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  ‘Hmm. I rather like that.’

  The hairdresser was still playing with her tresses. ‘What about the colour?’

  Laura sighed. ‘Dead mouse, I’d call it.’

  Her stylist grinned. ‘It’s not that bad. You’ve got a lot of blonde in there. A few highlights would bring it out. How much time have you got this morning?’

  ‘As long as I like.’ Laura’s sigh was much happier this time. Jason had insisted she have the morning to herself to do whatever she felt like doing. Right now, she felt like making a real effort to improve her appearance. ‘I’m sold,’ she told the hairdresser. ‘Go for it. Do whatever you like.’

  ‘Cool. Let’s get stuck into the highlights first, then. Shouldn’t take more than an hour and a half.’

  Ninety minutes of sheer self-indulgence. Bliss. Laura browsed through magazines but couldn’t find an article that was more interesting than what was already going on in her head.

  That magic wand that had apparently been waved over Inglewood station the morning Megan had arrived seemed to have been used for another small swish in the last couple of days-Laura suspected it had happened during Maxine’s visit to the station-and another fundamental change was occurring in her world.

  It hadn’t happened quite yet but the building anticipation was undeniable and rather delicious. Yesterday had been a little shaky, admittedly. It had been their first day off after a night shift, and she and Jason had taken turns catching up on some sleep, but Jason emerged from his afternoon nap with a very uncharacteristically subdued manner.

  ‘You OK?’ Laura had queried. ‘You can get some more sleep if you want. Megan’s happy.’

  ‘Nah. If I do that I won’t sleep tonight and then I’ll still be tired tomorrow.’

  ‘Do you want to go out tonight? I’ll babysit.’

  ‘Who with?’ Jason had sounded resigned rather than heartbroken.

  ‘Stick,’ Laura had suggested promptly. ‘Or Mitch. You haven’t had a night out with your mates for ages.’

  ‘They’re not my mates any more,’ Jason had said darkly. ‘How am I supposed to keep the rent up on this place by myself?’ His face had brightened momentarily. ‘Hey, you don’t want to move in, do you Laura? Even if Megan goes home, you’d make a great flatmate.’

  If Megan went home? Maybe the comment to Maxine hadn’t just been an escape route for the moment. The thought of being a ‘flatmate’ for Jason was less than appealing, however.

  ‘Sorry, Jase. I already own a house. My best friend, Charlie, is living with me at the moment to help pay the mortgage. Anyway, I’m sure Stick and Mitch will come back once things are back to normal.’

  ‘They prefer Cliff’s sleepout,’ Jason reminded her. ‘It’s cheaper. You must have heard them going on about their plans to save up and buy a house together. They’re going to live in it and do it up on their days off and then sell it for a huge profit and start again.’

  Jason’s heavy sigh reminded Laura of more than just any conversations that had been ongoing at work. His mood was understandable. In fact, it was remarkable that he hadn’t been plunged into the depths of depression, really. Maxine’s exit from his life had probably underscored just how much had changed in a very short period of time. Jason had become a father, had had a bomb detonated under his lifestyle both at work and especially at home; his mates had not only defected from living with him, they were now planning an exciting project that he was excluded from; and his girlfriend had dumped him. He had a lot to think about.

  As did Laura.

  Jason had not only made more than one reference to the possibility that Shelley might not be riding in on a white charger to rescue him from the parental predicament he found himself in, he’d actually hinted that he wouldn’t be overly pleased if she did.

  Laura had tentatively tested the waters last night by voicing the suggestion that it might be time to try tracking Megan’s mother down. Surprisingly, Jason had vetoed the idea with an almost disgusted shake of his head.

  ‘She knows where her baby is,’ he’d muttered. ‘And if she gave a damn she would have at least made contact by now to see if she’s OK.’ The clearing of his throat made it seem as though Jason had made a decision. ‘I reckon Megan’s better off where she is.’

  ‘She won’t be able to stay in the country very long on a visitor’s permit,’ Laura pointed out. ‘It’s only a matter of months, isn’t it? And she won’t be able to leave the country without explaining what she’s done with her baby.’

  ‘We’ll deal with that when it happens,’ Jason decreed. ‘If that’s OK with you, Laura.’

  It was more than OK. They were a team and they were both fighting in Megan’s corner.

  Laura’s new hairstyle was also more than OK. Laura was delighted when she walked out of the salon. She was even more delighted when she saw Jason’s expression.

  ‘Nice’ was the only word of approbation but his eyes were saying a great deal more and Laura tucked her impressions away with all the other things that seemed to be coated with fairy dust.

  ‘Your turn now,’ Laura told Jason. ‘You get to have the afternoon off to do whatever you like.’

  ‘How ’bout a drive somewhere? We could take Megan to the beach. I’ll bet she’s never seen a beach.’

  ‘I haven’t seen one myself for a while.’ Laura also tucked away the fact that Jason had given up an afternoon’s reprieve in order to spend time with her and Megan.

  As usual they took Laura’s hatchback car, because Jason still hadn’t cleaned out his own vehicle and she had declared it a health hazard for babies the first time they had taken Megan home. She wasn’t about to suggest he spend his free afternoon catching up with that task, though, not when the prospect of a family-type outing was in the offing for the first time.

  And it was great.

  They drove out of the city, taking the coastal road to the wide expanses of Paraparaumu beach. The warm spring afternoon held all the promise of a hot summer to come, and while the water was still far too cold to contemplate even a paddle, Jason eyed the gentle surf longingly.

  ‘Do you remember summer holidays when you were a kid?’

  ‘My family had a bach at Waihi. Corrugated iron walls, outside loo, no electricity. Must have been hell for Mum but we loved it. We’d spend the whole of January there some years.’

  ‘Good surf?’

  Laura laughed. ‘Don’t tell me you really are an ex-surfer?’

  ‘What does she mean?’ Jason directed the question to the baby he was holding as they walked along the firm, damp sand just out of reach of the waves. ‘Look, Peanut.’ He turned his daughter and held her face outwards to the view. ‘This is a New Zealand beach,’ he said proudly. ‘It’s where most of us live for the summer holidays. We swim and build sandcastles and have picnics and barbecues. And surf,’ he added firmly. ‘There’s nothing better than catching a wave, kid. When you’re big enough I’ll get you a boogie board and teach you how to use it.’

  Except that Megan would probably be spending her Januarys in a cold, grey city on the other side of the world, but neither of them mentioned that.

  They sat for a while amongst the tussock-covered sand dunes and Jason was the one who fed Megan. He laughed at the baby’s expression on tasting her milk.

  ‘Yeah, I know it’s cold. Food always tastes different at the beach. Better,’ he added wistfully. He glanced up at Laura. ‘Look at that-she’s not bothered that it’s cold. She’s a little trouper, isn’t she?’

  ‘She’s great,’ Laura said quietly.

  Jason broke the short silence that fell a minute or two later. ‘Talking about food at the beach…I’m starving.’

  ‘I’m not surprised. It’s three o’clock and we haven’t had lunch. Did you see that fish-and-chip shop we passed just down the road?’

  ‘Let’s go.’ Jason put Megan upright against his shoulder and was rubbing her back with what seemed like an automatic gesture. She obliged by burping loudly only seconds later,