‘Yes, I guess Dan might ask his dad,’ replied the man, then downed the last of his drink. ‘Anyway, thanks for the cuppa, I’d better be getting back to it.’

‘That’s super sad,’ I said to Jedda as we went back to buttering bread for sandwiches. ‘And I didn’t even get to go out and take a look.’

‘Hmmm …’

‘Are you okay?’ I asked.

‘I’m just thinking. Bill’s castle is a big part of this community, so everyone will be expecting an article about the damage, or at least a few lines and photos.’

‘I suppose so.’

‘And there’s no way in hell I’ll be the one going out there, so … How about you take this one?’

‘What?’ I blinked.

‘Didn’t you say you had a journalism degree?’

‘Yes, but—’

‘And haven’t you been curious about the island since you arrived?’

‘Yes, but—’

‘So how about you go across, take some photos for the Reporter, ask Dan a few questions about what will happen now and then write it up for me? I can’t pay you, but I’m happy to give you free coffees for the rest of your time in the Point.’

My head spun. ‘You already give me free coffees.’ It had been a point of contention ever since my second week here, but Jedda hadn’t listened to my objections.

‘Is that a yes?’

I let out a weird strangled sound as my stomach squeezed and my mouth went dry.

‘Okay, free coffees and free muffins but that’s my final offer,’ Jedda said as Bindi stirred in the pram.

While she tended to her daughter, I took a moment to contemplate her proposition. What was the worst that could happen? She wasn’t asking me to write for The New York Times or The Washington Post, not even The West Australian.

‘Okay, I’ll do it,’ I said, my insides pulsing as she turned back to face me. It might only be a small paper, but this could be my chance to flex my writing muscles again, to see if I had the chops to pursue a career in journalism after all. ‘But how will I get there?’

Before Jedda could reply the little bell above the door jangled.

I glanced up to see Dan, dressed in the same bright orange SES uniform as all the other volunteers. As our eyes met, the expression on his face not only confirmed the rumours about the island, but also put a dampener on my excitement.

While my long-lost ambition might about to be reignited, Dan’s dreams for the island had been crushed in less than twenty-four hours by a freak storm.

‘Hey there,’ I said as he approached the counter. ‘Is that offer to take me out to the island still valid?’

Chapter 32

32

‘Morning!’ Dan waved as I walked along the beach towards him the following day.