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after the bitter way they’d parted.
    Gabe knew damn well that she’d needed to get away to find out about life beyond the bush. He’d more or less pushed her in that direction and he’d convinced himself he was glad she was out of his life.
    Out of sight, out of mind, and all that bull . . .
    At the far end of the verandah, his dog rose from the patch of sunlight and padded towards him, ears alert, eyes full of love, tail wagging.
    For once Gabe didn’t greet him. He had too much on his mind. None of it good.
    â€˜Oh, my word, sweetheart, you look wonderful. Like Christmas on a stick.’
    A big grin stretched across Peter Fairburn’s face as Bella tiptoed into his room. But his grin couldn’t hide how tired and grey he looked or how formidable the ICU was with beeping machines and flashing screens, like something out of the Starship Enterprise.
    Throughout the long journey, Bella had been on tenterhooks waiting for this moment and so scared she’d miss this chance. She papered on a smile as she came closer and bent down to kiss her father’s cool cheek. ‘Missed you, Dad,’ she said softly.
    He reached for her hand and clasped her tightly. ‘Missed you, too, sweetheart.’
    â€˜They say you’re improving. That’s fantastic news.’
    Her dad was still smiling at her fondly, his gentle gaze roving her face, as if he was drinking in details. ‘If you stay over there much longer you’ll end up with a proper peaches and cream complexion.’
    Bella laughed shakily. ‘I very much doubt that.’
    â€˜Skiing must agree with you, Belle. You’re glowing.’
    She wished she could return the compliment. The hollowness in her father’s cheeks and the pallor of his skin frightened her. Even his lips were pale.
    He’d always been an outdoors man. Super fit. Strong. Suntanned.
    He seemed to have aged ten years . . .
    Careful not to bump tubes and wires, she took a seat beside the bed.
    â€˜I’m sorry you had to rush back here because of me,’ he said.
    â€˜Don’t give it another thought. I wanted to come. So did Liz. You know she’s here, too?’
    â€˜Yeah. They’ll only let visitors in one at a time.’
    â€˜So we don’t tire you.’
    Peter grunted and shrugged as if he couldn’t understand all the fuss. He smiled at Bella again. ‘Your mum tells me there’s a young French bloke on the scene.’
    â€˜His name’s Anton. Anton Bazile. I met him at Alpazur, at the ski resort.’
    â€˜Nice bloke?’
    â€˜Lovely.’
    â€˜Hmmm . . . ’ Her father’s eyes were shrewd as he watched her. ‘Speak much English?’
    â€˜Yes. He’s really good as a matter of fact. Much better than I am at French, although I’m improving.’
    â€˜Well, there you go,’ he said with a smiling shake of his head. ‘Our little Bella and a Frog. Plenty of blokes here keen on you, but you had to go hunting in the snow for one.’ He gave a soft chuckle. ‘I guess Aussie blokes can’t compete with a dashing Frenchman swooping down the Alps to rescue girls from frostbite.’
    Bella laughed, too, but the laugh was a little shaky. Sitting here with her dad in ICU, Anton and the French Alps already felt so far away. Almost unreal. Jetlag wasn’t helping. It was making her tremble. Nothing here felt very real – although the coldness of her dad’s hands was real enough.
    â€˜Is he important to you, Bella?’
    Yes, of course he is .
    She opened her mouth to assure him that Anton was incredibly special, but somehow . . . the words wouldn’t come. Already everything felt so different here and her priorities were rapidly shifting. It was happening almost beyond her control, just as Aunt Liz had warned her.
    â€˜It – it’s still early days in the romance department,’ she said lamely.
    Her