Read Online The Outback Heart by Fiona Palmer - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Fiona Palmer
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again.
‘That should be your catchphrase, Indi,’ Trevor teased.
‘I’m sorry, Trev. I’ll just do up the dinners quickly and then head off.’ She bent and kissed his wrinkly cheek. He held her arm.
‘You whip those boys into shape, Indi. I want to see them win a few games before I croak it, you hear?’
‘Yes, sir.’ She saluted with a smirk.
When she finally got to the oval she was fifteen minutes late. Troy was on the oval kicking the football with the guys. Her jaw just about dropped as she watched him kick a torpedo straight through the posts. He looked good doing it.
Troy got the guys to work on handballing and he headed over towards Indi. She could see Troy’s frown from where she stood.
‘I know, I’m sorry.’
No point bothering with an excuse
, she figured. ‘How are they going?’
Troy was enchanting as she listened to his husky but sure voice run her through what he had planned for the training session.
‘I made up these sheets. Just trying to work out some positions,’ he said, passing them over. He’d been doing his homework, working out the guys’ strengths and weaknesses. She cocked an eyebrow as she studied Troy, realising she’d just found someone who might love footy more than she did.
‘What?’ he asked. ‘Too much?’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘No, it’s not that. I think it’s fantastic that you’re so organised and taking this seriously. We’ve always just bumbled along,’ she said with a shrug.
‘So that’s a compliment?’
‘Sure is.’ She liked the small smile he gave her; it softened his chiselled features. He looked a lot like Josh Duhamel when she thought about it.
‘So how come you don’t play? You kick a mean ball,’ she said, trying to keep the awe from her voice. His smile disappeared. ‘Someone has to coach,’ he said and shrugged. ‘So, this jumper presentation on Saturday – what do I have to do?’ he asked. Again his eyes didn’t stay on her for long. The sudden change in his demeanour and the subject didn’t go unnoticed but she let it slide. ‘Don’t worry – I’ve got Patrick organising the numbers. All you have to do is hand them out. I’ve got a Saints jacket for you too.’‘Thanks, Indi,’ he said before his focus returned to the boys on the field.
*
Indi lost track of time as she sat on the sideline watching the team train. The light had faded by the time she felt a tap on her shoulder. ‘Hey, Indi, how’s it going?’ Tegan said.
Indi hugged her friend. ‘Tegan, hey, mate. What’re you up to?’
‘I’m just here to watch Jaffa. He wanted a lift home. He had to drop the tractor in for repairs earlier.’ Tegan’s freckles were hidden beneath make-up.
The girls had gone to primary school together in Hyden but had been sent to different high schools in the city. The moment Indi had moved back to Hyden to look after her mum, the two girls had bonded again.
‘Hi, Troy,’ said Tegan, giving him a wave. ‘We met at the Telecentre a while back,’ said Tegan.
‘Hi, Tegan. I remember.’
Indi watched as Troy smiled at Tegan. Maybe she’d have more of a chance catching Troy’s eyes if she dressed like Tegan? Thank god Tegan was dating Jaffa.
When the boys spotted Tegan, wolf whistles rang out in the night air. Jaffa grumbled at them all.
As the other players started on the next drill, Jaffa stepped towards Tegan and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her lips. ‘Hello, babe. Did you see that last kick? Not bad, hey?’
‘Yeah, good one,’ said Tegan, nodding eagerly. Jaffa smiled before sprinting back to the drill.
‘You two are so cute together. How long have you guys been together now?’ Indi asked. Jaffa, with his styled hair, sleeve tattoo up his left arm and designer clothes, seemed like the perfect match for Tegan. He’d been working for local farmer Bill Harrington for the last two years and seemed happy in Hyden. He originally came from a town south of the city.
‘Just cracked over a
‘That should be your catchphrase, Indi,’ Trevor teased.
‘I’m sorry, Trev. I’ll just do up the dinners quickly and then head off.’ She bent and kissed his wrinkly cheek. He held her arm.
‘You whip those boys into shape, Indi. I want to see them win a few games before I croak it, you hear?’
‘Yes, sir.’ She saluted with a smirk.
When she finally got to the oval she was fifteen minutes late. Troy was on the oval kicking the football with the guys. Her jaw just about dropped as she watched him kick a torpedo straight through the posts. He looked good doing it.
Troy got the guys to work on handballing and he headed over towards Indi. She could see Troy’s frown from where she stood.
‘I know, I’m sorry.’
No point bothering with an excuse
, she figured. ‘How are they going?’
Troy was enchanting as she listened to his husky but sure voice run her through what he had planned for the training session.
‘I made up these sheets. Just trying to work out some positions,’ he said, passing them over. He’d been doing his homework, working out the guys’ strengths and weaknesses. She cocked an eyebrow as she studied Troy, realising she’d just found someone who might love footy more than she did.
‘What?’ he asked. ‘Too much?’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘No, it’s not that. I think it’s fantastic that you’re so organised and taking this seriously. We’ve always just bumbled along,’ she said with a shrug.
‘So that’s a compliment?’
‘Sure is.’ She liked the small smile he gave her; it softened his chiselled features. He looked a lot like Josh Duhamel when she thought about it.
‘So how come you don’t play? You kick a mean ball,’ she said, trying to keep the awe from her voice. His smile disappeared. ‘Someone has to coach,’ he said and shrugged. ‘So, this jumper presentation on Saturday – what do I have to do?’ he asked. Again his eyes didn’t stay on her for long. The sudden change in his demeanour and the subject didn’t go unnoticed but she let it slide. ‘Don’t worry – I’ve got Patrick organising the numbers. All you have to do is hand them out. I’ve got a Saints jacket for you too.’‘Thanks, Indi,’ he said before his focus returned to the boys on the field.
*
Indi lost track of time as she sat on the sideline watching the team train. The light had faded by the time she felt a tap on her shoulder. ‘Hey, Indi, how’s it going?’ Tegan said.
Indi hugged her friend. ‘Tegan, hey, mate. What’re you up to?’
‘I’m just here to watch Jaffa. He wanted a lift home. He had to drop the tractor in for repairs earlier.’ Tegan’s freckles were hidden beneath make-up.
The girls had gone to primary school together in Hyden but had been sent to different high schools in the city. The moment Indi had moved back to Hyden to look after her mum, the two girls had bonded again.
‘Hi, Troy,’ said Tegan, giving him a wave. ‘We met at the Telecentre a while back,’ said Tegan.
‘Hi, Tegan. I remember.’
Indi watched as Troy smiled at Tegan. Maybe she’d have more of a chance catching Troy’s eyes if she dressed like Tegan? Thank god Tegan was dating Jaffa.
When the boys spotted Tegan, wolf whistles rang out in the night air. Jaffa grumbled at them all.
As the other players started on the next drill, Jaffa stepped towards Tegan and pulled her in for a hug, kissing her lips. ‘Hello, babe. Did you see that last kick? Not bad, hey?’
‘Yeah, good one,’ said Tegan, nodding eagerly. Jaffa smiled before sprinting back to the drill.
‘You two are so cute together. How long have you guys been together now?’ Indi asked. Jaffa, with his styled hair, sleeve tattoo up his left arm and designer clothes, seemed like the perfect match for Tegan. He’d been working for local farmer Bill Harrington for the last two years and seemed happy in Hyden. He originally came from a town south of the city.
‘Just cracked over a
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