Emily's Cowboy by Donna Gallagher

Rook, having Gareth back in my life, Dad on the mend. I’ve got a lot of celebrating to do… I see bubbles and lots of them in my near future.”
    Emily and Pippa, arm in arm, headed into the function room and found a table to sit at. Caitlin and Mandy followed, both women clutching a child in their arms. Then came Gareth and Rook. Brodie and JT, each man also holding onto a child, joined the table as well. There were people everywhere, the room packed with Jets supporters all eager to talk with their heroes and celebrate the recent victory. Emily was truthfully a little shell-shocked, had not expected such a large group of people. Her anxiety was rising.
    “It’s going to be okay, baby, I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying right by your side tonight.” Gareth held her hand to his lips as he stared her right in the eyes.
    She would be okay. She was surrounded by new friends, protected by Gareth.
    “I can do this.”
     

Chapter Fourteen
     
     
     
    Gareth almost wished they had lost today’s game. Then the club would not have been so packed—supporters were sometimes fickle, and didn’t show up after a loss. But it was chockers tonight. Just my luck that Emily’s first night would be this busy , he thought. She was doing okay, though, he noticed. His friends had welcomed her into their inner circle—Caitlin, Mandy and Pippa had taken Emily under their wings, sitting her amongst them all. It was the sight Gareth had always dreamt of—his Emily sitting amongst his friends and their kids, being part of his life. It was a perfect moment. He stood behind her chair, resting his hand on Emily’s shoulder just to prove to himself it was real, that he was not dreaming.
    There had been a moment when Emily had first entered the function room and seen the crowd filling the room that Gareth had thought she would run. He’d seen the flicker of unease on her face, but she had quickly recovered, staunchly lifting her head and walking beside Pippa to the table reserved for the players and family. Everyone had come back to the club—all the boys and their partners. There were kids everywhere.
    Brodie handed him a beer, and Gareth noticed Rook had produced a bottle of champagne and was filling the women’s glasses.
     “Cheers, Gareth. You played one hell of a game today. Reckon it will put you in the sights of the New South Wales selectors, for sure.”
    “Thanks, Brodie. I really enjoyed the game. Don’t know about a shot at rep footy, but wouldn’t knock it back if I got the call-up,” he replied, thinking that life was getting better and better by the second.
    Then, at the sound of one innocent question behind him, his heart fell to his feet.
    “Hello. What happened to your face?”
     
    Emily had not been able to believe the amount of people who had crowded into the room. She was surrounded by Jets players, recognised most of them from the games she had watched on the television back in Gunnedah. Wives and girlfriends sat around her, and kids were everywhere.
    “Footy players sure can breed,” she’d whispered to Pippa, who had taken a seat to her left and had been handing out glasses of champagne, poured expertly by Rook, to the table of women.
    “Got that right, Em. Macho men and macho sperm…”
    Emily had taken a sip of the bubbles and had felt herself begin to relax. The heat from Gareth’s hand on her shoulder that’d seeped into her tense body and the cool, bubbly drink had both done their part. As she’d leant forward to place her glass back onto the table she’d noticed a little dark-haired girl approach, but had not been prepared for the question she’d asked in such a tiny voice. The girl’s saucer-sized brown eyes had been full of innocent enquiry, her small hand reaching out towards Emily’s face, possibly to touch her scars.
    Emily could not help but flinch out of the girl’s reach, couldn’t bear the thought of that delicate little hand touching her ugly, marred skin.
    “Elaina , no!