Jade pointed ahead and purposely broke the spell. ‘So what’s over there?’
Mitchell didn’t want the moment or the feeling to end. For the first time in his life he loved the way he felt about a woman beside him.
Finally, he looked across the landscape and answered. ‘Bunyeroo Gorge is about twenty miles from here. It’s a great drive with spectacular views and a trip through the gorge itself. The last time I travelled through there, a few years ago, there was a fair amount of water, which added to the driving experience but we won’t have time to do it today. Maybe if you want to see more of Australia we could come back.’
Jade was surprised by the invitation. She had not thought past this trip, and definitely not planned that they would spend additional time together, but it made her feel good that he had. She smiled at the thought of exploring the wilderness with Mitchell.
‘Some of the rock formations are over six hundred million years old,’ Mitchell continued. ‘Then there’s the Brachina Gorge, which is particularly awesome. It’s rugged country but stunning up there.’
‘So you’ve spent a great deal of time travelling around Australia?’
‘I backpacked around when I was eighteen. I needed some space of my own and to not be responsible for anyone else so I took off and worked odd jobs to pay my way. I do love Outback Australia.’
‘Tell me some of the history,’ Jade said, then added, ‘Your history, not the gorge’s.’
Mitchell took Jade’s cue and sat down on a rock not too far from her. ‘Not much to say. I travelled a lot after graduating, I told you that in the plane. I worked overseas and I’m back in Adelaide for a while. That’s about it.’
‘What about your childhood?’ she said, lying back a little on her rocky platform above the dirt. ‘Did you want to study medicine because of your stepfather? Did he encourage you during your high-school years?’
Mitchell wished that Arthur had been there while he’d been in high school. That would have made his life much easier and particularly his mother’s and brother’s lives.
‘No,’ he replied as he waved a horse fly away from his brow. ‘Arthur came into my mother’s life when I was already in medical school. My father was long gone and she met Arthur when she was working as a dental receptionist. He needed an emergency appointment and she squeezed him in to see the dentist and that was it. Arthur asked her out to dinner after the dentist put in a temporary filling, and they’ve been together ever since. They say it was love at first sight.’
‘What a romantic story,’ Jade said as she stretched her legs out in front of her and instinctively curled her toes. ‘It sounds like David and Ruby. Theirs was love at first sight too.’
Mitchell said nothing. He couldn’t relate to the idea. Falling in love and settling down had always been the furthest thing from his mind. In his mind love didn’t last and the collateral damage scared him to the core. But for some strange reason, sitting with Jade, it suddenly didn’t seem so unnerving.
‘I guess they’re the lucky ones,’ she said, looking up into the pink and purple striped sky that hung over them like a giant patterned canopy.
‘Lucky perhaps the second time around, but not even close with the first,’ he said without thinking.
‘So her relationship with your father was very unhappy.’ She turned to face him, her expression suddenly serious.
‘Let’s just say he let us all down, shattered the family, but we got through,’ Mitchell said, climbing back to his feet. ‘Not without some scars, mind you, but it’s much too great an evening to waste it talking about my father.’
They walked in silence and enjoyed the sunset. While Jade was curious about Mitchell’s father, she didn’t bring it up again. He obviously didn’t want to discuss it further and that was his prerogative. But it did make her think it might be an underlying reason for his behaviour over the years. His father’s actions had definitely impacted on Mitchell.
They were both mindful they needed to be back before it was completely dark. Mitchell had a good sense of direction so he knew they would be safe. Jade realised how she once again she felt safe just being near him. And now knowing a little more about the man, feeling safe with Mitchell wasn’t scaring her at all.
‘SOMETHING TELLS ME Australian beer is not to Jade’s liking,’ Mitchell told the other campers. They had returned from their hike and had been invited to join them for a nice cold drink. It was the first time Jade had sampled the amber drink with the white froth and she quickly realised she would never ask for one again.
‘It’s so … bitter,’ she said as her face contorted a little, and she quickly passed the small bottle to Mitchell. Without hesitation, he took a sip.
‘It’s cold and I’m off duty, so I’m not about to complain.
Suddenly they both realised how comfortable they had become in each other’s company. They had a level of familiarity between them that made it natural for him to finish her drink.
The campsite hosts offered Jade a nice chardonnay instead and she quickly found that Australian wine was much more to her liking as they passed the evening with polite conversation. The men then pulled out some cards and suggested poker. Jade noticed Mitchell suddenly shift in his chair. She could see he clearly didn’t like the idea, which suited her as she was getting tired. It had been a long day, but she couldn’t help but notice there was more to Mitchell’s reaction than just tiredness. There was a look of disapproval.
‘It’s getting late and the plane will be back in the morning, so I think we’ll turn in for the night. Thank you all for your hospitality.’ Mitchell stood up and with a look that Jade had trouble defining in her own mind he reached his hand down to help her up.
Without thinking, he kept holding Jade’s hand long after he needed to and he led her to the other side of the camp and to their tent.
‘You don’t approve of cards?’ she asked as they neared the tent.
‘Let’s just say I don’t think much of anything related to gambling. No one should gamble money, lives … or people’s feelings.’
‘That sounds like it’s coming from a place of experience,’ she said softly. She wanted to know more about the man who was making her body and heart come alive.
Mitchell walked farther away from the others, still holding her hand. He sat down on a large fallen eucalyptus branch not too far from their tent and gently pulled her down beside him.
‘My biological father gambled with our family and when he lost, we all lost.’
Without thinking, Jade stroked his arm as he looked into the distance and into his past.
‘My father lost everything we owned, our home, savings, even my mother’s jewellery was pawned before he took off with his mistress when I was only fourteen.’
‘Mitchell, I’m so sorry.’
‘Hey, we still had each other but in my infinite wisdom as a teenager I decided it was my job to make it up to my mother.’
Jade was confused. ‘But it was your father who lost everything and walked out. You had nothing to do with it.’
Mitchell released her hand. His jaw tensed before he spoke. ‘I saw him with the other woman. I was catching the tram home from school and I saw him leave the casino, holding hands with a woman I knew worked in his office. It was about six months before he left us. Looking back, I should have said something, maybe prepared my mother. Perhaps we could have secured the house, or at least the money and her jewellery. But I did nothing. I hoped it was a one-night stand,