Page 54 of Outback Hearts

‘How did you know my size?’ she asked.

‘I asked Sophie,’ Jake admitted. ‘She measured your fingers when you were asleep. Sorry for the deception.’

‘Sophie knew about this?’ Amelia said, laughing. ‘She never said anything!’

‘I swore her to secrecy,’ Jake said. ‘Though knowing Sophie, she probably wanted to tell you immediately.’

‘She definitely did,’ Amelia confirmed, still admiring the ring. ‘This is—Jake, this is the most romantic things anyone’s ever done for me.’

‘Good,’ Jake said, satisfied. ‘Now, when people ask why we’re waiting, you can show them that and explain we’re doing it properly. With promises and patience and proper courtship.’

‘You’re ridiculous,’ Amelia said fondly. ‘So old-fashioned. My mum will love you.’

‘As long as you do too,’ Jake said.’

They sat together as the last lights below were extinguished, the camp settling for the night. The ring caught the moonlight, a promise of the future

‘We can wait,’ Amelia said.

‘We can,’ Jake agreed.

But as they climbed down from the scaffolding, both were thinking the same thing: four months had never seemed longer.

Chapter Twelve

Week seven saw both triumph and Margaret’s final card.

The construction was progressing beautifully. The roof was complete—new corrugated iron gleaming in the sun, properly sealed and weatherproof. The verandah posts were up, the railings being fitted. Inside, the structural work was nearly done, and the building had transformed from a dangerous ruin to a solid framework.

‘Another month and we’ll be ready for electrical and plumbing,’ Jake announced at the Monday morning meeting. ‘We’re actually ahead of schedule.’

‘Don’t jinx it,’ Tom warned, but he was grinning.

That afternoon, a formal letter arrived via courier. Jake read it, his expression darkening.

‘What is it?’ Amelia asked.

‘State Building Inspector,’ Jake said flatly. ‘Derek Ainsworth. Coming Friday for a comprehensive review. Someone—’ he looked at the signature on the letter ‘—Margaret Thornton has filed a formal complaint with the state department, requesting a full compliance inspection.’

‘But Margaret apologised,’ Sophie protested. ‘She said she was wrong, she offered to help—’

‘This complaint was filed three weeks ago,’ Jake said, checking the dates. ‘Before the fundraiser, before her change of heart. It’s just taken this long to process.’

‘Can we stop it?’ Davo asked.

‘No,’ Jake said. ‘And honestly, we shouldn’t try. If we pass a state inspection, it proves beyond any doubt that we’re doing everything properly. It’ll shut down any future complaints permanently.’

‘And if we don’t pass?’ Bec asked quietly.

‘Then we fix whatever they find wrong and get re-inspected,’ Jake said firmly. ‘But we’re going to pass. We’ve done everything by the book. Every permit, every safety protocol, every structural decision—all documented, all compliant. We’ll be fine.’

But Amelia could see the tension in his shoulders, the tightness of his jaw. This inspection mattered more than he was admitting.

The next four days were intense. Jake stayed in the office, compiling every document related to the project—permits, engineering reports, safety logs, materials certifications, and worker qualifications. He photographed every aspect of the construction, prepared detailed explanations of every decision.

‘If they’re going to inspect us,’ Jake said Wednesday evening, ‘we’re going to show them the most thoroughly documented project they’ve ever seen.’

Thursday night, Jake barely slept. Amelia knew because she saw his light on in the site office until three a.m., still working, still preparing.