“I am glad you’re going ahead with your trip. Kat is travelling as well, did you know? Only she’s off overseas. Did you get a chance to see her before she left?”

Keely stared at Maggie. What did she mean? “No. I mean yes… at least I saw her yesterday and she said goodbye, but I thought she was farewelling me.”

“She flew home to Melbourne this morning. I think Flynn said she had another week before she left for Singapore to be with her boyfriend.”

“But…” Keely didn’t understand. Wasn’t Flynn her boyfriend?

A mobile rang from somewhere behind them in the apartment. “Excuse me a moment.” Maggie went inside.

Keely frowned at the beautiful vista in front of her. Kat was with Flynn. She’d seen them together the day before. There’d been some remark about them all starting something new and Flynn had said Kat had given him wonderful news and he’d see her again at the flat.

None of that made sense with what Maggie had just said. Maybe she’d misunderstood.

Maggie stuck her head through the open doors of the sitting room. “I’ve just realised I’m totally out of milk for our coffee. There are some magazines on the table. I won’t be long.”

“Maggie, are you sure Kat is going to Singapore?” Keely asked.

“Quite sure. Flynn was here yesterday and told me all about it.”

“And Flynn’s not going with her?”

“Good heavens, no.” Maggie smiled. “Flynn had to tend to some urgent business back in Margaret River. Theo is selling him some land. Now you make yourself comfortable. I’ll be right back.”

Keely stood up and leaned on the balcony rail, staring at the river. What was it with her and water? She seemed to have spent a lot of the last few weeks simply staring at it. She still couldn’t comprehend what Maggie had said. Keely had seen all the signs. Kat and Flynn were together and yet, if what Maggie said was true, they couldn’t be.

A brief flutter of hope stirred inside her and then she banished it. Her Margaret River adventure was over. It was time to move on.

The wind strengthened and goosebumps prickled her arms. She stepped back into the sitting room and heard the front door close.

“Maggie, I’m here. It’s all done.”

Keely stopped at the sound of Flynn’s voice. She brushed her hands down her sides, smoothing her skirt.

“Maggie?” He paused mid-stride when he saw Keely.

“She’s not here.”

Flynn ran his fingers through his hair. “But I spoke to her on the phone a few minutes ago. She wanted me to…” He shook his head.

“She’s gone to get milk. I was out on the balcony.” Keely nodded over her shoulder. “It got chilly.”

Flynn continued to stare. Keely looked around frantically trying to think of something to say.

“She shouldn’t…”