Page 37 of Wandering Souls

He saw Abi into the chair with a nod, before settling into the seat beside her. “And miss this opportunity? Hell, of course I’m staying. Ray, sit.”

“I’ve already eaten, but thanks.”

“Sit.” Damien wasn’t taking no for an answer. “I’m sure there’s dessert, right Mia?”

The hostess chuckled. “Like Hollywood would ever go without. Do you want a bowl of water for Bruce?”

The dog in question had sneaked under the table and sat against Abi’s leg. She dropped a hand down to him, where he gave her a nudge with his cold nose before settling on her feet.

“He’s fine,” Abi assured them, catching Ray’s attention from across the table. He smiled and the tension in his shoulders eased. “Stay for dessert,” she whispered, needing to feel his presence close by. “Please.”

~

Damien couldn’t takehis eyes off her, nor did he want to. After all this time, she was here, within reach and it dawned on him that he never wanted to let her go. Which was insane. He had no say in her life, none at all. He might very well be her biological father, but he wasn’t her dad.

Not yet.

Damien forked a couple of roast potatoes onto his plate and a small piece of chicken. As always, Mia provided a feast, whether she cooked for just her and her fiancé, or whether they were hosting the entire gang. When Mia catered, there was always leftovers. It lifted some of the dread from his chest, to think how Mia had gone from a globetrotting archaeologist to the perfect hostess and soon-to-be mum. Was there any hope of convincing Abigail that Wills Crossing could be her home, too?

“As always, delicious.” He nodded toward Mia. “Thank you.”

He’d come to think of her as part of the family. Her friendship with Stevie during their childhood had meant she’d spent many a holiday with them. They were like sisters and as they faced motherhood together, they’d grown close again. Now Stevie had her biological sister and he wondered how and where Abigail would fit in to it all.

As for Mia’s father, Bob, well, he and Damien had history. Lots of it and he intended on taking it up with the man when they next spoke. He was the one who’d pleaded with Damien to find Abigail. Why Bob hadn’t found her, when she was practically right under their noses, confounded him. When Penny first told him of Abigail’s existence, they’d feared she could be anywhere in the world. Turned out, she was a stone’s throw away. It should’ve been easy for Bob to find her.

“How’s your father?”

Mia raised an eyebrow. “He spends too much time in Canberra.”

“There’s an election coming.” Damien reminded her. “He needs to start campaigning.”

If Damien took anything from their last conversation, Senator Bob Holland had no intention of leaving federal parliament. It would make for some interesting fireworks come Christmas. Damien didn’t envy him having to tell Mia he planned on spending another four years in the nation’s capital should he be re-elected.

“Pft.” Mia rolled her eyes. “That’s just what we all need, another election.”

A quiet ripple of laughter went around the table. Beside him, Abigail concentrated on her plate. At twenty-three, she seemed so terribly young but he’d seen a worldliness in her eyes. Her choice to not elaborate on her injury worried him. Ray had said she’d served in Afghanistan, giving Damien reason to think her war-story was hard for her to share. That troubled him, deeply. To think his own flesh and blood had come home scarred and in pain made his heart ache.

He glanced at Hollywood, the youngest of his soldiers. He’d always considered them like sons and when they returned from the horrendous East Timor campaign, neither Hollywood, nor Riley, Gabe, Ben, or Magnus were the same. They suffered.

Physically.

Mentally.

Emotionally.

It was why Hollywood was so intent on creating a place for returned soldiers to heal, but the thought that his daughter was in the same boat...

His heart clenched and his throat tightened, making it hard to swallow. Across the table, Hollywood’s expression questioned him. Damien gave a subtle shake of the head, not sure how to convey the fear that crept into his chest.

In his pocket, his phone vibrated silently. He hoped it was Bob, returning his text, but he suspected it was closer to home than that. If Stevie wasn’t after details, then Penny would want to know how whether he’d found Abigail yet.

“Tell me, Abi,” Hollywood filled the emptiness of their dining room. “You never told me how you found out about this place.”

She chewed and swallowed. “I saw a flyer.”

Hollywood’s eyes flickered momentarily toward Damien’s, more questions in their blue depths. “Oh.” He shoved a potato in his mouth.

She shrugged. “I was recovering in the base hospital and figured anywhere was better than there.”

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