McKellan's Run

by Nicole Hurley-Moore

  The weeks had crept by and he didn’t hear anything. He’d even gone to Silas Beckett’s place to find out where she was, which had been difficult because of old Beckett’s hatred for all McKellans. The old man had been cagey and vague with his answers, telling him that Violet and Lily had decided to go away for a while and stay with friends in Melbourne. ‘And a good thing it is too,’ he’d added. ‘Better that than hanging around with a blasted McKellan.’

  The old shit always had such a way with words.

  When Mac had asked Silas for an address or phone number for Violet, he’d refused point blank to tell him either.

  Months had passed with no sign of Violet and Lily coming back when Mac finally called Jason and asked if he knew what was going on with Violet and Lily.

  ‘It’s none of your business, Mac,’ Jason had snapped.

  ‘I know you’ve broken up with Violet, just tell me where they are,’ Mac had asked.

  ‘I don’t know. Anyway, why do you care?’

  ‘She’s missing and so is Lily. No one has seen or heard from them for months now,’ Mac had said.

  ‘She hasn’t been home for months?’ asked Jason.

  ‘No, she hasn’t,’ said Mac.

  A long silence followed and he wished he could reach down the phone and throttle his self-centred brother.

  ‘She came to visit me here a few months ago and we broke up,’ Jason said. ‘I haven’t seen or talked to her since. I tried to ring her a couple of times, just to see if she was okay, but she didn’t pick up and she hasn’t returned any of my messages.’

  ‘Why wouldn’t she be okay?’ asked Mac.

  ‘She took our breaking up hard. I didn’t want to hurt her but things are different now. I’ve got a full-on job with lots of opportunities and Violet, well, Violet would just hold me back.’

  ‘Please tell me you didn’t say that to her?’ said Mac.

  ‘Not in those words exactly. I wished her well. Hell, I still care about her. But we’d been growing apart during my last year at uni and she’s just not part of my world anymore. Oh, come on Mac, even you have to see that.’

  ‘Damn you, Jason,’ Mac had said before ending the call.

  After that Mac had rung anyone he could think of who might know where she was. But everyone had just thought she’d moved to Melbourne with Lily to be closer to Jason. And the general consensus was that who could blame her for wanting to leave town, with old Silas Beckett trying to control her every move.

  For years Mac had hoped and waited for news but there’d been nothing and eventually he’d realised he had to move on. Violet and Lily clearly didn’t want to make contact with their friends from Violet Falls. Whenever their names came up in conversation no one had heard from either of them. They hadn’t even returned for their grandfather’s funeral—not that Mac held that against them. Silas Beckett had made their lives hell. But still, a part of him had hoped.

  Then out of the blue a few months ago, he’d run into that old bat, Mrs Wardley, who’d told him that Violet had returned to town with a young daughter who was the spitting image of her. Mrs Wardley said she’d heard they’d moved back into Violet’s grandfather’s place. Since then he’d heard lots of people talking about her being a single mother, with lots of speculation about whether the father of the little girl was a local or had a father in the city. It was widely agreed that the child—Holly—looked just like her mother when she was the same age, an oval face with waves of long walnut-brown hair.

  But it hadn’t been until today when Mac knelt before Holly that he’d realised Violet had left town with a secret—and it was one she’d kept for far too long.

  ‘Jeez Mum, you could have told me Violet was coming!’ Mac said quietly as he followed his mother outside to her car.

  ‘Where’s the fun in that? Besides Mac, you said you didn’t want anything to do with the planning of Jason’s wedding,’ said Sarah.

  ‘Yes, but Mum—’

  ‘Well, that is what you said. So as I can’t plan the whole thing, I had to hire a professional. Violet was the obvious choice. Now, I’d better get moving and no doubt you still have a million things to do?’

  Mac rubbed his chin. He’d been too distracted by Violet being at the house to stay away long and it was too late to ride to the old ruined cottage to start checking the fences now.

  ‘I suppose,’ he said. ‘I just wished you’d told me, that’s all.’

