A gulf opened up inside her, too big even for tears. Alex didn’t want their baby. ‘I’m sorry,’ she whispered, rubbing one hand back and forth over her tummy. ‘I’m so sorry.’

She closed her eyes and rested her head against the wooden slats behind. The sun stil shone but it felt as if night had descended around her. Alex didn’t want her. She’d always known that his rejection would hurt. She hadn’t known it would devastate her.

She wrapped the blanket about her more tightly, knotted her hands in it as if it were the only thing anchoring her to this world.

Alex didn’t leave town, he didn’t return to Sydney like Kit had ordered him to. He’d meant to, because he hadn’t known what else to do. Go home, Alex.

Funny, but somewhere in the last few weeks Tuncurry had come to represent home in a way his apartment in Sydney never had.

When he’d reached the sign that said, ‘Thank you for visiting our tidy town’, he’d slammed on the brakes and pul ed over to the verge, rhythmical y pounding the palm of his left hand against the steering wheel.

There was stil the matter of the shower unit. It stil hadn’t arrived. How on earth would Kit be able to pay for it?

He’d turned the car around and had driven back into town, booked into a hotel. Not one of the gorgeous plush ones with glorious ocean or lake views. He didn’t deserve one of those. His hotel was spare and spartan. His room was spare and spartan. His view… Who cared? He didn’t bother looking out of the window.

Without kicking off even his shoes, he’d fal en back onto the bed to stare up at the ceiling.

Would you give up those two years with Chad?

He fisted his hands in the quilt in an attempt to combat the hol owness, the emptiness…and to give himself something to hold onto.

Alex was waiting for Frank at the Rock Pool before lunch the fol owing Monday.

Frank didn’t hesitate when he saw Alex; he trotted right on over and settled himself in the sand beside him. ‘Saw your car was gone Saturday afternoon.

Noticed it didn’t come back Saturday night. Or yesterday. Or this morning.’

Alex was suddenly fiercely glad that Kit had a neighbour who took notice of such things, one who cared for her. It shamed him to think he’d written Frank off as a sil y old duffer.

‘Kit wanted me to leave. She ordered me to go back to Sydney.’

Shrewd eyes surveyed him. ‘You haven’t, though.’

‘No.’

‘You’re going to stay and fight for her?’

Alex knew if he lied and said yes that he’d instantly win the older man’s support, but he was through with those kinds of lies and half-truths and vain reaching for dreams that could never be. He stared out at the water. ‘There isn’t any hope for me and Kit, Frank.’ The words tasted dry and vile in his mouth.

‘Then what are you stil doing here?’

‘I can’t leave her house in that mess. Not when she has a baby on the way.’

‘Your baby.’

‘Yes.’ His baby. The baby he couldn’t face. He pushed the thought away. This wasn’t what he’d come here to discuss. ‘Look, Frank, the short story is that Kit doesn’t want to clap eyes on me again so I can’t finish the work myself. I need someone capable to oversee the rest of what needs doing.’ He hauled in a breath. ‘I was hoping that person might be you.’

Frank pursed his lips. ‘But I’d have to do it behind Kit’s back?’

Alex nodded heavily. He’d known Frank would find the clandestine nature of his plan problematic.

‘I don’t know, Alex. Kit is a proud woman. She won’t accept money or charity from me, and it certainly sounds as if she won’t accept it from you.’

‘Look, in terms of materials most of the stuff is already there. The paint is in the garden shed and the new bathroom tiles are being stored in the laundry cupboard. I’m not stupid enough to offer to cover the costs of the labour. I know Kit can manage that.’

‘So…you just want me to oversee the work, see that they do a good job and don’t rip her off?’

Alex nodded and pul ed a business card from his pocket. ‘The hardware store recommends these guys. Maybe you could point Kit in their direction.’

‘That al seems harmless enough.’ Those shrewd eyes surveyed him again, narrowed. ‘And?’

‘There’s this damn shower unit I ordered.’ Alex flung an arm out. ‘It’s top of the line, but they wouldn’t take my money because they weren’t sure if they could get it in. Now it appears they can and a bil wil be enclosed upon delivery.’

‘Ah…’

Realization dawned in Frank’s eyes and Alex could read the denial forming there. ‘It’s expensive,’

he rushed on. And then he named the price.

