Ange banged her fist down on the table, causing her soup spoon to almost jump onto the floor. “That’s it. I knew I recognised you from somewhere. I think it’s the hair, and the little freckles. She hasn’t changed much, has she, Jody?”

“I’d have to disagree. She’s really changed quite a bit since,” Linc mumbled, “in many ways.”

“What? You loved those ads. You’d beg me for a ‘Pash’ every time we went to the shops. And you’d stop in front of the poster and blow a kiss to the Pash girl on the way out.”

“Mum,” Linc said again. There was perhaps a hint of warning in his voice. His entire face was beet red.

Ange wasn’t one of those people who talked for the sake of talking but she was easy to chat to and soon they were discussing the trip to the ranch and the scavenger hunt. Keri lamented the fact that she hadn’t yet found a suitable gift, given the guidelines of the challenge — although she didn’t go into detail about the prize money or why she needed it. Linc had gone outside to have a look at his mother’s battered old ute, as she had a small concern with a knocking sound in the engine.

Keri told her about Stephen and his obsession with Star Trek, and all things sci-fi, that had led to his lucrative career in computer games.

Ange was thoughtful for a moment. “I may have something you could use,” she said. She disappeared into the hallway and soon came back, carrying an old wicker box.

“These are some of Jody’s things from when he was a little boy. I don’t know why I’ve kept them really, he’s never seemed interested in taking them with him.”

On the top was a balding teddy bear with a tatty red jumper and a missing eye. Keri ‘aw-ed’ suitably over him.

“I could never bring myself to throw Larry away,” Ange said, setting him aside. She shuffled around in the basket, finally pulling out a vintage Captain Kirk figurine. “Here you go. Jody was never into science fiction so I’ve no idea where this came from or why he kept it, but if you think it’s something your cousin would like ...”

“He’d love it, I’m sure.” Keri wondered vaguely whether there was a modern-day Chris Pine figurine, as he’d played Captain Kirk recently. “But I couldn’t take it.”

“Nonsense, it’ll only end up in a junk heap somewhere. You can ask Jody when he comes back if you’re unsure.”

“Keri was telling me about the scavenger hunt, and how much her cousin loves Star Trek. It’d be a sure winner, don’t you think?”

Linc looked at Captain Kirk, then at Keri. He crossed to the sink and turned to wash his oily hands.

“Absolutely. It’s a definite winner.” Linc turned back towards them and smiled at her, the corners of his eyes crinkling attractively.

Keri wondered if there would be time for a quick nap before dinner when they got back to the motel.

She was hopeful a short time later when Linc announced they needed to be off, kissed his mum and they said their goodbyes.

“About the Jody thing,” he said as soon as they’d turned out of the driveway. “That’s something nobody else needs to know about, right?”

We found a baby kangaroo! Linc saw its mum on the road and stopped and he rolled it over and it was all squished but he put his hand in its pouch and pulled Thor out.

He’s going to live with Linc’s mum with another joey too and she will look after them.

We had to get up really early and go out to this big field and the sun wasn’t even up and then we had to climb into the basket and sit down and hold these rope handles until it went off the ground.

It was so cool. It was really quiet up in the sky, except when the operator would pull on the handle and make the flames go up into the middle of the balloon and it would make this really loud woosh. You can’t steer the balloon, just go with the wind and control the up and down bit.

We went for a long way across the top of the earth and we saw an old car and some cows and lots of trees and the airport and heaps of stuff.

Me and Jayden did a sneaky spit out of the basket to see how far down it was. And Jayden’s mum growled at us but then Auntie Charlie and Niall did it too when she wasn’t looking.

After, we had to help stuff the balloons back onto the trailers and it was like a giant sleeping bag we had to squish in and we had drinks and snacks and then I fell asleep on the way home, but so did Uncle Phil.

We are staying in Alice Springs for a bit and me and Jayden stayed up and watched movies and we snuck some snacks and had a midnight feast. Except it was only about ten o’clock because we had to get up early.

Jayden said sorry for being mean with the tricks and I said it was okay and he said it was because he was worried about his mum and dad fighting and they were good now and I think we are friends.

Dad said Jayden and I could get pizza and stay in the hotel by ourselves tonight, even though Jayden is only thirteen and not really like a babysitter or anything. Anyway, it’s not like I’m a baby and need someone to look after me — I’ll be twelve next year which is practically a teenager. But he said it was probably best if I didn’t tell Mum.

When I rang Mum I didn’t tell her but anyway she was out with Aunty Kim — she’s not a real aunty but that’s what I call her — and they were having espresso martinis which Mum said are the best drink ever and she had to go. She didn’t even ask me about my homework, so phew.

We had ice cream this afternoon so I’m not that hungry. I got two scoops in a waffle cone with whipped cream. I had raspberry ripple and salted caramel.

I don’t know why adults are so obsessed with ice cream though. Why do you have to have only one favourite flavour? I think you should just have the ice cream you like and not worry about what other people like.

Also why are spoons called spoons? Why not scoops, because that makes sense. In Chinese there are lots of words for spoon.

Also, why are grapefruits called grapefruits? Because there are already grapes. And they are a fruit. And grapefruit don’t look anything like grapes.

I would have called them squirt fruit because people always get squirted in the eye with them when they cut them in half and eat them with a spoon. Or a scoop.

Jayden wants to go to the reptile centre and he said I should go too and then I would see snakes but I would be safe. He promised not to scare me if I went but I’m not sure. Dad said it’s up to me.

We are going to the ranch tomorrow and when we get there we might play a trick on Stephen and wrap something small up in lots and lots of layers like a pass the parcel. Hahaha.

Phil, Niall and Charlie all started to sing, “Alice, Alice, who the f—” then broke off laughing at Kevin’s face.

“Alice Todd,” he told him. “Her husband was a pioneer who set up the telephone lines out here, I think.”

“And there’s a Charlestown,” Jayden said. “Wait, is your real name Charles?”

Phil had found an ice cream shop and they all sat outside in the sun — licking at cones and spooning from cups — discussing flavours. Naomi had come back earlier from the mall and somehow scored herself a date for dinner that night with a guy who worked in the Print Shop, so she had settled for a small cup of peppermint gelato.

“Is that so your breath doesn’t stink tonight, Noms?” Niall asked with a grin.

“I’m usually not a vanilla guy,” Niall said. “Normally I’d be more tutti frutti.”

Charlie scoffed. “I’ll bet you’re not. Vanilla all the way. Or making your own.”

“I’m happy with chocolate.” Phil licked a drip from the side of his cone. “Or vanilla. I’m not really too fussy. Soft serve is good too — quick and easy and pretty cheap. Weren’t you always into that metropolitan when we were kids, Charlie?”

“Neapolitan,” Charlie corrected. “And no. I was always all about the nuts.”

“Just not good to get the flavours muddled, dude,” Phil told him. “Strawberry first, then chocolate, but you can never go back.”

