Neither of those things happened so after two weeks of silence on the topic, Jess tested the waters. Libby’s bald statement that Sulli had accepted Nick’s offer and her suggestion Jess rent the place had not only devastated Jess, it had lit a bonfire of fury inside her. In a rare moment of unguarded anger, she’d allowed it to burn Nick. Oh, how she regretted the texts and the phone call. It was why she’d faked a job interview so she could drive to the hospital, apologize and rescue everything with Nick on the drive home.

At first, the overwrought man sitting beside her reminded her of the Nick she’d found when she’d first returned to the bay. On her second day back in town, she’d asked Libby if Nick could bring around a ladder so she could clean the light fixtures. It was the first time they’d been alone together in months and his hands shook so much she’d lifted the ladder and set it up herself.

“You promised me no matter how much Libby begged, you’d stay in Sydney. Why are you back?”

“This is why.” Jess laid Leo into his arms.

He threw her an agitated look. “You living here is too much of a risk!”

“Relax, Nick.” She smiled reassuringly while she stroked Leo’s dark curls, so much like his father’s. “Everything’s going to work out fine.”

And for a year, everything went according to plan until Nick fell apart and landed himself in the hospital. During their precious hour alone in the car, Jess had carefully and calmly reminded him of all the positive reasons why her name needed to be on the title deeds.

“Nick, you’ve made yourself ill for no reason and worried us sick. Libby loves you. She loves me. She’ll love this idea.”

His fingers drummed on the dashboard. “What if she doesn’t?”

“Come on, Nick. You know that’s as likely as the tide not changing.” Jess plucked at the dress she was wearing. “I asked to borrow this and she gave it to me on the spot.”

“Sulli’s place is hardly a dress!”

“This dress cost $350 on sale and she gifted it to me without blinking.” Jess shook her head indulgently. “Think about it, Nick. There’s no way Libby’s going to say no. She already knows I was thinking of buying somewhere. Tell her you’ve crunched the numbers and discussed it with me to check I can afford my share. Tell her it’s a concrete way the two of you can help me get a foot in the market. You know she prides herself on helping. In fact, I bet you a Mars Bar that in a year’s time, she’ll have reinvented history and be telling us it was her idea.”

“Yeah.” Nick’s shoulders fell and he managed a small smile. “You’re probably right.”