His Outback Nanny (Prickle Creek)

by Annie Seaton

  Ned didn’t reply. He leaned back against the rail and looked over at the house. Ryan was still playing in the dirt—that boy would have the best resistance to germs—and would need another bath before bed. Just as well they had the underground bore at the farm to keep the water supply up. Gwennie was sitting at the table talking to Liam’s fiancée, Angie, and Kelsey was being Jemmy’s shadow as she had been ever since she’d discovered Jemima was as mad keen on horses as she was.

  The problem would be what he could do for her.

  Liam looked at him curiously as they walked back to the barbeque area. “You’re quiet, mate.”

  “Just thinking. Will you be at the cattle sales next Thursday?” Ned pulled his thoughts back to the present. “I’d appreciate an experienced cattle buyer with me.”

  Liam laughed. “Well, I’m not that experienced. I’ve only been back here a few months myself. But I’m happy to come and help you as best I can. Shame our pop’s not home yet. He’s the one with the cattle experience. I’m still learning.”

  “When I was here as a kid, I never took much notice of what Dad was doing.” He shook his head with a rueful laugh. “Never planned to be back out here on the land.”

  “Me neither. Are you here to stay?” Liam asked as they walked across to the house. The sun was setting, and the sky was a glorious mix of pinks and gold. But Ned didn’t take much notice of it. All he thought of was the number of chores he had waiting for him at home.

  He shrugged. “At the moment, that’s the plan. As long as I can make the farm a going concern.”

  Jemmy was clearing the table, and a puff of wind lifted her loose hair in a blond tangle around her head. The setting sun was behind her, and she was silhouetted in a halo of soft light, not that she needed anything to make her look more attractive. Every time Ned looked at her, he couldn’t believe what a beautiful woman she’d become. Her knee-length dress was printed with brightly coloured flowers, and as he watched, she put her head back and laughed at something Kelsey said to her. She was vital and alive and beautiful, and something shifted in him.

  Full of life.

  Anticipation grew for the next year, a certainty that Jemima’s presence would make a difference to the children. She gave him a renewed hope that life could be happy, and more than anything, her being there would provide the opportunity for him to get out on the farm and make a go of it. A chance to provide a good and happy life for his children. The next year would set the foundation for the future. He smiled; it was going to be a great year. The thought of having Jemmy in the house with them for a year stirred feelings that he knew he’d have to keep a lid on. It was only because she was such a beautiful woman.

  That’s all it is. Any red-blooded male would be feeling the same attraction that he was. He would have to be careful, that’s all. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten her off.

  Even though Jemima said she didn’t want anything, Ned vowed that when the year was up, he would find something that she wanted, and he’d show his gratitude for what she was doing for his family.

  “Ned. A coffee?” Angie caught his attention as she carried out a tray with a cake on it. He dragged his gaze away from Jemima.

  “Thanks, but no. I’ll get these kids home.” He glanced across at Jemima. “We’ve got an early start tomorrow.”

  “Daddy, can we pwease have some cake before we go?” Ryan tugged on his shirt.

  Ned looked down, groaned, and held his hand out. “You can as long as you wash those hands first. Come on.”

  “I’ll take him, Daddy. If I wash my hands, can I have some cake, too?” Gwennie asked.

  “Of course, sweetie. Kelsey, I suppose you want cake?”

  “Of course I do, and I was going to ask Jemima if she’d teach me how to make it.”

  Liam and Lucy burst out laughing, and Ned looked at them curiously. “What’s so funny?”

  Jemima folded her arms and glared at them, but her glare was softened when her lips lifted in a half smile.

  “Oh dear,” Liam spluttered. “Ned, maybe you didn’t do your homework well enough.”

  “Homework? What homework?”

  Lucy nudged Jemima. “It’s a well-known fact in our family that Jemmy can’t even boil water. She obviously hasn’t done any cooking at your place yet.”

  “No, she hasn’t,” Ned said slowly. “I didn’t think it was fair when she had the house to organize, and the laundry, and looking after Ryan until I came in.”

  Liam slapped his thigh. “And I’ll bet you didn’t insist, did you, Jemmy?”

