McKellan's Run

by Nicole Hurley-Moore

  ‘Jeez, maybe the two of you should get a room,’ Flynn chuckled as he walked away.

  Chapter 28

  Violet sighed as she watched Celine boss around and micromanage friends and family alike.

  ‘No, Pam, I want that swag straighter. It just doesn’t look right.’

  ‘Like this?’ one of Celine’s bridesmaids answered as she fiddled with the silk material.

  ‘Nooo! See that bit there, it’s all scrunched up,’ said Celine, impatiently pointing to the corner of the swag.

  ‘Is that better?’

  ‘No!’ Celine snapped as she walked over to the table and readjusted the material. ‘Do I have to do everything myself?’

  ‘I swear she’s doing my head in.’

  Violet smiled as Mac’s voice came from behind and he wrapped his arms around her. ‘Every bride wants the perfect day.’

  ‘Yeah, but every bride isn’t bat-shit crazy. Where’s Holly?’

  ‘Your mum’s taken her down to the shed to see the kittens before it gets too dark,’ she said as she turned around in his arms and faced him. ‘You know she can’t come to McKellan’s Run and not see them.’

  ‘I thought it was all about coming to see me,’ said Mac, smiling, and dipping his head to brush his lips against hers.

  ‘Okay, you two, come on there’s children about,’ said Dan with a laugh as he walked past.

  Violet jerked back but Mac wasn’t letting her go anywhere.

  ‘Ah, you’re just jealous, little brother.’

  Dan shrugged and gave them a smile. ‘Maybe I am. It seems as if my big brother has managed to snag the prettiest girl in town. About time too. Listen you haven’t seen Flynn around, have you? He said he’d give me a hand lugging in a few crates of wine.’

  ‘He was in the courtyard a while ago but he said he was taking off before Celine found him anything more to do,’ said Violet.

  ‘Typical,’ Dan said with a snort. ‘Mac, can you please give me a hand? I’d like to get this all stowed away before our brother scoffs it all.’

  ‘Whatcha mean?’ asked Mac.

  ‘You haven’t noticed Jason is chucking back the wine? Must be pre-wedding nerves,’ said Dan.

  ‘That’s not like Jason,’ said Mac, frowning as he let Violet go. ‘I’ll give you a hand. Will you be okay, sweetheart?’

  ‘Of course I will,’ Violet said with a smile. ‘Go and help Dan. I’m going to grab a coffee and drink it on the verandah.’

  Mac leaned closer and whispered in her ear, ‘Come on, admit it, you’re just trying to get away from Celine’s dulcet tones.’

  Violet bit back a laugh and gave him a gentle push. ‘Maybe I am. Go on, go and help your brother.’

  Mac dropped a quick kiss on her lips before he straightened up. ‘Won’t be long,’ he said before he turned and followed Dan outside.

  Violet headed into the kitchen and made a coffee. With mug in hand, she peeked around the kitchen door and heard Celine still barking orders at anyone who crossed her path. Well, she’d had enough of it for tonight. She slipped down the little corridor and out the side door, towards the verandah.

  Outside, she tipped her head back and stared up at the million stars that blinked in the night sky. It had been a while since she’d stood in the starlight and breathed it in. Sometimes she’d looked up into the heavens when she’d lived in Melbourne but the lights from the city had dulled the sky. At McKellan’s Run, everything was so clear and beautiful. Despite everything with Jason and Celine and this blasted wedding she was so glad she’d come back.

  The air was crisp as Violet wandered over to the railings and leaned against them. In a nearby clump of trees, Violet could hear the growl of a possum declaring its territory. For such a cute-looking animal, possums certainly made a weird noise she thought, something like a chainsaw winding down.

  She took another sip of her coffee as she walked over to a chair and sat down. The stillness settled around her and she closed her eyes and let herself drift into the silence, until the sound of footsteps came and she turned to see Jason.

  ‘I’m sorry for being an idiot and letting you down when you needed me,’ Jason said as he sat down next to her. ‘I made a mistake, one I’m only now beginning to understand. I’m sorry I threatened to try and get custody. I wasn’t thinking straight. All I knew is I wanted to spend time with Holly and get to know her.’

