Don’t cry. Don’t cry. Do. Not. Cry. “Thanks.” Her voice wobbled on the word.

Harry shrugged as if it was no big deal to be handing an icepack to a woman in his kitchen. “H used to get hot flashes.”

“Yes, but I don’t have cancer!”

“Which is wonderful,” he said gently.

But this was her personal nightmare and she didn’t want him lessening it. “What I mean is, I shouldn’t be getting hot flashes at thirty-four. They should be twenty years away.”

“HRT will help, won’t it?”

“Nothing will help me have a baby.”

His face fell into sad, well-worn lines. “Shit. Alice. That was thoughtless. I’m so cancer focused, I—Sorry. I know how much you wanted kids.”

His remorse and her grief pulled her forward and she almost moved in for a hug. At the last moment, she realized what she was doing and spun around, tugging open the freezer. What was she thinking? This was Harry. They couldn’t get through a single conversation without one of them feeling the need to apologize.

“As soon as the kids get home we’ll head out,” Harry said to her back.

She appreciated his change of topic and turned to the thump of sausages being dropped into the cooler. “Just to be clear, I’m hopeless at getting fires going. I’ll stick to drawing with Holly and leave the campfire to you and Hunter.”

“I’ve been using firelighters for years so I may not be much better.”

“Should we make sandwiches just in case?”

“Jeez, Alice. You’re tough on a bloke. Have some faith.”

She laughed. “It’s nothing to do with faith and everything to do with not going hungry.”

The side gate banged and Hunter’s greetings to Brutus floated into the kitchen.

“Hi, mate, how was your day?” Harry said as his son rushed inside.

“You made chocolate cupcakes? Cool. Oh, hi, Alice. So that’s why there’s cake. Dad never makes it for us.” Hunter dropped his bag where he stood and reached for a chocolate delight.

“Hands! And bag.” Harry caught Hunter by the back of the shirt, returned his backpack to him, kissed him on the top of the head and turned him in the direction of the bathroom.

“You better be quick, Hunter,” Alice teased. “I hold the record in my family for eating the most cupcakes in the shortest time.”

“Don’t eat them all!” Hunter bolted to the bathroom.

The screen door squeaked and Brutus snuck in, head low, followed by Holly.

“How was your day?” Harry asked.

But Holly kept her head down and pushed straight past him, disappearing into the hall. A moment later, a door slammed.

Hunter reappeared, holding his hands up for inspection. “Can I have some milk?”

“Did something happen on the ride home to upset your sister?” Harry asked.

Hunter shrugged.

“Did you do or say something to upset her?”

“Nup. She was sad before we left school.”

“Back in a sec, Alice.” Frowning, Harry left the room.