  Ned’s lips twitched as Jemima drew herself to her full height and glared at her brother.

  “You have no idea what I’ve learned over the past five years, Liam Smythe. For all you know, I could be a gourmet chef now.”

  Liam chuckled and batted away Jemima’s finger as she poked it into his chest.

  “So you can cook now, can you, sis?”

  “Sort of,” she said with the glimmer of a smile.

  Lucy turned to Kelsey. “You can come over to our place. Kelsey and I’ll teach you how to bake cakes, if you like.”

  “I might come, too,” Jemima said before she turned to Ned. “Don’t worry. I can do the basics. No one will starve.”

  “Any cooking is an improvement on mine,” he said with a laugh. “The kids will vouch for that.”

  Lucy grinned. “Liam could teach you, too. Did you know he won the blue ribbon for the ‘cake of the show’ at the last Spring Downs show?”

  Jemima’s peal of laughter made Ned smile. “Oh, is that for real, Liam? I wish I’d known that.”

  “It was only because Lucy was in hospital having James. It won’t happen again,” Liam said. “Gran’s record was at stake. You can do it this year, Jemmy, if Gran and Pop are still tripping around.”

  Ned leaned over and nudged Liam. “I’m impressed, mate. ‘Cake of the show,’ hey? The only cake my poor kids ever get these days is from the bakery. So I might come to Lucy’s kitchen and learn, too.”

  Gwennie frowned and looked up at him. “But you won’t need to, Daddy. When you and Jemima get married tomorrow, she’ll be there to make the cakes and cook our tea.”

  Jemmy grinned at him and leaned down to hug Gwennie. “And I’ll be there to teach little girls…and boys…that a woman can do anything a man can do and vice versa.”

  After the cake was eaten, Ned gathered up his three children. “Time to go home, kids.”

  He thanked Liam and Angie for the invitation over and said good-bye to Garth and Lucy, who insisted that the next get together would be at their farm.

  Jemima walked over to the car with him and held open the door while he lifted a sleepy Ryan into the car seat in the back. After Gwennie planted a smacking kiss on Jemima’s cheek, Kelsey asked shyly whether Jemmy would mind if she kissed her good night, too. He smiled.

  “Of course, you can.” He waited as Jemima hugged Kelsey, and his eldest followed her sister into the car.

  Ned turned to Jemima, feeling awkward for the first time. “I’ll bring Ryan over as soon as the girls catch the bus in the morning. About eight-thirty?”

  “That sounds like a plan. It’s a good two hours to Dubbo, and the appointment is for noon, isn’t it? Better allow for road works.”

  “Yep, noon it is.” It seemed strange to be discussing a marriage as prosaically as though it was the weather. They stood there awkwardly for a while, and then Ned opened the car door. “See you tomorrow, then.”

  “Yes. Tomorrow. Bye.” Jemima leaned down and waved to the kids through the window. Ryan was already asleep. “See you tomorrow afternoon, girls.”

  Jemima stood and watched the car until the tail lights disappeared around the curve just before the cattle grid.

  Tomorrow. Tomorrow she was marrying Ned McCormack and becoming a part of his life and the lives of his children.

  What was marriage to Ned going to be like?

  Am I making a mistake? Is it a knee jerk reaction to not get
ting the job at the school?

  Apart from helping both of them achieve the outcomes that they each needed, they were going to be living together twenty-four-seven.

  Jemima shook her head and turned back to the house with a smile.

  It was going to be fine. There was nothing to be gained worrying about the unknown.

  Chapter Nine

  The following morning dawned bright and clear. Jemima stood in front of the small wardrobe in the spare bedroom at Gran and Pop’s, trying to decide what to wear. All of her really good clothes were still in her unit at Mosman on the harbour in Sydney. She’d thought about selling the unit, but until she knew what the next year was going to bring, it was a bit of security for her. And she didn’t need the money, from either a sale or rental income. If no local teaching jobs came up, maybe she’d have to go back to Sydney to pursue the career she had her heart set on. And it was there if she ever needed to visit Sydney—or get away.

