‘Well, that’s your issue right there.’ Her sister laughs. Her voice is nowhere near as deep as Oli’s, but her laugh has always been throaty, nice to listen to. ‘But, seriously, something was obviously going on with those girls.’

Sensing her sister is about to launch into amateur-detective mode again, Oli says, ‘I have to go, Lil. Thanks for the drink.’

They walk back down the hallway in silence. Lily opens the door and rests her head against it. ‘I don’t want to fight with you, Oli. I just wish you would talk to me.’

‘We just spent an hour talking!’

Lily crosses her arms, pursing her lips.

‘I’m absolutely fine.’ Oli smiles broadly and steps forward to hug Lily. She smells familiar, like rain and roses. ‘Honestly.’

They pull apart. Lily looks sad. ‘Night, Oli.’

Oli eases the front door closed and slips off her shoes. She washes her face in the downstairs bathroom, then makes her way upstairs.

‘You’re late.’ Dean’s voice floats out from the dark, not a hint of sleep in it.

‘Sorry to wake you.’ She undresses, slips into bed.

‘I wasn’t asleep. I was waiting.’

She turns to face him. The light catches the outline of his face, the shimmer of his eye. ‘You didn’t call.’

‘I figured you were working. I didn’t want to hassle you, I know you don’t like that.’ He kisses her, setting off little sparks all over her bare skin. ‘Were you just at the office tonight?’

For a moment she considers telling him she saw Lily, but she doesn’t want to recap their conversation. ‘Yeah. It’s been a long day.’ ‘I bet.’ He’s annoyed. ‘Were you working alone or with the pain-in-the-arse colleague?’

She flips over and arches her back against his body. ‘Alone.’

Although he traces down the upper side of her arm, his body remains rigid.

‘How are the girls?’ Oli asks.

‘They’re fine. We had a nice dinner.’

‘That’s good.’ She feels a clench of jealousy at the thought of their night at Mary’s. No doubt it churned up memories of Isabelle.

Clasping his arm around her waist, he pulls her close, then hooks his leg between hers and pins her against the mattress.

‘I have to leave early in the morning,’ she says lightly. ‘It’s going to be another crazy day.’

He tenses again. ‘But what about the swimming carnival? You know I’m presenting at the board meeting with Nathan.’

Oli’s head begins to pound. ‘That’s why I’m starting early, so I can leave the office early without any hassle.’

‘I wish you had more time for us.’ He presses hard into her. Grabs her breasts.