“I don’t think there’s any rush,” Falk said. “How was the big camping trip?”
“It was good, thanks.” Naomi smiled as her eyes followed Shane across the oval. “I mean, not the camping itself, obviously. That was bloody hideous. But the trip was fun. Kids enjoyed it. Shane and I had a nice time.”
“Great. Glad it’s going well,” Falk said.
“Yeah.” Naomi certainly looked happy these days. “I’m sure Shane’ll have a few choice stories about camping to fill you all in on at the Sunday barbe—”
“Hey!” Shane slowed as he ran past, three kids trailing him. He pointed at Falk. “You. Don’t forget, training starts Monday.”
“Yep, mate. I remember,” Falk called back, but Shane had already gone.
“Looking forward to it?” Naomi said.
“I’m not sure.”
“Are you worried your footy skills won’t be up to scratch and the other boys will make fun of you?”
Falk laughed. “Yes, obviously, Naomi. That’s exactly what I’m worried about.”
“It’s a team of middle-aged men raised on wine and cheese. Trust me.” She patted his arm. “You’ll be more than fine.”
Joel was out in the back garden when Falk got home, swinging gently in the hammock with his arm around a girl. They were barefoot and lying on their backs, her long hair splayed out, talking softly together and gazing at the clouds. Gemma was absently stirring something on the stove while looking up the answers to yesterday’s crossword.
“That ten-letter one wasantipodean,by the way,” she said, leaning over to kiss him as he put his keys on the counter. “Which is so annoying. We should have gotten that.”
“We really should have.” Falk looked over her shoulder to see for himself, then nodded at the stove. “You need help here?”
“No, all good. Go out and meet Molly.” She nodded toward the teenagers outside. “She’s very nice. And it’ll put Joel out of his misery. He’s desperate for you two to hit it off.”
Falk laughed. “I’m sure we will. Not that it’ll matter. He obviously likes her; he’s not going to care what I think.”
“You don’t think so?” Gemma said mildly as she stirred and continued to scroll through the crossword answers.
So Falk made sure Joel knew he did like Molly, which was true. He liked the fact she obviously cared about Joel, for a start. They discovered they were currently reading the same book, and Falk lent her the author’s previous one. She was a little shy at first, but clearly very smart, studying a technology subject that hadn’t even existed when Falk was at uni.
“See, this is why I’m glad I’m not still battling it out in California,” Gemma whispered after dinner as they loaded the dishwasher. “I slept in the office for two nights once trying to get something to work that Molly has literally just done on her phone. She said she learned that code in high school. Unbelievable. I feel a thousand years old.”
“But can she run a hugely popular and successful festival?”
“Maybe.” Gemma smiled. “Probably, even?”
“I’m not so sure about that. But Joel seems really happy, hey?”
“Doesn’t he?”
“Good to see.”
“God, yes. So good.”
After the kitchen was clean, they all watched a movie together. Falk sat with Gemma on the couch, Luna’s head resting on his lap. When it was over, Joel and Molly went to bed, and Falk wandered through the house, turning off the lights. He could hear Gemma moving around in their bedroom and the soft murmur of the kids talking in Joel’s room. He let Luna out one last time, waiting for her to come back and settle before locking the front door. He brushed his teeth, took off his clothes, and got into bed, and he and Gemma reached for each other across the sheets.
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Afterward, Falk lay in the deep, cool darkness and listened to the steady rise and fall of her breathing. He closed his eyes and slept well, as he did most nights. Because it was only very occasionally these days that Falk found himself lying awake, trying to work out exactly what was bothering him.
On Saturday mornings, Falk slept in while Gemma went to hot yoga. The house felt still when he got up, the sunlight bright in the windows as he dressed in his running gear. The door to Joel’s room was still shut, with no sign of movement from either him or Molly.
