“But it hasn’t been that long since you had sex, right?”

“No, definitely not, but it’s usually with guys I don’t like all that much. Easier that way. Distant, you know?”

Ash stared at a tassel, flipping it between her fingers. Jules paused her packing. Was all this talk about relationships and sex even a good idea with Ash still hurting over Davo?

And what about her and Matt?

She’d been toying with the idea of a fling with the hot winemaker since her first day in Melbourne. But that was before she’d got to know him, before the beach and the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, before the lingering cheek kisses and the easy conversation. Before she saw those dimples. Before he was Matt.

Jules stared at her carry-on, now packed, then sat heavily on the end of the bed. “Is this a terrible idea?”

“Why, what do you mean?”

“Going to the vineyard. Just the two of us.”

“No, it’ll be fun.”

“That’s what I mean. I think Matt and I might be beyond ‘fun’.” She made the air quotes. “I know it’s only been a few days, but I’d be kidding myself if I said it was just physical. He’s …” She stared at her hands in her lap.

“There’s something there.”

“Yeah. And I don’t want to start something that’s more than a fling. Especially ’cause this time next week, I won’t even be here. That’s not fair on Matt.”

“But how fair is it not to see?” Jules’s head popped up. “On you or Matt?” Ash leant forward and stared at her intently. “What if he’s your person, you know?”

Jules did know, yes. She’d had that once—her person—and it had all imploded. She’d fudged the truth about her last relationship. He had cheated. She’d been devastated about her family breaking in two, and instead of being there for her, he’d fricking cheated.

The knot in her stomach twisted tighter.

“One of us has to be brave,” Ash whispered.

Jules met her eyes. They were shining again, and Jules didn’t need to ask why. She reached over and squeezed Ash’s hand. Right here was the perfect example of what happened when you let fear rule your heart.

“Oh, to hell with it. I’m going!”

Ash sprung off the bed and clapped. Maybe living vicariously through her was as close as Ash wanted to get to love, Jules thought.

*

“He likes you.”

Dexter, Matt’s border collie, was covering Jules’s face with dog kisses, then running between them and leaping into the air. Her throaty laugh quickly turned to squeals of delight. Had a dog ever been this excited to meet her?

“Dex, off!” Matt reached down and offered her a hand, then pulled her to her feet. Dexter did exactly as he was told and lay at Matt’s feet panting from the excitement. “Sorry ’bout that.”

“No, no I love it.” She reached down and scratched under Dexter’s chin. “You love it too, don’t you, you beautiful boy?” Dexter smiled at her and she laughed again. “See? We’re already the best of friends.”