‘Oh. Thanks.’ She laughed. ‘As you can see, I’m quite literally in a mess. I’m so glad you’ve come early.’

He took her food-stained hands. ‘Relax. This is supposed to be a fun afternoon. For everyone. Breathe.’

She looked at the chaos spread across the kitchen bench.

‘Breathe,’ Danny said again. ‘People will bring their own stuff, and if there’s not enough we’ll get Telford to raid the store.’

Nicole squeezed his hands, which still had a firm grip on her.

‘That’s better. Now, what can I do?’

‘Can you set up the tables for me? Here are some tablecloths.’

‘Of course.’ He nodded.

Nicole had no idea what spending the night before last together meant. He was leaving for his annual trip to Bangladesh tonight and there was every chance that by the time he got back he’d have changed his mind about her. All she could do was go with it and see what happened.

While Danny took care of the outside, Nicole went back to work in the kitchen. When she was satisfied all her bowls and platters were complete, she carried vases and plates and cutlery into the front yard.

Danny helped her place them on the tables and she walked around the garden picking various flowers to put in the vases. Danny returned from inside with the packets of pink and purple and yellow and green paper napkins she’d left on the dining table. And after Nicole set them on the two tables under the shade of the tall gum at the centre of her expansive yard, she stood back and looked at the effect.

‘It feels happy, right?’ she asked.

‘It looks amazing,’ Mandy said as she came through the gate. ‘Vaguely familiar.’ She winked.

‘Thanks.’

‘She’d be proud. You can tell it’s been done with love.’ She hugged Nicole.

‘Now, before anyone else arrives, we’ve got something for you. Well, for the cottage.’

Trevor and Danny completed the circle around Nicole.

‘We wanted to give you something to finish off the renovations,’ Mandy said.

‘You’ve restored this place to its former glory and I know how connected you feel to Ivy, and, well, I hope this is okay.’

Trevor handed her a piece of wood wrapped in a blue and white bow.

‘Made it myself.’

Looking at the house plaque, Nicole breathed in deeply. Into the dark wood, bordered by leaves and vines etched to different depths, ‘Ivy Cottage’ was carved.

‘It’s perfect.’ She wrapped them all in a group hug.

‘I’ll hang it now if you like?’ Trevor offered.

‘Yes, please.’

Trevor headed back to his truck to fetch his tools.

‘You keep an eye on that,’ he said to Danny, pointing at the barbecue.

Mandy turned to Nicole. ‘You go freshen up. People are coming up the road.’