“Why so skeptical? I’m getting enough dud dating experience to write a book.”

“Then do that instead of this. Kurnai Bay’s too small for the promise of anonymity this sort of column needs to work.”

Alice moved confidently around the familiar kitchen, grabbing a chopping board and a cook’s knife before dicing the vegetables for the stir-fry. “I disagree. The Gazette covers a pretty big area and I only need one question a week. I thought I’d get the ball rolling using our awesome ground rules as a template for how to do friends with benefits well.”

A horrified look filled his face. “I don’t think so.”

“Why not? It could help others.”

“I’m not interested in helping others. This is the bay. Think about it. People won’t read it for advice, they’ll read it as a challenge to work out who the couple is. It will replace trivia night at the pub!”

“Instead of name that tune, they can play name that couple.” Alice laughed at her own joke. “You never know, it might cheer everyone up after the disappointment of not getting the funding for the women’s football change rooms.”

“It’s not funny.”

“I know. They’ve waited patiently for three years.”

“I’m not talking about the community development grant.” Dan rarely looked serious, but right now he was glowering as darkly as a blond man could.

It surprised her he was still talking about the column. “No one is going to connect us.”

“You don’t know that.”

“I know that the information I’m actively dating’s not a secret. It doesn’t matter if I go to a pub or a café in Bairnsdale, Marlo or anywhere else in between I run into people from the bay.” She bumped him playfully with her hip, wanting fun-loving Dan back. “The only reason you’re worried about word getting out is that winter’s reduced you to sleeping with someone your own age.”

“I’m serious, Alice. Don’t write about FWB in the column.”

“Fine.” His reaction confused her. He’d suggested their “friends with benefits” arrangement and been totally up front with her about not wanting a long-term relationship or kids. Or was he only open about that with her? Like Alice, Dan had grown up in a tight and loving family and he too had a mother who was not backward with her point of view.

“Is this about Hilary?”

Dan opened the fridge and handed her a cider before twisting the top off a beer for himself. “If there’s a biological clock dictating a woman’s desire to have a kid, then there’s definitely one for a menopausal woman wanting grandchildren. Mom’s fixated on becoming a grandmother and she’s on the warpath.”

“Hasn’t that been happening for the last year?”