Between overthinking everything that was happening between her and Tilly and coming to terms with the fact that her time at St. Joan’s had reached an end, Kate felt emotionally exhausted. And she wasn’t the only one. “Can we just sleep tonight?” Tilly asked when they returned to the cottage alone.

They hadn’t done this for years. Kate loved it—the cool night air breezing through the opened windows, the warmth of Tilly’s body spooned against hers. With her pointer finger, she drew patterns on Tilly’s back through her satin summer pyjamas, pressed kisses to the ridge of Tilly’s spine where the collar gaped, lips skimming the tiny hairs at the nape of Tilly’s neck. It didn’t have to turn into anything more. Just the scent of her hair made Kate warm all over. A memory gripped her and her finger stilled in the feminine dip of Tilly’s back. Tilly shifted into her, eager for Kate’s touch to return to tracing patterns.

“You know,” Kate said softly, “each time I’d go back to Mum’s for the school holidays, I’d pinch her Chanel Number Five and spritz it on my pillow just so it felt like I was home with you, back in our room…”

Tilly hummed a laugh and Kate smiled. After graduation, she’d even bought a bottle for herself. Although she never wore it, within six months, it had been empty in her bedside drawer. As Tilly turned onto her belly and slipped her arms beneath the pillow with a contented sigh, Kate decided to keep that part to herself.

She listened as Tilly’s breath evened out. Clasping her hands beneath her head, Kate stared up at the ceiling. It was a balmy night and the ceiling fan spinning sporadically above—furious, then slowing, and back to erratic—wasn’t helping any. Just as she focused on a blade, the motor kicked in and it disappeared into the blur. Great. Another thing she’d have to take a look at before she left on Saturday night.

She had no option but to go. Cynthia was returning from her Europe trip on Sunday—Christmas Eve—and with the pipes still out of order in the teacher’s suite in the boarding house, Cynthia would need a room in the cottage. The auction for the St. Kilda terrace had been delayed for another month, in the meantime, so Kate would be staying at her mother’s.

Tilly, however, wasn’t going anywhere. Regardless of the fact that the teaching term was over, Tilly had made an offhanded comment about wanting to remain on Lords to be there for Sister Tessie’s medical assessment. Kate knew she was using it as an excuse—she’d always planned to stay until the wedding. But now, if there wasn’t a wedding, there was no real need for Tilly to be there. Tilly had options. And leaving with Kate was one of them.

The fan ceased its rotation. The heat was suffocating. Careful not to disturb Tilly, she sat up in bed and stripped off her singlet.

With a sigh, Tilly rolled over.