  Violet put her mug on the nearby table and clasped her hands together.

  ‘It was a long time ago, Jase. We were just kids,’ Violet said with a shrug.

  He took her hand in his. ‘So, you forgive me?’

  ‘I mostly forgave you a long time ago. Melbourne was often hard but after a while I did begin to understand that you were only starting your working life when I got pregnant, and you had all sorts of dreams and ambitions of your own. I just couldn’t have an abortion, I really couldn’t. And I’ve never regretted going ahead and having Holly,’ said Violet.

  ‘It was a surprise to see her. She has my eyes,’ said Jason.

  ‘Yes, she does,’ said Violet.

  ‘Meeting her made me feel, I don’t know . . . different and I really want to get to know her better and be a father to her.’

  ‘Jason, whatever the legalities of it, the reality is I wanted her, I kept her, I raised her, I love her, and you’ve had absolutely nothing to do with her. Holly and I don’t need you,’ she said standing up.

  Jason reached out and grabbed her hand so she wouldn’t walk away. ‘But what if I need you, Violet? What if I’ve always needed you?’

  ‘What are you playing at, Jase? You’re getting married, why are you saying things like that to me?’

  ‘I mean it, Violet. I was wrong about us. Seeing you again and meeting Holly has opened my eyes,’ he said as he stood up in front of her.

  He was standing too close and Violet tried to take a step back but Jason still had hold of her hand. ‘Yeah well, shut them again because it’s not going to happen. Do you really think after all this time I’m going to fall into your arms?’

  ‘Maybe. Just think of it, Violet, we could be a family. You could leave this shithole backwater and come with me to the city. Think of all the fun we used to have. You, Holly and I could have just as much fun in the future. We could have the perfect life.’

  ‘I’m making a good life here, Jason,’ she said as she snatched her hand away. ‘And you say all this out of the blue. You want me to uproot Holly and drop everything: my business, my friends? And Mac,’ said Violet, shaking her head, incredulous.

  ‘Yes, I do. I’ve got more to offer you than Violet Falls and Mac.’

  ‘Oh my God! I’ve just worked it out. This isn’t about you and me or even Holly. This is you trying to get back at Mac,’ she said as she waved her hand at him.

  ‘What? Why would it?’ said Jason.

  ‘Because you know Mac and I are together and that just kills you. Not because you have any feeling for me but you’re so jealous of him that it twists your insides. You don’t want me but you don’t want him to have me either,’ she said starting to walk away.

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous, Violet, I loved you.’

  ‘That was when we were kids, Jason. You don’t even know me now.’

  ‘I know you’ve got principles and you’re a good person. And I could love Holly and you.’

  ‘No Jason, you won’t. And anyway, Holly and I deserve more than that. You don’t want me to be with Mac because you’re jealous of him.’

  ‘No, I’m not! How could I be, I’m a successful lawyer with a great bank balance and lifestyle. Why would I be jealous of a man who spends his days outside with sheep shit?’

  ‘I don’t know, Jason, it’s your twisted hang-up. You tell me,’ said Violet, swinging around.

  ‘He can’t have you.’

  ‘That’s not your call. Just leave, Jason. You’ve had too much to drink and it’s clouding your judgement. Get married and go back to Melbourne with Celine so you can enjoy your high-
powered career. That’s not what I want in life.’

  ‘Mac can’t have my daughter,’ said Jason. ‘She can have a much better life in the city, go to decent schools and enjoy the best of everything.’

  Violet was so angry she could hardly think. If she didn’t get away from Jason she was seriously going to lose it.

  ‘Funnily enough, this isn’t about you. It’s about what I feel, who I love and what’s best for Holly, Mac and me. You don’t get to have an opinion or a say. You lost that right a long, long time ago.’

  ‘Violet, I didn’t—’

  ‘Just grow up, Jason, or go and get some help. At the end of the day, beneath all the crap, I thought there was a good man inside of you. He’s the one I fell in love with all those years ago. I don’t know where he’s gone but for your own sake, maybe you should think about what you value in life and sort yourself out, Jason. You’ll be a whole lot happier if you do.’

  ‘Violet . . .’

