Here on the cliff top, the wind off the sea was cold and she was quite happy to sit in the warm car and watch the ever-moving view as the Indian Ocean rolled in from the west. Her sketchpad lay open beside her with the rough outline of the panoramic scene sprawled across the page.

A thud from behind startled her and she turned to see Euan stripping off his wetsuit, his board perched against the back of the Volvo. Keely packed up her things. She didn’t show her sketches to many people. She’d done a few for family and close friends and they had praised her talent but she knew they were just being kind. These days she kept her pictures to herself. They gave her a private escape and she preferred to keep it that way.

“That was good.” Euan climbed into the seat beside her, bringing the fresh smell of the sea with him.

“I’ve never tried surfing.”

His expression was bright as he turned the car around. “I can give you some lessons.”

She glanced back over the expanse of water. “Wasn’t a surfer attacked by a shark near here not so long ago?”

“More chance of being hit by a truck. Have you seen how some people drive?”

“I’m not very brave. The deep water and big waves scare me.”

“It’s not like that out there, safe as houses. Watching is much scarier than doing it. Riding a wave is a wonderful feeling.”

Keely glanced back towards the sea as they drove away. A man appeared at the top of the steps carrying a board under one arm and a crash helmet under the other. She wasn’t totally convinced by Euan’s ‘safe as houses’.

They drove back through thick bush and took several twists and turns along dirt tracks before Euan stopped the car in a small clearing surrounded by scrubby bush.

“Wait here while I get your gourmet picnic ready.” He grinned and then ducked away.

It was cosy in the old car and she was happy to stay nestled in her seat as she watched him come and go, taking things from the back and carrying them to a spot through the bush just out of her vision.

“Okay, time to get out.” Euan opened her door. “You might want your jacket till the fire gets going.”

Keely took her coat with her and pulled it on as she followed Euan around a stand of thick bush to a smaller clearing. There was a fire glowing softly in a metal pod on legs. Nearby, he had spread the old blanket beside an esky and a wine cooler with an open bottle nestled inside.

“Your picnic, mademoiselle.” He bowed low and flung out an arm as she passed.