Page 18 of Return to the Waratah Inn

He released a chestful of breath and crumpled his fedora between his hands. His long, thinning hair still held the shape of the hat. “Oh, good. Thanks, nurse. You can call me Henry.”

The other man stood behind him, handsome in a suit and jacket. His brown eyes were fixed on hers and crinkled around the edges. Her heart skipped a beat at the look he gave her. She turned her attention back to the first man.

“She’s in active labour, so she should have the baby anytime in the next hour or so. We’ll let you know when that happens. But I wanted to update you because apparently she’s been in there quite a while.”

“Hours,” the man standing behind him said with a wan grin.

“I hope she hasn’t inconvenienced you,” replied Mima.

“Not at all. I’m her neighbour, Luca Falco. You are?”

“My name is Nurse Everest.”

He nodded. “Pleasure to meet you, Nurse Everest. I was on my way to work when I saw them headed for the bus station. I couldn’t let her wait for a bus, given the state she was in, so I offered them a ride. Not an inconvenience, although I did miss my rehearsal.”

“That was kind of you. I’m sorry about your rehearsal. But as I said, she won’t be much longer.”

Luca tipped his head at her, his eyes sparkling as they held her gaze for several stretching seconds.

Henry had returned his attention to the cigarette packet in his pocket, he pulled it free and attempted to knock a cigarette into his trembling hands.

“Let me help you with that, mate,” Luca said, his lilting Italian accent making the words melodic.

As Mima walked away, she looked over her shoulder and found him staring at her. He dipped his head again. She quickly turned back, her cheeks blazing, and scurried along the corridor, her heart pounding in her chest. He was irritating in a charming kind of way. There was something charismatic behind his eyes that drew her in. Too bad she would never see him again.

Chapter Ten

January 1998

Gold Coast

The campus was impressive. Bindi stepped out of her car and looked around, her heart pounding. She hadn’t attended university in eight years. As she scanned the faces of the students walking past her holding folders and notebooks to their chests, or lugging backpacks across the road towards the sandstone buildings, she noticed how young they all looked. She felt old for the first time in her life. She closed the car door with a thud and slung her purse strap over her shoulder. Then she walked past the large sandstone sign that read Bond University.

She hesitated before continuing forward. What she really wanted to do was get started on building a family with Josh, not launch herself into an extended study program. The thought of assignments hanging over her head again, made her shudder. But the sooner she finished her studies, the sooner she could work on convincing him it was the right time.

A flock of corellas sailed by, white wings flapping as they screeched a constant cacophony. The birds landed as one in the branches of a tall jacaranda tree that reached out across the crisp lawn. They were so loud, it was difficult to think. The summer sun beat down on Bindi’s head, and she hurried through the entrance towards what she assumed was the administration building near the campus entrance, the raucous cries of the birds fading into the distance.

An impressive walkway led towards the main building, with classrooms flanking either side. Students strolled between archways or sat under trees, reading, talking, giggling together. It was exactly the atmosphere Bindi remembered from her previous stint at university, and a little buzz of excitement tingled in her gut.

She’d loved her years of studying journalism. Those days had been filled with adventure, learning, parties, making friends, travelling on a shoestring budget and more. It’d been a great time of life, and the idea of returning to study began to feel more exciting and less of a burden than it had a few moments earlier.

The Waratah Inn was operating without her today. She’d taken the opportunity to fill out application forms for the master’s program and to look around the campus. With Kate on maternity leave, it had been difficult to fill the roster of staff needed at the inn, but she’d found and trained a part-time manager, Dawn, who seemed to be working out well so far. And given that Bindi intended to dive into a full-time study program, she’d need more help at the inn over the coming year. Thankfully, Dawn was keen to take on greater responsibility and happy to step in when needed.

“Bindi Summer?” A man’s voice broke through the murmur of voices around her, making Bindi pivot in place until she spotted someone staring at her.

She tipped her head to one side. “Uh, yes?”

“Hey, I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

He strode towards her, long brown hair brushing his shoulders, wide brown eyes soft with recognition. He had a messenger bag slung over one shoulder and wore a pair of cargo shorts with a black T-shirt sporting some kind of rock-and-roll band logo she didn’t recognise.

“Oh, well, I’m taking a look around. What are you doing here?” She had no idea who he was, but he seemed to think she’d recognise him immediately and so tried to play along, hoping he might drop a hint that would help her figure it out.

“I’m studying again. I know, who would’ve imagined me going back to uni, but here I am.”

“Who would’ve imagined?” she replied haltingly. “So true.”

“Are you living up here now? I had to get out of Melbourne. That weather was killing me.” He pressed both hands to his hips.