Chapter 15
Chapter Fifteen
Between her shifts at the café, all the work Sam was doing on the house, and spending time with her mother and Liam, the rest of the week had flown by. So when Jen awoke early Saturday morning, she lay for a few moments relishing the fact that she felt happier than she’d been for a long time.
Liam was settling in far better than she’d ever thought possible, she loved being back at home with her mother and working with Lucy, and the rest of her family were returning home today to celebrate her mother’s birthday. The one thing that made her feel uncomfortable was being around Sam so much.
He’d been great. About the work and with Liam.
But whenever they spoke, there was an undercurrent to their conversations which they clearly both felt.
It was there in his tone of voice, softer with her, and in his eyes, which lingered on her when he thought she wasn’t looking.
The air practically crackled with electricity between them.
She wasn’t here for this, though. She didn’t want this. She had enough worries about Alistair — who she still hadn’t heard from — without complicating her life any further.
So, as she quickly showered, wanting to make a start on the food prep before Lucy arrived, she felt relief that there was no possibility of her being alone with Sam.
It was her mother’s birthday, and a big family celebration had been planned.
She wouldn’t have a chance for any awkward one-on-ones with Sam. Her siblings would see to that.
After a few hours spent in the kitchen, Jen was relieved to see Lucy arrive, arms full of fresh flowers.
‘Here comes the cavalry!’ called Jen as Lucy dumped the flowers on the kitchen table. She turned to Jen with her hands on her hips and scanned the kitchen with an expert eye.
‘You’ve been busy!’
‘I’ve done the grunt work — peeling and chopping and made a few dips — but I’ve left you to combine it all.’
Lucy laughed. ‘Ha! People often say I’m a good combiner.’
‘You know what I mean,’ said Jen.
‘I do and thank you. That’s great. Now, tell me, what time are the others arriving while I start on the first course?’
‘Dan should be here shortly, but Matt will be a no-show for sure. He’s still in Africa somewhere. And I’m not sure about Ellie.’
Lucy grunted. ‘Who is? We won’t know about the elusive Ellie until she’s here. Or not here. You’d think a lawyer would be more detail oriented.’
‘I can’t believe she ended up being a lawyer. I mean, of course she’s really clever, but her art? That was out of this world, and she simply let it go.’
The house phone rang, and Jen scooped it up. ‘I bet that will be her.’ Smiling, she pressed a button. ‘Hello! MacLeod’s residence!’ Her smile faded a little. ‘Hello? Ellie?’ The phone died, and so did Jen’s heart.
Lucy took the phone from her. ‘Wrong number?’ she suggested, understanding Jen’s fears without having to be told. ‘It’s bound to be.’
Jen nodded. ‘Yes, of course it will be. No doubt Ellie’s mobile signal got cut off as she went through one of the train tunnels.’
‘Yep, that will definitely be it. She’ll ring again in a minute.’
But Jen frowned, unable to shake off the sick feeling the phone call had given her. The number was ex-directory. No one knew it who shouldn’t. No one.
‘Hey, you,’ said Lucy, clearly trying to jolly Jen along.
She held out her necklace. ‘You know you admired this stone the other day. Well, some tourists came into the café the other day and commented on it. They knew what stone it was. I wrote it down.’ She dug into her pocket and retrieved a note. ‘Petoskey stone.’
‘Never heard of it.’
‘Me neither. But apparently where they come it’s pretty famous.’
‘And where’s that?’
‘Michigan. There’s even a place of the same name where most of the stones come from. Petoskey. I thought when they told me it must be from Eastern Europe, but it’s not. People from Michigan are pretty proud of it. Apparently it’s unique to that region.’
Jen grunted. ‘Interesting. But…’
‘But what?’ asked Lucy, tasting a dip Jen had made and nodding appreciatively.
‘But what’s it doing here?’
Lucy shrugged. ‘No idea. I guess Mum might know. Anyway,’ she said, rolling up her sleeves, ‘we need to get on.’
Suddenly they heard a shout, and Lucy, holding the spoon to her mouth ready to taste a sauce, looked around. She bobbed her head down to look out the window into the garden at the approaching figure. ‘Well, look who it is!’ she said, grinning widely at the figure outside.
‘Is that—?’ asked Kate, joining Jen by the French doors which were open onto the garden. She grinned at Jen. ‘It is!’
‘Dan!’ greeted Jen as she ran outside to give her big brother a hug.
‘The stranger returns,’ Dan said. ‘And about time.’
He gave her a big hug back, and then she stepped away, her hands firmly on his shoulders. ‘Oh my goodness, you’ve changed! Your hair is different and you’ve got broader!’
He grinned. ‘More muscly is what I think you mean.’
She laughed. ‘Exactly.’ But his smile — so full of the charm which had got him out of trouble his whole life — hadn’t changed.
