“Excuse me.” A man stood in the aisle waving his hand at the window seat beside her. “That’s my seat.”

Keely grinned at the frown on Flynn’s face as he stood up to let the man past.

* * *

“I can’t believe I’m here.” Keely sighed. The late-afternoon Broome sun was delightfully warm after the cold winter climate of Adelaide. She gripped Flynn’s hand and spun around to face him. “It’s nearly a year since I first left home to travel north via Perth and I’m finally here.”

“It’s much better at this time of the year,” he said. “Lucky I stopped you at Jurien Bay last time.”

“And lucky you decided to come with me this time.” She hugged him. “You weren’t really going to call in at Levallier Dell, were you?”

“I could have made it there and back in time to catch the flight.”

“Flynn.” She pulled away from him. When they’d landed in Perth the day before there’d been a call from Hugh. Flynn was overheard saying he could drive down and take a look but both Euan and Dianna berated him for even thinking about it.

“Just kidding. Euan will be able to keep an eye on things while we’re away. As long as he doesn’t meddle with my blends.”

They sat down on the sand and watched the water. Keely leaned her head on his shoulder.

“Wherever we go, we always have to live near water, either the sea or a river,” she said.

“We can’t get much closer to the water than the studio. Do you think we should move?”

“No. I can’t imagine not living at Levallier Dell and we’ll be very happy in the studio, but I’m just letting you know that I think water has been lucky for me.”

“I thought I was your lucky charm.” He draped an arm across her shoulders and cuddled her close.

“You’re my number one lucky charm.”

“We might need some luck to get through the next few years. It’s a risky venture you’ve joined.”

Keely noticed the little frown lines across his forehead as he stared out to sea. “Are you worried about the loan?” she asked.

“Things will be tight for a while.”

“But the vintage went well.”

“Yes, and so did you.” The frown disappeared into a smile. “That’s when I really knew I couldn’t do without you.”

“You hardly saw me.”

Keely recalled the hectic times they’d just lived through. Flynn and Euan had been flat out. There were vintage workers to organise at Levallier Dell where everything was handpicked, and contractors at the Haystack Block where the grapes were harvested by machines. Keely and Dianna had been kept busy organising food, running errands and helping where they could in the sheds. Levallier Dell had been a hive of activity from early in the morning till late at night.