Read Online Outback Ghost by Rachael Johns - Free Book Online Page B

forgot to meet you at the cottage was because I had other things on my mind. Dad landed the news yesterday morning that he was leaving Mum and by midday he was gone.’
    Stella’s hand flew to her mouth. ‘Oh, I’m so sorry.’ She hadn’t been expecting that and experienced belated guilt that she’d landed on him and his mother in the middle of a family drama. No wonder Esther had seemed so despondent when they’d arrived.
    He shrugged again. ‘It’s not your fault. One of these things. To be honest, the more I think about it, the more I think it might be best.’
    She nodded, having absolutely no clue what to say to that.
    â€˜But I wanted you to know that I’m not normally so scatty and I’m sorry that your arrival wasn’t as smooth as it should have been.’
    â€˜Seriously, please, don’t apologise. There’s no harm done. Heidi and I are already in love with the place.’
    â€˜Really?’ His surprised expression confused her, but she chose to ignore it.
    â€˜Yes. I can’t remember the last time I fell asleep without the sounds of traffic in the background or woke up to such fresh, clean air. I could have sat outside on the veranda all morning but unfortunately Heidi and I have different ideas about what constitutes fun.’
    He glanced at Heidi and smiled. She was still scribbling furiously in her pad, although Stella had no doubt she had one ear cocked to the adult conversation.
    â€˜She’s a great kid,’ Adam said and Stella got the feeling he wanted to say more. No doubt he wanted to know about Heidi’s condition, ask why she was a single mum, why she’d chosen to spend their summer, Christmas – a time most people spent with family – in a small town where she didn’t know a soul. Luckily he didn’t ask any such questions because Stella didn’t want to answer to anybody.
    â€˜Yes, she is,’ she said instead, reaching out and tweaking her daughter’s salt-water soaked pigtail. ‘I’m very lucky.’
    Frankie chose that moment to deliver Stella and Heidi’s lunch to the table. She added a side plate of a giant choc-chip cookie and a small-sized chocolate milkshake that Stella hadn’t ordered.
    â€˜On the house.’ Frankie grinned conspiratorially at Heidi and then looked back to Stella. ‘Consider it a welcome to Bunyip Bay special. Enjoy.’
    â€˜Thanks,’ Stella replied, nudging Heidi under the table.
    â€˜Thanks,’ echoed her daughter, her eyes glued to the cookie.
    â€˜I’ll catch you all later,’ Frankie said, squeezing Stella’s shoulder before turning to go back into the kitchen. It was only when she was gone and Adam finally picked up his cutlery to eat his own lunch, that Stella realised Frankie hadn’t stared at Heidi in the way most people did when they first met her. She wondered if this was because Adam had prepared his cousin when he’d told her about having new guests at the cottage or if she was one of the few people who saw Heidi as an individual, not someone with Downs. Either way, it enamoured the energetic café owner to her even more.
    Between mouthfuls of food, Heidi asked Adam questions about the farm, about Bunyip Bay, about his favourite television shows, about pretty much everything under the sun. Adam replied as if he was grilled regularly in such a manner by excited little girls, never for a moment giving indication that the conversation annoyed him, but when he’d finished his pie, he made his excuses.
    â€˜Thanks for the company over lunch, ladies.’ He looked specifically at Heidi. ‘You made what is usually a mundane experience for me very enjoyable indeed. I’ve got to get back to work but be sure to come say hi if you see me round the farm.’
    â€˜I will.’ Heidi grinned up at him, revealing the gap in her mouth where she’d lost her two front teeth last