‘Granny Mim’s heart hasn’t really recovered, but she certainly stepped up to running the show. And she was doing really well until the big drought eight years ago. We had an extra two thousand head, and winter coming on with no feed. Granny Mim took a crew and my brother, and they went droving for six months. She home-schooled him along the way, but it was hard for her without my grandfather. He was larger than life and as tough as old leather – you had to be, in the times they lived. But they made it through with the cattle, and the money from the sales saved our home.’

He had no concept of that sort of physical determination, and now he’d met a whole family capable of it. ‘It’s a tale of amazing people, and you’re a part of it. You have a proud family history stretching behind you.’ Which was even more reason for him not to pursue her. She’d never leave here. ‘Have you ever wanted to live anywhere else?’

‘No, but sometimes I hanker to join the RFDS and see more of the north. Like Arnhem Land.’ She grinned at him. ‘Like Weipa. But I need to be closer and not away too much as Granny Mim gets older.’

He thought about her in that role. ‘You’d be good as a flight nurse. An asset.’ He’d looked at RFDS too before he’d started the locum gig. But it would have meant commitment, and for the moment he needed to be free to run when he felt it necessary.

Except for some reason, Ava might have made him want to stay.

Just then Ava pushed the indicator and began to pull over. She parked under one of the rare trees at the side of the long-deserted road.

‘We’ve been driving for an hour and a half. Let’s walk for a minute. I make myself do it. It only takes sixty seconds to sharpen your senses again.’

Chapter Nineteen

Ava

The ground crunched underfoot as she walked away from the car, and she savoured the stretch to her legs.

A burnt-orange lizard scuttled under a leaf beside her and she heard a bird shift leaves to watch with hungry eyes. Then she saw the cross she’d forgotten about. The white roadside crucifix with dusty, faded silk flowers at the side of the tree.

Zac was slower out of the car, but as soon as he saw the marker he stopped, closed his eyes and turned away.

Damn. Of course that would hurt. She felt like stomping her foot. Damn, damn. She’d reminded him of his wife when he was already fragile. ‘Sorry, Zac. I’d forgotten about that.’ She said it softly, not really to him, aware she could only make it worse by pointing out she’d noticed his distress.