  She stood there for a few minutes before her gaze settled on the outfit at the far end of the wardrobe. Not too dressy, but suitable for an occasion such as today. She swallowed as she thought of what was ahead—her wedding.

  Perfect.

  Jemima nodded and laid the clothes out on the bed while she headed for the shower.

  Years of quick changes and being made up had made her a whiz at getting ready quickly, and it was only ten minutes later that she was putting the last touch of mascara on her eyes when she heard the rattle of a diesel engine pull up outside. With a deep breath, she smoothed down her silk top and walked into the living room.

  Angie’s eyes widened, and Liam whistled. “Very nice, sis.”

  Jemima frowned. “I’m not too dressed up, am I?”

  “No. You look lovely. I’ve hardly seen you in anything but jeans and T-shirts since I met you.” Angie held her arms out for a hug. “It’s perfect for a business meeting or a wedding.”

  Ned lifted Ryan from the ute and carried him up the steps. Ned was quiet, and his only greeting to Angie was a brief nod and a quick good morning as he handed over the bag of spare clothes and toys for Ryan.

  Ryan seemed happy enough to stay with Liam and Angie. Angie had taken the day off from her surgery to help out. As Ned held the door of the ute open for Jemima, the little boy waved good-bye. Jemima swallowed and put her hands on her lap as they backed out of the driveway. For the first time, in a long time, she was tempted to chew her fingernails.

  The trip to Dubbo was silent at times, apart from comments about the weather or the occasional comment about a particularly lush paddock of pasture. Jemima was lost in her thoughts, and Ned seemed just as preoccupied.

  She jumped when he spoke as they slowed down for road works.

  “When did you want to bring your gear over?”

  “My gear?”

  “Your clothes and stuff.”

  “Oh. Tonight, I suppose.”

  Silence again and then they both spoke at the same time.

  “What—” she said.

  “Where—” he said.

  Jemima glanced over him. “Are we going to spend a year doing this?”

  “Doing what?” Her heart kicked up a beat as he took his eyes from the road briefly and smiled. A simple smile from Ned made it so much easier for her to talk to him. Most of the time she didn’t know what was going on in his head. He always looked so damned serious.

  “Being awkward with each other. Hedging around each other, being polite. It’s going to be a very slow year if I have to think about what I say before I speak every time.”

  “I know what you mean.”

  She glanced down at his hand as he felt for the water bottle he’d put on the seat. Before he found it, Jemima picked it up, popped the cap, and passed it over.

  “Thank you.” He tipped it up, and she watched as he drank, keeping his eyes on the road. He passed the bottle back over, and she put it in the console between the seats.

  “So what do you think? I guess it’s a pretty unusual arrangement we’ve made, and we don’t want it to be any harder than it has to be.”

  “Let’s go back a few years and work from there. After all, you’ve been friends with Liam since you started primary school, so you probably met me when I was toddling around.” Jemima folded her arms.

  Ned stared ahead at the straight road that stretched ahead of them. “The only thing I remember is how you used to sit at the bottom of the tree in your backyard where Liam had his treehouse.” Ned laughed. “He used to pull the ladder up so you couldn’t climb up. But you were persistent. You’d sit there for ages. Most of the time, you were still there when we came back down.”

  “I loved his treehouse. That big old tree blew over in a storm just before I started high school.”

  “I didn’t know that.” Ned shook his head. “Once I started high school, I didn’t come back into town much. Dad needed me around the farm. If I wasn’t out helping him, I had my nose in the books because I was determined I wasn’t going to be a cattle and wheat farmer.” He gave a rueful smile. “And look at me now. Back on the land, trying to make it work. Last thing I ever expected I’d be doing.”

  Jemima was torn. Ned seemed happy to talk, but she didn’t want to introduce a topic that would make him sad. “What sort of job did you do in the city?” she finally asked.

  He must have sensed her reticence. “It’s okay. If we’re going to be natural around the kids, you need to know these things. I was a construction manager for an international firm. We specialised in refurbishing shopping centres in cities.”

  “So you travelled a bit?”

  “Yes, that went with the job. When the girls were little, I was away a lot.”