“Never really been into the strawberry,” Charlie replied. “Mmm, this pistachio is good though, it’s chocka with nuts.”

“I’m not keen on nuts, I don’t really understand the fuss,” Zach said, and they all laughed. He looked confused.

“I’m not into nuts either, mate. Don’t you think you should have gone for French vanilla, Naomi?” Niall cackled.

“I had Cherry Garcia when I was in New Mexico,” Eddie said. “That was pretty tasty. You’re definitely not going to go back to vanilla after that, believe me.”

“All right.” Kevin stood up and threw his napkin into a nearby rubbish bin. “Let’s head back, shall we?”

Keri was not unhappy that Linc had missed that particular conversation. He’d gone to take the car back and hadn’t returned before Charlie had knocked on the door inviting her for ice cream, so her idea of having a ‘lie down’ hadn’t panned out. She had high hopes for later that night and, well, sometimes anticipation only made things all that much sweeter. She took a lick of her ice cream.

“Shit, I left something. It’s back at the ... I have to go,” he muttered, walking quickly away, yanking his baseball cap down over his head as he went so that his face was completely shaded.

“I sometimes wonder if he’s all there,” Kevin said. “Maybe he caught some weird parasite in one of his exotic locations?”

“Ew, like a worm?” Zach asked, picking up his pen to write something in his notebook with sticky fingers. “Or a leech?”

“Are you Keri Buckley?” a woman asked, and Keri looked up. She was around Keri’s age, with a dark-brown pixie cut and angular nose. She was wearing dress pants and a white blouse and she was holding out some sort of recording device. Keri’s heart went to her throat.

“Lisa Cowell, Australia Today. I’d like to ask you a few questions about your involvement in the SX80 supercar scam,” she said.

“No comment,” Keri said, her voice shaking. She stood, and started to walk away.

“If I could just get a statement ...” the woman was saying and then Charlie and Niall were flanking her like bodyguards as they headed back to their accommodation.

“She said no comment,” Keri heard Kevin say behind her. “How about you leave now?”

She was so glad she had her cousins with her and grateful they were leaving tomorrow for the ranch.

Darren and Michelle were taking Jayden to the reptile centre. Zach was dithering over whether he would be brave and go too. Keri thought he was only contemplating it to look cool to Jayden. Niall and Charlie were in charge of stocking up on alcohol for the party and had wandered down to the bottle store now that it was after two pm, since Alice Springs had a by-law with set times alcohol could be purchased.

Keri was feeling antsy and stressed so she decided to go for a run along the riverbank and work out some tension. She pulled on her cap and glasses just in case the reporter was still hanging around and set off. Her running shoes were quickly coated in orange dust that she suspected would never come out.

Alice Springs was known as the heart of the Red Centre. Being a more populated city meant other more remote areas came in to access healthcare and the shops. But it was an expensive place to live and a lot of the indigenous community struggled with poverty.

The Todd River was dry and dusty. It was hard to imagine it had flooded its banks a few years back. Now, some locals made their homes in the brown dirt. There were tents and sleeping spots dotted along the embankment. Keri ran past, struggling to imagine living in such squalor.

She thought of her own idea of money troubles and berated herself for making so much of it. She was privileged and she needed to keep that in mind.

On her way home, she ran past a park on the outskirts of town where she stopped at a drinking fountain. As she bent to take a drink she saw a familiar figure, talking animatedly with the reporter from earlier in the day. Why was Linc talking to her? Her pulse raced and bile rose in her throat. Was he giving her information about Chad and their relationship? Telling her things she had told him in confidence? Keri couldn’t imagine any other reason he’d have for talking to her, although she tried her best to think of one.

They were sitting at a concrete bench and Keri watched them for several minutes, her heart sinking. Linc was talking and the reporter was writing things down in a notebook. It was hard to gauge what Linc was saying, but then they stood and the woman handed Linc a business card. He nodded, putting it in his pocket and shook her hand. He turned to go, catching sight of Keri. He looked surprised to see her there. His face was hard to read. Was that guilt? Keri turned and fled, the betrayal sitting like a rock in her stomach.

“Keri, wait,” he called, but she increased her pace, desperate to get back to her room, tears streaming down her face.

She sat on the edge of the bed feeling sweaty and drained and waited for him. She heard the door unlock and he came in quietly, without speaking.

“How could you do that to me?” she said softly, her voice cracking. “After I told you about Chad in confidence.”

“Really? So you just happened to have a chat with a reporter and my name didn’t even come up?”

“Now wait a minute,” he said. “I think you need to calm down so we can talk about this without jumping to conclusions.

“Calm down? Really? I should calm down, when you’ve betrayed me?” She felt suddenly livid. She was so sick of getting her heart broken by men and furious that she’d let herself fall for someone again. She was a bloody fool.

“I thought we had something. I really thought you and I might have something. I guess I was wrong.” She blinked rapidly, trying to hold back the tears and stared down at her hands. They were shaking.

Linc was silent and she glanced up at him. He didn’t look remorseful like she was expecting, more angry.

“I was only talking to her,” he said. “I didn’t tell her anything. I thought maybe it would be a chance for you to tell your version of events. She wanted to show your side of the story and I thought it might help.”

Keri opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. She felt suddenly exhausted. She didn’t know what to think.

“You know what?” Linc abruptly moved to the dresser and picked up his duffle bag. “I can’t do this.” He went into the bathroom and grabbed his toiletries, throwing them on top of his clothes. “I can’t be with someone who doesn’t trust me.” He stood in the doorway for a few minutes. Keri didn’t look up again, afraid of what she would see on his face. “Do you really think so little of me that I’d tell your story to a random bloody reporter? Or that I think so little of you?”

“No, I’m sorry. This isn’t going to work.” He wasn’t shouting, but the cold, steady way he spoke the words were way worse than if he’d been yelling at her.

He turned and left, pulling the door quietly shut behind him, leaving Keri in the silent room, her heart feeling like it was crumbling in her chest.

I’ve made it to Alice Springs. I was planning on stopping here and laying low but yesterday a reporter almost found me. It was a close call, and I just managed to escape by the skin of my teeth but I’m guessing now there will be more.

I know you said in your last email that there had only been a tiny article in the local paper, but I think maybe there will be more attention on me to come.

I can’t believe Dani is dating that loser news guy. Already? And isn’t he like, way too old for her? He has to be at least 50?

Valerie says that it’s best to let it go and let her be happy. She is very adamant that she and I are meant to be and that she’ll do very well out of the divorce and I can be her kept man.

I’m not sure about the job options you sent through. Is that really where I want to go? I feel like dressing up in a costume doesn’t show my best side. Maybe the voice work though, just to put something on my resumé. No new news on the sitcom audition, I take it? I reckon I can easily pass for thirty-five, or even thirty at a pinch, if that’s what they’re after. Could you have a ring around and see whether anyone’s got a good deal going on a Botox and Fraxel laser combo?

