The Outback Heart Read Online Free PDF Page A

his green shirt. ‘Na, no can do. Boss has me working the pub about then.’
    ‘Fine. I’ll just have to have a little word with him. Let him know how important it is, seeing as the pub sponsors the club and all.’ One quick chat to Peter and Indi was sure he’d let James go. Peter was a mad footy fan and he understood how important it was to keep this team alive. Indi knew who was on her side; it was the rest of the town she had to help wake up. She knew they all remembered how great it used to be. A time when the town flourished with excitement on game day. Indi wanted that back for her town and for herself.
    ‘Fine,’ James said. ‘I’ll give it a go, but I’m warning you now, I haven’t played in a while.’
    ‘Don’t worry. You’ll fit right in with this lot,’ she said, hitting Jasper on the arm.
    ‘Speak for yourself,’ Jasper said as he brushed his hair back. At the same time the doors of the pub flew open and the rest of the team walked in. Spud’s face was the colour of ripe watermelon.
    ‘Quick, Indi. Thirsty men here,’ said Spud, breathing heavily. He reached for a stool by the bar as if his legs were about to give way any minute.
    ‘James, fetch these lads some beers, please. On me tonight,’ Indi said, handing over a fifty.
    James pulled a face of disbelief. ‘What? Did you lose a bet?’
    ‘No, just trying to keep the fellas keen. Hey, boys, James is gonna come play for the Saints!’ A cheer went up in the now-busy bar while James shot Indi an exasperated look. When they quietened down after getting their beers, she added, ‘Now, you guys just need to find your own recruits. I’ve done my part.’

5
    ON the anniversary of her mother’s death, Indianna rose early to fix the family a hearty breakfast of bacon, eggs, buttered mushrooms and hash browns. A year ago she’d done exactly the same thing. It was something their mother, Lizzy, would have done: fix up a feed fit for a king when big heart-heavy things were about to happen. It was her way of preparing them for the events to follow.
    Placing some more bacon on Jasper’s plate, Indi wished that her mum were here, taking care of them, filling the house with her love and laughter. She missed the way Mum would throw an arm around her shoulders, pulling Indi close to gently tuck her hair back off her face before tracing her finger over the three tiny freckles on her cheek, as if she were still a child. Even when her mum had no hair, she’d scoop Indi’s dark locks through her fingers, holding her hair against her face, and occasionally she caught her smelling it. In her last few months Lizzy would often do little things like that, from holding Indi’s hands and tracing every line to sitting by Jasper’s bed while he slept or spending hours at Pat’s house with Maddie, helping them make a home. She refused to let them see her pain and wanted her last moments to be happy ones. They were not allowed to cry in her presence. ‘You can do that after I’m gone. For now I want to see your smiling faces,’ she’d said the last time she’d caught Indi crying her heart out.
    Indi wiped at her face quickly, catching the tears that were falling towards Jasper’s breakfast. Stepping back, she pushed her fist against her mouth to stop the sobs that were building up. She was losing it. She had to be strong. If her dad walked out and saw her like this they’d never get through the day. She looked at her mum’s photo on the fridge. Stunning blue eyes watched over Indi. The photo was from Mum’s last birthday before her diagnosis. Back when her head was covered with dark brown hair and her cheeks were plump with life.
    ‘Yum. Something smells awesome, sis.’
    Indi swallowed back the tears, the pain, the heartache, and finished loading their plates while avoiding Jasper’s eyes. ‘Here – yours is ready. Is Dad up?’ She tried to keep her voice even.
    ‘Yep, he just got outta bed. Won’t be long.’
    She was hoping Jasper would