‘So this is the closest town to your parents’ place?’ Kenzie asked.
‘Yep. It’s not far now. Just a few k’s out.’
Within minutes, they’d left the town behind before turning off the main highway onto a smaller local road, once more out in the dry countryside.
Twenty-five minutes later, Ewan slowed down and turned onto a gravel road.
‘Are we getting close to your mummy and daddy’s house yet?’ Poppy asked, looking out the window with a slightly concerned look on her face. ‘It’s taking a very long time.’
‘It’s a very long drive,’ Ewan agreed, looking at her in the rear-vison mirror. ‘But we’re just about there. Just up this road a bit.’
‘Just up the road’ turned out to be another five or so kilometres. The road branched off a number of times. Ewan pointed out the truck sheds his family ran for their livestock as well as doing general livestock transport for clients. Another road led to a feedlot the property ran as well. Kenzie couldn’t see much as they drove past that turn-off, but she did catch a glimpse of part of the enormous stockyard set-up. Ewan had clearly played down the scale of his family’s property and business.
Finally, they rounded a bend onto a long straight lined by silos, sheds and the occasional house that Ewan mentioned belonged to workers, until they came to a set of entrance gates and a tree-lined avenue where everything was magically green. Bright-coloured flowers and lush lawn edged the driveway until the road widened into a circular roundabout in front of a large, two-storey sandstone homestead.
‘Wow,’ Poppy breathed from the back.
Kenzie could only echo her daughter’s amazement. Wow, indeed.
The house looked like something from the pages of aCountry Livingmagazine.It would make the most amazing wedding venue.She stared at the house before her, with its manicured gardens and lawn, past-centuries’ romantic ambiance oozing from every square inch.
‘Here we are,’ he said, hands still firmly braced on the steering wheel and his eyes fixed on the house. He let out a long breath, and Kenzie was going to ask if he was okay when a woman in white trousers and a pink floral top appeared through the enormous timber double front doors. She was followed by a tall, grey-haired man dressed in a pair of caramel-coloured moleskins and a long-sleeved blue-and-white pinstripe button-up shirt.
‘Here we go,’ he said in a low tone, glancing across at her briefly. ‘You ready?’
Hell no.‘Sure,’ she somehow managed, forcing back a rush of nausea. What was the worst that could happen, they hated her, and she had to turn around and fly home tomorrow? Kenzie experienced a moment of panic as Ewan opened his door and got out of the vehicle. She had an insane urge to slide across to the driver’s seat and speed off with Poppy before anything went any further. She took a fortifying breath. They were here, and life was about to change, whether she was ready or not.
As she got out and opened the back door, she noticed Poppy had gone quiet and, for the first time in forever, was suckingher thumb. She was such an intuitive kid, had she somehow picked up on the nervousness of the adults inside the car? A rush of love and protectiveness ran through her.
‘Hey, you’re okay. These people are Ewan’s mummy and daddy. I’m sure they’re lovely. Let’s go and say hello,’ she said, gathering her little girl into her arms after unclasping the harness of her car seat.
Ewan was hugging his mother when they reached his side, and she caught the slight dampness in the older woman’s eyes as she stepped back to allow her husband to shake their son’s hand.
‘Dad,’ Ewan said with a nod.
‘Son,’ the older man replied in a heavy Scottish brogue.
‘And this must be Kenzie and Poppy,’ his mother said, smiling brightly as she turned to them. Kenzie thought she detected a slight nervousness in the woman’s face as she’d watched the men greet each other, and felt her own twinge of apprehension. The moment was gone as quickly as it came, and she was instantly caught up in the woman’s warmth.
‘Hello,’ Kenzie said before she was hugged tightly, Poppy being caught in the exchange as well.
‘You smell like flowers,’ Poppy said with a giggle as the woman pulled away.
‘Do I?’ she asked, sending Kenzie an amused look.
Poppy nodded solemnly.
‘Do youlikeflowers?’ Ewan’s mother asked.
‘I do. I like the big blue ones best. They’re my nanny’s favourite. My grandad gives them to her all the time.’
‘How lovely,’ she said with a smile. ‘Your nanny’s very lucky.’ She looked back at Kenzie. ‘I’m Vera, and this is my husband, Callum,’ she said. ‘It’s so wonderful to meet you both.’ She gave Kenzie’s arm a slight squeeze before letting go.
‘Thank you for having us,’ Kenzie said, feeling marginally relieved that Ewan’s mother seemed happy to have them there. His father looked on sternly, and didn’t say a word.
‘Come inside, you’ve had a long trip. Peggy’s got tea ready and some of her special Empire biscuits,’ Vera said, looking at her son affectionately.
‘My favourite.’ Ewan grinned.