Well, for now I might head to this ranch of the Buckleys and hang there. They’re a pretty good bunch. Only slightly mad. Plus everything has been all expenses paid. And there’s a big party — you know I can never resist a party.

Keri slept badly that night. The bed felt too big and she missed Linc’s solid presence. She imagined he’d gone to his mother’s to sleep and she pictured him telling Ange what had happened. She felt terrible.

Had she overreacted? Probably. She was awful at that. Something she was aware of, but fell into as a habit. She should have trusted him more. He had told her how important trust was to him, and she’d screwed it up.

Only Linc wasn’t at the bus when she lugged her bag down to the car park the next morning. Instead, a weathered-looking guy with a bald head and a porn-stache was loading bags into the trailer.

“He’s staying on in Alice for a bit, asked me to drop you all at the ranch today. I’m Jack.”

Keri wasn’t sure what to think. She was shocked that Linc would walk away like that. Embarrassed, upset. A bit angry. But mostly, she was hurt. Hurt that she clearly had meant so little to him. She hadn’t considered the possibility of not seeing him again.

“Hey, Pash,” he said quietly, and a lump rose in her throat. She rested her head against his shoulder and shut her eyes.

It was only a couple of hours to the ranch from Alice Springs, but a large part of it was over a bumpy gravel road and Eddie and Naomi were feeling a little car sick. They had all gone to a bar for drinks the night before, which Keri had declined, and they were rather hung over.

“I wish Linc had come today,” Naomi said as they set off. “I’m pretty sure he was keen on me. I picked up a vibe from him, you know?” She pulled out a tube of cream from her bag and started to apply it to her hands. “I was planning on making a move at the party.” She sighed. “Is there even going to be anyone else besides family there?”

“I think some of Stephen’s friends are coming.” Michelle looked over at Keri sympathetically.

“Linc likes Keri though,” Zach told Naomi. “I hope we have proper party food.”

Naomi gave Zach an odd look. “I don’t know why you think that, Zach.” She did a funny little, rather fake, laugh.

“No, I mean that Linc likes Keri,” Naomi said. “Why would you think that?”

“Well, well, don’t you move fast?” she said. “After I bagsed him in Hahndorf too.”

“Yeah, and anyway, Keri’s had her eye on him for weeks,” Charlie added. “So if anyone got in first, she did.”

“It’s not a competition,” Keri said quietly. “Anyway, it looks like it hasn’t panned out.”

“Well, it doesn’t matter because he’s not here, is he?” Keri shut her eyes and tried to sleep.

“What would you change your name to if you had to?” Darren asked a little while later. “I always wanted to be called Brock.”

“He’s right,” Phil said. “I know several Honeys and they’re all in the adult entertainment industry.”

“How can you go back to the future?” Zach asked, prompting a discussion on flux capacitors and DeLoreans and the chance of being struck by lightning.

She must have dozed off, and she was thankful for that. When she woke, her thoughts went straight back to Linc.

“So, who thinks they’ve won the scavenger hunt, and what will you do with the prize money?” Michelle asked after some time.

“I think, thanks to my boy here, I’m a shoo in,” Kevin said proudly. Zach beamed.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Charlie said. “When I win, I’m going to build myself a new deck and turn my attic into a home gym. My present is going to kick arse.”

“What have you got, Keri?” Zach asked. Keri looked over from where she’d been staring blindly out the window, thinking about Linc and feeling miserable. She thought of the toy from Linc’s house and felt even sadder.

“But his dad gave him that,” Zach said. “Right before he died. Linc loves it.”

Keri felt like she was going to have a panic attack. Why would Linc give her the figure if it was so special to him? Why hadn’t he said anything? There was no way she could give it to Stephen. She’d have to return it to Ange’s house on her way back.

They turned off towards the ranch and it set them reminiscing about Grandpa Bill. He grew up on the ranch. His parents had established it and then William had brought out the neighbouring property not long after his father died.

They had cattle on it, Bos taurus originally and then Brahmans. William had been a hardworking man who hated to leave the Northern Territory and his children had joked that he only did to find himself a new wife when the pickings were too slim in Alice. His first wife, Belinda, had been a local and the love of his life. She had died giving birth to Peter and Bill had gone to Coober Pedy shortly after to find and marry Joan, the niece of an acquaintance and a spinster already in her forties. It had been a practical decision, rather than a love match. The house and the children needed looking after, and that was that.

None of Bill’s grandkids had like Joan. She had been a hard, unemotional woman, but, in hindsight, it had been a pretty impressive feat for her to take on six kids, one of them a baby. Still, she had scared the crap out of them all and no one had been overly upset when she died. Least of all Peter who had copped the worst of her with her blatant homophobia. She hadn’t gone to the hospital the night he was attacked, or in the days after. He’d turned out surprisingly well considering she was the only mother he’d known. But he loved the land and farming. Like William, it was his life, and he planned to live out his life on the station, just like his father and grandfather before him.

Canyon Moon was down about a quarter-mile-long driveway and Phil had to jump out several times to open gates as they went through. Eventually, though, the old homestead came into view, although it looked nothing like Keri remembered. It was much larger in her memory but it had also now been renovated and featured a shingle rather than a tin roof. The front had been opened up with large glass bifold doors and the front deck extended.

Even more changed was Peter, who came down the steps, limping slightly. He had been a young man the last time they were all here, only in his twenties, and he’d been a good-looking guy, tall, dark and handsome with his long brown locks, thick moustache and the beginnings of a beard.

Now, he had more hair on his chin than his head and it was almost all grey. He still had the same warm smile though and he welcomed them all with hugs and exclamations over how grown they all were.

“Roger’s in the barn cleaning the spit,” he told them. “So come in and let’s have a drink to celebrate.”

The kitchen was completely remodelled. They all got their drinks sorted and Peter produced bowls of corn chips, guacamole and a fabulous charcuterie board. Kevin and Michelle carried them out the back where another huge, semi-enclosed deck had been added for entertaining. An outdoor fire and large sets of tables and chairs were placed amongst planters of herbs and wildflowers. They sat in the midday sun and caught up.

“Stephen’s coming tomorrow via helicopter,” Peter said. “He has to land on the top paddock so someone will need to drive over and pick him up. The truck’s manual. And I’d love some help with decorating his cake if anyone is skilled in that area?”

Everyone looked a little shocked until he added, “I was trying to impress a sheila.” That made sense and they all went ‘Ahhh’.

“Thanks, darl. He’s going to confirm in the morning,” Peter said. “We were talking about baking and I knew I’d mix things up.” He said this like it made perfect sense. Everyone but Charlie looked baffled.

“Gidday,” a voice said from the side of the house, and Roger appeared, looking much the same, if a little bigger than before, wearing his signature digger hat. They all did the hugging and kissing again and then Roger roped Kevin into helping with something in the barn. The boys went to help as well and Phil and Naomi filled glasses.

