Before Ned could open his door, the two girls were out of the car in their nicely pressed uniforms and their new school bags on their backs. He'd learned a lot of new skills over the past four years. He climbed out of the car, opened the back door, and cupped his hand on Ryan's cheek. "Come on, buddy. Wake up. We're here."
Kelsey and Gwennie were waiting on the footpath, holding hands.
"You girls got your lunch boxes?"
They both nodded, and Ned's eyes narrowed at Kelsey's innocent expression.
"Take the iPad out of your bag and put it in the car, Kelsey."
"X-ray vision, Daddy?" she asked but laughed and did as she was told.
"Good try. Superhero Dad, remember."
Kelsey and Gwennie walked ahead of him still holding hands, and he held onto Ryan as they made their way to the front office of the school. The office was a hive of activity as students ran in and out. Half a dozen parents stood at the counter waiting to be attended to, and telephones rang incessantly.
"Come on, kids. We'll sit down and wait our turn." He led them over to the three spare seats by the door, and they sat down, Ryan sitting on Ned's knee as they waited for the girls to be allocated to their classes. He'd completed the enrolment procedure before they'd left Sydney. Ned had wanted to be sure that Spring Downs was suitable for his girls, but it seemed not a lot had changed since he'd gone there. It was still a good, solid, country school where the students were taught well.
The crowd cleared slowly, and as it was almost their turn, Gwennie grabbed his arm. "Daddy, I think I'm going to throw up."
He stood and put Ryan on the chair. "Kelsey, look after your brother." He grabbed Gwennie's hand and hurried across to the office window and interrupted the woman who was speaking on the phone. "Where's the ladies restroom, please?"
She pointed to a half-open door next to the office that was marked Principal in gold letters. They hurried across the foyer, Gwennie's hand over her mouth, and Ned pushed the door open. There was a corridor ahead with a photocopying room, a couple of small offices, a storeroom, and a restroom at the far end. The toilet door was open, and Gwennie pushed past him, ran up the hall, and shut the door.
All was quiet. Ned leaned against the door and sighed.
Gwennie put on such a tough front, but neither of the girls had got over Cath's death.
Of course they hadn't.
This morning was the first time Ned had mentioned her name for weeks. The grief counsellor had said to talk about Cath a lot to help the girls cope, but as the four years had passed, it had been too hard. Moving to the farm was a new start, and Ned was determined to make it work. If mentioning Cath naturally was going to help, he would do it. There were many changes to be made, and the meeting at the bank this afternoon was crucial to his success.
As Ned waited, a door opened along the corridor, and he glanced up. A woman in a red tailored suit stepped out and walked towards him. She was tall-almost as tall as he was, and he was a little more than six foot. Her fair hair was scraped back into a severe bun, and her face was pale, but her deep blue eyes held his as he stepped back to let her pass.
"Daddy, quick." Gwennie's cry was followed by the sound of her throwing up.
The tall woman stopped and frowned. "Do you need some help here?" she asked kindly.
Ned had been about to open the door and then paused when he remembered it was the restroom for the female staff. He looked at the woman, and his mouth dropped open.
Jemima? Jemima Smythe? Liam's little sister?
"Jemima?" he asked hesitantly. "Are you the school principal?"
Piercing blue eyes stared back at him without recognition. "Yes, I'm Jemima, but I'm not the principal."
"Can you go in and help Gwennie for me? Or at least check the coast is clear, and I can go in and look after her."
"I'd be happy to." She shot him a curious look as she pushed open the door. "Mr … ?"
"McCormack. Ned McCormack. I was Liam's friend at school."
Her eyes widened, but she didn't say anything before she went into the restroom and the door closed behind her. He put his ear to the door, trying to hear if Gwennie was okay, but all he could hear was Jemima's soft voice.
He hadn't caught up with Liam yet, but it looked like his baby sister was a teacher at the school they'd all attended when they were kids.
