words came out on a sigh. What the heck was she doing?
‘Nasty. Had one of those, did you.’
She turned her face and grimaced at the lake so he couldn’t see. She was tempted to say ‘Dozens’ but it wasn’t true. It had taken her too long to actually trust someone that first time. ‘Hmm. I’m a little too used to people letting me down. Don’t usually bore people with it.’
‘Don’t imagine you bore people at all.’
She could hear the smile in his voice and some of the annoyance with herself seeped away then surged again, even though it was unreasonably back towards Simon. What would he know about where she’d been? What she’d been through?
Then, thankfully, the calmness she’d been practising for the last six months since she’d met these people whispered sense in her ear and she let the destructive thoughts go. Sent the whole mess that was her past life out over the rippled water of the lake and concentrated on the breath she eased out.
She had no idea where the conversational ball lay as she returned to the moment but let that worry go too. Took another breath and let her shoulders drop.
‘That’s some control you have there, missy.’
She blinked at Simon and focussed on him. On his calm grey eyes mainly and the warmth of empathy—not ridicule, as she’d expected, but admiration and understanding.
‘I’m practising positive mindfulness and self-control.’ She didn’t usually tell people that either.
He nodded as if he knew what it was, probably didn’t, then he surprised her with his own disclosure. ‘I’m not good at it. But if it makes you feel any better I have hang-ups too. Luckily I have a very busy work life.’
She smiled at the statement. ‘Funny how we can hide in that. I was studying like mad, paying bills for two in my time off, and he was gambling and doing drugs when I thought he was at uni.’ She shrugged it away. ‘Now I have a busy work life and a really big bike.’
‘The bike’s a worry.’
‘The bike?’ She shook her head and could almost feel the wind on her face and the vibration in her ears. ‘Not if you have no ties. Always loved the spice of danger. It would be different if I had someone who needed me.’ There was a difference between someone needing you and someone using you. She’d agreed not to drag them both through the court system but she would only keep all the bills at the cost of his bike. Even though it had only been worth a quarter of the debts he’d run up, possession of the bike had restored some of her self-esteem. Mick hadn’t been happy and sometimes she wondered if it really all was finished.
‘Ah. So you admit that motorbikes are the toys of possibly “temporary” citizens?’
‘Spoken like a true doctor.’
‘Ask any paramedic. The stats are poor.’
She grinned at him—he had no idea. ‘But the fun is proportional. I could take you for a ride one day.’
He raised his brows. ‘I’d have to think about that.’
‘Sure. No rush. You have time.’ She couldn’t imagine him ever saying yes. Which was a good thing because she suspected the experience of Simon’s arms wrapped around her and his thighs hard up against her backside would make it very difficult to concentrate. Instead she looked up ahead. ‘So how far are we walking? You’ll be at your father’s house soon.’
He glanced up in surprise. Looked around. ‘You’re right. I guess he’ll be at work anyway.’
‘Mia will be home. She was on duty the night before me.’
‘I’d forgotten you were up all night.’ His glance brushed warmly over her and surprisingly she didn’t feel body-conscious. It wasn’t that kind of look. ‘You do it well. I always look like a dishrag for the next few days.’
She nodded wisely. ‘That would be the age factor.’
It was his turn to blink then grin, and she was glad he had a sense of humour. Nice change. Not sure why she’d tried to alienate him, unless she’d wanted him to turn away so she wouldn’t have to.
‘Touché, young woman.’ He looked ahead to the house they were approaching. ‘Let’s go and see my gorgeous step-mama and my second family of sisters. This old man needs a cold drink.’
SIMON’S STEP-MAMA, NOT all that much older than Simon, greeted them with open arms, her red curls bouncing as she rushed out to hug him. Her eyes sparkled as she stared up at Simon fondly, and Tara was pretty sure nobody had ever looked at her like that.
Two copper-curled miniature Mias tumbled out of the door, one more demurely because she was eleven, and the other squealing because she was eight, but in the end both threw themselves at Simon, who scooped them up one in each hand and spun them around as he hugged them. ‘How are my little sisters today?’
Tara unobtrusively admired the stretch of material over his upper arms as with impressive ease he twirled the girls like feathers. He might be way out of her league but this Simon Campbell was certainly delicious eye candy. She could deal with just looking in. She did that all the time.
He kissed them both on the cheek and they giggled as he put them down.
‘It feels like ages since we saw you, Simon.’ The elder girl, Layla, pouted.
‘Eleven months. Christmas.’ He put them at arm’s length and looked them over, nodded, satisfied they looked well, before he turned back and studied Mia again. ‘And how is my gorgeous step-mama?’
‘All the better for seeing you.’ They embraced again and the genuine warmth overflowed to where Tara was standing. ‘Once a year is not enough.’
Touchy-feely family or what! Tara pushed away the tiny stab of jealousy. So what if Simon had this whole network of adoring relatives and she didn’t.
Simon grinned and stepped back so that Mia turned to Tara and leaned in for a hug. Tara tried, she really did, to hug back. She seemed to be getting better at it. ‘Tara. Great to see you, too.’ Mia nodded her head at Simon. ‘So you two have met.’
Simon grinned. ‘In the hallway. Made me think of you and Dad. Then Louisa nagged Tara into accompanying me on my walk.’
‘Poor Tara.’ Mia grinned and looked at her. ‘Met in the hallway, did you? I hope you had clothes on, Tara. I was in a towel when I met his father and sparks flew even on the first day.’
Tara had to laugh. ‘In that case I’m glad to say I was dressed. And had six hours’ sleep under my belt.’
Mia’s eyes sharpened. ‘That’s right. You were on night duty last night. How was Julie’s labour? What time was her baby born?’
‘Quarter to five this morning, on the dot. Sunrise.’
Mia shook her head with a smile. ‘Babies