“So the house is only three bedrooms now,” Peter told them. “We knocked the big bedroom wall down to add an en suite and an office. But the barn is all accommodation, and there are two double rooms and a bunkhouse with three sets of bunks out there. There are also two bathrooms.”

They decided Kevin, Phil, Eddie, Niall and the boys would go in the bunkhouse, leaving Darren and Michelle and Naomi and Charlie a room. Stephen would get a room in the house. They weren’t sure if he was bringing a date. Which left Keri.

“The other room’s only a single,” Peter said somewhat apologetically, and Keri assured him it would be fine.

Keri woke to the uncomfortable sound of Peter and Roger grunting and groaning. It sounded like it was right outside her door.

Keri got up to get a glass of water and find bleach for her ears, only to discover the couple in the kitchen, bending over the stove. Thankfully, they were fully clothed.

“We’re trying to get this ginormous ham into the oven,” Peter told her. “But it’s too tall.”

“Wait, yes. I could use the baking rack,” Peter said. “Can you get it, darl? It’s in that bottom cupboard.”

Keri fished it out. They carefully manoeuvred the ham and switched out the racks. It just fit in the huge Italian oven.

She had a quick wash up and helped them lay out breakfast for everyone, making a pot of coffee, finding orange juice and setting the table while Peter made a giant stack of pancakes and Roger did scrambled eggs. When they were done, Peter went to the deck and rang a large bell hanging from the eaves.

Slowly, everyone emerged from the barn and wandered up the drive. They ate outside again in the cool morning air.

“Niall sleep talks,” Zach said. “He was talking about some lady called Emily and her pussy. What kind of cat was it, Niall?” Niall choked on his coffee and mouthed an apology to Kevin. “Um, one of those bald ones,” he said with a smirk. “I need more coffee. Anyone else?”

“What else do we need to help with today?” Michelle asked Peter. “Where are we having the party? On the deck?”

“I think so,” he said. “Do you think there’s enough room? We could drain and move the spa pool so we can use the side of the deck as well? We need to have room to boogie.”

“It is,” Roger told her. “But it’s on a timer so it’ll be hotter later tonight.”

“I can do that,” Charlie said. “We just need a rubbish sack and I have duct tape.”

“That’s so what a serial killer would say.” Niall came back with the coffees.

Charlie reached into her pocket and pulled out her hand, extending her middle finger to him. Jayden laughed.

“No, she says it’s too far for her these days. The perils of getting old.”

“That’s why being the baby is best.” Naomi pulled out one of her teabags from her pocket. “It makes you feel so much better when everyone is older than you.”

“Well, thank you so much for that,” Darren said. “By the way, you have something in your teeth.”

Naomi quickly picked up her knife and peered at her front teeth in the reflection. Michelle gave Darren a light slap on his arm. ‘Meanie’, she mouthed at him with a grin.

“So, how’s the station doing?” Kevin asked Roger. “What’s going on with it at the moment?”

“Well, I think Ben is baling hay right now, but there’s also a bull we plan to put out for mating this morning, if you want to come and have a nosey?”

Keri was sorting some washing in the laundry attached to the main bathroom when Michelle popped her head in carrying a load of her own clothes.

“I’m glad I caught you alone,” she said. “I wanted to see if you were okay?”

“Well, you seem a bit miserable actually,” Michelle said carefully. “I’m guessing it’s the whole Linc thing?”

Keri thought she’d been doing a good job hiding her heartbreak, but clearly not.

“Yeah, I messed it all up,” she said. “But I’m hoping I can fix things.” She told Michelle about the reporter and not trusting Linc.

“Even so,” Michelle said, “things are new with you guys. He could have stuck around to work things out.”

“I can tell. I have to admit, I’ve kind of been watching you guys and feeling a bit envious. You’ve both got that ‘new love’ look about you — like you can’t wait to jump each other.”

“Yes, definitely. He always looks at you when he thinks nobody’s looking.” Michelle gave her a long, warm hug. “You’ll sort things. Nothing is unfixable.”

“Yeah, they are. I think a holiday was just what we needed. We’ve had some good talks about money and made some plans for the future.” She grinned. “Plus a few good shags that helped get back the spark.”

Stephen was due in a bit after midday, so Keri took the boys with her to watch the chopper land. They drove past the house where Ben and Matilda lived and through grazing stock. Getting to the top paddock took about half an hour and she had fun driving the old farm truck over the uneven terrain. Now that the station had been divided up, it wasn’t nearly as big as it had been. She remembered when the cockies would be gone for days back when they were children, setting off on horseback and returning dusty and hungry. Keri had always hoped she’d be able to go with them someday, but Grandma Joan had scoffed when she’d mentioned it and told her it was ‘men’s work’.

Roger and Peter had plans to use the barn for a sort of bed and breakfast farm experience and the helipad was a new feature. Zach decided he would stay in the truck when they arrived, so she and Jayden got out and stood at the edge of the flattened area to wait.

The helicopter was a sleek black bird like something from a James Bond film, landing loudly but gracefully on the levelled meadow. Keri almost expected Stephen to get out in a three-piece suit, but he emerged instead looking like a grown-up version of her childhood memory of him, wearing khaki pants and a diamond knit jumper, his thick dark-rimmed glasses perched precariously on his thin nose.

“Hello, Stephen,” Zach yelled out the window, against the noise of the still-spinning blades. “Can I see your missing toe?”

Stephen smiled, showing the gap in his front teeth, and gave them a small awkward wave. Keri hoped he hadn’t heard.

Stephen came over to give them all hugs. Behind him, the helicopter rotors slowed and finally stopped, the quiet returning.

“It’s great to see you,” Keri said, hugging him back. “Thank you so much, it’s been an awesome trip up. The balloon was amazing. Everyone loved it.”

“Ah, I’m glad. It seemed like a good excuse for us all to catch up. Did everyone make it?”

“Really? I thought he was in Siberia? Huh.” He removed his cap and gave his hair a quick ruffle before putting the cap back on. He was going bald on top, Keri noticed.

“She’s good. We had high tea yesterday. She would have liked to come, but it’s a bit much for her these days.”

“Stephen, I’ve been trying to solve your mystery,” Zach told him. Stephen bent down to look in the truck window, looking puzzled.

“About who locked you in the shed,” Zach said. “When you were all playing hide and seek. I’ve been writing it all down in my notebook. Where everyone was, and who might have done it.”

One of the pilots came over, carrying two , and Stephen rushed over to grab them.

“Sorry,” he said. The pilot took off their helmet, a wave of amber hair falling down her back. She was gorgeous. Like the Top Gun chick. Or Lara Croft. Keri felt like a troll in her hiking pants and hoodie and dirty hair under her cap.

“It’s fine,” the woman said. “I just need to give Den the all clear to go and I’ll be back.” She gave Stephen a smile and headed back to the helicopter.

