Roane and Caro, Millie and Dexter, and Penny had all become important to me so quickly. I didn’t know if it was because I needed people to cling to during a difficult time in my life, or if I’d genuinely found special friendships with them all.

No, that wasn’t true.

I knew for a fact that I’d found something special with Roane, and I was afraid of it. Yet, thinking of leaving him, now or in a week, was a scary thought.

I reluctantly faced Penny. “What’s going on?”

She held her hair in a tight fist to stop it blowing around in the breeze. The wind was picking up as if to mirror my mood, and I shivered in my T-shirt and shorts. Although it was the warmest day of the year so far, that didn’t mean it was superhot and that sea breeze was cool.

“Evie, I have a proposition for you, and you’ll probably think I’m mad for even asking but I’m going to do it anyway.”

I felt a flutter in my stomach. “Okay.”

“Remember I told you my sister wants me to sell up and move to Australia?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, I’ve been thinking about it, and what’s stopping me is the unknown. I don’t want to sell my store and leave my life here only to go over there and three months in discover I bloody hate the place.”

“That makes sense.” But what did this have to do with me?

Penny’s gaze sharpened. “Evie, we haven’t known each other long, but I have good instincts about people, and I trust you. I know from our talks that things are a little unsettled for you right now, and I think we can help each other.”

“Help each other how?”

“I’m going out to Australia for three months as a trial run. I’m gonna rent out my own flat while I’m gone, but I’ll still need someone to look after the store and its apartment. I want that person to be you.”

Stunned, I gaped at her. The ramifications of her proposition cluttered my headspace instantly. Greer would be upset. So would my mother. Phil would be concerned too. But it would give me more time to figure out a path.

And I’d get to spend more time with Roane.

“Now I can’t pay you much, like, but you can stay in the apartment rent-free.”

A tremor of excitement ran through me. My immediate reaction was to scream YES! at the top of my voice, but that goddamn sensible side of me took control first. “I’m only here as a tourist. I’d need a work visa for that.”