“Yes, ma’am.”
“What are your intentions towards my granddaughter?”
William blinked and Juniper laughed. “His intentions are to come in and have lunch, which you can do too if you mind your manners.”
“I always mind my manners,” she replied, studiously ignoring Juniper’s derisive snort.
“Do you wanna see my frog, Nana?”
“Do I ever!”
As Violet and Billy crossed the lawn and headed into the house, Juniper bent to pick up her bag before turning to William, whostill seemed to be in shock. She stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek.
“Come on,” she said, pulling gently on his hand.
“I, ah, think I’d better go.”
“Chicken.”
“Absolutely.”
Juniper grinned, slipping her arm around his waist, pulling him towards the house. “You’ll get used to her. She’s the best.”
“I don’t doubt that, but I know what’s going to happen. You’re going to finish lunch and go back to work, which will leave me with her. Within ten minutes, she’s going to know everything about me, right down to the birthmark on my left butt cheek.”
“You have a birthmark on your left butt cheek?” She ran her hand down his back, giving his bottom a squeeze.
“You’re not helping.”
Juniper simply chuckled by way of reply, leading him up the stairs into the house.
CHAPTER 13
William
“Now, downward dog. That’s it, great job.” Violet, Jasper and Billy were lined up on the grass in front of the motorhome, contorting themselves in all sorts of weird ways in the name of exercise.
Billy, his legs shaking from the effort, turned to Jasper. “Look, Jasper, I’m doing it!”
“That’s the way,” Jasper replied, moving smoothly into the next yoga position.
William averted his eyes as Violet pushed her bottom in the air while she turned to check Billy’s posture.
She really was amazingly spry for a woman her age, but one wrong move and her shirt would be around her ears, and he definitely did not want to be caught gawking. He placed the water filter on the table Juniper indicated. She chuckled as she placed the glasses alongside. “Just be glad she’s doing it with her clothes on.”
“Jesus.”
Juniper smiled fondly at grandmother and son.
“She means a lot to you, doesn’t she?”
She turned her gaze back to him. “The world. She saved me in ways I can’t even fully comprehend. Without her love and support, I’d still be languishing in Melbourne, probably unhappily married, hosting reams of society dinners and hating my life.” She waved her arm in a sweeping gesture, taking in her house, the shop, the yard…him. “This is better.”
“Amen to that.”
She pressed a soft kiss to his lips before moving back inside to get the food platters. Leah came out from the back door of the shop, carrying an armful of plates. “Here, let me get those.”
“Thanks,” she said, in her quiet way.
