There’s nothing left of the car.

I don’t recognise it at first. All I hear is the wailing coming from the back seat. Someone’s alive.

Simon Peters pries the back door open, and I peek in to see a young girl in the back seat. It’s dark, and I can’t see her well, but I manage to get the harness of her car seat open and free her. As we move back into the area illuminated by the rescue vehicles, I hold my breath. She wails in my ear.

I know this child.

She’s been in my bakery so many times in the past three years. Her mother came in at least three times a week for bread, and her daughter was always with her. Cara.

I look back at the car. The front of it has completely collapsed, and there’s no way anyone survived in the front.

“Two bodies.”

Instinctively, my hand goes up to shield the child from seeing anything.

“Owen. Take her over there.” I have to be guided away, the urge to see Cara overwhelming. Maybe a miracle’s happened and she’s survived. My stomach churns, knowing that’s not the case.

Ava’s all tears and snot as she keeps crying, wriggling in my arms. I know she wants down, but I can’t let her get back to that car. Not when it’s her mother and father still in it.

“Hey, sweet pea. I’ve got you.”

“Mummy.” She lets out a heart-breaking wail, and I rock her in my arms. I don’t know a lot about kids, but this one needs comforting.

I’m glad I’m holding her and not at the car. Cara and I had a fling nearly five years ago, and she was one of very few women I became attached to. We might have only seen each other in passing since, but the thought that she’s gone rips my heart apart.

The town doctor, Joseph Paton, pulls up at the scene.

He comes straight to me.

“Hey, Ava. Let me just have a quick check.”

Patting her on the back, he feels up her spine, and I nod. “I think she’s okay. Upset, but okay.” I nod toward the car. “I think you need to get over there.”

He nods. “It might pay to get her out of here. Take her to the fire station and find her something to eat. The last thing she needs to see are her parents being taken out of the car.”

“Of course.”

It’s the last thing I want to see, too.

He heads toward the car, and I give Ava a little smile. “Hey, sweetheart. How about I take you to the fire station and make you a hot chocolate?”

She sniffs. “I want my mummy.”

“I know you do, honey, but it’s just you and me right now.” I wink. “Tell you what, the bakery’s between here and the fire station. How about we stop and get a gingerbread man? I’m sure there are some left.”

Her eyes widen, and she nods.

“Come on, then.”

I don’t have a car seat, but there’s a picnic blanket in the back, and I fold it so she can sit on it. It’s not like I’ll be pulled over. The police are distracted.

In the glovebox is a travel pack of tissues, and I pluck one out and hand it to her. “Here you go. Wipe your eyes.”

When she’s settled, I drive straight to the bakery. There are a few leftover cookies, and I grab the container they’re in and offer it to Ava.

She picks out two, and I take her back to the car, driving the short distance to the station. Maybe here we’ll find a distraction to keep her busy until someone comes up with what to do with her.

It worries me. She’s a little girl who just lost both her parents, and I’m feeding her up on sugar. But what the hell else am I supposed to do?

At least she’s not crying right now.

An hour later, I sit at the station, the little girl still clinging onto me. Her small arms are around my neck, and I think she’s finally fallen asleep.

She’s cried twice, called for her mother, and won’t let go of me. I can’t blame her. That it’s Cara who died makes me want to hold onto her tighter. She’s all of her family that’s left.

“We managed to get a social worker over from Carlstown. She’s here to take the girl.”

I look up to see Graham Taylor walking toward me. He’s the senior sergeant at the Copper Creek police station, and he’s being followed by a tall, blonde woman. She smiles at the sight of the girl in my arms.

“Where’s she taking her?”

Graham sits on the bench beside me. “You knew Cara pretty well. Do you know of any family?”

I shake my head. “I know she didn’t have any. Her parents both died of cancer. Not sure about Ryan.”

“We haven’t found anyone yet. No one who will take Ava.”

“So what happens to her?”

The blonde woman looks at me. “She’ll go to a family for care. Until we can work out a permanent solution.”

“What family? Will it be in Copper Creek?”

She shakes her head. “I’ve got a family lined up in Carlstown. It’s the closest we can—”

“The only home this kid has known is Copper Creek. Her parents are gone. You seriously have to take her to another town with no idea what to do with her?”

Graham puts his hand on my shoulder. “Owen, she’ll be okay.”

“Cara’s gone. Everything Ava’s known is gone. You want to take even more away from her?”

“What do you suggest we do?”

I shrug. “I don’t know. I can call Adam and Lily. They’ve got kids.”

“They do, but they have to be approved carers. Approved by the state.”

I roll my eyes. It’s so hard thinking of just handing her over. This is the last piece of Cara left in this world, and I’m reluctant to let her go.

The blonde woman reaches for Ava, and despite my feelings, I hand her over. Ava rubs her eyes. “Owen?”

“Hey, little lady.” I reach for her hand, and plant a kiss on it. “You gotta go with this lady now, and she’s going to take you somewhere you can get some real sleep. And she’s gonna take really good care of you, or I’ll kick her arse.”

Ava smiles, and Graham rolls his eyes. “She’ll be fine, Owen.”

“She’d better be.”

My heart feels empty as they walk away. What that kid will go through is incomprehensible to me. Ava’s an only child. Even when my parents pissed me off, I still had my four brothers.

She’s alone.

It’s a little after nine by the time I’m finished, and I head back to the wedding reception just in case there are people around and the alcohol’s still flowing.

