Outback Ghost (7 page)

‘Park or beach first?' she asked.

Her question was met with silence and she looked into the rear-view mirror to see Heidi's lower lip pushed out and her brow furrowed, her thinking expression. ‘Can't choose,' she said eventually.

Stella laughed and decided on the beach first. It had been eons since she'd run her feet through soft sand and she was almost as excited about adding to their shell collection as Heidi. They drove through the town and turned right down the road that headed to the beach. Having studied a local map last night, Stella felt confident this spot would be the best to take Heidi. As predicted there was a large car park, with only a few cars scattered throughout. Beyond the dunes, Stella spied the gorgeous clear, blue sea, lapping against the pale golden sand. She couldn't wait to get down there.

‘Come on, gorgeous girl.' She jumped out of the car, slammed her door shut and unbuckled Heidi in record time. They retrieved plastic buckets and spades bought especially for this holiday from the boot and then ran down the sandy track that led to the shore. It was the fifth of December and although the tourists hadn't taken over Bunyip Bay yet, there were a few people enjoying the sunny morning. Stella imagined that within a couple of weeks this beach would be chocka full of locals and tourists.

‘Come on, Mummy.' Heidi had kicked off her Crocs and was tugging at Stella's hand.

‘Wait one moment.' Laughing, Stella slipped off her own shoes and tugged off her denim skirt and T-shirt to reveal a bikini she hadn't worn in years. Slightly self-conscious, she was glad the few other people nearby seemed more concerned with jogging or fishing than looking at them. She hid the car keys beneath their pile of clothes and looked to Heidi. ‘All right, let's do this.'

Together they ran towards the ocean, squealing as their toes hit the cool water.

‘Get wet, Mummy.' Heidi giggled as she splashed water up against Stella's legs.

‘Oh, you rascal.' Stella leaned over and caught Heidi around her waist. She lifted her up, hugged her and they both collapsed into the water. The gentle waves washed up around them and Stella knew she'd remember the delighted smile on Heidi's face forever. All the things she'd sacrificed to save for these couple of months away were worth it for the feeling that buzzed through her now. Heidi's smile should be bottled and sold as a mood enhancer.

They spent over two hours frolicking – it was the only word Stella could think of for it – along the sand, running in and out of the waves, collecting shells in Heidi's pink basket and then making a castle that Heidi wanted to take home with them.

Stella smiled. ‘We can't take it home, honey. It'd fall apart if we tried to lift it, but we can come back again and make another one.'

‘Tomorrow?'

‘Sure.' Stella nodded and glanced up at the sky. The sun was creeping higher now and she could feel it baking their skin. Although she'd slathered them both in sunscreen before they'd left the cottage, and they were wearing hats, it was time to reapply or leave. Hunger made the decision for her. ‘But now let's go get some lunch.'

‘Where?' Heidi asked as Stella dropped her poncho towel over her head and began to rub the sand and water off her little body.

‘I thought we'd splurge and go to the café. What do you think?'

Heidi nodded enthusiastically. At the car, Stella pulled her clothes over her sun-dried bathers, packed the sandy plastic beach toys back in the boot and dressed Heidi in a cute little sundress. They found a car space right outside the café, but inside the place was already filling with lunch goers.

Stella stood in the doorway, holding Heidi's hand firmly as she scanned the small but modern café. The aroma wafting from the kitchen would give any city café a run for its money and the vibe was good but finding a table looked like it might be a problem. They should have left the beach earlier but she'd never imagined the café in sleepy little Bunyip Bay would be such a hot spot.

‘I'm hungry.' Heidi squirmed beside her, trying to tug Stella towards the counter.

‘I know. Me too.' She scanned the tables, many of which were occupied by seniors, who looked like they could be grey nomads, travelling the country in caravans.

‘Look, maybe they do takeaway,' Stella said with a sigh. ‘We'll order our lunch and take it down to the park to eat.'

They started winding through the tables towards the counter, but Stella hadn't gone three steps before a hand reached out and halted her. She flinched at the unexpected contact, her head snapping to see who'd touched her. When her eyes met with the other person's she both relaxed and tensed at the same time.

So much for giving her hormones a reprieve!

‘Adam.' His name tingled on her tongue and the feeling whooshed through her body. Warmth flooded her skin where his hand still lingered on her arm. She swallowed and forced a smile. ‘Hi.'

He dropped his hand to his side and smiled back, gesturing to the vacant chairs around him. ‘You two are welcome to sit with me if you like.'

Even before she could concoct a reply, Heidi slid into the chair closest to her and smiled up at the adults. Stella's conscience warred within – part of her thought it would be dangerous to accept Adam's kind offer, but the other half of her couldn't think of anything she'd like more. Besides, there weren't exactly a lot of tables to choose from and it would be rude to turn him down again, right? He was her landlord for the next two months and it was always good to keep the people who put a roof over your head sweet.

‘Thank you,' she said, dropping her handbag on the other vacant chair. ‘I'll go order. Is there anything I can get for you, Adam?'

‘No thanks.' He shook his head as he sat back down. ‘Frankie, who owns the café, knows what I like. She just brings it out to me.'

‘Ah… great.' She smiled as she dug her purse out of her bag and turned towards the counter, but inside she was glowering. Was Frankie his girlfriend? They had to be on pretty good terms for that kind of arrangement. Her heart squeezed tightly at the thought, which irritated her no end because what should it matter to her if he had a girlfriend or not?

