She climbed the stairs and collected their suitcases, giving her beautiful bedroom one last look before closing the door behind her. Tears threatened but she fought them off, straightening her shoulders. She wouldnotgive Callum the satisfaction of seeing her cry. He’d probably only use it against her and say she was after sympathy.
She felt helpless, stranded at the mercy of these people who thought she was some kind of con-woman. She took her phone out and scrolled through her contacts until she found the one she needed and quickly typed a message, hitting send before she could think too much about it.
Kenzie placed the suitcases near the back door and stepped outside, smiling briefly at Peggy, who was supervising the three children playing tag in the backyard.
‘Poppy,’ she called, waving her daughter over and fixing a bright smile on her face. ‘Sweetie, we’ve had a change in our plans. We have to leave to go back to Nan’s.’
‘No,’ she said, staring at her mother and looking distraught.
‘I know, it’s not what we planned, but we have to go.’
‘I don’t want to go. I want to stay here with Daddy and Granny.’
‘Guess what, though?’ she added, forcing a cheeriness she was far from feeling into her voice. ‘We’re going to go on a plane. Won’t that be exciting?’ she said, seeing the tiniestflicker of interest cross her daughter’s face. Flying on a plane had been a big item on Poppy’s to-do list for quite some time.
The rumble of a car pulling up on the gravel out the front of the house made Kenzie straighten and turn. ‘That must be Aunty Floss,’ she said, her heart giving a small ping of pain at the title. After today, there probably wouldn’t be any further contact with her. She just hoped Floss would be sympathetic to her plight and help her now.
As she walked back inside the house, she heard voices in low conversation and braced herself. Vera and Floss turned to face her as she approached, and Kenzie bit down on the inside of her lip at the devastation written across Vera’s face.
‘I don’t understand,’ Floss said, looking from her mother to Kenzie uncertainly.
‘I know it’s a lot to ask, Floss, but could you please give us a lift into town? I’ll organise my flight home from there.’
‘Don’t be ridiculous. We’re not kicking you out with nowhere to go,’ Vera said stiffly.
‘I can’t stay here. Thank you for your hospitality and for everything you’ve done,’ Kenzie said, her words faltering slightly as her throat thickened.
‘Granny,’ Poppy said in a small voice, clearly picking up that something was wrong. It tore Kenzie’s heart to shreds.
‘It’s all right, darling,’ Vera said gently, stroking the child’s head before looking up at Kenzie. ‘Stay the night and book your flights for tomorrow. There’s no need to run off and stay in town.’
‘I can’t,’ Kenzie said firmly.
‘Then come and stay at my place. How about a sleepover with the boys, Poppy?’ Floss cut in, smiling at Poppy, who immediately brightened before looking up at Kenzie with a raised eyebrow.
‘Okay, fine,’ Kenzie agreed, realising she really didn’t have much choice. If Floss didn’t drive her into town, she wasn’t going anywhere.
‘Come on, then. Let’s put your suitcases in the car.’
Kenzie took a step, before turning back to face Vera. ‘Thank you.’
‘Kenzie, wait,’ Ewan called, coming from the side of the house.
Tears pricked her eyes once more. ‘I can’t talk about this anymore.’
‘I need to understand. Why would you tell me I was her father if there was a chance that I wasn’t?’
Kenzie sent him a helpless look. ‘There’s nothingtounderstand. That report is wrong. There was never anyone else.’
‘Iwantto believe you,’ he said.
‘Then believe me,’ she said, searching his frustrated gaze, waiting. The silence continued to stretch out between them, and she gave a small shrug before opening his sister’s car door. He wanted to believe her … but he didn’t.
That was all there was to say.
Thirty-seven
Ewan burst into his father’s den. His father looked up and frowned, ending the call he was on and sending his son an unimpressed look. ‘I see knocking is now optional?’
