Page 35 of Outback Reunion

Her words came out harsher than she’d meant them to, but she thought she’d have a few more minutes to prepare herself. Even if this wasn’t a date, it was the first time she’d been out alone with a man that wasn’t her husband. Eight years ago, as it wasn’t planned, there’d been no nerves or pressure. Back then he’d been so easy to talk to and the chemistry between them impossible to ignore but tonight, her stomach swarmed with butterflies.

‘Walking into a country pub alone can be daunting,’ he said.

Oh, that was so sweet. She couldn’t help smiling back. ‘I know how to look after myself, Mark.’

‘I’m sure you do, but the truth is, I wanted to make sure you didn’t stand me up again.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said sheepishly.

He smiled—‘Water under the bridge’—then gestured to a white crew-cab ute parked alongside the lot. ‘Shall we walk or drive?’

When she hesitated, he added, ‘I promise I won’t try anything, and I’ll drive you back whenever you say the word.’

‘Okay. Thanks.’ She’d planned on walking herself, but that would add more time and she suspected Luna would be waiting up for her, so she didn’t want to waste the half an hour she was allowing herself.

On the very short journey down the road and onto the main street to a classically Aussie pub—dirty-cream bricks, red tin roof and verandahs along the front—Mark asked, ‘Do you pretend to fall off the highwire every night?’

Not wanting him to know how he’d affected her when she’d seen him in the audience again tonight, she’d made sure to repeat last night’s near slip. ‘Not every night, but the audience does like the drama, and we aim to please.’

‘Aren’t you scared of actually falling off and hurting yourself?’

‘You can’t allow fear to get a grip. Besides, I’ve had a lot of training. Walking on a rope isn’t much different for me than walking on rocky ground.’

He shook his head as if he didn’t believe her. ‘And you must be stronger than most footballers I know to be able to do what you did up on those silks.’

‘I’m pretty good in an arm wrestle,’ she admitted.

Was the air conditioning not working in his ute or was she simply glowing from his praise?

‘Is that a challenge?’ he asked as he parked in between two silver four-wheel drives.

She laughed, feeling her nerves vanish like a puff of smoke. He was just as easy to be with as he was all those years ago. ‘Are you game?’

‘Definitely.’ He jumped out of the ute and Gabi had barely unclicked her seatbelt before he was opening the passenger door for her.

‘Wow. I’ve read about creatures like you,’ she said as she climbed out.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Gentlemen. Men who hold doors open for women and things like that. I thought they were only in fiction.’

‘If that’s true, you clearly haven’t been treated the way you should be.’

Her heart squeezed at his words. Maybe not, but then again, maybe she hadn’t deserved to be. She hadn’t exactly been the best partner to Dante either.

‘Let’s go inside and finally get that drink,’ he added, closing the door behind her.

Although it was long past dinner time, there were still people sitting at the tables and a group playing pool in the corner. Mark nodded at two elderly couples who looked to be solving the problems of the world over red wine as he led her towards the bar. A scruffy-looking middle-aged man appeared to be propping it up, and behind it a man in his mid-thirties was pouring a beer next to a slightly younger woman who was drying glasses.

‘Second time lucky, hey?’ The scruffy guy addressed Mark and gave Gabi the once-over.

‘Evening, Rex,’ Mark said, his cheeks colouring a fraction.

‘Hey, Mark,’ said the woman with a smile. ‘And who is this lovely creature?’

He smiled back. ‘Hi, Henri. This is my friend, Gabriela. Gabriela, this is Henri; her family are local farmers. She came home for Christmas, got together with Liam.’ He gestured to the man who’d been pouring the beer and now had moved on to some kind of cocktail. ‘Then broke her foot so she wouldn’t have to go back to work.’

Henri rolled her eyes—‘Still full of shit, I see’—and then thrust her hand at Gabi. ‘Nice to meet you.’

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