A Long Way From Home by Olivia Lucas

Author:Olivia Lucas [Lucas, Olivia]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2020-07-15T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWELVE

“Stevie, quit horsing around and come give us a hand, you little rascal!” Shelley bellowed from the front porch as she tried to project her voice over the loud screeches of the cockatoos.

He quickly jumped off a poor sheep he was trying to ride with a couple of mates and ran over to her, bringing out platters of food to a table nestled under an old gum tree.

“Hi. You must be Callie.” A short lady with mousy brown hair, rosy cheeks and an infectious smile walked up beside her, warmly patting her arm like they were age-old friends.

“Oh hi,” Callie smiled, pulling her jacket tighter around her. The temperature was dropping, a cool breeze blew across the landscape.

“We are the Tuckers. Jane and Liam. We live next door. Well forty miles away,” she snorted gleefully. Her giant of a husband with a thatch of red hair waved from two steps behind her. “There are our two little boys, Bobbie and Rhys, chasing each other with sticks around the fire. God help us!”

“Bobbie! Rhys!” Liam roared with authority. His voice matching his size. “Come here now!”

Jane rolled her eyes, whispering. “I am secretly hoping for a little girl next time. They are little terrors.”

Callie laughed at her honesty.

She hadn’t been this social since she was in school. There had been a steady procession of friendly neighbors and locals introducing themselves to her as they arrived. She was starting to change her mind that this was the loneliness place on earth.

As the bonfire crackled, its flames roared and flickered into the late afternoon air and children squealed with excitement. The sun barely peeking over the edge of the horizon.

She watched Tessa through the flames, sparks dancing upwards into the trees. The firelight illuminated her beautiful face. Long dark wavy hair caressed her shoulders, her eyes as bright as the night sky in the outback.

She was surrounded by a gaggle of people and laughed as she chatted. Everyone seemed to know her and adore her. Why wouldn’t they? She was beautiful in every possible way.

James wondered over with young Stevie right behind him and brought her a wine. “You alright Cal? You look a little lost in space.”

Callie smiled. More like lost in Tessa. “Thanks for the wine. Actually, I am great. Just enjoying the fire.”

The smell. The warmth. The laughter. Everything felt like home to her right now in this moment.

“It’s a beauty, isn’t it?”

She sipped at her wine and nodded.

“Sorry didn’t save you earlier. Saw the masses swarm you. Every newcomer becomes a celebrity here for a little while. New face, you know. I am surprised they didn’t ask for your autograph," grinned James as he took a swig from his beer.

Callie laughed. “Oh no, it was fine. They were lovely actually. I even got invited to a few dinners with the neighbors, albeit two hours away.”

“Is that right?” chuckled James. “Well, it’s nice to be popular.”

Callie noticed a trail of young women chattering amongst themselves heading over in their direction and they certainly weren’t coming to see her.

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