My father scratches his beard, looking at me and back at Jaxon. ‘Do you want to start searching around town? We can go now.’

‘I’m sure he’ll turn up,’ Jaxon says to his socks.

‘Okay. Well …’ He glances at me once more and turns back to Jaxon. ‘I’ll make up the couch; you can stay here for now. Melody’s leaving in a couple of days anyway and there will be a spare room.’

Here? Is he kidding? I’ve just flown 12,000 kilometres to meet him for the first time, not hang out with a random guy.

‘But, you’re going camping, aren’t you?’ Jaxon says.

‘That was supposed to be a surprise, bud.’ My father shakes his head. ‘Anyway, that’s not for another week. Sky needs a moment to settle in.’

Camping? It’s literally minus a billion degrees outside.

‘Sorry, forgot. But you know the lights are coming out now?’ Jaxon says. ‘The last of the season.’

‘Right now?’ my father asks.

‘Totally. I got the app and it’s on high alert, see?’ He shows Adam his phone. ‘Wednesday morning it’s the clearest.’

I have no idea what they’re talking about, just that my time with my father is in jeopardy.

‘Now that the cat’s out of the bag, Sky,’ he turns to me, ‘how would you like to go camping?’

‘In the freezing snow?’ My mouth’s hanging open. ‘You’re joking, right?’

‘Don’t worry,’ my father says. ‘We have heavy-duty equipment; no one will freeze. Once you see the sky, it’ll be worth it.’

‘Sky seeing the sky. Funny.’ Jaxon smirks.

Hilarious.

‘Have you camped before?’ my father asks. ‘Are you into hiking? You like the outdoors?’

‘Sure,’ I say. I’ve camped a couple of times with Mum and Melody at music festivals. And I walk my dog Bella, and there’s sport at school—we run around the grounds. That counts, right?

‘But, Jaxon—’ my father starts.

‘Go, Adam. I’ll head home, I’m fine,’ Jaxon says. ‘My dad will be back soon, unless …’ He looks at his feet and wiggles his toes in his socks.

‘Bud, I don’t know …’ My father sighs.

Jaxon’s eyes spark up again. ‘Are you heading northeast towards the valley? I’ll tell you exactly where the wolf dens are. I was out there a few weeks ago recording data. If you have the topographical map, I’ll try and find it, although it may be tricky with all the fresh snow, but—’

‘Dens? We can see wolves?’ I’ve forgotten about being annoyed for a moment. ‘Oh my God. Seriously, I love wolves. I’ve only ever seen a kangaroo, oh and the bum of a koala, but it was too high in the branches to get a good look.’