Fox came first, dragged along by Dingbat the dog, with human dynamos in the shape of his sons, seven-year-old Reggie and four-year-old George, streaking along beside him. They hit Walker at speed, grabbing a leg each, and Walker reached down to tickle them both.
Alex arrived second, and Walker was again struck by just how similar he was to Etienne. Their colouring was different, Alex was blond to Etienne’s brown, but their features were remarkably alike. Alex had his guitar on his back– must be off to rehearsal afterwards, Walker thought. Alex had taught himself how to play, one of his fixations since he quit poker. Once an addict, always an addict, he jokingly said, but today instead of being addicted to gambling, it was guitar playing or running cross country.
Walker had spotted them all as they arrived but still found himself scanning the crowd.
He laid out some gym mats beneath the pole, knowing it was usually totally unnecessary. But because today they were going to be acting at such speed, and with repetition and competition thrown in, he’d opted for safety first.
He spotted Wren and Rosie who ran the Lit Lounge bookshop, with Riley their daughter swinging between them by their hands. Rosie raised her hand in a hello. Wren grinned and raised her takeaway coffee in a cheers. He watched as Riley ran ahead to see a friend and Wren took the opportunity to wrap her arm around Rosie and pull her in for a kiss.
Funny to think that he’d done the same to Rosie, when they were both sixteen– kissed and hugged and held her to his chest. Before she realised she preferred women, and he decided she was the best friend he’d ever had. He waved at her now and cast his eyes over the crowd for a final check.
At the last minute he saw Etienne and Isabella as they turned the corner to join the fun, entwined as they had been for the past five months. And behind them, Amber, Jayden and finally Gabi, swinging along on her crutches. It was only when he spotted her that he realised he’d been hoping she’d come.
He swung the bell. Time to get started.
Chapter Seven
Gabi
‘Are you all right standing?’ Isabella asked, a frown creasing her nose.
‘I’m fine,’ Gabi said, shrugging off the concern, ignoring the fact that her back was starting to ache. Her boot put her off balance and her back paid the price.
‘Do you want a sip of this?’ Rosie suggested, pulling a small silver flask from her oversized handbag and offering it around. ‘Must have left it in here after the last night out at The Bolthole.’
‘Do you think you should?’ Isabella asked. Gabi reached for the flask and tipped it back without bothering to reply. It hit with a burn she wasn’t expecting. She coughed. She’d been thinking wine, not whisky. Rosie laughed.
‘Are you on medication? Taking any pills?’ Isabella asked, that damn frown between her eyes again.
‘Yep!’ Gabi grinned. ‘But only little ones!’ She took another hit and passed the drink back to Rosie, who smiled and said, with a glance at Wren, ‘Keep it, we’re no good at day drinking.’
Gabi held the flask up in glee. Isabella rolled her eyes and turned back to Etienne. Good. Maybe she’d stop clucking around her like a mother hen.
Truth be told, Gabiwasstill taking painkillers. The pain had been excruciating before the operation, and not much better afterwards, when she’d been told the pins were in the right position and she just had to give things time to settle and heal. It wasn’t just the pain of the break itself, it was the constant backache, the sore skin under her arms where she took her weight on the crutch pads. It was the muscles in her shoulders that were doing all the work. The painkillers definitely took the edge off.
She breathed out slowly. The hip flask was the first alcohol she’d had in months. She never drank on set when she was working, and she’d gone straight from one film set at the end of last year to Australia for the Western in January. She had to have a clear head for the stunt work. She literally couldn’t even remember having had a toast to bring in the new year or celebrate Christmas. She took another nice, long swallow. The heat of it seemed to go directly to the ache in her back and soothe it, like a hot water bottle. Bliss.
‘What’s new then, Gabi?’ Fox appeared beside her, in his signature silver grey quiff and checked shirt. He had that wholesome, lumberjack, outdoorsy thing going on and she’d forgotten how good-looking he was.
‘You mean, apart from the obvious. . .’ Gabi pointed to her leg with a smile which Fox returned. His eyes twinkled.
‘I thought it was rule number one for stuntwomen. Don’t fall off.’ She laughed outright.
‘No, the first rule is don’t be scared of falling.’
He grinned and reached for the flask she still held. She swigged again before handing it over. As if by magic, his two sons, Reggie and George, appeared beside him just as he tipped the drink to his lips, and she watched his Adam’s apple bob as he rushed his swallow. Too late. He was caught in the act.
‘Can we have some?’ Reggie’s hands were already on the flask.
‘No, it’s not mine. It’s Gabi’s,’ Fox said quickly, passing it back and swinging George up onto his shoulders.
And just like that Gabi remembered why, however gorgeous Fox might be, he was a hot dad and that was a big enough reason to stay away even if they did seem to enjoy a bit of harmless flirtation. She glanced up at George with his sticky hands in Fox’s quiff, and then down at Reggie who was threading through the crowd to get to the front. However cute they were, she didn’t want them, or any others like them, in her life. Children were not a part of her future. Having been one herself, she thought children were totally overrated.
Gabi held the drink out towards Amber, who eyed it wishfully but then pushed it back. ‘I need to be able to drive you home!’
Gabi put the flask back to her own lips but was surprised to find it empty. She shook it. Fox must have had a right old mouthful. Rosie appeared at her shoulder.
‘Oops,’ Gabi said. ‘Really sorry! We finished your drink!’