Then his eyes narrowed as he searched her face, and she realised that behind that charm his big intellect was still ticking away.
The same intellect that had taken him to Australia, juggling various entrepreneurial ventures.
‘I last saw you in London five years ago, when you told me that everything was fine. You were fine. Alistair was fine. And Liam was fine. If I’d known what was hiding behind fine, I’d never have left you there.’
‘Yeah, I’m sorry. It was…’ She shrugged. ‘All pretty difficult. But I’m here now!’ She didn’t want to waste any time with her big brother, whom she’d used to idolise, talking about her past.
‘You are indeed. Here to stay?’ he asked, his eyes never moving from hers. He’d always been like that. Able to charm people by making them feel they were the only person he cared about. Thing was, it was authentic.
She nodded. ‘Here to stay.’ She glanced at her mother, who was watching them with a gentle smile on her face. ‘If Mum will have me.’
‘Course I’ll have you,’ said Kate. She beckoned Dan over. ‘Come here, Dan, and give me a hug. It’s been too long.’
Dan didn’t need telling twice, and he swept his mother off the ground and twirled her as if she were a teenager. He kept his arm around her shoulders as he greeted Lucy.
‘Dan!’ she exclaimed, giving him a kiss before wiping lipstick from his cheek with her thumb. ‘Last week I didn’t think you were going to make it to Mum’s birthday. Thought you were up to your eyes in business in Sydney.’
‘I was. But I got the word’ — one quick glance at Jen made her realise what the ‘word’ had been about — ‘and hot-footed it over here.’ He kissed his mother on the top of her head. ‘Besides, I can’t miss Mum’s birthday.’ Kate shot him a tender look. ‘I’d never hear the end of it!’
He grinned, and Kate gave him a playful slap on his chest.
Jen caught sight of Liam standing a little distance away, hesitating and nervous.
She walked over to him and put her arm around his shoulders. ‘That noisy one over there is your Uncle Dan, Liam.’ She turned to Dan. ‘Dan! Come and say “hi” to your nephew.’
‘Well, hello,’ said Dan, toning down his voice. Jen appreciated the thoughtfulness that Dan had always shown. Despite being larger than life, Dan was as sensitive as she was. He stopped short of Liam and took a seat so he wouldn’t loom so tall over him.
‘Hello,’ said Liam nervously, his grip tightening in Jen’s hand.
‘I heard you were here, so I brought you a present from Australia. Your grandma said you liked animals. So I brought you a few things you might like.’ He opened his bag and brought out a book.
Liam took it but didn’t open it. ‘And this.’ He handed Liam a stuffed toy.
‘I thought this koala might enjoy hanging out with you in your new bedroom. And here’s something a bit more techy for you.
’ It was a game. ‘We’ll play it later if you like? ’
‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome. I’m so glad to meet you at last. You’re my only nephew.’
‘You’re my only uncle,’ said Liam. ‘I think?’ He looked at Jen for confirmation.
‘There’s also Matthew, but you haven’t met him yet. He’s my other brother but he won’t be coming today.’
‘No such luck,’ said Lucy, pausing before re-entering the kitchen. ‘Matt’s in Africa somewhere photographing something. That’s all I know from social media.’
‘My little brother is an enigma, even to himself,’ said Dan.
‘Hey!’ said Lucy at the sound of the doorbell ringing. ‘I wonder if that’s Ellie.’
‘Ellie?’ exclaimed Dan. ‘How on earth did you prise her out of Hong Kong?’
‘Easily,’ said Lucy. ‘Which is strange.’
‘I should say,’ he replied, walking into the kitchen, lifting the lid from one of the dishes and having a surreptitious taste.
Lucy grunted in annoyance and replaced the lid. ‘Go away.’
‘I’ve only just arrived!’ he exclaimed in mock innocence.
‘It’s not Ellie,’ said Jen, watching Sam appear from around the corner of the house and step up onto the verandah to say hello to Liam. ‘It’s Sam.’
Jen stepped outside. ‘Sam,’ she greeted.
‘Jen,’ he replied with equal awkwardness.
‘Looks like I’ve come at the wrong time.’
‘Nonsense!’ said Kate. ‘You must join us.’
‘I don’t want to gatecrash.’
‘You won’t be. You’re practically one of the family anyway,’ she said.
‘And Dan’s just arrived.’ Jen turned to the kitchen and called, ‘Dan! Your best mate is here!’
‘Sam!’ said Dan, taking Sam’s hand and pulling him into a bear hug. ‘I’ve missed you, mate. How are things working out for you since you left Oz?’
‘Good, thanks. And you? Visiting or back for good?’
Jen was surprised to see Dan’s smile slip a little before he shrugged. ‘Going with the flow,’ he said ambiguously. ‘Lucy says you’ve been making yourself useful around here.’
‘Sam is kindly helping mum get the house straight,’ said Jen.