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‘Whoever would’ve thought eight years ago,’ she murmured, ‘when you climbed into my helicopter, and I took an immediate dislike to the grumpy engineer, that here we’d be with three children, a successful business and talking about going overseas?’

‘We’ve come a long way, Els, and I’d do it all over in a heartbeat.’

‘So would I.’ Ellie knew he was talking about how they’d purchased the farm she’d grown up on and demolished the old farmhouse before building the lovely home they now lived in. She closed her eyes and let the memories roll over her as Kane held her close. Mum making the annual winter batch of mango chutney, the yellow-stained walls above the old gas stove, her bed on the back enclosed veranda where she dreamed of learning to fly a helicopter. Sunbaking by the dam in summer with Emma and Dru, as small waves on the water made the blue plastic drums slap against the wooden short piers at the end of the jetty. The smell of Reef Oil always brought that memory back and always made her smile. Growing up with her sisters on the Porter Farm had been wonderful until Dad’s dreams had become unrealistic.

The original sign from the gate had been replaced by McLaren Mango Farm, but the original charred timber Porter Farm sign graced the entrance to the work shed. Kane had retrieved it from the rubbish pile at the back of the shed where his stepfather, Panos Sordina, had thrown it. Sordina, a man whom Kane had never respected, had bought the farm from Sandra after her first husband had died. Sordina had been in Russell Fairweather’s pocket.

Ellie and Dru had made the sign the first winter after Emma left for medical school. They’d almost caught the packing shed on fire, giving the sign a charred edge with Dad’s blowtorch. She remembered how the wood had glowed orange and one of the mango cartons on the bench where they’d been working had burst into flame. Dru had laughed as she’d run for a bucket of water from the dam and then doused the small fire.

But the memories weren’t all good. Dad hadn’t been a good manager and his dreams had been bigger than his pocket. Even all these years later, Ellie could still remember the exhaustion on his face, the leaden despair that had eventually driven him to the pub most nights. It had been the beginning of the end, and when the coroner’s verdict had been death by suicide, the financial and drinking evidence supported the verdict.

Mum had never believed that Dad would take his own life, and Ellie and Emma had supported her, finally uncovering the intricate web of deception and murder that Fairweather had spun. They didn’t talk about those dark days very often now. Ellie knew she’d come a long way since those days.

She and Kane had both had tragedies in their lives. Russell Fairweather, the wealthy industrialist responsible for the murders of Ellie’s father and Kane’s stepfather, was still in jail. In the back of her mind, she always worried about when he was released, because she knew what Fairweather was like. A man who would seek revenge and would never let it go; that was the only negative in her life. She would never forget the look in his eyes when she shot him in the leg.

‘You can’t hide from me.’ His laugh had chilled her blood and the memory never left her. She’d just learned to deal with it and not let it affect her everyday life.

The lingering worry sitting in the back of her mind was that one day he would harm her family. His greed had led to many deaths, and the disintegration of more than one family; she knew Fairweather would never let it go. One day he would seek revenge.

Ellie shivered in Kane’s arms and he lifted his head. ‘Second thoughts?’

‘No . . . no, I think a family holiday is a fabulous idea.’

‘I’m pleased. It will be a great break for you. Don’t worry about packing tonight. I’ll help you tomorrow. I’ll spend some time with Cy when we get home, make sure he’s got everything he needs, and give him a key to the house so he can use the kitchen. I’ll have to make sure he sees the part of the shed I’ve set up for Tarni’s lab, and I’ve put in all the equipment she needs.’

‘Has Cy got any experience with our sort of farming?’

‘Ryan assured me he can turn his hand to anything. He said Cy’s a hard and loyal worker, and that’s enough for me. You’re not judging him by his father, are you, Els?’

‘No. Not at all. You know I trust you with our farm, Kane.’

##

Two days later, Ellie woke early and rolled over onto her back, staring at the ceiling. She came out of sleep slowly watching through half-closed eyes as the first fingers of dawn crept through the window.

Her eyes flew open. This morning they were leaving for the airport to catch their flight to LA! Excitement rushed through her, followed by the immediate realisation of the chores she still had to do. The first one was to make up the guest bedroom and pick some roses to put in there. Then the last of the folding, ironing, and packing.

She smiled, unable to believe that she, Kane, and the three kids were doing this. She rolled slowly onto her side and looked at her sleeping husband beside her. The wrinkles that had started to surround his eyes were less defined in sleep, and his long lashes lay on his cheeks as he breathed deeply.

A rush of love for Kane, her soul mate and the father of her children, overwhelmed Ellie. He was her world.

Life was good.

Stop mooning over your husband of eight years and get moving, she told herself. If she didn’t hurry up and get out of bed, they wouldn’t be ready when Jeremy came. She was almost ready, just the last few items from yesterday’s wash to deal with.

Quietly slipping her legs over the edge of the bed, she stretched slowly before reaching for a light robe. Padding barefoot on the polished timber floors, she left the room silently without disturbing Kane. He’d been up late last night, spending a few hours in the shed with Cy. He’d been happy when he’d joined her for a late cuppa.

‘Cy’s go it all under control already. He’s a fast learner. He’s going to finish digging the irrigation trenches. I told him to hire a labourer to give him a hand.’

‘I hope he and Tarni get on. He was always a bit of a ladies’ man.’

‘Apparently, he’s settled down since Joe’s been in jail.’

‘Hmm,’ Ellie said.

‘They’re grownups, stop worrying. Just focus on our trip.’ Kane had wagged a finger at her.

On her way to the kitchen, Ellie paused in the doorway of each of the children’s rooms.