Page 28 of Outback Reunion

Gabi nodded.

‘He played for Essendon until just recently. He’s back here now, farming with his folks—they own the property next to mine. Do you want me to give you his number? I’m sure he’d love to hear from you. Things have been a bit tough for him lately.’

Although Gabi’s head told her to decline, her mouth had other ideas. ‘That would be great. If it’s not too much trouble.’

‘Not at all.’ Adam slipped his hand into his shorts pocket. ‘Ah, shit. Looks like I left my phone in the car.’

‘Dollar in the swear jar,’ piped up Heidi, smiling adorably at her dad.

He shook his head. ‘Sorry, Heids. Just slipped out. How about I buy you an ice-chocolate at Frankie’s instead? We should be heading home anyway, before Mummy sends out a search party.’

Heidi dusted off her hands and pushed to her knees. ‘It was really fun playing with you, Luna.’

What a good kid, thought Gabi. Whenever she tried to drag Luna away from something fun, she moaned and groaned and begged for just a little longer. Maybe Heidi really liked ice-chocolate—or maybe she had a better mother.

Hadn’t Dante always said she was too easy on her? In her desperation not to be like her own mother, maybe she did spoil Luna a little.

‘You too,’ Luna said, and Gabi could tell she was struggling not to show her disappointment that their playdate was over. While she and Heidi had been playing, Gabi had seen glimpses of the full-faced grin she always wore before Dante died and it made her heart sing.

Adam stood and ruffled Heidi’s hair. ‘Hey, Heids, you’ll never guess what?’

The little girl jumped up and down in the sand, granules kicking up into Gabi’s eyes as she did so. ‘What?’

‘Luna and her mummy are from the circus. We’ll get to watch them perform tomorrow.’

Heidi’s eyes widened until they looked like they might pop out of their sockets. ‘Really? Are youacrobatics?’

Gabi laughed and Luna shrugged. ‘I guess. I’m learning the highwire, but I also have a troupe of performing dogs.’

Heidi looked like she might faint.

‘Maybe when you come to watch the show tomorrow you and your family can come behind the scenes afterwards and meet the dogs and our camels,’ Gabi suggested.

‘Can I try the tightrope?’

Gabi stifled her smile. ‘Unfortunately not, but maybe Luna can teach you some floor tricks. Can you do a cartwheel?’

Heidi shook her head but appeared too in awe to say another word.

Adam smiled. ‘Wow. Thank you. That would be awesome, if you’re sure it’s not too much trouble.’

‘Not at all. Luna will love it just as much as Heidi. We’ll see you then.’

‘Yeah. See you then.’ He took Heidi’s hand in his and started away, but they were only a few metres up the sand before he looked back. ‘Oh, did you want me to go get Mark’s number? Or if you’ve got a pen on you, you could give me yours and I could text it to you.’

Gabi’s stomach fluttered at the thought of having his number in her phone. It would be good to be able to apologise for last night. But... she didn’t have a pen and the last thing Adam needed was to waste time trekking back to give her a phone number she might be too chicken to use anyway.

‘Don’t worry about it.’ She waved her hand in dismissal. Fate had intervened once again. ‘It doesn’t matter. We only met once; he probably doesn’t even remember me.’

‘Who’s Mark?’ Luna asked as Adam and his daughters left for good this time.

Her mouth went dry. ‘Um... just a guy I once knew. Years ago. He lives here.’

‘Did Dad know him too?’

‘Yes,’ Gabi lied, hoping to shut off the questions. If she admitted Dante hadn’t known him, Luna would want to know how Gabi knew someone that he didn’t. The three of them hadalwaysbeen together.

Thankfully, Luna accepted this with a nod, then asked, ‘Can we go swimming again?’

---