Hugh laughs. ‘Hopefully, you’re getting to do more than attend conferences. So what do we do now?’

‘Well . . .’ I pause, glancing at my schedule. The rest of my day is full of presentations that I wanted to attend but don’t need to, and suddenly I’m not feeling inclined to stay inside.

‘We can attend the talk on ITLOS regulations, or we can go grab food at a cute spot near the park?’

Hugh’s eyes sparkle and I can tell he’s trying not to laugh. ‘ITLOS. Definitely.’

I swat at his arm.

‘Food sounds perfect.’

‘That was easy,’ I say, picking up my bag and swinging it over my shoulder. ‘Remind me why Millie says you’re terrible to work with?’ I’m whisper-laughing now. Hugh is drawing me closer, our torsos touching, his other hand wrapped around my low back.

‘How is Millie?’ he asks.

‘She’s good. She sends her regards.’

He laughs. ‘I take it she saw my interruption.’

Our faces are drawing closer together. I feel like I can’t breathe.

‘She did.’

Hugh leans forward and touches his forehead gently to mine. ‘When do you leave?’ he breathes.

‘Two days,’ I say. I’m smiling so wide I feel like my face will split in half. Our noses brush.

‘Then we better make the most of it.’ He kisses me, first lightly, our lips barely grazing each other, then deeper, hungrily, so intensely I can feel it all the way into my toes.

‘I really am sorry,’ I say when we finally break for air. ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t honest and then I asked you to lie for me too. I’m sorry it took me so long to realise who I’m supposed to be.’

‘Andi,’ Hugh says, our foreheads meeting once again. ‘You have been you the whole time I’ve known you, and I’ve loved every second.’

Chapter 33

One year post dive

I stare out the window of my studio apartment. If I squint, I can make out a sliver of the deep blue Pacific Ocean. I found a place right next to Bronte Beach, home to Hugh’s favourite breakfast spot. I had to sell all my furniture at home (thankfully, most of it was from IKEA), but there’s a used furniture store near my new place, and in no time, I’ve filled my flat with an old table and a soft armchair, a worn wooden bedframe, and mismatched nightstands. The only thing I bought new was a big plush bed for Murphy, as a treat for sticking with me as we moved across the world. Murphy and I walk on the beach path every day, and every time I smell the ocean air and watch the frothy white tide smash into the cliffs below me, I wonder how I got so lucky.