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‘Better than expected,’ Jake said. ‘You’re all quick learners. Especially Amelia—she’s got real aptitude for this work.’

Amelia felt her cheeks heat. ‘Jake’s a good teacher.’

‘That too,’ Jill said, her look suggesting she saw more than Amelia wanted her to see.

They were finishing lunch when vehicles appeared on the road—Davo’s Hilux, followed by Ratty’s old Land Cruiser, then Bec on a motorbike.

‘G’day!’ Davo called, climbing out. ‘Ready to put us to work?’

Jake stood, walking over to greet them. ‘Absolutely. Grab hard hats from the site office, then we’ll get you started on demolition.’

By noon, the team had grown. The newcomers settled into their camps, then joined the work. Davo proved his construction experience immediately, stepping in to help Tom with the roof work. Ratty examined the interior framing with a careful eye, offering suggestions that Jake actually listened to. Bec pulled out work gloves and started clearing debris with methodical efficiency.

‘This is going to work, Dad,’ Jake said to Alex, watching the expanded team work. ‘With this kind of help, we could cut our timeline significantly.’

That afternoon, Amelia was back on the scaffold with Jake, learning to install the new roofing iron that Ryan had donated. It was precise work—the sheets had to align perfectly, the screws had to be placed exactly right, and everything had to be level and secure.

‘Here,’ Jake said, holding the sheet in place. ‘Mark where the battens are, then start at this end.’

Amelia positioned the first screw, started drilling. The iron vibrated, and she compensated automatically, adjusting her angle.

‘Perfect,’ Jake said. ‘That’s exactly right. Keep going.’

She worked her way across the sheet; each screw placed with growing confidence. Jake watched without hovering, trusting her to do it correctly. When she finished, he checked her work, testing each connection.

‘Textbook perfect,’ he said, and the approval in his voice made her glow with pride. ‘You sure you haven’t done this before?’

‘First time,’ Amelia said. ‘But I had a good teacher.’

Their eyes held for a moment too long. Jake looked away first, clearing his throat.

‘Right. Next sheet. You lead this time, I’ll follow.’

They worked side by side through the afternoon, the physical labour becoming almost meditative. The heat was brutal, but there was something satisfying about the work—the immediate visible progress, the tangible results, the way the building slowly transformed under their hands.

Around four, Amelia was reaching for a tool when her foot slipped on the scaffold platform. She gasped, arms windmilling, and then Jake’s hands were there, catching her waist, steadying her against him.

‘Careful,’ he said, his voice rough. ‘I’ve got you.’

They stood frozen, his hands firm on her waist, her hands gripping his forearms for balance. She could feel his heart beating fast—or maybe that was hers. The heat between them had nothing to do with the afternoon sun.

‘Thanks,’ she managed, her voice barely above a whisper.

‘Always,’ Jake said, and slowly—reluctantly—released her.

They stepped apart, both shaken. Jake cleared his throat again, looked away.

‘Let’s call it a day up here,’ he said. ‘It’s too hot, we’re getting careless. Water break, then maybe some ground-level work where it’s safer.’

Amelia nodded, not trusting herself to speak. As they climbed down the scaffold, she was acutely aware of him behind her, ready to catch her if she slipped again.

On the ground, the others were gathering for a water break. Davo was entertaining everyone with stories about disastrous station jobs. Ratty was showing Bec proper hammer technique. Sophie and Jill had arrived back from work and were laughing at something Tom had said.

Already a team. Almost like family. Amelia smiled as the community spirit surrounded her.

That evening, after dinner, the crew gathered around the campfire. Davo pulled out a harmonica and started playing—old bush songs that made everyone hum along even when they didn’t know the words. Ratty told stories about finding sapphires, the near-misses and lucky strikes. Bec described life on remote stations in a way that made city living seem boring.

Amelia sat slightly apart, watching the group bond, feeling the rightness of it. This was what the project needed—not just workers, but people who believed in it, who wanted to be part of something meaningful.