‘Hi Sax.’ I felt a lift in my heart at the sight of him. ‘Would you like me to cook up some bacon and eggs for breakfast?’

‘Yum!’ said Payton.

‘I need more data,’ Saxon said. ‘Yours has run out.’

‘And a very good morning to you too.’ The flutter of maternal affection vanished, and I marched up the stairs and past him into the shack.

‘Good morning,’ he said snottily as he followed quickly on my heels. ‘Now can I have your credit card so I can top up my phone? I tried to ring Dad but he’s not answering.’

He was probably bonking someone! I pushed that irritating thought aside and focused on our son.

‘If you’ve used up your data and mine, then maybe you’ve used enough. We’re going to have a nice breakfast and then we’re going for a drive.’

He crossed his arms over his chest. ‘I’m not going anywhere until you refresh the data.’

I narrowed my eyes. ‘And I will not be blackmailed by you, so I suggest you change your tune.’

‘Whatever. I wouldn’t be even having this problem if you’d let me stay in Perth with Dad.’

‘As if your father would have wanted you there cramping his style on his kid-free week. And right now, I’m not sure I want you here either!’

Saxon recoiled, Payton started to cry, and Charlie growled in a way I’d never heard before. My heart was beating so fast it hurt. I’d never said anything like that to either of my kids, but I simply couldn’t control my anger.

‘You should be thankful to be able to stay in such a lovely place, Saxon. And if you don’t pick up your act and come out with Payton and me, and at least pretend to have fun …’ See, my bar wasn’t aimed too high. ‘Then not only will I cancel your phone plan altogether, but I’ll throw it and your laptop into the sea.’

‘You wouldn’t dare,’ he seethed. ‘I need them both for school.’

My hands on my hips, I leaned into his face. ‘Just try me.’

So much for reconnecting this trip.

After breakfast, Saxon—still grumpy—climbed into the back of my car and glowered all the way to the Pinnacles. I contemplated apologising for some of what I’d said, but in the end decided it might be better to show him rather than tell him that I loved him and just wanted us all to have a good time together.