Mackenzies had paid for living at Marellen was that of the four family members who’d moved there, he was the only person left.
‘So, how come Travis doesn’t have a lipstick target on his back, like you?’ she teased, changing the mood.
Ewan found the missing spanner and hung it in the spare space on the chipboard. ‘Lipstick target?’
‘Yes. If Travis is single, too, how come Mrs Jessop isn’t setting her sights on him as a future son-in-law?’
Ewan didn’t answer straight away. He looked across the garden to where the soft glow of the kitchen light shone. ‘Well …’ he rubbed a hand around the base of his neck. ‘Everyone has always known Travis is a one-woman man and always will be, even if he can’t ever have the woman he loves.’
Kree too stared towards the kitchen light. ‘Tish?’
‘Yep.’
‘Does she know?’
‘No. You’ve seen how reserved Travis is, he hasn’t said more than a few words to her since he’s come back. He hasn’t come out and admitted it, even to me, but he’s loved her for a very long time.’
‘Tish obviously loved your brother but the way her eyes soften when you mention Travis’s name could mean she now has feelings for Travis.’
‘I’ve no doubt she does and that’s where it’s complicated.The reason why Travis left was because he thought he wasn’t good enough for her. He didn’t come from money and believed he didn’t have anything to offer her. He wouldn’t have had a day off in all the time he’s been away but he’s returned with a fortune.’
‘Take it from me, Travis’s honesty and integrity are worth more than any amount of money in the bank.’ She opened the tractor door and settled herself into the tractor seat. ‘Now he’s bought his farm, does he still feel the same way?’
Ewan climbed two of the tractor’s four steps and caught the open door. He looked into the cab, his eyes the same level as Kree’s. She was so close he could see the thickness of her dark lashes. ‘No. Now it’s simply a case of him not wanting to rush Tish into anything she mightn’t be ready for. That’s why I asked if Tish could come to your dinner. Without the boys, and with only the four of us there, they would have a chance to get to know each other again.’
Kree took hold of the steering wheel. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll make sure such a dinner happens and soon.’
She bounced on the seat and the heavy fall of her ponytail swung across her shoulders. He breathed in the fresh scent of vanilla.
‘You know, this is kind of fun.’
‘You’re as bad as the boys. They bounce on the seat and make brum brum noises.’
‘Bouncing I can do but I’ll leave making brum brum noises to the experts.’ She inclined her head towards a small screen to her right. ‘What does this do?’
‘It’s a GPS to make sure the tractor travels in straight lines. It drives the tractor, so I can read the newspaper.’
‘Sure.’
‘I’m not pulling your leg, it does. I’m sowing canola tomorrow, so you’re welcome to come for a ride and see for yourself.’
Her forehead creased as she glanced around the cabin. ‘I don’t want to get in your way. There’s not much room in here.’
He inclined his head towards the smaller trainer’s seat to her left. ‘The boys sit there and aren’t in the road. Tish packs them a picnic lunch.’
Kree looked forward through the windscreen again. ‘Well, if a short ride’s on offer, I’d love to come. In the hospital Seth became obsessed with watching internet clips of farming machinery. I’ll bring my camera and film him his own personal video.’
‘Seth is a man after my own heart.’
Her lips curved in a grin he couldn’t help but return. Being around Kree never failed to shift his inner chill.
‘I’ve an early start tomorrow,’ he said, ‘so I’d better head inside. Of course, you’re welcome to stay and make brum brum noises when I’m gone.’
‘Not on your life, I’m not coming over to the dark
‘So, how come Travis doesn’t have a lipstick target on his back, like you?’ she teased, changing the mood.
Ewan found the missing spanner and hung it in the spare space on the chipboard. ‘Lipstick target?’
‘Yes. If Travis is single, too, how come Mrs Jessop isn’t setting her sights on him as a future son-in-law?’
Ewan didn’t answer straight away. He looked across the garden to where the soft glow of the kitchen light shone. ‘Well …’ he rubbed a hand around the base of his neck. ‘Everyone has always known Travis is a one-woman man and always will be, even if he can’t ever have the woman he loves.’
Kree too stared towards the kitchen light. ‘Tish?’
‘Yep.’
‘Does she know?’
‘No. You’ve seen how reserved Travis is, he hasn’t said more than a few words to her since he’s come back. He hasn’t come out and admitted it, even to me, but he’s loved her for a very long time.’
‘Tish obviously loved your brother but the way her eyes soften when you mention Travis’s name could mean she now has feelings for Travis.’
‘I’ve no doubt she does and that’s where it’s complicated.The reason why Travis left was because he thought he wasn’t good enough for her. He didn’t come from money and believed he didn’t have anything to offer her. He wouldn’t have had a day off in all the time he’s been away but he’s returned with a fortune.’
‘Take it from me, Travis’s honesty and integrity are worth more than any amount of money in the bank.’ She opened the tractor door and settled herself into the tractor seat. ‘Now he’s bought his farm, does he still feel the same way?’
Ewan climbed two of the tractor’s four steps and caught the open door. He looked into the cab, his eyes the same level as Kree’s. She was so close he could see the thickness of her dark lashes. ‘No. Now it’s simply a case of him not wanting to rush Tish into anything she mightn’t be ready for. That’s why I asked if Tish could come to your dinner. Without the boys, and with only the four of us there, they would have a chance to get to know each other again.’
Kree took hold of the steering wheel. ‘Don’t worry, I’ll make sure such a dinner happens and soon.’
She bounced on the seat and the heavy fall of her ponytail swung across her shoulders. He breathed in the fresh scent of vanilla.
‘You know, this is kind of fun.’
‘You’re as bad as the boys. They bounce on the seat and make brum brum noises.’
‘Bouncing I can do but I’ll leave making brum brum noises to the experts.’ She inclined her head towards a small screen to her right. ‘What does this do?’
‘It’s a GPS to make sure the tractor travels in straight lines. It drives the tractor, so I can read the newspaper.’
‘Sure.’
‘I’m not pulling your leg, it does. I’m sowing canola tomorrow, so you’re welcome to come for a ride and see for yourself.’
Her forehead creased as she glanced around the cabin. ‘I don’t want to get in your way. There’s not much room in here.’
He inclined his head towards the smaller trainer’s seat to her left. ‘The boys sit there and aren’t in the road. Tish packs them a picnic lunch.’
Kree looked forward through the windscreen again. ‘Well, if a short ride’s on offer, I’d love to come. In the hospital Seth became obsessed with watching internet clips of farming machinery. I’ll bring my camera and film him his own personal video.’
‘Seth is a man after my own heart.’
Her lips curved in a grin he couldn’t help but return. Being around Kree never failed to shift his inner chill.
‘I’ve an early start tomorrow,’ he said, ‘so I’d better head inside. Of course, you’re welcome to stay and make brum brum noises when I’m gone.’
‘Not on your life, I’m not coming over to the dark
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