‘I didn’t really grow up here. I only spent school holidays visiting. Mum grew up here though. And Jack.’
‘Poppy seems right at home on the farm,’ he commented as they watched her giggle at something Jack said while they stroked the neck of an enormous cow.
‘Yeah, she loves it here. Loves animals and getting outside and getting dirty. I always wondered where that came from,’ she said dryly. ‘I was blaming my mother, but maybe it’s from you.’
He looked a little stunned by her comment, until he relaxed and gave a slight chuckle.
‘I would never have had you pegged as a country boy.’
He shifted uncomfortably. ‘I guess all that work Sasha did paid off then,’ he said with a small grimace. ‘Although it was my country charm that caught her eye, it eventually wore off for her. She decided I needed a makeover, to assimilate to fit in her social group.’
‘I see.’ She really didn’t see. From the few interactions she’d had with Ewan, he didn’t seem at all like the type of man who’d allow himself to be browbeaten into changing who he was. Although Sasha Delsanto had been quite the force to be reckoned with.
‘I used to think the way Sasha’s father pandered to her was kind of ridiculous,’ he said. ‘I didn’t really see that I’d become just as bad.’
‘She certainly seems to know what she wants,’ Kenzie said diplomatically.
‘She does. It’s just a shame that she doesn’t let everyone else see the other side of herself. She’s incredibly loyal and funny and generous. Once she gets her teeth into a cause, she’s all in.’ ‘I’m sorry everything went wrong.’
‘That’s life,’ he said, then looked down at her. ‘I’m guessing you’ve survived the odd unexpected plot twist in life,’ he said with a wry grin.
She snorted. ‘You could say that,’ she said, looking over at the little girl laughing nearby. ‘But sometimes, it works out for the best.’
‘Well, hopefully mine does too.’
When they arrived back at the house, her mother had the table set and lunch ready to serve. ‘Hope you’re all hungry,’ Sam said, handing out plates.
‘Looks great,’ Jack said, kissing his wife’s cheek and taking a seat. ‘Come on, Ewan, dig in,’ he said, glancing up to see the younger man, hanging back slightly.
As Kenzie settled Poppy into a seat and placed her plate in front of her, she couldn’t help a grin when she noticed both father and daughter had swapped the cutlery to the other hand. ‘You’re left-handed,’ Kenzie said.
Ewan looked up, then over at the little girl holding the fork in her right hand and did a double-take. ‘Yeah. My brother was too.’
‘How many siblings do you have?’ Sam asked as she sliced up the cold chicken on her plate.
‘It’s just my sister and I now. My brother died in an accident.’ ‘Oh. I’m sorry to hear that. That must have been horrible.’ ‘It was a while back. Kenzie mentioned she had three siblings?’
Kenzie suspected he was desperate to redirect the questions away from his brother and jumped in. ‘I have a sister, Brooklyn, and two stepsisters, Jack’s daughters, Bianca and Tasmin.’
‘You’re severely outnumbered around here, then,’ Ewan said, looking across at Jack, who smiled amicably back.
‘I just keep my head down and do as I’m told.’
‘Which translates to, when everyone’s home, he spends most of his time with his cattle and working in his shed,’ Sam said dryly.
‘Yet, strangely, even when everyone’s home, I still don’t get too many volunteers for any of the cattle work,’ he added.
‘I offered to help tomorrow,’ Kenzie said.
‘And I’m happy to accept. I can use all the hands I can get.’
‘Sometimes, Grandad can’t remember the names of the cows,’ Poppy put in happily, kicking her legs under the table. ‘Last time, he called Annabelle an old bi—’
‘She was being a bit naughty that day,’ Jack interrupted.
‘And Grandad always gets grumpy when we help him. Doesn’t he, Nanny?’ she said, looking to Sam for confirmation.
Biting back a smile, Sam sent her husband an amused glance before answering. ‘Well, sometimes, there’s a lot going on.’