Stella tried to push aside the ridiculous jealousy that blossomed as she stood in front of the counter and read the daily specials on the chalkboard wall. She decided on a toasted cheese sandwich for Heidi and the spinach quiche for herself. Then, while she waited to place her order, she glanced back to the table and saw Adam and Heidi playing hand slap as if they'd been best buds for years. They built a tower with their hands and then the hand on the bottom snuck out to land on the top hand. It was a loud, silly game and one that Heidi adored. Judging by the laughter and the grin on Adam's face, he was having a ball as well.

Feeling a little more relaxed, she turned back just as the person in front of her finished ordering.

‘What can I get for you?' A woman with deep crimson hair tied back in a long plait that hung over her shoulder grinned at Stella from behind the counter. Her bright orange name badge read ‘Frankie'.

Telling herself she shouldn't take an instant dislike to Frankie simply because she might have something going on with Adam, Stella forced herself to smile as she placed their order.

‘Got it.' Frankie tapped her pen against her notepad. ‘Do you have a table already or is this takeaway?'

‘Um…' Stella glanced behind her towards the tables. ‘We're sitting over there. With Adam Burton.'

Frankie slapped her pen against the counter and Stella's heart jolted a moment. Was she going to have to deal with an irate girlfriend? She opened her mouth to explain that they were simply sharing a table for convenience sakes when Frankie's lips morphed into a grin again.

‘Are you staying at the cottage?' she asked. ‘Adam said he had guests again. Gorgeous little place. And Adam said you have a little girl. I can't wait to meet her. You're staying a couple of months, right? Well, I'm sure we'll be seeing lots of each other.' She thrust her hand out. ‘Sorry, mind my manners. I'm Frankie.'

Taking Frankie's hand, Stella said, ‘I'm Stella and, yes, I have a little girl called Heidi.'

‘So lovely to meet you.' Frankie beamed and shook firmly. ‘You've chosen a lovely time to come to Bunyip Bay. Sure, it gets hot but it's also beautiful over the summer. Anyway, I'd better stop yakking and get on with these orders. Chat later.'

Having been dismissed, Stella trekked back to the table, shaking her head bemusedly at the whirlwind that was Frankie. Despite her possible Adam connection, it was hard not to take an instant delight to the vibrant café owner. Besides she couldn't imagine Frankie and Adam as an item. He seemed the strong, silent type, whereas Stella guessed Frankie spoke first and thought later. She'd ask him outright if Frankie was his girlfriend if such a question wouldn't make it sound like she was interested. Which she was
not
. A girl was allowed to perve, to appreciate a good-looking guy, but perving and appreciation were as far as Stella would ever take it. Heidi was her priority and if that meant sacrificing things women her age were usually looking for, so be it.

‘Did your mum teach you to play that game?' Stella caught Adam's question as she sat down to join them. He glanced at her, his eyes twinkling with a smile. ‘She's got quite a hand on her, your girl.'

‘More like she taught me.' Stella reached out and tucked some flyaway hair behind Heidi's ears. ‘You saw that game on
Playschool
, didn't you, sweetheart?'

Heidi nodded.

And then silence descended on the table. Heidi grabbed her colouring pencils and notepad out of Stella's bag and got busy drawing while Stella and Adam smiled at each other awkwardly. Stella racked her mind for something suitable to say but seemed unable to get past the issue of whether or not he was single. She was completely tongue-tied. She tried to open her mouth to initiate polite chit-chat but she couldn't think of one benign thing to say. It was pathetic. Adam appeared to have a similar problem.

Finally Frankie delivered a massive homemade meat pie to the table, placing it in front of Adam.

‘Hmm… that smells delicious,' Stella said to Frankie as much as to Adam.

‘Once you taste one of my pies, you'll never look back.' Frankie grinned proudly. ‘Isn't that right, cuz?' She ruffled Adam's hair affectionately and then looked to Stella. ‘Your quiche and toastie will be just a moment.'

‘Thanks Frankie,' Adam said as she returned to the kitchen.

Cuz
. The word rang out in Stella's head like a victory tune. She couldn't help but be pleased by this information.

‘Don't wait on our account,' Stella said, gesturing to his plate with a grin she couldn't tame.

‘Of course I will.' He took a sip of water instead and then asked, ‘How's your day been so far? Heidi told me you've been making castles at the beach.'

She nodded. ‘I had planned on taking her to the park and also checking out the main street but the time got away from us. The beach was beautiful this morning.'

‘Bunyip Bay has that effect,' he said. ‘Farming can be gruelling at times but we're lucky that on the other side of town, we have the kind of sight that most farmers only dream of. And when the lack of rain gets us down, we only have to drive a couple of k's to see all the water in the world.'

‘Do you spend much time at the beach?' she asked, trying to ignore the image of Adam in nothing but swim shorts that appeared in her head.

Seemingly oblivious to her torrid thoughts, he shrugged one shoulder. ‘Not as much time as I'd like. When I was young I surfed a bit but the farm is pretty time-consuming. Especially now I'm doing it on my own.'

‘Did your father used to work with you?'

He nodded and glanced down at the pie. ‘He retired at the beginning of the year.' Another pause and then he looked up and met her gaze. ‘You may as well know, he left yesterday.'

‘Left?' She wasn't entirely sure what he meant.

‘The reason I 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.

‘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.'

‘Seriously, please, don't apologise. There's no harm done. Heidi and I are already in love with the place.'

‘Really?' His surprised expression confused her, but she chose to ignore it.

‘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.

‘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.

‘Yes, she is,' she said instead, reaching out and tweaking her daughter's salt-water soaked pigtail. ‘I'm very lucky.'