  ‘Ah well, now you know. I hope it won’t be a problem, you’re bound to be running into her quite often,’ said Sarah, giving him a questioning look.

  ‘No, why would there be a problem? I like Violet,’ he said.

  Sarah reached up and patted his cheek before she got into the car. ‘I know, darling, I know.’

  Mac stood back, not really knowing how to respond and watched her reverse out. He gave her a wave as she drove past, before turning his attention back to Violet who was just emerging from the house with Holly and all her kiddie paraphernalia. For one little person, Holly sure travelled with a lot of bags, toys and God knows what else.

  He watched Violet as she settled Holly into her seat and clicked the seatbelt into place. Violet hardly looked any different from the last time he’d seen her. The years had passed but Mac’s reaction to her was the same as ever.

  Her little white shirt kicked up at the back as she leant forward, revealing a creamy patch of skin just above her jeans. Mac swallowed hard. Her legs were long, lean and strong—and seemed to go on for miles.

  He’d be damned if he didn’t dream of her tonight.

  ‘And the cat, her name is Mud, has three teeny, tiny kittens,’ Holly said as she held up her thumb and forefinger. ‘They’re only this big.’

  ‘Really, that little, huh?’ Violet said, getting into the driver’s seat and closing the car door. ‘Mud. He named the cat Mud?’

  ‘I wanted to hold one but Mac said I had to wait until they were a little bit bigger,’ Holly nodded her head. ‘Yep, he called her that because when he found her she was all covered in mud.’

  ‘Ah, well that explains it then.’ Violet could just picture Mac rescuing a muddy little cat, it’s just the sort of thing he’d do. ‘So where did he find her?’

  ‘Someone left her in a box by the creek.’

  ‘Well, in that case I should think she’s very happy Mac found her and brought her home, even if he did call her Mud,’ said Violet.

  Holly nodded in agreement. ‘Mud likes him and she won’t let anyone else give her a pat.’

  All of a sudden Mac filled the space beside her open window.

  ‘Thanks so much for helping out. I know it’s short notice and Mum really appreciates it.’

  ‘It’s my pleasure. I mean I’m happy to help,’ said Violet, finding it hard to look him in the eyes.

  ‘Mac?’ called Holly.

  ‘Yes, sweetie?’ Mac replied, grinning at her.

  ‘Next time when we come, can I visit the kitties again?’

  ‘Of course you can, anytime you want.’

  ‘Okay, well, we better be going,’ said Violet.

  Mac gave her one last smile before he stood back. ‘Take care and see you soon.’

  Violet nodded. ‘Bye,’ she said before reversing and starting down the long driveway, watching him disappear in her rearview mirror.

  Resisting Violet Beckett was one of the hardest things he had to do. Jason had beaten him to asking her out when they were still in school, which was bad enough, but then he had to go and bring her home to McKellan’s Run.

  Talk about rubbing a guy’s nose in it.

  At first Mac had tried to put a wall up every time Violet arrived, but that lasted all of two days. The problem was that she was just so approachable, funny and sweet. Before too long he realised that somehow Violet had smashed through nearly every one of his defences and they’d become friends.

  Which was the very last thing on earth he wanted. But what could he do? Nothing, absolutely bloody nothing. He had to wear it
and pray to God that she never found out how he really felt about her.

  With Lily’s help, Violet managed to sneak behind old Silas Beckett’s back and spend so much time at McKellan’s Run that she almost became a permanent fixture. Which put Mac in a joyous sort of purgatory. He was happy to be able to spend time with her, but deep down he was in all sorts of hell because he wanted to be more than a friend.

  It wasn’t just Mac that had fallen under Violet’s spell, but the rest of the family as well. His Dad had kept a fatherly eye on her, his Mum treated her like the daughter she’d never had and Dan had come to regard her as some sort of cool big sister.

  And then one day after visiting Jason in Melbourne she just disappeared and left a huge gaping hole, not just in his life but that of the whole McKellan family. So much so that he’d battled old Silas and Jason and spoke to anyone who might know where she was before he jumped in his ute and took off to find her. But the problem had been he didn’t even know where to look.

