Page 53 of Return of the Outback Billionaire

‘Because there’s a line of dust heading in from the east and it’s just turned into your driveway.’

The driveway was two kilometres long. Plenty of time for her and Gert to head on out to the veranda and wait. Eventually Bridie got a good enough look at the vehicle to figure out who it was. ‘It’s my father.’

‘Huh,’ huffed Gert and headed back inside. Bridie waited, and when her father pulled up and stepped from the cab, she unfolded her crossed arms and ran to greet him. His hug was as solidly comforting as it had always been. ‘Hello, stranger.’

‘Daughter.’ He pulled back. ‘You’re looking bright.’

‘It’s all this newfound independence,’ she countered drily. ‘I’ve missed you, though.’

He looked uncomfortable. ‘I needed to do a bit of thinking.’

‘Finished yet?’

‘Doubtful. Your aunt sent a present along for you. It’s in the back.’

‘You saw her? Is she well?’

He nodded. ‘Got herself a good man who thinks the world of her.’ His gaze didn’t stray from Bridie’s face. ‘I hear you have one of those too.’

They headed into the kitchen, where Gert had coffee on and ginger nuts in the oven. Her father smiled. Gert didn’t.

‘Tomas Starr, is that you? I barely remember what you look like.’

‘And a good day to you too, Gert.’

The older woman fixed him with a gimlet glare. ‘Your room’s not made up.’

‘I can make a bed,’ her father said easily.

‘Are you back to stay?’ Bridie asked, interrupting before war broke out.

Her father shrugged. ‘For a while. Mainly to see if you need anything and whether all the changes are working out.’

‘They are.’ She’d missed having him around. She wanted him back and for more than just a while. ‘Opal miner now, huh? I would never have guessed.’

He dug in his pocket and pulled out two good-sized stones and handed one to her and one to Gert. ‘It’s a bit of fun.’

‘Black opal.’ Gert held hers up to the light. ‘Tom Starr, you canny ass.’

‘Plenty more where that came from,’ he offered. ‘You’re both welcome to join me next time I head down that way.’

‘Do I get to keep this opal?’ asked Gert.

‘Yes, it’s for you. Thanks for keeping an eye on Bridie while I was gone.’

‘Next time you take off for parts unknown, check in more,’ Gert scolded. ‘Your daughter worries about you. Those Blake boys have been worried about you too, especially Reid. He looks up to you. You encouraged that and now you’ve let him down.’

‘He has Judah now,’ her father countered.

Gert glared at him. ‘And you don’t think Judah could have used your support too? Tomas Starr, I never took you for such a fool.’

‘Live and learn, Gert,’ her father said quietly as he hooked his leg around a kitchen stool and took a seat. ‘Live and learn.’

Gert headed off to the Blakes’ at noon—nothing disrupted her schedule if she could help it, not even the return of the prodigal father. Bridie welcomed the privacy; she had so much to tell her father, from the success of her exhibitions to the photography job she’d agreed to in South Australia that meant she’d be away for a week, staying on a property that had a huge woolshed with a heritage and history she found fascinating. She wanted to tell him she’d sold the season’s steers for an excellent price, but had resisted culling any of the main herd when buyers had asked for more meat of any kind. The Devil’s Kiss stockmen would have known which animals to cull, no question, but it was traditionally her father’s role and she hadn’t wanted to overstep.

She waited until after dinner when their bellies were full of home-grown steak, jacket potatoes, asparagus and sweetcorn, and her father had settled into his favourite rocking chair on the veranda, before she broached more personal topics.

‘Judah’s been trying to reach you.’

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