It’s the night before hometown visits and Darcy is quickly trying to pack her bag before she heads out for a drink with Ed and Mel. Darcy asked Mel if she wanted to tag along before they knocked off work, and Mel had clarified that Ed was single before agreeing. She wasn’t going to waste her time hanging out with men already coupled up.

Her phone buzzes to life with an incoming call from Drew. She grabs it. ‘Hey.’ She doesn’t want to fob him off, they’ve barely spoken all week, but she glances at the clock, knowing she’ll need to keep the conversation quick.

‘Got time to talk?’

‘For a bit,’ she tells him as she drops a few pairs of socks into her suitcase.

‘I’ve been thinking,’ Drew says. ‘We need to set a date.’

‘A date?’

He immediately recognises her confusion and laughs. ‘You’re far from the typical bride-to-be, Darce.’

Darcy can’t help but laugh too as it clicks. She’d honestly had no idea he’d been talking about their wedding. Most of the time she forgets she’s engaged. ‘We’ve got plenty of time to set a date.’

‘Everyone up here is hounding me.’

‘Tell ’em to get a life.’ Darcy shakes her head as she chucks a few more things into her suitcase. ‘We’re both flat out with work. We don’t have time to organise a wedding.’

Drew doesn’t say anything but the silence down the phone line is deafening.

‘What is it?’

‘Well, the thing is, Mum and I were thinking a New Year’s Eve wedding could be good?’

Great. So Sheila has gotten involved. Darcy tries not to let it bother her. ‘New Year’s?’ she echoes, trying to think of a reason against it. ‘People might not like having to go to a wedding on New Year’s Eve.’

‘Are you kidding? People would love it. A massive party with free booze.’

That is true.

‘Most people are on holidays then too, so they wouldn’t have to worry about getting time off work to come away for the weekend.’

Another good point, but still she challenges, ‘Come away?’

‘To Gloucester.’

She doesn’t say anything. Of course Drew wants to get married in Gloucester. The sweeping countryside and mountains make a pretty iconic backdrop for wedding photos—she’s seen enough of them. They hang in just about every house in Gloucester.

When the silence goes on for too long, Drew asks, ‘I thought you wanted a wedding back here too?’

She had when they used to talk about it, she’d always imagined it there, but now it doesn’t feel right. ‘Maybe we could have it here in Sydney?’ She hasn’t actually pictured her wedding in Sydney before, but they will be living there. It makes sense.

Drew scoffs, somewhat amused. ‘We can’t afford a wedding in Sydney.’