Part of me wants to drink myself into oblivion after tonight. There’ll be somewhere I can crash at the cove, or I could even get Dad back out to get me.

Drew and Hayley are long gone, and I spot Corey in the corner of the marquee with the blonde still hanging off his every word. Mum and Dad aren’t here either, and I assume James is with them.

To my surprise, Adam, Lily, and the kids are still here, but Lily’s picking up rubbish and chatting with Ginny while Adam’s sitting at a table with Rose and Max.

“I thought you’d be long gone,” I say to Lily, smiling at both her and Ginny.

“The caterers left, and the marquee’s not being taken down until the morning, so I thought I’d clear some of the paper napkins and cups. They’ll end up all over the cove otherwise.”

I nod. “Good thinking.”

Ginny touches my arm. “The accident. Was it bad?”

I let out a loud breath. “Yeah.”

“Who was it?” asks Lily. “Anyone we know?”

I look around. Chances are the news will be around the town by morning. “Cara and Ryan Mitchell.”

Lily’s mouth falls open. “Both of them?”

I nod. “Their little girl was the only survivor.”

The bag in her hand drops to the ground, and she slides her arms around my neck. “Oh, Owen, I’m so sorry,” she whispers.

“It’s awful. I took care of Ava until a social worker turned up.”

Ginny’s hand squeezes my arm, and I shoot her a smile to show my appreciation. She doesn’t know the history between Cara and me, but she must realise how tough an accident like that is to deal with.

“Is there any booze left?”

Leaning against me, Lily laughs. “There are a couple of cases of champagne in the corner. It’s reserved for family.”

“I’ll grab some to take home, but I’d kill for a drink now.”

“Sit down, I’ll get you one.” Ginny lets go of me, and heads toward the bottles in the corner.

She’s wearing a long, deep blue dress that hugs her curves, and I can’t help but check out her butt.

Lily drops her arms, following my gaze, and slaps me gently on the bicep. “She’s lovely. Not someone I want to see you get your hands on.”

I shift my gaze from Ginny to Lily. “That’s not very nice.”

“Break her heart and I’ll break you.” She wags her finger at me, and I believe her.

“I’ve only just met her.”

“I know you, Owen Campbell.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Lily grins. “I can see the look in your eyes. That and your gaze fixed on her arse.”

“Nothing wrong with looking.”

“No, there’s not, but she’s a real sweetheart, so none of your love-them-and-leave-them tricks with her.”

I sigh. “I promise.”

“I’m sorry to hear about Cara. I know how close you were.”

Lily knows better than anyone about my past with Cara. Although she didn’t approve of our fling, she snorted with laughter when I recounted the story of Ryan catching us. Thankfully, he didn’t recognise me, as he only saw me from behind. But that was the first and last time I ever messed with a married woman.

“Thanks. I just can’t believe it. We didn’t have much to do with each other afterward, but it’s weird to know she won’t be around any longer.”

“Here you go.” Ginny appears with a glass of wine, blushing as she hands it to me. “I guess I should be going.”

“Don’t. Stay a bit longer.” The words are out of my mouth before I think about them. “You owe me a dance, Miss Robinson.”

She laughs.

Lily rolls her eyes and pats me on the chest. “We’re going to get the kids home. See you tomorrow at our place for a barbecue? Drew and Hayley are heading off first thing in the morning so they can make their flight on time, but we thought we’d get the family together before James goes back to Auckland.”

I nod.

She turns to Ginny. “We’d love to see you too. Around midday?”

Ginny nods.

“See you both tomorrow.”

Lily waves as she leads Adam and the kids away. Adam carries the cases of wine, leaving the rest of the bottle for me.

And then I’m left alone with Ginny.

I drink the wine in two gulps.

“You really needed that, huh?” she asks.

“Sure did.”

“I’ll get you another one.”

What I want to do is just skull the bottle, but I take the glass she offers. Everything else has been cleared away. The caterers must have missed this, and I’m glad because drinking out of a glass looks so much better than necking the bottle.

I swallow down the second glass. “Let’s dance.”

“There’s no music.”

“Sure there is.” I pluck my phone from my pocket and load up Spotify. I pick a random radio station, and the marquee fills with soft music.

“What’s that?” Ginny asks.

“No idea, but it’ll do.” I hold open my arms. “Dance?”

She takes a tentative step closer, and I slip one arm around her waist, clasping her hand in mine.

“I didn’t think that today I’d end up dancing in a marquee near the beach.” Her soft laughter fills the space.

“Neither did I, but today has been full of surprises.”

Her smile warms me after one of the toughest nights of my life, and I close my eyes as I pull her close and we dance slowly.

“Thank you,” I murmur.

“What for?”

“For being here. For staying. For dancing with me. I needed this.”

She sighs. “I’m sorry you had such a rough night. On your brother’s wedding day, too.”

“Yeah, not ideal. At least I got to see the ceremony. I’m so proud of him.”

“It was a gorgeous wedding.”

I open my eyes and lean back. “I think this is the best part.”

Her cheeks flush with colour. “I’m enjoying it, too.”

The song finishes, and a new one starts. “It’s probably time to go home. I’ll be crawling if I keep going. Wine does that to me.”

She laughs. “I’ll give you a lift. I didn’t have a lot to drink, and I haven’t had anything for the last couple of hours.”

“I’d really appreciate that. Walking home in the dark isn’t really my idea of fun. I’ll come back and get my car tomorrow.”

She nods. “If you want, I can pick you up before going to Adam and Lily’s.”

“I’d really like that.”

“Me too.”