Page 32 of The Storm Boys Series Collection

“I’m not leaving tomorrow,” I said, trying the words out for size. It felt good. All eyes turned to me, including Paul’s in the rear-view. “I have a few extra days. Part of a new stargazer tour that Paul’s trialling.”

“Oh, with your telescope?” Marit asked excitedly. “Oh, so amazing.”

“Is it new?” Norah asked. “I’d have liked to have gone on that.”

I smiled at Paul in his reflection. “Yeah, it’s only new. Still in the trial phase. But you all enjoyed the stargazing we did.”

They all agreed with enthusiastic nods. “Very much,” Kari said.

It was probably silly, being a very small test group of sorts. But it bolstered me to think my plan could actually work. The hope that seeded in my chest was growing into something more like determination. People travelled from all over to see the stars from Kakadu. My plan could actually work.

Would it be easy? No.

Would we need to work out how we lived, worked, and coexisted as a couple? Sure.

But itwaspossible.

* * *

The sunset cruise was magical.Birds, crocodiles, even wild horses, and a sunset like only Kakadu could do made an excellent end to a great little tour.

It was the perfect end to four perfect days.

Four days that righted wrongs and gave me back my life.

When we got back to camp, I was almost sorry there was no late-night storm that made us take shelter in our tents. While part of me was bummed that I didn’t get Paul to myself, part of me was happy to sit around on the camp chairs and talk.

Marit and Kari were flying back to Norway, and Norah had two days in Darwin before heading back to Sydney.

“So when do you go back to Darwin?” Norah asked me. “How long does your stargazing thing go for?”

“Unsure at this point,” I said vaguely. “Hoping for it to be a permanent thing.”

“It’d be an amazing experience,” Norah said. “I feel very privileged to see what you showed me. Not many other people can say they saw Saturn from Kakadu.”

It made me happy to hear her say that. “Should I get my telescope out?”

“Oh yes, please,” she said. Marit and Kari also agreed.

So we spent another hour or two looking skyward. I showed them constellations and planets. The way Paul smiled at me made me proud.

And when it was too late and no one could withhold yawns, we said goodnight. I went straight into Paul’s cabin, kicked off my shoes, pulled off my shirt, and fell onto the bed.

It had been a long day.

“I’m tired,” I murmured as Paul came in.

He pulled off his boots and sighed as he crawled onto the bed, over my body. He kissed up my stomach. “You were great today,” he said, kissing a slow path up to my chest. “I could get used to having you here, helping me.”

I carded my fingers through his short hair and pulled his head up so he was looking at me. “You’ll have to get used to it. Because I’m not leaving.”

“You’ll have to go back at some point,” he said. “To get your things, to finalise paperwork, your apartment.”

“But not for long. A few days, at most.” I sighed. “I was thinking today... How will it work? How will we be us and run your business? Will your clients know we’re together? Will they boycott you because of that? Paul, I don’t want to jeopardise what you’ve worked so hard for.”

His eyes met mine. “Where did your confidence go? That adamant ‘I’m not leaving’ line you said half a minute ago?”

“I’m not leaving... I don’t want to leave. But this is a reality question. It’s a ‘how do we move forward’ question.”

---