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‘Amelia! Jake!’ She came around the desk to hug them both. ‘You’re here! Your room’s ready—we’ve put you in the Molly Suite on the second floor. Best view in the house.’

‘The Molly Suite?’ Amelia asked.

‘Each room is named after someone important to the hotel’s history,’ Jill explained, slipping effortlessly into manager mode. ‘There’s the Molly Suite, the Alex Room, the Jake Room—yes, you have a room named after you—the Sassy Room, the Tom Room. Guests love the personal touch, and it keeps the hotel’s story alive.’

‘How’s business?’ Jake asked.

Jill’s smile widened. ‘Booked solid six weeks in advance. We’re turning away reservations. Travel magazines have featured us, tourism websites are raving about us, and we’ve had three wedding enquiries for next year. Alex is already talking about expanding—possibly buying the property next door to add more rooms and function space.’

‘That’s incredible,’ Amelia said.

‘It’s because of what we all built together,’ Jill said simply. ‘And because this town has welcomed it with open arms. Speaking of which—everyone’s gathering in the beer garden at six for drinks. The whole crew’s coming back. Davo and Emma, Mick and Charlotte with their baby, Bec and her station manager, Tom, and everyone. It’s going to be wonderful.’

As if on cue, Sophie appeared from the kitchen, also transformed. She wore the hotel’s staff uniform—black trousers, white shirt with the hotel’s logo embroidered on the pocket—and carried a tray of fresh scones.

‘You’re here!’ She set down the tray and hugged Amelia fiercely. ‘I’ve missed you! Brisbane’s too far away.’

‘I’ve missed you too,’ Amelia said. ‘You look great. How’s the job going?’

Sophie had taken a full-time position at the hotel, working as assistant manager under Jill whilst also handling events coordination. She loved it—the variety, the people, the feeling of being essential to something important.

‘It’s brilliant,’ Sophie said. ‘Though Jill works me too hard.’

‘I work you appropriately hard,’ Jill corrected. ‘There’s a difference. Now shoo—we’ve got guests checking in at four, and I need you to make sure the Sassy Room is ready.’

Sophie saluted mockingly and disappeared upstairs.

‘She’s thinking about staying permanently,’ Jill said quietly once Sophie was out of earshot. ‘She mentions going back to England occasionally, but I don’t think her heart’s in it anymore. I think she’s found her place here.’

‘Have you?’ Amelia asked gently, knowing the question carried weight.

Jill’s expression flickered—something sad passing across her face before she smoothed it away. ‘Yes,’ she said firmly. ‘This is my home now. This hotel, this town. I’m happy here.’

But Amelia noticed what Jill didn’t say. She didn’t say she was happy, full stop. Just happy here. It was a subtle distinction, but telling.

The reunion that evening was everything Amelia had hoped for and more.

The beer garden behind the hotel was transformed—fairy lights strung overhead, long tables set up, a barbecue smoking deliciously. Forty people gathered, talking and laughing and celebrating.

The original crew was there—Davo with Emma, now sporting an engagement ring and planning a Christmas wedding. Mick and Charlotte, newly married, and Bec with her station manager partner, Greg, deeply tanned and clearly happy. Bluey with his teacher girlfriend, Sarah. Tom, looking older but proud. Ratty and Col, the fossickers, with stories about sapphires and new finds.

Local supporters were there too—Sassy, beaming with pride at what the hotel had become. Bill Patterson, the mayor, was already tipsy and expansive. Brian from the Creek Hotel having developed a genuine friendship and business partnership with Alex. Lisa the nurse, Danny the mechanic, Mitch the teacher—all still in town, all still hoping.

And new faces—people who’d moved to Garnet Creek specifically because of the hotel’s success. A young couple who’d bought the old post office building and converted it to a café and bookshop. A tradesman who’d relocated from Rockhampton to meet demand for building work. A family from Brisbane who’d bought one of the empty houses on the residential streets, the parents working remotely whilst raising their kids in the outback. And two dozen new staff in the hotel, who’d moved into the empty houses in town.

‘The population’s up to two hundred and forty-five,’ Bill announced proudly during his speech. ‘First time we’ve grown in fifteen years. And we’re not done yet. Two more families are looking at properties. The school’s student numbers are up to thirty-one. The town is coming back to life.’

‘Because of this,’ Alex said, gesturing to the hotel. ‘Because people believed in something impossible and made it real. Because a community came together and refused to let their town die quietly.’

Later, as the sun set and the party mellowed into small conversations, Amelia found herself talking with Alex near the bar.

‘You look happy,’ she observed.

‘I am,’ Alex said, and the truth of it was evident in his face. He looked younger than when she’d first met him—less burdened, more settled. ‘The hotel’s succeeding, the town’s thriving, and I—’ He paused, smiling almost shyly. ‘I’ve found unexpected companionship.’

‘Oh?’ Amelia prompted, intrigued.

‘Margaret and I have been seeing each other,’ Alex admitted, his cheeks actually colouring slightly. ‘Started a few months ago. We were working together on the heritage preservation committee, and one thing led to another. She’s—well, she’s quite remarkable once you get past the prickly exterior.’