Read Online Don't Look Back (Warders of Earth) by S E Gilchrist - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: S E Gilchrist
Ads: Link
lock, a huge roar caused me to spin around to search the shadowed road. My friends squealed and covered their ears in such a girly-girl fashion, I laughed. I glanced over to see them looking up at the night sky checking for a low flying F1-11 from the air-force base located twenty kilometres east of the town.
“Don’t panic,” I said drily and pointed. “We’re not about to be bombed. It’s my father.”
Amid a cloud of dust, an immense black Harley Davidson rumbled into view and rolled to a stop near the gate. The engine gunned twice before ceasing. There were two black clad figures riding pillion on the bike.
I waved a casual hand and stayed where I was, resisting the urge to dash down the path and into my father’s arms. The couple dismounted and pulled off their helmets. Turning back to the door I unlocked it and pushed it wide.
Light from inside the house spilled down the steps, across the thin stretch of straggling grass and over the gate to reveal my father’s slightly worn face and that of an unknown girl. Just as I suspected. A girl who surely wasn’t that much older than me.
My mouth compressed as I took in the tattoo on her cheek and the possessive hand she placed on my father’s arm for a moment before leaning back against the bike, her boobs poking up at the sky.
Dad had his shoulder-length, faded-red hair tied back in a pony tail at the base of his neck. As he strode toward me and my friends, his tall body cast a long shadow over the garden. Looking up and with a broad grin on his close shaven face, he mounted the steps.
“Hi, kiddo.” He reached out to pull me into his arms but I shoved him aside, ignoring the way his mouth drooped downwards.
Standing back and holding the door open I peered around him at my friends. “Are you two coming in for a drink?”
“Yes, please.” Em hastened forward, her bright eyes fixed on my father standing like a great shambling bear on the threshold.
“Are you sure it’s okay, Tara?” Tilting her head on the side, Marnie added, “You might prefer to be alone.”
I grimaced. “No, its fine. It’ll be good to kick back over a hot cuppa and catch up. I guess you should come inside, Dad, since you’re here. Your friend too.”
Head high, I stalked down the hallway and into the kitchen. I didn’t want to admit it, but damn if the sight of him hugging that chickie-babe was like a kick in the gut for me.
Once upon a time, the only girl he’d hugged like that had been me. Then, there was Mum. I hated the thought she’d have to confront my father’s girlfriend.
“Don’t mind if I do,” boomed Dad. “Hey, Cissy, wait here. I won’t be long. Cooee, Marion? Mind if I come in?” His voice seemed to bounce around the confines of the narrow hall.
My shoulders sagged with relief as I sidled past where Mum and Dan were seated at the table with what looked like house plans laid out in front of them. Snatching up the kettle, I filled it with water from the protesting taps, muttering over my shoulder, “Hi Mum. Dan.”
“Hello, dear. Come into the kitchen, Gary,” Mum said. Paper rustled as she folded the large sheet into a smaller neat square.
“How ya going, Dan? Wooah, look at the size of him. You’re almost as tall as me.” Dad punched Dan on the shoulder.
“He’s fun,” whispered Marnie walking up to stand beside me as I turned the kettle on and placed mugs on the kitchen bench.
“Yeah, he’s a real barrel of laughs.”
Marnie frowned and stared hard at me, obviously wanting me to explain but I opened the cupboard door and pretended to scan the contents. I really didn’t want to go there, and certainly not in front of Dad. Still, I did manage an apology. “Sorry, I’m a bit on edge lately.”
Em paused in the doorway, smiling as she greeted everyone.
“Hi, Dad,” said Dan smiling.
“Help yourself to a beer, Gary.” Mum pushed her glasses further up her nose and shot a narrowed stare across the room. “You didn’t answer
“Don’t panic,” I said drily and pointed. “We’re not about to be bombed. It’s my father.”
Amid a cloud of dust, an immense black Harley Davidson rumbled into view and rolled to a stop near the gate. The engine gunned twice before ceasing. There were two black clad figures riding pillion on the bike.
I waved a casual hand and stayed where I was, resisting the urge to dash down the path and into my father’s arms. The couple dismounted and pulled off their helmets. Turning back to the door I unlocked it and pushed it wide.
Light from inside the house spilled down the steps, across the thin stretch of straggling grass and over the gate to reveal my father’s slightly worn face and that of an unknown girl. Just as I suspected. A girl who surely wasn’t that much older than me.
My mouth compressed as I took in the tattoo on her cheek and the possessive hand she placed on my father’s arm for a moment before leaning back against the bike, her boobs poking up at the sky.
Dad had his shoulder-length, faded-red hair tied back in a pony tail at the base of his neck. As he strode toward me and my friends, his tall body cast a long shadow over the garden. Looking up and with a broad grin on his close shaven face, he mounted the steps.
“Hi, kiddo.” He reached out to pull me into his arms but I shoved him aside, ignoring the way his mouth drooped downwards.
Standing back and holding the door open I peered around him at my friends. “Are you two coming in for a drink?”
“Yes, please.” Em hastened forward, her bright eyes fixed on my father standing like a great shambling bear on the threshold.
“Are you sure it’s okay, Tara?” Tilting her head on the side, Marnie added, “You might prefer to be alone.”
I grimaced. “No, its fine. It’ll be good to kick back over a hot cuppa and catch up. I guess you should come inside, Dad, since you’re here. Your friend too.”
Head high, I stalked down the hallway and into the kitchen. I didn’t want to admit it, but damn if the sight of him hugging that chickie-babe was like a kick in the gut for me.
Once upon a time, the only girl he’d hugged like that had been me. Then, there was Mum. I hated the thought she’d have to confront my father’s girlfriend.
“Don’t mind if I do,” boomed Dad. “Hey, Cissy, wait here. I won’t be long. Cooee, Marion? Mind if I come in?” His voice seemed to bounce around the confines of the narrow hall.
My shoulders sagged with relief as I sidled past where Mum and Dan were seated at the table with what looked like house plans laid out in front of them. Snatching up the kettle, I filled it with water from the protesting taps, muttering over my shoulder, “Hi Mum. Dan.”
“Hello, dear. Come into the kitchen, Gary,” Mum said. Paper rustled as she folded the large sheet into a smaller neat square.
“How ya going, Dan? Wooah, look at the size of him. You’re almost as tall as me.” Dad punched Dan on the shoulder.
“He’s fun,” whispered Marnie walking up to stand beside me as I turned the kettle on and placed mugs on the kitchen bench.
“Yeah, he’s a real barrel of laughs.”
Marnie frowned and stared hard at me, obviously wanting me to explain but I opened the cupboard door and pretended to scan the contents. I really didn’t want to go there, and certainly not in front of Dad. Still, I did manage an apology. “Sorry, I’m a bit on edge lately.”
Em paused in the doorway, smiling as she greeted everyone.
“Hi, Dad,” said Dan smiling.
“Help yourself to a beer, Gary.” Mum pushed her glasses further up her nose and shot a narrowed stare across the room. “You didn’t answer
Similar Books