  Jemima noticed his hands tighten on the steering wheel, but he kept talking. “I didn’t realise how much I’d missed out on until”—he paused and took a breath—“until I was a sole parent. Ryan was only three months old then.”

  “I hated the travel in my job.” Jemima deliberately changed the subject. “Everyone thought it was such a glamorous career. But being in a hotel room, and living out of a suitcase, then sitting for hours while makeup was painted on your face, and then dealing with it being scrubbed off because the look wasn’t right for the clothes.”

  Ned laughed. “It sounds as exciting as deciding whether a shoe shop should go next to a bookstore or a phone store. I learned a lot about marketing in those days. And you know what, now that the loan’s through, and Billy’s started work, I’m beginning to think that being a farmer’s not so bad.”

  “I know what you’re saying.” Jemima half turned in the seat and tucked her legs beneath her. “I was so excited when Gran called us back to Spring Downs last year. Not that I told anyone that. They all thought I’d turned into a prima donna model. I wanted to see if home was as good as I remembered before I committed myself to staying here. Or whether it was just childhood memories.”

  “And was it? Good, I mean?”

  “Oh yes.” Jemima frowned as Ned slowed the four-wheel drive. She looked ahead. They were entering the fifty-kilometre zone at the edge of town. They drove past a few housing estates, through two sets of traffic lights, and she smiled as Ned took a close look at the shopping plaza close to the centre of town as they drove past.

  He caught her looking and shrugged. “I can’t help myself. It’s funny, you know. It’s almost like living in a parallel dimension. When I’m in the city, I almost forget I’m a farmer.”

  “I know exactly what you mean. When I went back to Sydney for a week after Christmas, it was like being in an alien environment.” She looked across at Ned. “If you ever want to take the kids back to Sydney for a visit, I’ve got a perfectly good apartment sitting empty on the harbour.”

  “Thank you. I might take you up on that. They still have one set of grandparents in the city, and we should go visit when I get on top of things out here.” Ned slowed the ute down. “Here we are. I’ll park at the back of the courthouse. I noticed a car park the last time we were
here.”

  Jemima sat up straight in the seat and surreptitiously wiped her hands on the sides of her trousers. Ned had dressed casually, too, but he wore a plain-coloured shirt, rather than a checked one, for a change, and the shirt was tucked into his jeans. He wore a smart leather belt, and his riding boots had been polished to a high shine. Not too casual, but not overdressed.

  Even though it was a business arrangement, it was still a wedding. It was nice to see that Ned had made an effort to look nice. Jemima had chosen a simple pair of linen trousers and a sleeveless silk shirt in a pale green.

  He pulled the ute into a parking space near the entrance, and Jemima took a deep breath as he walked around and opened the door.

  “Ready?” He held out his hand, and she took it as she stepped from the car.

  As ready as I’ll ever be.

  …

  Both Jemima and Ned had forgotten that they needed two witnesses for the ceremony. While the celebrant waited, they looked at each other, eyes wide.

  Jemima put her hand to her mouth as embarrassment flooded her. “Oh, we’re so sorry. My family are minding the children”—heat rushed to her face as the woman smiled—“and we never gave it another thought after you mentioned it the other day.”

  Ned hurried across to the door. “Give me five minutes. I’ll be back.”

  Jemima watched curiously as he slipped through the door and closed it behind him. Where was he going?

  The celebrant stood. “Ring the buzzer when you’re ready, and I’ll come back out.” She glanced at her watch. “I don’t have another ceremony for forty-five minutes, so we have plenty of time.”

  Jemima wondered how many people came in to this impersonal government building to get married, and what were their reasons? Was the business arrangement that she and Ned made a common occurrence? Why else would you get married here?

  As a teenager, she’d dreamed of her wedding day, a white frothy wedding dress, a diamond tiara, and all her family around her. Strangely, the groom had never really entered her dreams. The closest she’d ever got to a wedding dress were the dozens of designer wedding dresses she’d modelled over the past five years. With a sad sigh, she looked around. The smell of mouldy carpet and the bright light from florescent lighting provided a very different setting to the one she’d dreamed. Nerves tugged at her, and she swallowed, more nervous than she’d ever been when she’d modeled in front of hundreds of people.