She did it with such abandon that she was leaning back, facing skywards. It was only when he saw the black boot sticking straight out in front of her that he recognised Gabi. But he didn’t have a second to admire the view as she slid down the gleaming pole towards him– and the pile of onlookers who were just about to have a boot hit them on the head.
He reached his hands out, only thinking of landing her safely, and protecting those people whose heads she could crack. He caught her with a grunt in his arms and stepped away from the pole. There was a collective sigh and then a spontaneous round of applause.
Walker breathed out. Crisis averted. Everyone clear of danger. Thank goodness. He realised he was still holding Gabi, legs in one arm, shoulders in the other. She lay against his chest, laughing.
‘Walker!’ Gabi grinned up into his face.
‘Gabi,’ he acknowledged her in return, gobsmacked.
‘That was amazing,’ Gabi said.
‘That was dangerous,’ Walker corrected.
‘Ah, come on,’ Gabi said, and he caught the slight slur in her voice. ‘I laugh in the face of danger. I’m a stuntwoman.’
‘Not a very good one at the moment by the look of it.’ Walker nodded at her leg.
‘Why did you stop me?’
‘I didn’t want you to fall.’
‘I wasn’t going to fall,’ she said incredulously. ‘I wasn’t even afraid of falling. That’s the first rule of being a stunt person.’ She wriggled against him, and he realised again he was still holding her. He lowered her legs to the ground gently and she straightened herself against his arm and wiggled a finger in his face to make her point. ‘Don’t be afraid of falling.’
‘I just wanted to keep everyone safe,’ Walker said.
‘Don’t worry about me, Walker. I can look after myself.’ Gabi glanced about her and grinned as Isabella dashed through the crowd carrying the crutches she’d left at the edge of the landing pad.
‘What the hell?’ Isabella asked but Gabi just laughed.
‘He’s already read me the riot act, you don’t need to say anything.’ Gabi indicated Walker with her head as she positioned a crutch under each arm. Isabella glanced at Walker and rolled her eyes in solidarity. Gabi started her three-legged walk with crutches towards the gang and they both watched her go.
‘What was she thinking?’ Isabella asked quietly.
‘What was she drinking?’ Walker replied. Isabella sighed and squeezed his arm before following her cousin.
‘Thanks for saving me, Walker!’ Gabi called over her shoulder, smiling without a care in the world, making it abundantly clear he shouldn’t have bothered.
‘That’s okay,’ he called after her. Then quietly to himself he said, ‘That’s just what I do.’
Brothers from Another Mother WhatsApp group
Fox: Brilliant day, Walker. Boys both knackered and straight to sleep. I owe you a beer.
Etienne: Bet Gabi’s asleep already too. Remind me never to drink on painkillers.
Alex: She was quite a handful, wasn’t she?
Walker: More of an armful, actually.
Chapter Nine
Gabi
Amber was already at the table in the morning sipping a steaming coffee when Gabi hobbled in. Jayden glanced up and then returned his attention to his huge bowl of cereal. Amber pushed a chair out for Gabi with her bare feet and Gabi sank into it thankfully.
‘How’s the head?’ Amber asked, raising one eyebrow. Gabi shook it to say it wasn’t good but then realised that wasn’t the best idea.
‘Not great,’ she said instead. How much whisky had she drunk?
