Page 20 of Outback Hearts

‘Thanks,’ Amelia managed, her voice coming out breathier than she’d intended.

Jake released her slowly, reluctantly. ‘Watch your step,’ he said, and his voice was rougher than before. ‘I’d rather not explain to Alex how I let you fall through a rotten floor.’

The upstairs was in slightly better condition—the floor was more solid, though the roof damage was obvious. Entire sections had let in rain, creating water stains across the walls, warping some of the timber.

Jake pulled out a small ladder—where he’d gotten it from, Amelia had no idea—and climbed up to examine the roof framing through holes in the ceiling. Amelia held the ladder steady, watching him work, struck by the complete focus he brought to it. This clearly wasn’t just a job to him. He cared about the building, about understanding it properly, about giving his father an honest assessment.

‘What do you think?’ Amelia asked when he climbed back down.

Jake was quiet for a moment, running a hand through his hair and leaving it adorably dishevelled. ‘Honestly? Better than I feared, worse than I hoped. The structure’s salvageable, but it’ll take serious work and significant money. I need to do the numbers properly before I can give Dad a real answer.’

They emerged back into the sunlight after nearly two hours inside. Amelia’s eyes had to adjust, and she blinked against the brightness. Alex was sitting in a camp chair, patient and waiting, with Sophie now keeping him company—she must have arrived during the inspection.

‘Well?’ Alex asked as they approached. ‘Am I a fool?’

Jake didn’t answer immediately. He set down his toolbox, pulled out a water bottle from his ute, and drank half of it in one go. Amelia tried not to watch the way his throat moved, the way he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

Then he sat down, gestured for the others to do the same, and looked at his father.

‘It’s bad,’ he said bluntly. ‘But it’s not hopeless.’

He pulled out his phone, starting to scroll through the photos they’d taken. ‘The foundation needs major work—probably eighty to a hundred thousand just for that. The roof’s a complete replacement. The verandas are dangerous. Electrical and plumbing would be starting from scratch. But—’ He paused, meeting his father’s eyes. ‘The structure underneath is solid. They built quality back then. With the right approach, the right team, the right budget—yes, this building could be restored.’

Alex leaned forward. ‘How much are we talking? Total?’

‘Ballpark? Three to five hundred thousand, depending on finishes and how much we can salvage versus replace,’ Jake said. ‘Six to nine months of work, minimum. It’s a major undertaking, Dad. Not a weekend project.’

Amelia’s heart sank. That was an enormous amount of money.

But Alex was nodding thoughtfully. ‘That’s actually less than I feared. I was thinking closer to a million.’

‘It could be, if you went high-end with everything,’ Jake said. ‘But this place doesn’t need to be fancy. It needs to be solid, safe, functional, and respectful of its history. We could do that for four hundred thousand if we were smart about it.’

‘We?’ Alex caught the word. ‘Does that mean you’d be willing to manage the project?’

Jake stared at the building for a long moment, and Amelia saw something shift in his expression—the beginning of excitement, maybe, or the kind of challenge that called to him.

‘Dad, this is massive,’ he said finally. ‘It’s not just about whether the building can be saved. It’s about whether this town can support a hotel, whether there’s actually a market for it, whether you’re throwing good money after bad.’

‘But structurally?’ Alex pressed. ‘It’s doable?’

‘Structurally, yes,’ Jake confirmed. ‘With the right team, the right approach, the right timeline—yes, this building could be restored to functional use as a hotel.’

‘Then I want to do it,’ Alex said simply. ‘I know the risks. I know it might fail. But I’ve got the money, and I’ve got the will, and now I’ve got professional confirmation it’s feasible. That’s enough for me.’

Jake studied his father’s face, seeing something there that made him nod slowly. ‘Alright. But I’ve got conditions. We do this properly—full engineering assessment, proper permits, everything by the book. No shortcuts.’

‘Agreed.’

‘And I manage the project, which means when I say something needs to be done a certain way, that’s how it gets done. I won’t compromise on safety or quality.’

‘Wouldn’t expect anything less.’

‘I’ll need to make some calls,’ Jake said. ‘Get an engineer out here next week for a proper structural assessment. Talk to the council about permits. Work up detailed costings.’

He looked at Amelia then, and something in his gaze made her breath catch. ‘Thank you for your help today. You’ve got good instincts for this work. Natural spatial awareness. That’s valuable.’

‘I just held things and took photos,’ Amelia said, trying to deflect the praise even as it made something warm bloom in her chest.