Page 33 of Outback Reunion

She shivered and her mouth went dry. She remembered everything too.

‘Well,’ he began, ‘what say we try again this evening? I’d still love to catch up. Hear all about what you’ve been up to the last eight years.’

No. No. No. Stupid idea. Stupid idea. Stupid idea.

The voice in her head sounded a lot like her parrot and the way she was feeling right now, it might be safer to stay away, but after Mark had come into town again specifically to see her, she could hardly refuse him.

‘Yes. Okay. I’ll put Loud Mouth away.’ She gave the bird a little tummy stroke to appease him. ‘Then go get changed and meet you at the pub as soon as I can.’

This time, she wouldn’t wait for Luna to go to sleep. Ignoring Dante’s voice in her head, she told herself Luna would be safe enough in the caravan if Gabi let her have one of the dogs in there, and no one would dare harm her with Loud Mouth on guard outside.

Mark’s grin stretched from ear to ear. ‘Awesome. Can I grab a selfie before I go?’

Actually, that was a good idea. She’d already seen Eve watching them, so him leaving without a photo would raise questions. ‘Sure.’

He closed the gap between them even more, sliding his hand around her back and holding her against his side as he stretched his other arm out in front and took the photo. Gabi was too bamboozled by the touch of his warm palm against her almost bare skin to worry about whether Loud Mouth might peck another man for getting so close, but miraculously the parrot behaved.

‘See you soon,’ Mark said, slipping his phone back in his pocket and then striding out of the now almost empty tent.

‘Bit of alright. Bit of alright. Bit of alright,’ chirped the parrot.

‘Shut up,’ she snapped, even though she absolutely, completely one-hundred-per-cent agreed.

‘Who’s that?’ Luna asked, coming over, Princess wriggling in her arms. ‘Was he the man you were speaking to Heidi’s dad about this morning? Dad’s friend?’

Gabi nodded, although she hadn’t exactly said that.

‘Bit of alright. Bit of alright. Bit of alright.’

She could throttle Loud Mouth. ‘Shut up,’ she hissed again as Luna crossed her arms and pouted.

‘Why didn’t you let me say hello?’

The thought hadn’t even occurred to Gabi. What would be the point? Markwasn’tDante’s friend, and it wasn’t like anything serious was going to happen between them.

Anythingserious?

She scolded herself. Nothing atallwas going to happen between them. Nothing more than a quick drink, that is. Tonight was about finally putting the past to rest. It was about giving him the goodbye she should have given him eight years ago.

‘I’m sorry, sweets.’ She reached out to push the hair that had fallen out of Luna’s ponytail off her forehead. ‘You were busy.’

Of course, Eve chose that moment to join them. ‘Are you okay?’ She put her hand to Gabi’s arm, concern creasing her brow. ‘That guy at the end there looked like he was getting a little touchy-feely. I was about to send Lorenzo over to kick him out when he left anyway.’

‘I’m fine,’ Gabi said, heat rushing to her cheeks. This was getting out of hand. Poor Mark had done nothing to deserve Lorenzo’s wrath.

‘He’s a friend of Daddy’s,’ Luna informed her grandmother, still giving Gabi the evil eye.

Her stomach twisted. No way her mother-in-law would believe that Dante had a friend who lived in these parts she didn’t know about.

‘Dante’sfriend?’ Eve asked.

‘Yeah,’ Luna said. ‘Remember, I told you I made a friend and she’s coming to the show tomorrow, Granny?’

Eve nodded.

‘Well, Mark is some guy who Mum and Daddy used to know who lives here and my new friend’s dad knows him too.’

‘Is that right?’ Eve smiled at her granddaughter, then raised her eyebrows at Gabi. ‘And how exactly did Dante know this man?’