“Nice to meet you.” Tim took her proffered hand and rather than shake it, brought it to his lips. His kiss was soft and brief, the gesture fucking adorable.

“The pleasure’s all mine. Jo’s told me so much about you.”

“All good, I hope.” She glared playfully at Jo.

Ignoring the sisterly banter, and clearly comfortable around new people, Tim extended a hand to Lucy. “And you must be Lucy?”

“Indeed.” Lucy waggled her fingers, her expression saying I expect the same treatment.

With a slow bow, Tim kissed her hand then straightened and draped an arm around Jo’s shoulders.

“Is he always this charming?” Kelly asked.

“Always,” Jo replied, admiration shining in her eyes.

After dragging her gaze off Tim, Jo smiled at Lucy. “Nice to meet you. Kelly wasn’t lying, you’re a knockout. I’d do you if I swung that way.”

“Jo!” Kelly shot daggers at her sister with her eyes.

“Just yanking your chain, Sis. You’re so easy to wind up.”

Unfazed, Lucy grinned. “Okay, kids. Now that we’ve got the niceties out of the way, how about we relax?”

There wasn’t an ounce of tension between them, but Kelly appreciated the sentiment.

“Where to first?” Jo asked. “Should we start at the top and work our way down, or at the bottom and slowly work our way up?”

“What are we talking about?” Kelly winked.

Tim smirked.

Jo’s mouth fell-opened. “Perv.”

“What?” Kelly held her arms out, in a ‘what’d I say gesture.’

Lucy pinched her butt. “Behave.”

Tim offered a third option. “How about we go directly to the café on level four and go from there. I don’t know about you ladies, but I’m starving.”

*

Three hours later, after a lot of fun, and exhausted from wandering from exhibit to exhibit and absorbing all the information, the foursome found themselves back on level one.

“Anyone want to take a look in the souvenir shop?” Kelly asked.

Jo stepped aside when two young boys barrelled passed, waving black and white New Zealand flags high in the air.

“Isn’t that kind of lame, buying souvenirs from your own country?” Jo asked.

“I don’t know about that,” Lucy said. “I used to collect every kind of cow I could get my hands on. Soft toys, figurines, hats, you name it.”

“Now.” Jo smirked. “You have a heifer with long brown hair, big blue eyes, not much of an udder and a nice beefy rump.”

Too happy to be pissed off with Jo for inferring Kelly was a cow, much less her colourful and somewhat fitting rendition, Kelly burst out laughing. “Nice description, Sis.”

Lucy squeezed Kelly’s hand and without missing a beat, returned Jo’s cheek. “You and Kelly could be twins, the similarities are startling, don’t you think, Tim?”