Frank’s jaw dropped. ‘You’re spending how much on a shower cubicle?’

‘It’s top of the line—non-slip, safety glass and…

and it’s easy clean, low maintenance.’ He dragged a hand down his face. ‘I wanted Kit and the baby to have the best.’

Frank threw his head back then and started to laugh. Alex shifted on the sand and scowled at the water, at his feet…at a seagul that screeched endlessly nearby. ‘You have to intercept that bil for me, Frank. Kit would never have chosen that unit and her resources won’t stretch to covering it.’

‘I’l see what I can do.’ Frank chuckled before breaking into a fresh gale of laughter. ‘Come on, lad.

Let’s go for a swim.’

Alex waited at the Rock Pool on Tuesday, but Frank didn’t show. He knew Frank’s routine was a swim before lunch on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, but he waited there on Tuesday just in case Frank needed him for anything. Even though he’d given the older man his mobile phone number. And the address and phone number of his motel.

Frank showed on Wednesday. He told Alex that when he’d offered to organise for someone to finish the work on her house, Kit had accepted.

It should’ve taken a load off his mind. He knew this team would do a good job. But, as he and Frank swam, it was al Alex could do to keep afloat.

On Friday, Frank told him the painting should be finished by the close of business that day.

On the fol owing Monday, Frank handed him the bil for the shower unit. ‘Arrived on Saturday,’ he said gruffly.

Not once did he tel Alex how Kit and the baby were doing—if she was eating wel , if her last doctor’s visit had gone without a hitch…if she was happy. He ached with the need to know, but he didn’t ask. He appreciated al Frank had done and was continuing to do. He would not stretch the older man’s loyalties any more than he already had.

‘Guess once you pay that—’ Frank nodded at the bil ‘—you can head back to Sydney.’

His words punched Alex in the gut. Leave? But…

‘You’ve achieved what you set out to, Alex. Kit’s house is coming along. The bathroom wil be finished by the end of the week.’

So soon? Alex stuck out his jaw. ‘I’m staying til it’s completely finished. In case there are any snags.’

Frank opened his mouth but with a shake of his head he shut it. ‘Let’s go for a swim.’

‘It’s al done. Completely finished.’

Alex stared at Frank, a bal of heaviness growing in his chest. It was Friday. ‘But…they said they didn’t think they’d be finished til tomorrow.’

‘They stayed late yesterday to finish up.’

The older man stretched his legs out in front of him. Alex couldn’t stretch anything. He ground a fist into the sand.

‘It looks grand.’

He was fiercely glad about that. He wanted Kit’s house perfect. But finished…?

Was Frank sure? ‘So the external painting is…?’

‘White with blue trim.’

Just like Kit wanted. ‘The guttering is replaced?’

‘Tick.’

‘The internal painting is al done?’

‘It’s lovely and fresh inside now.’

‘And the bathroom is new and clean and functional?’

‘Complete with that fancy shower unit.’

As each item was ticked off the list, Alex’s heart grew heavier. He wanted to ask what Kit thought of it. Did she like it? ‘What about the nursery?’ He latched onto that as a last straw.

‘She wants to decorate the nursery herself.’

She’d asked him to help her. His shoulders sagged. She didn’t want his help any more. She didn’t want to clap eyes on him ever again.

Not that he could blame her.

‘So your job here is done.’

‘I guess so.’ The words emerged slowly, reluctantly. So why didn’t it feel done?

‘Did you know that Doreen and I lost a child?’

Alex swung around.

‘It was a long time ago. Benji—he was nine. The sweetest little kid. Cancer.’

Alex stared. Final y he shook himself. ‘Frank, I had no idea.’ At least Chad was playing somewhere, happy, with his whole life to look forward to. ‘Mate, I’m real y sorry.’

Frank nodded. ‘That kind of thing, it can tear your life apart, you know?’

He nodded. He knew.

‘I’m ashamed to admit it, but I took to drinking for a while.’

Alex’s lips twisted. ‘They cal it self-medication these days.’

Frank snorted. ‘That’s just rot!’

They both stared out at the golden curve of beach spread out before them, at the clear water in the Rock Pool with its tiny waves breaking right on the shoreline. So calm, so peaceful, belying the swirl of emotions that slugged through Alex. ‘What got you through it?’ he final y asked.