He touched her shoulder lightly, in comfort, suddenly shatteringly aware that he hadn’t thought enough about the psychological cost that had been paid by this woman he barely knew. The drain on her emotions looking after him as they both lay in the wrecked vehicle. And afterwards as she waited for his retrieval. Oh, he’d seen that she was physically tired, but she’d been hurt herself, and according to George, she’d thought he’d die and there was a cost to that concern – he knew. And his prognosis had looked grim there for a while – he’d seen his medical records.

He lifted his hands to cup her upper arms and stared into her eyes, those pools of blue, like that sky without any clouds, blue that could lift a dark day. Abruptly, it felt as though the room held only them. He and the woman who’d put her own injuries aside to keep him alive. ‘You’re an amazing woman, you know. And I haven’t really said thank you for saving my life. I’m sorry you had to carry that.’

‘I’m glad you pulled through.’ Her voice sounded a little strained and he realised someone else was in the room.

Over her shoulder, Mim’s face came into focus, faded eyes so like her granddaughter’s surveying them both, a delighted grin beaming his way, her hands gesticulating for him to keep going. He couldn’t help the embarrassed laugh. Already, as he dropped his hands, he could see that Granny Mim was a menace. ‘You have an incredible granddaughter, Mim.’

‘I know.’ The older lady smiled even wider at him and stood to move across the room to the refrigerator. Ava’s mother came in from the hall. He guessed he should be thankful he hadn’t had another spectator to what had just passed between Ava and him.

Though maybe, from the look Stella was sending, she’d decided he was a pesky city boy playing in the outback. But she shouldn’t have worried, because they couldn’t have long-term plans. He knew Sydney was where he belonged, and the more he saw of Ava he knew where she belonged – here. What had he been playing at, becoming involved with her? These were dark thoughts for a bright afternoon and he felt his spirits sink.

‘Look.’ Ava touched his shoulder and pointed to the verandah she’d just come in from. And he did. The tall trees shaded what was apparently a shallow watercourse set well below the house. It would be cooler down there. That must be where Ava had said permanent waterholes lay under some overhanging trees, but mostly all he could see of the watercourse showed dry red gravel curving away into the distance. Even dry, it looked extremely inviting, and he’d definitely like to see it with Ava.