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The Happy Outback Hotel had its manager. But the happiness, at least for tonight, was complicated by tears.

Tomorrow would be better, Amelia told herself. Tomorrow, Jill would wake up excited about her new role, ready to focus on the future she was building.

But tonight, in the darkness of the van, all three friends understood that sometimes getting what you wanted came with costs you never expected to pay.

Chapter Fourteen

The following week, guest rooms were being finished—beds delivered and installed, linens unpacked and laundered, and final decorating touches added. The kitchen was operational, equipment gleaming, ready for the chef Alex had hired from Darwin. The bar was stocked, the glasses polished, the original brass rails restored to gleaming beauty.

Outside, landscaping was underway. The surrounding area was being cleared, gardens planted, parking area properly marked. The old sign had been taken down and replaced with THE HAPPY OUTBACK HOTEL, the letters gleaming gold against deep blue. A signage firm in Emerald had done a rush job for them.

‘It’s beautiful,’ Amelia said, standing back to admire it. ‘Like it’s been waiting all these years to be this beautiful again.’

‘It has been,’ Jake said, appearing beside her. ‘Buildings have memories. This one remembers being grand. We just reminded it.’

Thursday afternoon, Alex’s personal guests arrived—Amelia’s parents, David and Patricia Morgan.

Amelia had been nervous about this for weeks. Her parents had been supportive from afar but confused about their daughter deferring university to work on a building project in remote Queensland. They’d agreed to come for the opening, but with clear reservations.

Both looked distinctly out of place climbing out of their rental car, dressed in city clothes, blinking at the vast outback landscape.

‘Mum! Dad!’ Amelia ran to hug them.

‘Darling,’ Patricia said, holding her daughter at arm’s length. ‘You look so different. Tanned and…muscular? Have you been exercising?’

‘I’ve been building,’ Amelia said, laughing. ‘Manual labour. It’s quite the workout.’

David was already assessing the hotel, his engineer’s eye taking in the structure. ‘Impressive renovation. The engineering looks sound from here.’

‘Wait until you see inside,’ Amelia said. ‘Jake can give you the full tour. Dad, you’ll love the foundation work—it’s brilliant.’

Jake appeared, wiping his hands on a rag, looking professional despite the sawdust in his hair. ‘Mr and Mrs Morgan. Jake Miller. Pleasure to meet you.’

He shook hands with both, his grip firm and confident. David assessed him with the same critical eye he’d used on the building.

‘You’re the project manager?’ David asked.

‘Yes, sir. Licensed builder, ten years’ experience. I can show you our engineering reports if you’d like—the foundation work in particular might interest you as a fellow engineer.’

‘I would like that,’ David said, sounding surprised to be offered actual documentation.

Jake spent the next hour giving them a comprehensive tour, explaining every aspect of the restoration with technical precision that impressed David and clarity that didn’t overwhelm Patricia. He showed them the before photos, the engineering challenges, the solutions implemented.

And he talked about Amelia.

‘Your daughter has exceptional aptitude for construction work,’ Jake said, showing them the veranda section Amelia had supervised. ‘She went from a complete novice to a qualified site supervisor in ten weeks. That’s remarkable. Most people take six months to reach that level.’

‘Site supervisor?’ Patricia said faintly.

‘She manages work crews, makes technical decisions, ensures quality and safety compliance,’ Jake explained. ‘She’s brilliant at it. Natural leadership, excellent spatial reasoning, meticulous attention to detail. She could have a real career in building if she wanted.’

They found Amelia on the upper veranda, overseeing the final railing installation. She was directing two workers, checking measurements, and ensuring everything was level.

Patricia watched her daughter work, something shifting in her expression.

‘Amelia looks happy,’ she said quietly to Jake. ‘I haven’t seen her this confident since she was a child.’

‘She should be confident,’ Jake said. ‘She’s excellent at this. We couldn’t have finished on schedule without her.’