Elle watched as Harry ushered Maya and Bonnie in. "So, tell me all about this job of yours? It sounds fun."

Elle smiled. Harry had always thought photography was a glamorous profession. It's not that Elle didn't agree, but working crazy hours and sometimes with fanatical clients was a deal-breaker for most. "It's just another wedding."

"Oh, please!" Bonnie interrupted. "It's a huge, upmarket wedding. They are some big people, but very private, so we can't actually talk about them. In fact, we don't even know what the family does."

"Oh." Harry pouted. "Any guesses?"

Bonnie grinned. "A few."

"Ooh. Do tell!" Harry grabbed Bonnie by her arm and led her into the kitchen where James and Mitch were busy setting the table.

"Ellie!" Mitchell ran to her for a hug.

"What have you been eating, Mitch?" Elle smiled at her nephew. "You're almost as tall as your father."

"I grew a whole foot last summer."

"I can see that." Elle turned to Maya and nudged her towards Mitchell. "Aren't you going to say hello to Mitchell?"

Maya bit her lip. "Hello, Mitchell."

"Come along, girls, sit, sit!" James went around, pulling out chairs for them. "We can always chat later. First, let's eat. Food's getting cold."

"You're sitting next to me." Mitch held his hand out to Maya to grab.

"So where's this wedding happening, aye?" James slapped a dollop of garlic mash on his plate.

"Out on the harbour." Elle picked out a piece of chicken breast.

"On a glass boat!" Bonnie squeaked.

"It's a night thing, then?"

They both nodded. "The ceremony is at sunset and then dinner," Elle said, taking the mash as James passed it on.

"The Glasshouse?" James almost choked on his food. "The Glasshouse?" Elle and Bonnie looked at one another, unsure. "That's one fancy place to have a wedding."

Harry nodded. "We looked at it for our own wedding years back and we couldn't even think about it. Isn't that right, honey?"

James nodded. "But we also had an extended guest list, darling."

Elle shrugged. "The family wants good coverage of events leading up to the wedding day."

"Bridal fitting, pre-wedding shoot, hens and bucks maybe, rehearsal dinner, and then the wedding day itself," Bonnie listed the activities.

James' brows almost reached his hairline. "Wow, they really want everything covered. Don't tell me they want you to cover the honeymoon, too?" He laughed. "That'd be awkward."

Mitch laughed the loudest, causing the adults to stop laughing. "Finish your food, Mitch, and take Maya to the lounge. We're talking." James said sternly.

"Where are you two staying?" James asked as he helped Bonnie clear the table.

"The brother of the groom has offered us his apartment for the week."

"You're staying with the family?" Harry chimed in.

"We asked them to recommend the closest accommodation so we could be on hand and instead, they offered us one of their apartments," Elle said, busily ignoring Harry's stare as she loaded the dishwasher.

"You can stay here then?"

Elle knew this was coming. "Harry, I don't know Sydney well."

"So? Why are you staying with strangers when you have family here?" Harry asked, hurt.

"Oh, we don't know if he'll be staying with us," Bonnie said.

James and Harry's heads snapped her way. "What do you mean, he? He who?"

"Dean Stewart, the groom's brother," Bonnie replied. "When he heard we were looking for affordable accommodation, he called Elle and offered his place."

Elle could feel Harry's gaze drilling a hole in the back of her head. "You could have asked James and me for help."

"Hang on a moment," James muttered, "Dean Stewart. Where do I know that name from?"

Elle swallowed, conscious of Harry's gaze. "You guys met him at Chloe's housewarming about three weeks ago."

"The tall guy?"

Elle nodded.

"Well, that was mighty generous of him."

"How can you be okay with this?" Harry exploded. "Elle's staying at a stranger's house. She should stay with us. We are the family. Not some generous guy she met at a party."

The colour drained from Elle's face. She remembered Harry had walked into the spare room Elle was staying in at Chloe's, where she first met Dean. It probably didn't look good for him since she'd been crying just before Harry had barged in.

"That man is nosy, is what he is!" Harry continued angrily.

Elle felt suddenly restricted. She had been looking forward to the week with such a rush in her veins, not realising that the thought of another man replacing Blake would truly hurt Harry. Wasn't it Harry who had told her not so long ago that she needed to move on with her life?

"It's not a big deal, love." James faltered. "And do you mind lowering your voice? The children are in the other room."

"But we are family!" Harry sniffled, though her voice came down several octaves. "And it's not like Elle visits often."

"I'm sorry, Harry!" Elle squeaked as a child scolded.

Bonnie slipped out of the room, leaving the three of them alone, mumbling, "I'll go see how the kids are doing."

"I'm not trying to hurt you, Harry. I'm here for work." Elle shuffled her feet. "I can't jeopardize this client's wedding and you know I'm terrible with Sydney traffic."

"Elle, you don't need to explain," James began, but Harry continued fuming.

Elle shook her head. "This is obviously an issue for Harry, and I'm not leaving here tomorrow morning feeling guilty for trying to move on with my life as she advised me to do just a month ago." She could see Harry's jaws clench in rebuttal. "I know it's been ages since I visited, Harry, but you know I'm just trying really hard, really bloody hard, not to hurt anymore."

"She's all we have left of Blake..." Harry choked on the words.

"First Blake," James muttered. "And then you moved back home."

"It's like you don't need us anymore." Harry hiccupped as James took her into his arms.

"I haven't left, Harry." Elle blinked back tears of her own. "I just needed to get away from all the memories."

"For two years?" Harry turned to her viciously.

"I lost my husband, Harry. Do you know what that means?"

Harry pushed James away and swiped at her eyes. "I lost a brother and then I lost his wife and his daughter, Elle. I lost three people."

"Please, darling. Let it go!" James tried to interrupt, only to be shoved away.

"I'm not saying your loss was less than mine, but running away, Elle? Blake would have never run."

"I'm not Blake!" Elle exploded. "I'm not Blake. I'm not as tough as he was." Unable to argue anymore, she picked up her car keys from the buffet and walked out to her car.

It was almost midnight when Elle pulled out her phone and called James' mobile. She didn't want to ring their landline in case Harry picked up.

"Where are you, darling?" James asked as soon as he'd picked up.

"I'm not sure, and I'm low on fuel." She sobbed.

"Okay, drive to the nearest road sign you see and tell me the name. I'll come get you."

"I'm sorry about tonight."

"No need. Just tell me where you are and I'll come get you."

"They've all gone to bed except Harry," James whispered, closing the door.

"Maya?"

"On Mitch's spare trundle. You're with Bonnie in the spare room."

Elle nodded. "Thank you for getting me. And I am sorry about tonight."

"You are both hurting," he whispered. "And Harry was out of line, but you know she only said what she did out of love?"

Elle nodded and said goodnight.

"Goodnight Elle."