  She held up her hands as she backed away. ‘We have nothing more to say to each other.’

  ‘But we do, I just can’t let you and Holly go. I can’t imagine anyone else being her father.’

  Before she had time to react, he closed the distance between them, wrapped his arms around her and brought his mouth down on hers.

  Rage surged through Violet and she placed both hands squarely on his chest and shoved him as hard as she could. Jason staggered back a couple of steps and Violet took that second to drag the back of her hand across her mouth. She could still taste the Scotch on her lips.

  ‘Stay away and don’t ever touch me again.’

  Jason swayed a little on his feet and gave her a bemused look.

  ‘Aw come on, baby, you don’t mean that. What we had all those years ago was good, Violet. You just need to remember,’ he said as he took another step towards her.

  In that moment the pain, resentment and hurt from the past welled up inside her. Violet pulled back her fist just as Jason dipped his head to try and kiss her again. She let fly with a punch. His head snapped to the side as the blow caught him on the side of the nose.

  He reeled back and covered his face with his hand.

  ‘Christ, Violet why did you do that?’ Jason slurred.

  ‘As I said—stay the hell away from me,’ Violet said as she pushed past him and headed back into the house.

  Mac stood in the shadows at the end of the verandah. He’d been looking for Violet when he’d stumbled across Jason talking to her. His first reaction was to go charging over and demand why she was anywhere near Jason. But he stopped himself, instead waited, listened and ground his teeth.

  His hands clenched into fists as he watched Jason grab Violet and kiss her. Time seemed to stop and reverse. It spun Mac back to all those years ago when he’d had to endure watching his brother with Violet. There was something too familiar in the way Jason had tried to take her in his arms.

  Mac was about to go in and physically rip his brother off her when Violet pushed Jason back and told him where to go.

  It wasn’t until this very moment that he truly realised Violet’s past with Jason didn’t matter. He couldn’t change the past and Jason was Holly’s father, but it didn’t matter because Violet didn’t want Jason. Violet had chosen him.

  The ache disappeared from his chest.

  God, he was proud of her. He just wanted to wrap her in his arms and tell her so.

  Mac realised he’d been holding his breath, slowly he exhaled and calmed himself, waiting for Violet to leave before he strode forward onto the verandah towards Jason.

  ‘You might want to put a bit of ice on that,’ he said, gesturing to his nose.

  Jason looked up. ‘Oh, shut up, Mac—’

  ‘I don’t believe you tried that on Violet!’ said Mac. ‘Leave her the hell alone, you’ve already done enough damage.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, I said it was nothing,’ said Jason, staggering towards Mac.

  ‘You’re drunk.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous, I’m perfectly fine. I have every right to talk to Violet.’

  Jason obviously didn’t realise that Mac had heard the entire conversation.

  ‘You’re meant to be getting married in two days. What the hell is the matter with you?’

  ‘I’ll always be Violet’s first love. Women never get over a thing like that. They’re sentimental.’

  ‘Trust me, she’s over it,’ said Mac.

  ‘Doubt it. I’m the one who broke her heart.’

  ‘Yeah, well I’m the one who fixed it,’ said Mac. ‘I’m warning you Jason, brother or not, don’t mess with Violet again. Oh, and try and pull yourself together and sober up,’ he said before walking away.

  Back in the kitchen Violet leant against Mac’s chest as his arms wrapped around her. They were warm and comforting. She took a breath and let some of the anger and irritation from her confrontation with Jase slip away.

  ‘Are you okay, sweetheart?

  ‘Yes, I’m fine. I’m glad you found me,’ Violet said as she snuggled a little closer. ‘I was waiting for you on the verandah.’

  ‘Sorry, I got held up with Mum. Is everything alright?’

  ‘Yeah, I guess. I got into an annoying conversation with Jason but other than that, it’s all good.’

  ‘Um, about that . . .’

  ‘Oh my God, what happened, Jason?’ Celine shouted from outside.

  Violet looked over, just in time to see Jason walking past the window holding a wad of bloody tissues to his nose. She turned around in Mac’s arms as the heat started to burn in her cheeks.

  ‘Do you want to talk about it?’

  ‘There’s not much to say. Jason wanted to kiss me and I didn’t want him to,’ Violet said with shrug.