  After a week or so in the city he returned to Violet Falls and prayed Violet would turn up—but she never had.

  Home seemed a lonely and hollow place without her.

  He missed her and the way they used to talk about everything and nothing at all, the way her chocolatey golden eyes would warm with laughter and her smile. Damn it, he missed that more than everything.

  For Mac, time moved slowly in Violet Falls. The seasons blended with each other and still there had been no word or sighting of Violet or Lily. All he could do was to throw himself into the day-to-day running of McKellan’s Run. With enough hard work, maybe he could purge her from his heart and mind.

  Mac was meant to go to university like Jason, but he’d persuaded his parents to let him stay and work on the farm for a year. However, after Violet left he devoted himself entirely to the property and when the year was up, he refused to leave. His parents had argued with him, saying all they wanted was what was best.

  It took them a little while to realise McKellan’s Run was the best thing, that there was nowhere on earth he’d rather be. From that day on, they stopped harping at him about going to uni and gave him more responsibility around the farm.

  Mac lived and breathed the land. Without Violet, it was all he had left.

  Eight years had passed before she returned. After that long you’d think he’d have managed to push her aside and move on with his life. Well, he had until she’d stumbled into his arms and smiled up at him.

  When she’d looked up at him and smiled, his world once again tumbled out of orbit. It was that same smile that caused him to catch his breath and remember what it was like to be a love-starved teenager. He should be over it but there was something in her eyes that made him want to pause and hold her a little closer.

  Shit, Flynn would have a field day with this. He always said that Mac had never allowed himself to get over Violet and maybe he was right. Hell, when did his best friend end up being so smart? Maybe there is still a hint of something there. The question was, should he take notice of it or leave it buried and forgotten?

  Mac rolled his shoulders as he headed towards the shed. He was going to do what he’d done for years—work as hard as he could until he forgot all about Violet Beckett and her sexy body and pretty smile.

  Mac stood at the entrance of the shed, where there were a heap of hay bales to stack. A grim smile touched his lips.

  Yeah, that should keep him busy for a couple of hours.

  Chapter 5

  Well, it serves me right for being over-confident, thought Violet, because I’m sure as hell eating my words now. She and Sarah had worked out some tentative styles and colour schemes and Violet had been pleased with their results. As time was so tight, Sarah had suggested they ring Celine for her input. She paced up and down; in fact she was surprised she hadn’t worn a track in the floor of the old ballroom at McKellan’s Run.

  Violet had emailed through her ideas for the wedding’s overall look and feel. But she’d been on the phone for almost forty minutes now and every single design, colour scheme or vague idea had been shot down by Celine.

  ‘Really Ms Beckett, Sarah assured me you were a professional,’ came Celine’s haughty voice from down the phone.

  ‘I am,’ Violet answered through gritted teeth.

  ‘Well, I have to say I’m disappointed,’ said Celine. ‘Our wedding needs to be perfect. Lots of the guests are from Melbourne’s elite, including Jason’s boss. This isn’t a run-of-the-mill little bush wedding. It needs to be elegant. I may need to find a planner down here and send her up to McKellan’s Run instead.’

  ‘As I said—’ Violet started to say but the phone had already gone dead. She stared at the phone for a second and blinked twice. ‘I don’t believe she hung up. Un-bloody-believable!’

  She went through the notes she’d made while she’d been talking. Celine didn’t like yellow. When she’d said she wanted white flowers she hadn’t dreamed Violet would think of having camellias. The place settings were old-fashioned. The glassware looked cheap. She didn’t like that particular shade of green and was not convinced about antique gold, ivory, dull pink or eggshell blue either. She wanted timeless elegance with an old-world feel—but not anything Violet suggested. Lace tablecloths reminded her of her grandmother, damask were too busy, plain white tablecloths were just too plain; oh, and too white; but she didn’t want a colour.