The mystery of the hide and seek night is solved! Stephen was hiding in the shed and he knocked something. Then he was trying to be quiet and he accidentally jammed his coat in the door and it wouldn’t open.

Not as exciting as I was thinking, but at least no one turned out to be an evil villain.

Stephen has a girlfriend who can fly helicopters and she is really cool. Phil said he was a lucky bastard, which is a bit of a weird thing to say because I looked up ‘bastard’ once and it means his mum wasn’t married and that seems like not a very big deal to have a word for. Or it is a not nice word to say you don’t like someone? But I think Phil likes Stephen so I’m a bit confused.

Stephen's party is tomorrow. Jayden and I are going to help with the balloons and stuff. Peter is making a cake but it’s not a cool one in the shape of anything, just a round one.

Anyway, we watched a bull jumping up on some cows today which was okay and then we saw the helicopter land which was cool. But Amanda says you need to be good at maths to be a pilot which is not so cool. And there’s a spa pool.

The ranch is pretty big but Roger said it used to be way bigger. The shed where Stephen got stuck is gone now though.

We are sleeping in a barn and there are owls at night but Roger says there won’t be any snakes and if there were, I can just walk with a ‘heavy foot’ and they will be scared off. I think he means to stomp around.

Peter walks with a limp. I asked if he got bitten by a snake and he said no. And he didn’t have any toes chopped off either. He said it was a long time ago and Roger saved his life and then they kissed. More kissing! Blerk.

The celebrations that night were low key, given that the party was going to be the next day, but everyone was clearly happy to be together again. Only Phil was drinking heavily.

There was an embarrassing moment when Stephen saw Eddie and had to confirm who he was, but after they explained that they’d all not recognised him either, Stephen shook Eddie’s hand, pleased to see him after all these years and asked him a lot of questions. Eddie had avoided him for the rest of the evening, sticking with Naomi, who liked to talk mostly about herself, on the other side of the room.

There was a lot of reminiscing about their holidays as kids, and arguing about whose recollection was the closest to the truth. Naomi had a terrible memory so she didn’t recall as much as the rest of them. Stephen had always been a shrewd observer so seemed to recall the most. Keri was surprised Eddie was so sketchy with the details he remembered, but perhaps his recent travelling life was much more in the forefront of his mind.

Niall and Charlie argued over a plate they’d both coveted at breakfast time, with Niall thinking it had had blue spots and Charlie thinking they were red. Nobody else really cared much one way or the other but Kevin thought he knew the one they were talking about and reckoned it didn’t have spots at all.

They were all in agreement that Grandma Joan had been an old cow. Peter said he wasn’t sad when she’d moved to Darwin to live with her sister after Bill had died. That had been when he and Roger had moved into the main house and started renovating, making it their own. The old stockmen’s cottage they’d lived in still stood, slightly to the north, and this was where Roger’s nephew Ben and his wife Matilda lived.

It was certainly a different house than Keri remembered. Much lighter and brighter without the dark corners and dreary old furniture that had been there when their grandparents had lived in it. Touches of original artwork graced the walls and large windows on the north and west facing sides opened up the view of the land and the sunset.

Keri was quiet for most of the conversation, laughing when it seemed she should and trying not to make it obvious she was miserable. Michelle gave her a sympathetic look every now and then. There was a moment of genuine hilarity for everyone, bar Keri, when they ribbed Phil about the crush he’d had on her mother.

“Hey, I’m the one you should feel sorry for,” Stephen said when Keri made a gagging face. “Who do you think had to listen to him while he was pawing over those photos of Aunty Trish in the barn? In hindsight, I’d have been better off to have given up my hiding place.”

Keri smiled at his sweet innocence and gave Phil the finger. Her mother had done a bit of page three style modelling, claiming it was a form of artistic expression. Probably why she was happy to let Keri be in the ‘Pash’ ad campaign as a child. It had been mortifying at school when people saw her mother’s pictures; she didn’t need to think about Phil finding her a MILF. Gross.

“You’d still have your toe too if you’d said something that night,” Darren said to Stephen. “Even so, it was shit of us to not notice you were still missing.”

They all agreed and made belated apologies and Stephen laughed. “Yeah, you arseholes, you all suck.”

“Can I see your missing toe, Stephen?” Zach said, and Kevin ruffled his hair.

Keri used the pause in conversation to excuse herself too, claiming she needed a shower. She stood under the water feeling a bit defeated, running shampoo through her hair and doing a quick face wash and shave of her pits before getting out and heading back to her room in her pyjamas.

She closed the door behind her and sat on the single bed, combing through her curls a little forlornly. As well as feeling sad, she was a bit pissed off with herself. Once again, she’d jumped to conclusions with Linc and she really thought she’d have been able to stop doing that. It was a work in progress though, learning to trust, and to communicate rather than assume. Things had happened so quickly between them and she’d felt so comfortable that she often forgot they’d only known each other a short time. Normally she’d have taken months to feel as comfortable with a man as she had with Linc. In fact, she didn’t think she’d ever felt the way she felt about him before.

She picked her phone up from the bedside table where it had been charging and sat with it in her lap, turning it over idly. He was in the wrong too but she could understand it from his point of view. She hadn’t trusted him, yet he’d never given her any reason not to. Someone had to make the first move.

She picked the phone up and dialled his number, feeling this was one of those times a message wouldn’t cut it. She hit the green phone icon quickly before she could change her mind. But the reception was shit and the call didn’t ring through.

There was no juggling of hams the next morning when Keri woke, but Peter and Roger had made a huge birthday breakfast spread. There was home-cured bacon and eggs, mushrooms with thyme and crème fraîche, hash browns, slow-roasted tomatoes and Roger’s specialty ‘cowboy beans’ as well as fruit salad and coffee.

The day was bright and sunny and warm enough that they’d ditched long sleeves for T-shirts. Keri couldn’t remember a day at the ranch when it had rained and she loved the contrast between the azure sky, dotted with clouds, and the barren-looking earth.

“When does the party start?” Zach asked, piling his plate with beans for the second time.

“Right after breakfast.” Stephen stood in the doorway, stretching sleepily. He was wearing a pair of baggy togs, his scrawny body pale and bony.

“Yep,” he grinned. “We have to. It’s tradition. And it’s my birthday.”

There was a pond on the property that was used for water for the house and to feed the stock. When it wasn’t dried out they’d swim in it. Being winter, it was full enough.

“I’m in,” Charlie said. “In my underwear,” she added when Niall recoiled slightly. “Do you still have those yellow budgie smugglers you had as a kid?”

Naomi was still trying to stall. “Grandma Joan would never let us swim this soon after breakfast.”

“Joan can rotate in her grave.” Kevin stood. “Besides, it won’t be that cold. Last one in’s a dead duck.”

