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‘A restaurant might be more intimate.’

‘As the only doctor here for thirty years, Julia is an expert in pretty much everything and you’ll be able to hear that for yourself. She’s skilled, hardworking and respected, and there’s plenty of work in this town. Also, there’s food at the pub.’

He laughs. ‘If meeting the GP gets me over the line with you, I’ll do it.’

Chapter 16

I jump when, shaking out the dress that’s been folded in my bag since I arrived, Alex sends a message:I’m here already. See you at the bar.

After booking a table in the pub’s beer garden, I’d arranged to meet Alex on the footpath outside. We’d likely see Julia while walking through the pub to our table or in the beer garden, and they could have a chat about the GP role and what would be involved. Then we’d leave Julia and her family and friends in peace.

Family and friends. Should I have let Cameron know I’d be at the pub after all, and why? Or would that be making too much of his invitation? He’d asked me to join Julia and the others for dinner. It’s not like he asked me out on a date.

The foggy bathroom mirror blurs my edges as I brush my hair. I always wear sunblock and a hat, but my skin has more colour than usual. A brush of mascara to darken my eyelashes. Pale pink lip gloss. My sleeveless dress with buttons down the front is neat but not dressy.

‘I don’t want to stand out, and it’s all I have anyway.’

The cabin’s Christmas lights shine brightly as I step into my ute. My phone rings. ‘Amelie.’ Maggie’s voice is unusually shaky. ‘It’s Rocket. Can you come?’

Maggie is standing at the open front door when I arrive and I follow her through to the sunroom. Rocket is curled up on a mohair blanket in his cage. When he opens his eyes, closes them again and then stretches out, Maggie explains, ‘I know he’s not supposed to come out of his cage, but I’ve been popping him on my lap at night while I watch the telly, just so he gets a bit of variety. He’s been such a good boy, sitting on my lap until I put him back in the cage.’

‘Let me guess. He went for a wander.’

‘He jumped off my lap and ran into the kitchen quick as a flash.’ Maggie’s voice rises with every word. ‘When I found him, he was on the bench, so I wrapped him up in his blanket and put him back in the cage. I’m frightened he’s hurt himself again.’

‘Did he yowl when it happened? Any sign of pain?’

‘He didn’t make a sound, but his leg was a funny angle.’

‘Let’s take a look.’ Rocket sinks his claws into his blanket and drags it out of the cage as I pull him through the gap and lay him on the floor. A bumpy ridge marks the fracture at the top of his leg. ‘Next week, I’ll bring a portable X-ray to have a better look, but it feels okay.’ When I press gently but firmly, Rocket continues to purr.

‘He hasn’t broken it again?’

‘No, but we’re only three weeks in.’ I run a finger along the ridge again. ‘It’ll be another five weeks at least before he’s safely climbing trees or bolting over fences.’

‘I won’t let him out again, Amelie.’ She shakes a finger at Rocket before I put him back in the cage. ‘Mark my words.’

Whatever it is that Maggie is cooking smells good. My stomach rumbles. ‘I’ll let myself out.’

‘You’re very pretty tonight. Where are you off to? Has some lucky young man asked you out?’

The more I think about meeting Alex, the less I like the idea of it, but tempting as it is to make excuses and cook cheese on toast for dinner, I owe it to Julia and Summerfield to do what I can to find a doctor to work here. As the pub is only a few hundred metres away, I leave the ute where it is. Before I push open the pub’s heavy timber door, I check my phone. It’s almost eight o’clock but there are no messages from Alex so presumably he’s found a barman to—

Alex, dressed city casual in an ironed shirt and navy pants, is sitting at a tall table on a bar stool. Julia is on one side of him, elbow on the table and listening intently to whatever it is that Alex is saying. Cameron, hair darker than usual because he’s had it cut, is on Alex’s other side.

Jimmy, sitting opposite, sees me first. ‘Oi! Amelie! About time you got here!’

After kissing both cheeks, Alex rests his hand at my waist. ‘I found Julia all by myself.’

‘Sorry I’m late.’ I step out of Alex’s hold. ‘Maggie called and I stopped by to see Rocket.’

‘Maggie is terribly attached to her cat,’ Julia says. ‘Is he all right?’

‘He should be.’ I look past Jimmy to Cameron. He’s not only had a haircut, he’s cleanly shaven. I’d like to take his hand and lead him away. Then what? I cross my arms, uncross them. ‘I made it after all.’ I give Alex a stiff smile. ‘Ready to eat?’

‘We lost our table thirty minutes ago,’ Alex says. ‘Julia invited us to join hers.’

I’m not sure whether I’m relieved or not when I discover Julia’s table is a long, narrow trestle and there are already six people there. Audrey, who apparently lives next door to Julia, is wearing the red tinsel headband she wore when she visited Maggie.