  ‘You amaze me, you really do.’ Mac hugged her a little tighter. ‘He won’t try it again.’

  ‘Well, I should hope not.’ Violet watched as Celine ran over to Jason. ‘Do you think I broke it?’

  ‘I don’t know. Even if you did, he can still breathe through his mouth.’

  Violet leant against Mac and sighed. ‘I’d better go home,’ Violet said as she stood back. ‘It’s getting late and Holly needs to be in her own bed.’

  Mac leant down. ‘Hey, the things Jason said and did were out of line. I’m sorry if you were upset.’

  ‘I’m okay, but I need a good night’s sleep.’

  ‘Okay, let’s get Holly and your stuff and I’ll help you to your car,’ said Mac. ‘And maybe I should stay with you and keep you company,’ he added with a grin.

  ‘Tempting as that is, Mr McKellan, and it is very tempting, the answer is no. I’m sleeping alone in my bed,’ said Violet, running her finger along his jaw then letting it trail down his neck and inside the collar of his shirt. ‘Naked.’

  Mac made a funny, sexy, growly noise at the back of his throat. ‘You’re a harsh and cruel woman, Ms Beckett.’

  ‘Thanks Mac,’ she answered with a grin. ‘Nice of you to say so.’

  Chapter 29

  The day before the wedding seemed to just fly by. One minute Violet was dropping Holly at school and in what seemed like an hour later she was picking her up again.

  ‘Are we going home, Mummy?’

  Violet glanced up into the rearview mirror. ‘No sweetheart, we have to go to McKellan’s Run. I have to set everything up for the wedding.’

  ‘Great,’ said Holly. ‘That means I can play with the kittens and Mud.’

  ‘Yes, you can,’ said Violet as she drove along the gumtree-lined road, the narrow eucalyptus leaves dancing in the breeze. ‘I’ve packed some books, drawing paper, pencils and a couple of your favourite DVDs, so I think you’ll be set.’

  ‘Uh huh. But I’ll be playing outside with the kitties.’

  ‘Yes, but remember I don’t want you wandering off on your own, okay?’

  ‘Okay,’ Holly said with a nod.

  ‘There’s lots of people coming and going and I don’t want you
getting lost.’

  ‘Uh-huh. I won’t.’

  Violet fell silent as she checked and doubled-checked her mental list of tasks. There was still so much to do. The flowers were being delivered at four-thirty and she was hoping the cake had arrived by now. They’d promised to get it there by one o’clock and it was just after three-thirty. Hopefully, that little detail had slipped by Celine. The last thing Violet needed was another mini-meltdown by the bride.

  Violet swung down Mac’s driveway. Ahead, she could see several vans and people hurrying about. She sighed with relief when she laid eyes on the bright blue van with the words A Taste of Perfection painted on the side. Thank goodness—at least the wedding cake had arrived. If the pictures were anything to go by, the cake was a thing of beauty, with four pearlised tiers covered in delicate icing that looked like old-fashioned lace, with pale pink, cream and latte-coloured sugar roses cascading down its sides.

  She parked the car and then turned and smiled at Holly. ‘Okay, after you’ve been to see Mud and the kittens we’ll find you somewhere quiet so you can do your drawings and then, after dinner, you’re going to hang out with Mrs McKellan and spend the night with her. That’ll be fun won’t it?’

  Holly nodded as she unclipped her seatbelt and started gathering her things. ‘Yep, I like her.’

  ‘So do I. I’m afraid there’s an awful lot of things to do before the wedding and it’s probably going to be a very late night.’

  ‘Nana Sarah said we were going to have chocolate cake, and she was going to read me a story about princesses.’

  Violet stilled for a second as she wondered if her hearing had suddenly become defective. ‘Sorry sweetheart, what did you call Mrs McKellan?’

  ‘Nana Sarah. She told me I could call her that.’

  Violet seemed to have trouble dragging in the next breath. It was official, Holly had been accepted into the McKellan clan. There would never be any hiding again. Whatever happened between Jason, Mac and herself didn’t matter because one way or another Sarah had claimed Holly as her granddaughter.

  ‘When did she say that?’