Keri didn’t want to think of dead birds, but she was up for the challenge and could do with the distraction, so she went to find an old pair of shorts to swim in.

They couldn’t all fit into the farm truck but Phil stayed behind with Peter to finish off the birthday preparations. Naomi offered to help too, so the others set off with Keri driving, the boys and Charlie on the back tray and Roger and Michelle on the quad bike. By the time they arrived at the waterhole they were sweaty and dusty so nobody hesitated when it came to jumping into the cool water, even Zach, who did a weird stomp over to the water and waded cautiously in after being reassured by Kevin that there were no water snakes. Eddie stayed in the shallows, refusing to put his head under and ruin his hair.

It was nice to finally have Stephen with them to participate. Keri had noticed Zach taking sneaky looks at Stephen’s foot and he’d seemed disappointed at the smooth knob that was there, healed many years before.

They lay afterwards, sprawled on towels in the sun or under the huge old wattle tree, slapping away the flies. Amanda looked like a Sports Illustrated model in her skimpy bikini. Keri thought about how Linc would look, in a pair of swim shorts, beaded with water from the pond. On second thoughts, she was wearing a ratty pair of jogging shorts and an old grey sports bra, so perhaps it was best he wasn’t there.

“If there were an apocalypse and we had to eat someone, who would you choose?” Charlie asked suddenly.

“What? She’d be young and tender. And let’s face it, there wouldn’t be much use for a dental hygienist, would there?”

“I’d pick Phil then,” Amanda said. “He’d be nicely marinated.” They all laughed.

Keri lay with her eyes closed, running her fingers through the grass and listening to them all talk. In the distance, a cow lowed and something buzzed lazily near her ear.

“I’m not sure,” Stephen said. “Probably a woma. But it was too dark to see.”

“Were you scared?” Zach inched closer to his dad who gave him a pat on his knee.

“I was,” Stephen said carefully, “but it all turned out okay in the end.”

“Yeah, but I was pretty sick by then ’cause it got infected, so I don’t remember any of it.”

“We must ring Hayley today,” Michelle said to Darren. “I haven’t spoken to her since Coober Pedy.”

“She won’t care.” Jayden picked at the tape on his arm, flicking irritatedly at the flies. “Can we go now?” he asked, maybe because Amanda had pulled on a T-shirt. “We haven’t done the presents yet.”

They all pulled themselves up reluctantly. Charlie kicked Niall who had fallen asleep, muttering about eels.

Keri was at the steps leading to the side deck of the ranch house when she heard the crunch of tyres on gravel and a sleek black car appeared around the bend of the driveway, dust swirling around its tyres. Keri didn’t recognise the car, or the woman who got out of the driver’s side, but she seemed somehow familiar. She had a grey bob and was wearing a floral maxi dress and stylish pink ankle boots.

“Shit,” Eddie said from behind her. He took a step back and looked around before bolting towards the barn.

With one hand shading her eyes, Keri squinted at the man who had got out of the passenger side. She’d have recognised him anywhere. It was Linc.

Kevin and Roger went to greet the new arrivals and Keri watched as they talked intently for a bit. Together the four of them headed towards the house. Keri felt herself frozen to the top step, one hand resting on the smooth wooden railing. She gripped harder to stop herself from shaking.

“This is Valerie,” Linc said. His eyes flicked briefly to Keri. She was aware again of her ratty swimwear and the faded Tweety Bird towel she had slung over one shoulder.

“I knew he looked familiar,” Naomi declared after they’d gone inside and Linc and Valerie had explained who Eddie really was.

“None of us did,” Kevin said. He looked at Valerie. “So let me get this straight. Eddie is Nathan, an actor, or TV presenter or whatever, and you and him were having an affair, and he pretended to be Eddie to get away?”

“Well, yes, but not from me,” Valerie insisted. “From the media. And my daughter, I suppose,” she added reluctantly.

Nathan/Eddie had come back from the barn with his backpack and was sitting sheepishly at the table, saying nothing. The boys had been sent out to have a spa.

“Shit, yeah,” Phil said. “Valerie. Hey. Your daughter is that hot weather chick. Whoa, this is intense. Does anyone else need an alcoholic drink?” Everyone nodded emphatically.

“I found Linc through his website,” Valerie said. “I was hoping to catch Nathan in Alice Springs but I was too late. Linc was kind enough to escort me here and sort things out. Luckily for me he was planning on coming out here to get something he’d left behind.”

“This is really weird,” Darren said. “I feel kinda bad for the real Eddie that none of us realised that it wasn’t him.”

“Well, I think it’s probably best if we just go,” Nathan said. He looked around at them all. “I really am sorry for all this. I feel terrible for the deception. You’ve all been lovely. Sorry.”

“And he didn’t go in the hot air balloon,” Linc told Stephen. “He shared accommodation. So it was mainly only food and drink costs.”

“I can pay you back,” Nathan told Stephen. “I’m so sorry to spoil your birthday like this. I feel rather terrible actually.”

Valerie leant across and patted his knee, then slid her hand further up his thigh. Linc coughed awkwardly. “The only issue is, the Jag is a two-seater.” He looked quickly at Keri, then away to Peter. “So I may need to stay until Jack comes back with the bus, if that’s okay?”

“Sure, no problem,” Peter said. “Happy to have you. The more the merrier.”

“Yeah, nah,” Stephen said. “Sorry, but I only met you yesterday, so I haven’t really formed any attachment to the idea of you being Eddie.”

“Fair enough,” Nathan nodded. “Shall we get going then?” he said to Valerie.

There was an uncomfortable moment where everyone rose from the table and hovered, unsure what the protocol was to say goodbye to someone who had been pretending to be a family member. They all wandered out to the Jag.

“Well, goodbye,” Nathan said. They climbed into the car and Valerie started it up. Nathan lowered his window and handed Stephen a badly wrapped parcel.

“Happy birthday,” he said. “But just so you know, I wouldn’t have taken your money if I’d won the scavenger hunt.”

The Jag pulled away, Nathan waving for a bit before he put up the tinted window and they disappeared in a cloud of dust down the drive.

“Now can we do the presents?” Jayden asked. Stephen looked dubiously at the parcel in his hand.

“We can eat lunch and open them on the back deck,” Peter suggested. “Naomi made a gorgeous salad and we have roast chicken.”

Keri stood to go. She was still rather shocked at the appearance of Linc. Had he just come back for the action figure though? Was it crazy to hope there was more to it than that? She opened her mouth to finally say something to him, but Stephen beat her to it.

“Linc, I need a quick word,” he said “Nothing wrong, but I wanted to check something on the expense claim you sent me.”

Linc gave Keri an inscrutable look. “Sure,” he said, following Stephen outside.

Keri eyed the action figure lying on her bed. There was no way she could give it to Stephen. She rummaged in her bag for fresh clothes, wondering what she could give him as a gift. At the bottom of her bag was the old poster, her little face beaming up at her. It would have to do. She pulled it out and rolled it up, securing it with a scrunchy with a sigh.