But Jemima wasn't a child anymore. She'd always been a tall girl when she'd traipsed around behind Liam and him when they'd been in high school. But now, she'd certainly grown into those long legs. She was drop dead freakin' beautiful.
The door opened, and Gwennie came out, wiping her hands on the side of her shorts. Her face was clean, and he looked over her head at Jemima.
"She's fine now. Just nerves, I think. We've washed her face, and she said she's okay."
"Yep, I'm okay now, Daddy."
"Thank you, Jemima, or should I say Miss Smythe, or is it Mrs. these days?" Ned didn't want it to sound like he was fishing to see if she was single. "I mean, what do the children call you?"
"Jemima is fine," she said as she looked nervously over her shoulder. "I'm in a bit of a hurry. Um, nice to see you, Ned."
Ned watched as she hurried down the hall and disappeared through the door into the foyer. She moved elegantly, and her skirt and jacket moulded gorgeous curves.
He swallowed as Gwennie tugged at his hand. "Come on, Daddy. Let's get this over with."
By the time the girls were placed in their classes and had been given a buddy to take them to class, Gwennie looked a bit happier, and Ned put Ryan back into the car and headed for the grocery store.
"Come on, buddy. Let's go get a milkshake."
This would work. Ned loved his kids and wanted them to be happy. That was more important than anything, and this was the place to make sure it happened.
Chapter Four
After her interview at the school, Jemima couldn't settle. She had her mobile phone in her pocket. Mrs. Sykes, the principal-what were the chances of a connection with the librarian, she wondered-had said that they would notify the successful applicant this afternoon, with a view to starting by the end of the week. But more than that, she couldn't get Ned McCormack out of her mind.
Fancy running into Ned. Obviously married, with a daughter, and living in Spring Downs. He'd been a looker when he was in high school, but he'd grown into a fine-looking man. Tall and broad shouldered, and still with those gorgeous eyes and cheekbones. She wondered which local girl he'd married.
Jemima had brought a change of clothes to town and called in to Angie's house to get changed. She and Liam had come back into town last night, and Angie hadn't gone to work yet. She held up a coffee mug as Jemima came into the kitchen in her jeans and checked shirt.
"Yes, please. Love one."
"How did it go, Jemmy?"
"Good, I think. The questions were easy, but it's a long time since I've done a job interview. The principal was friendly enough, and she told me all about the school and let me ask a lot of questions." She squeezed her hands in front of her. "Anyway, I'll know later today. I'm going to stay in town until I hear. If I'm successful, I can go to the school and get organised. Fingers crossed, anyway."
"Make yourself at home here. There's not many places to fill in a day in Spring Downs."
Jemima took the coffee that Angie passed over and cupped her hands around the mug. "Thank you. Gosh, I'm so nervous. Would you believe I was more nervous about this interview than I was before any of the big fashion shows in New York? After I came out, still shaking, I bumped into one of the school dads-an old friend of Liam's-and I was so worked up after the interview I could barely string a sentence together. He probably thought I was rude."
"I'm sure he didn't." Angie laughed. "I can understand why you were nervous. It's because you want it so badly." She shook her head. "Are you sure you really want to be a teacher? It's such a different life to what you're used to."
"I'm sure. It's wonderful to be back home." Jemima grinned at Angie. "Except for having to live with my brother until you marry him. Are you really sure that's what you want?" she teased.
"Point taken." Angie grinned back at her. "We all know what we want out of life. Or we think we do."
Jemima stood and rinsed her coffee cup in the sink. "While I think of it, do you know if there's a connection between Mrs. Sykes in the library and the school principal?"
Angie nodded. "Yes. They're sisters-in-law. And there's another Mrs. Sykes, too. She works at the bank. The three brothers apparently moved to town a few years ago and bought up a lot of land around the district."
"Oh gosh. I do hope the library one hasn't gossiped to the principal about my past career. I didn't mention it. I didn't think it was relevant."