest.

‘Can I help?’ asked Heidi, already dropping to the sand.

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