Ava slipped on her robe and padded up the hall to peer into his room. He was alone and awake, and sat in a chair, staring out the window. She took a deep breath and knocked. She watched the frown as he tried to place her, then recognition that she was someone he’d met once before. She could be grateful for that, at least. ‘Hello there, Zac.’

‘Ava.’ He even remembered her name. ‘Come in.’ He stood, his face inquiring more than welcoming, and she had to stamp down the feeling of hopelessness as he gestured to the other chair.

One day since the accident, she told herself. It has only been one day. Everything will be fine.

‘Thanks.’ She pulled the chair closer to his and sat. Glancing at her hands in her lap, she gathered her thoughts to convince this stranger he needed to spend time with her. ‘I’m going home this afternoon.’ She lifted her chin to hold his gaze. ‘I’ve come to ask you again to consider convalescing with us on Setabilly Station when you’re discharged.’

He studied her, as if trying to see through to her reasoning. He was an intelligent guy so he must be wondering. At least he didn’t say no straight off. ‘Setabilly Station?’

She answered the easy part first. ‘Down near Mount Conner, towards Uluru. A cattle station. We’re setting up a sideline as a farmstay, like an ecotourist retreat. It’s early days, but we’re geared for guests.’ She shook herself. ‘I just wondered if you’d like to try our hospitality while you’re still isolated by loss of memory. I understand you can’t go back to work for two weeks. And you shouldn’t fly either.’

The way he searched her face gave her a tingle of hope. Then his measured ‘Thank you’ dashed it. ‘I’ll probably just stay in the apartment George says I have at the hotel.’

Ava forced a laugh and pushed a little more. ‘Or you could come with me and be an ecotourist and at least I could keep my eye on you for a few days.’ There. She’d said the words.

He raised one dark brow. ‘To your family station? A stranger?’

Ava lifted her shoulders. To hell with it. ‘Not a complete stranger. We did have a six-day relationship that you don’t remember,’ she said quietly. ‘And my family know we’re friends, so they understand why I want you to come.’

She waited for him to dispute the information, but he didn’t. His eyes met hers and his brows went up. ‘A relationship? Did we? I wondered.’ Although she listened for it, she didn’t detect disbelief.

Still not sure what he was thinking, she said firmly, ‘Yes. We did. I haven’t forgotten.’