  Violet had never failed on a brief or event before, and she’d developed great relationships with all but one client in her years in the business. If she hadn’t agreed to undertake the job as a favour for Sarah she’d be telling Celine what she could do with silver flatware with a shell motif.

  She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to gather herself and work out what to do with Celine’s brutal feedback.

  ‘Not going well?’

  Violet opened her eyes to see Mac leaning in the doorway. He gave her an easy smile—she’d forgotten how infectious it was. She didn’t want to smile back but somehow she just couldn’t help herself. ‘No, it’s not. In fact I think we could call it a total disaster,’ she sighed.

  ‘It can’t be as bad as all that?’ said Mac. ‘I had no idea it could be so difficult to organise a wedding.’

  ‘I’ve only ever assisted at weddings but I’ve done lots of parties and things over the years and nearly every client I’ve had has been thrilled with the end result. But this time every idea I come up with, Celine shoots down. I’m running out of time to organise anything. At this rate there will be no flowers, and dinner will be served on paper plates with plastic cutlery,’ said Violet, running her hand through her hair.

  ‘Have you got a favourite design?’

  ‘Well, actually yes.’

  ‘Can I see?’

  ‘Sure,’ Violet said, reaching down and scooping up her tablet from the table. ‘See, this was the seating plan I was going with in the great room. The colour scheme is dark cream, ivory and champagne with a touch of pearl and a slight hint of shiny pretty things.’

  Mac leaned over her shoulder so she could show him her different designs on the tablet. Violet was acutely aware of his presence. They weren’t touching but if she just moved a little . . .

  ‘I like it,’ said Mac.

  ‘You do? Really?’ she said, trying to ignore the sensations caused by the feel of his warm breath on her shoulder.

  ‘Yes, really. It’s beautiful,’ he said.

  Violet looked up and her eyes locked onto his. That was a mistake. Her stomach did a sort of squiffy thing as she saw his eyes darken. Why was she feeling like this? Mac had always been just Mac—Jason’s nice, quietish younger brother. But as she looked at him, something shifted inside her. It was as if she was really seeing him for the first time. How on earth could she have ever been so blind? Her gaze drifted down to the little line that appeared at the corner of his mouth when he smiled.

  ‘Thanks Mac. That means a lot,’ she said, looking back at the screen to try and hide the acute embarrassm
ent flaring through her. She needed time to think about all the crazy ideas that were racing around her head. ‘I thought I’d anchor everything with this deep green, but Celine said she doesn’t like green; though I’m not sure if she meant particular shades or green in general.’

  ‘Run with your idea, Violet. I’ll sort things out with Jason and Celine.’

  ‘But Mac, I’ll have to get Celine’s approval. It’s her wedding, not mine.’

  ‘Don’t worry. You’ll have her go ahead. Start ordering the things you need and stop worrying,’ he said as he touched her faint frown line between her brows. ‘I’m on it.’

  ‘But Mac . . .’

  But before she could say anything more he’d pulled his mobile out of his pocket and was strolling away.

  The following day, Violet dropped Holly off at school and raced home. She was going to have a frantic day trying to pull the McKellan wedding together. Parking the car, she hurried up the old wooden steps to her front door, doing her best to ignore the creaking sounds they made as she climbed them. She turned the key and opened the door to her childhood home. It still felt weird, but after these past few months she’d finally stopped expecting to see her grandfather glowering at her every time she came through the door.

  Silas Beckett had been a proud, hard and unforgiving man, who had tossed her out when she’d needed him the most. He laid the blame of every disappointment in his life at the McKellan’s door. It was easier for him to howl at the moon and curse the McKellans than to accept that it was he who was lacking. He’d gnaw and rant at the injustices life had dealt him and the rest of the Beckett family. After the death of her grandmother, Silas had become more vicious and the bile he spat was even more toxic.

  As much as she tried to shut them out, voices from the past swirled inside her head.

  ‘I know you’re pregnant with Jason McKellan’s baby. All I can say is, I’m glad your grandmother is dead. At least she’s not here to see the shame you’ve brought on our family,’ shouted Silas Beckett, his dark eyes boring into hers.