Still, she realised her money issues were no longer at the forefront of her mind. Michelle and Darren needed the money just as much as she did — she wasn’t more deserving of it than any of her family were, and she would be okay. She could find another job, perhaps working for Kevin, and pay back her debt. Right now she was more concerned with mending things with Linc. But first, she needed to get out of her hideous shorts.

“Right, whose shall I open first?” Stephen asked, looking at them all. Peter cleared his plate to make some room.

“Ours.” Michelle placed a wine bag on the table. Stephen peered in, then pulled out the bottle.

“We bartered it,” Darren said. “We didn’t buy it. I swapped my Fitbit for it.”

“Where’s your Fitbit I gave you?” Kevin asked, and Stephen grinned at him.

“Well, I guess I should thank you then, Kevin,” she said, punching Stephen lightly on the arm. “Cheapskate.”

Stephen looked at Zach and Jayden’s excited faces. “How about you guys open them both for me?” he suggested, leaning over to whisper something in Amanda’s ear that made her blush. The boys ripped into the gifts.

They were both photos. In identical frames. One of the sunset and one of the sunrise at Uluru.

“Wow, these are both great,” Stephen said. “Really beautiful. It’s hard to say which is better than the other. Which one was yours again, Niall?”

“That one.” He pointed at the sunset. At the same time, Charlie pointed to the sunrise.

“No, it’s not,” Niall said. “Hang on, wait. Maybe.” They both looked at the images, clearly confused.

“You two are hilarious,” Darren said. “I thought it was supposed to be a twin thing, but it seems to have missed me and gone straight to Charlie.”

“Hey, that’s the same frame as on my gift,” Naomi said. “They were free with the Oz Entertainment mag, right?” She pulled out another rectangular present. “Happy birthday, Stephen.”

Her frame had a photo of the group in it. It was one of the ones taken at the border, that Darren had complained about when it had taken so long.

“This is brilliant.” Stephen pulled out his phone and tapped on the screen. He brought up the image from his email about the trip. “You’ve re-created it perfectly, Noms, well done.”

“What! Why?” Naomi shrieked. “I got the printing done for free. Almost free anyway if you don’t count the date with Jason the print guy.”

“It’s not Eddie, is it,” Charlie agreed. “It’s a random TV presenter.” She laughed. “Man, I still can’t believe he had us so fooled.”

“I didn’t have to go on a date with Jason the print guy,” Charlie pondered. “He just asked me to buy him a frozen Coke.”

“Well, let’s see what else we have in the running first, shall we?” Stephen said. “Kev, what have you got?”

“Nathan, I guess.” Stephen found the parcel behind the salad bowl and opened it up. Inside was a weird assortment of oddities he must have picked up along the way. There was a wine cork from Clare Valley, a seashell, presumably from Port Augusta, a small Vegemite jar of layered red and brown sands, two bushman’s tea bags and a small but rather beautiful sketch of Uluru. Or possibly Mount Conner. It was an oddly thoughtful gift.

“Here’s mine.” Keri placed the rolled-up poster on the table. Stephen slid off the scrunchy and unrolled it, laughing.

Keri could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She didn’t look across at Linc who was helping Peter clear the lunch plates.

“Wow. Phil, this is awesome. Did you make it?” Phil nodded and Stephen reached in and carefully pulled the gift out.

It was a ring-necked lizard, made up of pieces of driftwood sculpted together. It was astonishingly beautiful, with a gleaming shell eye and darker wood around its neck.

It turned out Eddie wasn’t Eddie! He was the guy from that TV show ‘She’ll be right, Nate’ which I did used to watch when I was really little but Eddie didn’t look the same ’cause he’s all old now. I mean Nathan, since he wasn’t the real Eddie.

Anyway, his mum came to get him in a flash car that wasn’t a good car to drive out here because it was too low to the ground.

And everyone said bye and now I still don’t know Eddie at all. Stephen said he thinks he might be in Siberia which he said is very cold and no one much lives there. That seems like a boring place to go.

Dad didn’t win the scavenger hunt, Uncle Phil did. His present was very cool though. But Stephen told me he is going to give the opal to Amanda in a ring but it’s a secret and he said he would pay me for the opal by guess what — sending me and Jayden his new game to try! It isn't even finished yet but we get to be his testers. Woohoo! I am very excited but Dad said I better get my homework done or Mum will say no. So I have to go and do it. Yuck! But Jayden said he will help me and that he is good at maths.

The day had gotten away with them and Peter put them to work decorating the deck and helping with food. Linc had gone off with Roger to get ice from the storage shed and Phil and Keri were stringing up fairy lights.

“Give it to Joel,” he said. “He can set up his surfboard business.” He passed Keri up the staple gun. “It feels bloody amazing to be able to do that for him. I haven’t been the best dad. Wasn’t there for him much as a kid, so I feel like I can finally give him something meaningful, you know?”

“How many people are coming to this party anyway?” Phil asked. “Have we got enough booze?”

“I think we’ll be fine. There’s only us and a handful of Stephen’s mates coming in shortly. I think they’re mainly gamers, or workmates I guess.”

“On the bus, I think. Stephen was talking to Linc about it earlier. Jack is picking them up from Alice.”

“Bugger, I was hoping Amanda might have a hot pilot friend or two.” Phil winked.

“Where are they all sleeping?” Michelle asked, coming out with two large ‘40’ balloons.

Keri was desperate to talk to Linc and apologise but there never seemed to be a chance to get him alone. When they got back with the ice he and Roger disappeared again to check on the meat roasting on the spit.

Naomi emerged from the barn in a slinky red dress, low cut and short. She trailed after Linc holding a necklace up for him to assist her with. Keri watched her go, her stomach in knots. She went to get dressed herself, pulling on her own less-revealing dress and feeling inadequate.

The bus arrived, offloading several guys and two women all dressed up for the party. They were an eclectic bunch. One of the guys looked like a carbon copy of Stephen, a bit scrawny, with slicked-back hair and thick glasses. There was a tall willowy guy with jet-black hair gelled into a mohawk, black eyeliner and a pierced lip. Two of the men were blond and preppy-looking in almost identical shirts and Keri knew she would get them mixed up within minutes. The women were both in black dresses. One was a tall blonde that Phil and Niall were clearly both going to be vying for, judging by the tussle they’d had over her bag; the other had short, almost shaved blue hair and a tattoo of an anime character on her back. It turned out she was Amanda’s sister, which had been unexpected.

Stephen made introductions and Peter announced they all needed champagne. Glasses were distributed and corks popped. Zach and Jayden were given sparkling grape juice, which Goth-guy also drank.

The party kept going from there. They all moved out to the back deck where there were nibbles and big barrels of ice with beers and champagne nestled in them, as well as the cake, which had turned out to be rather impressive and which Peter gave Phil the credit for.

