Tilly’s slice popped from the conveyor belt and Kate pulled her gaze away. She selected her coffee preferences on the machine and listened as it churned slowly. Tilly clicked her tongue in frustration. Kate glanced across the counter. The slice two shades too light for Tilly’s liking, Tilly reached for the tongs and slid it through a second time.

Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could feel Tilly’s gaze on her as Tilly leaned back against the counter and folded her arms across her chest. “Your hair is wet,” Tilly observed. “And the back of your blazer.”

“It just started to sprinkle.”

“Sister Mary Monica called—the causeway is closed after the storm. We can’t drive through Portarlington. We’ll have to drive to Mornington and take the car ferry.”

“Fantastic.”

Tilly’s toast popped into the tray. “Would you like some?” she offered, reaching across the condiment arrangement for a butter square.

Kate tore at two sachets of sugar. “No thank you. Not much of a breakfast person.”

Tilly’s brows furrowed as she pinched open the foil. “You eat it every day at home.”

Kate sighed as she watched the coffeemaker drip into her cup. “That’s because I do it to keep you happy.”

She regretted it the moment she said it. Heels tapping across the tile, Tilly tossed the butter packet into the bin between them and reached for the jam. Kate glanced over. Tilly’s jaw was set hard, her lips twisted as, with more effort than necessary, she spread jam onto her toast. Kate returned her gaze to the dripping coffee. Jesus Christ, I do not have the energy for this… “Do you want me to make you a tea?” she asked, trying.

“I already have one.” Tilly’s tone was short. “I packed your things.”

“Thanks.”

“I left a spare set of clothes on the bed in case you wanted to change.”

“Great. I will.”

“But, by all means, don’t do it just to keep me happy.”

Fuck. She watched as Tilly sliced the bread in half. “Til—”

“The girls think you’ve been upstairs all morning in the room. Don’t tell them otherwise.”

Mind foggy, she pressed the lid onto her cup and headed for the lobby. As she passed her students at their breakfast table, she deduced from snippets of conversation that they were picking pictures from the night before to post on Instagram.

“Kate?” Molly asked. “Aren’t you eating with us?”

Shaking her head, she gestured to the elevator. “I have to send a few emails,” she lied. She looked from one girl to the other. “Are you packed upstairs?”

Grace and Molly nodded.

“All of you are?” Kate clarified. “Lexi?”

Lexi pulled her gaze from her phone. “Yeah. Almost.”

“Almost isn’t good enough when we leave in half an hour. Pull your socks up with breakfast and go upstairs and get your act together.”

As she crossed the lobby to the elevator, she hoped she could follow her own instructions.

Vibrating with exhaustion and an overload of caffeine, Kate squinted against the glare of the water and cursed herself for leaving her sunglasses behind in the van. Even with the midday rainstorm pelting the windows of the car ferry, the glare of the sun burned brightly between charcoal clouds, awaiting its turn.