Free Outback Sisters by Rachael Johns Page B

transition for her.’
    â€˜That’s great,’ Simone said. ‘You must be so relieved.’
    Heidi, at seven years of age, was perhaps the most adorable thing on the planet, Simone’s own daughters aside, of course. Heidi had Down syndrome and she embraced life—and everyone in it—with such a big heart and a huge smile that your heart melted every single time you saw her.
    â€˜What are you up to now?’ Stella asked.
    â€˜I was thinking of heading to the café for a cuppa. Want to come?’
    Stella’s brow furrowed. ‘I thought Frankie closed on Mondays.’
    â€˜She does, but I’m family and you will be soon, so we have special privileges, like taste-test Monday, when she does all her baking.’ Simone held out her arm for Stella to link hers through. ‘Come on.’
    â€˜If you’re sure she won’t mind the intrusion, I’ll come with you and fetch my car later.’
    As the two women approached the strip of shops on the main street, Stella said, ‘So, what’s this I hear about a new guy in your life?’
    Simone groaned, pretending to be annoyed. ‘God, is nothing sacred in this town?’
    Stella laughed. ‘Apparently not. You know what the bush telegraph is like. Adam heard it from Drew, who saw you in the pub, I believe. Are you gonna spill the beans or should I just listen to the idle gossip?’
    As they walked, Simone gave Stella a condensed version of how she and Logan had met. By the time they came to the post office, Stella was in hysterics. ‘I can’t believe your girls did that.’
    â€˜Oh, believe it.’ Simone shook her head in exasperation. ‘I wouldn’t put anything past Harriet. At first she pretended it was all for the good of my mental health, but then she told me this morning she just wants me to have a life so I’ll butt out of hers.’
    Stella gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. ‘She didn’t?’
    Simone shrugged. ‘Teenagers. What can you do? And the thing is, if things do work out with Logan, she’ll probably take all the credit and try to use it as bargaining power to get her own way.’
    With a sympathetic smile, Stella patted Simone’s arm. ‘I’m just going to check the post.’
    As Stella went over to look inside her and Adam’s post office box, a shadow came up behind Simone. Something told Simone it would be one of the local gossips.
    Sure enough, when she turned around, she came face to face with Mrs Brady, her purple-rinsed hair almost sparkling in the winter sunlight. ‘Hello,’ she said, preparing herself for some sort of drama.
    â€˜I hear you’ve got a new man in your life too,’ Mrs Brady said, her tone disapproving.
    It was all Simone could do not to roll her eyes. ‘I’ve just started seeing someone, yes.’
    â€˜I hear he’s a strapping lad. Quite nice to look at. Vera was having dinner in the pub Friday night and she said he had a handsome face that would be even better if he didn’t hide behind an untidy layer of stubble.’ She tutted.
    â€˜Did she?’ Simone smiled tightly. In her opinion, Logan’s stubble was just about perfect.
    â€˜Hmm.’ Mrs Brady frowned. ‘He sounds suspiciously like the fella I saw Frankie kissing in the café on Friday afternoon. It was quite a display. I was only thankful there were no children present.’
    â€˜What? Frankie was kissing someone?’ Simone couldn’t hide her shock and then cursed herself, because everyone waiting outside for the post office to open had probably also heard it. ‘Are you sure?’
    Stella returned with a bundle of envelopes and looked from Simone to Mrs Brady in confusion.
    â€˜I saw it with my own eyes. I thought you would have known,’ said Mrs Brady, obviously enjoying herself.
    â€˜I’m sorry, Mrs Brady,’ Stella said, taking Simone by the arm.