Charlie insisted they do shots, and Naomi made up a jug of margaritas and one of the matching guys put on some dance music.

Roger and Linc cut up the lamb off the spit and they ate it in bao buns with coleslaw and hoisin sauce.

Naomi got drunk and cried to Darren about how he still felt like her ‘real’ brother, and she was sorry she’d said he wasn’t and later Michelle and Darren made out in the spa.

They cut the cake and Amanda made a cute speech. Phil made a drunk speech and the whole time Keri circled Linc, feeling nervous and unsure.

She watched Linc the whole time. He was good with people. Attentive and interested in what they had to say, easy to smile and charming with everyone. Topping up drinks and sipping at his own.

She watched as Naomi sidled up to him, handing him a margarita that he set down discreetly on a side table when she wasn’t looking. Several times as Naomi talked she reached out to touch him — his arm, his shoulder. Each time he smiled and moved subtly away. The third time he looked over at Keri, looking uncomfortable. It was the sign she needed and since she couldn’t stand it any longer, she plucked up the courage to go across the deck and take his hand to drag him away to her room. Naomi hiccupped and gave her a filthy look.

“Can we please talk?” She opened the door and turned on the light. Captain Kirk (the doll, not the real thing) was on the bed and she picked him up and turned to give it to Linc.

“Why didn’t you give it to Stephen?” he asked, looking at the action figure fondly.

“Why didn’t you tell me your dad gave it to you, and how much it meant to you?”

Linc gently set the figurine down on the bedside cabinet. “I wanted you to win the money,” he said quietly.

“Linc, your dad is way more important than money,” Keri said. “Besides, I realised that we all had good reasons for wanting to win. Well, maybe not Naomi, but what I’m saying is, I’ll find a way to pay the loan. I could never do that by giving away something so important to you.”

The hope in Keri’s chest grew wings. They stood looking at each other. “I really am sorry I didn’t trust you,” Keri said again. “I wish I could go back and change that.”

“No, you have bloody good reasons for being wary. More than I do.” He took her hand again and gently squeezed her fingers. “I was a dick. I went home and Mum told me I’d been a total idiot. She pointed out that we’d only just met and it was a bit soon to be at the trusting each other completely stage.”

“It feels like a lot longer than it has been though,” Keri said. “I like you, Linc, I really like you a lot. I want this to work.”

They lay in the single bed in a tangled sweaty heap, debating whether to rejoin the party which sounded like it was in full swing. Keri was buzzed with champagne and the thought of a new romance. They listened to the muffled sounds coming from the party. There was the smash of glass breaking, someone shrieked, then a large booming laugh — most likely Niall. Linc played with a coil of her hair.

“I love your hair,” he said. “It was the first thing I noticed about you the first time you came into the bar.”

“Yeah, I’d been checking you out for a while. If you hadn’t asked to buy me a drink, I was going to try my luck with you anyway.”

“You didn’t come here to get Captain Kirk back then?” Keri turned on her side and trailed a hand over Linc’s arm.

“What?” Linc looked confused for a second and then realisation dawned and a huge smile spread across his face. He pulled Keri closer so he didn’t knock her out of the single bed. “I came to get you. You’re what I left behind, not a toy.”

“Thought it was obvious. I could have easily given Valerie directions, or a map to get here. If she hadn’t come to the office I was going to bring the bus out instead of Jack. Turns out I was pretty keen to get here and try to sort things out as soon as I could. It’s been killing me, trying to get you alone to talk, and not knowing how you were feeling.”

The music ramped up a notch. Midnight Oil’s ‘Beds Are Burning’ started to play and Linc groaned.

“I’m sorry I left you to face the ranch on your own,” Linc said. “I wanted to be here for you when you got here.”

“Thank you. I’m fine though. The place has changed so much since. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be coming back, and you’re here now anyway.” She reached up and gave him a kiss. “That’s what matters. I really am so sorry I assumed you would talk to that reporter.” She laid her head on his chest. “Maybe I will meet with her,” she added. “Tell my side.”

“She’d pay you too,” he said. “It’s not bad money she’s offering.”

“Really? I figured most people do it for free, for their fifteen seconds of fame.”

“When we get back to Adelaide, I’ll introduce you to my wife.” He laughed at the look on her face. “That was a joke. Probably not a very good one, given our track record. There’s no wife at home, I swear.”

She liked the sound of ‘when we get back to Adelaide’. Especially the ‘we’ part of that.

“Shit, I have to tell you something.” She sat up to look at Linc. He eyed her warily.

“It’s about your bird. I swear it was an accident, and I tried to tell you several times and I feel awful. I didn’t mean to kill him. Or her.” She felt close to tears. Linc reached up to tuck a loose curl behind her ear.

Keri took a breath. “Your cockatoo. I was climbing out your window the night we almost hooked up and I might have thrown my shoe at it to stop it squawking. But it called me a hussy. I swear, I didn’t mean to hit it. I’m so, so sorry.”

We are back home now. We all mostly flew home from Alice Springs except Linc drove the bus back with Keri. Which I’m glad we didn’t have to do because it’s just the same long road again.

I went back to school and Tyler got in trouble at university because of a prank they played and Mum and Dad had a big talk to him about knuckling down with his study.

Uncle Phil gave his son the money from the scavenger hunt and he has a new shop to sell his surfboards called ‘Buckley’s Boards’.

Dad went to the opening and he told Mum that Uncle Phil got really drunk and went home with someone but he had his beer goggles on. I don’t know what they are or what that means but I imagine it’s like swimming goggles with beer all sloshing around in them. And wouldn’t that make it hard to see anything very well?

Keri emailed me a photo of Thor and he was hopping around on the ground in one and having a little bottle in another one and he’s even cuter now.

Keri is managing our new store in Adelaide and she’s moved into Linc’s house. Linc is selling his business and wants to start a garage fixing custom cars and also — they got a new dog!

Mum said it was quite cute and maybe I could get a dog for Xmas if I am the one who feeds it and walks it and picks up its poop.

But maybe I could just get a cat instead because they don’t need walking and I don’t know where they go, but they don’t poop on the lawn, do they?

Stephen sent me his new game and it is even better than Master of the Revolution. He is calling it ‘Battle for Garadron’. It has even better graphics and way more weapons and secret rooms and stuff.

Jayden texted me a picture of me and him in the hot-air balloon. His dad took it and we are laughing because of Charlie and Niall and you can see them spitting! Hahaha.

Yesterday Dad got an invitation to a wedding. Guess for who? Nathan. Who was Eddie. Only not. He’s marrying his mum. Except she wasn’t his mum in the end, she was someone else’s mum — and his girlfriend. Dad said he doesn’t know if he will go but that all the cousins were invited and Naomi was keen and it could be a bit of a laugh.

Oh, and I found out what Uncle Phil was doing in the shed with the photos. Eurgh. I don’t think I will be a detective after all.