Libby opened her mouth to deny it, but the past rose like a wraith, bringing their university years sharply into focus. Far away from the confines of Kurnai Bay and the watchful eyes of her parents, Libby had embraced freedom. She’d knowingly pushed the boundaries of the rules that Peter and Karen had instilled into her and Jess had happily taken her on the ride. Back then, their friendship was the most important thing in her life. Outside of classes, they did everything together, including sharing boyfriends. It avoided the problem of one of them dating a guy the other didn’t like. Dylan had been great fun—a sexy extension of their friendship. But their second attempt with Eric hadn’t been a success. Libby had realized she’d grown up and that she shared her parents’ values after all. But she hadn’t told Jess that, preferring to say that Eric was hers if she wanted him. Jess had shrugged but, a month later, Eric was out of the picture.

Libby had met Nick on one of the few times she was home in the bay without her best friend. Entrusted with the job of picking up the oysters for Dot’s eightieth birthday, she’d been walking out of the fish co-op juggling four white boxes. The top box had started to slide and Nick caught it, staving off disaster. He’d relieved her of half the load and they’d stood next to her car talking until Peter had telephoned asking, “What’s the hold-up?”

The following day, she’d gone sailing with Nick then promptly delayed her planned return to Melbourne. During her daily phone calls and texts to Jess, she’d deliberately avoided mentioning Nick. If she had, Jess would have driven to the bay to vet him, just as Libby would have done if the situation had been reversed. It had been the first time in their friendship that Libby didn’t want Jess’s opinion. Nor did she want her charismatic presence around Nick in case it turned his gaze away from her.

“I see you’ve remembered,” Jess said.

There was no point denying it. “I wanted him for myself.”

“Yeah.” Jess’s fingers fiddled with the sheet. “And you’re everything he ever wanted, whereas I remind him too much of the wild years he wants to forget.”

Libby sat down, shocked by the look of pain and yearning on Jess’s face. “You loved him before I met him, didn’t you?”

“Since I was fifteen. No one else has ever come close.’

“But …” Libby grappled with this new information. “No. If you’d loved him, I would have known.”

“Seriously, Libby?” Jess laughed, the sound derisive. “Only people who’ve never known rejection wear their heart on their sleeve.”