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Gathering her containers together, Becca distributed some of them between the twins and picked up the rest. The day was only half done and she was exhausted. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with Dan until late. Thackery usually kept him there for the evening, giving him a meal and watching Dan’s favourite action movies. It meant Becca and the children had one evening where they had family time alone. It wasn’t easy for the kids having to deal with Dan, though he was a much nicer person these days.
Almost everyone else was gone by the time they reached the carpark. Morgan was there, doing the gentlemanly thing and opening the door of his car for Sabine. It was a nice car, an upmarket four-wheel-drive ideal for the rural roads, some of which were pretty rough when they headed into the hills. It was better to think about that than wonder why he’d been the one to take the pretty teacher home from the working bee. Especially as Sabine’s house was only a couple of blocks from the school.
She was focused on putting the food containers into the carriers on the bikes when Morgan suddenly appeared at her side.
‘Do you need a hand with those?’
He was way too close. ‘We’ve got the extra ones to be returned to Marcia’s on Monday, so I’m having a problem fitting them in.’
‘I’ll take them. Pop them in the boot and I’ll drop yours home later and bring the rest into work on Monday.’
The transfer took place under Sabine’s interested gaze. Becca wondered if the speculative look she was giving Gabby and Morgan meant she was figuring out the connection. There had been a few curious looks from other parents. Especially when Morgan had carried Gabby after the accident. The whole town would have it figured out before long if Morgan didn’t hold his distance. There’d been curiosity when they’d first been born of course, but it had largely faded as the years had gone by without Morgan returning. At least the gossip had.
Maybe it was a good thing he seemed interested in Sabine. At least she was a nice person so if it got serious …
Becca shuddered. She didn’t want to think about Morgan getting married. It would make his wife stepmother to the twins.
And leave you on the outside,a cold voice whispered insidiously.
She waved the twins to go ahead so she could follow and keep an eye on them. She’d always been on the outside, so it was nothing new. Except with the twins, and Morgan was threatening that closeness. The moment when she’d realised Gabby preferred Morgan to mend her wounds had come as a shock. The twins had always come to her before. Now Gabby had moved some of her allegiance to Morgan. As it should be. It didn’t make it any easier to live with.
Morgan arrived late afternoon when Becca was alone in the garden. She was grateful she’d put on a nice pair of jeans and a pullover without holes in the elbows. There had been a moment when she’d picked up the tatty faded clothes she usually wore in the garden, but knowing Morgan might turn up had her looking for something nicer, without being too obvious. He’d apparently enjoyed his lunch with Sabine if he hadn’t come home until now.
The pain in her chest pinched and she sucked in a breath to ease it as Morgan came through the rusty gate, carefully closing it again. She winced at the protesting noise of metal against metal from the hinges.
‘You should probably get the gate seen to. The neighbours are going to think you’re murdering someone.’
Brushing her gloved hands on her jeans, Becca raised an eyebrow. She wasn’t going to mention the family used the larger driveway gate. Visitors using the footpath were few and far between. ‘One of the advantages of living out of town. Most neighbours are too far away to notice.’
They’d certainly never indicated they’d been aware of any suspicious noises in the past.
Thumbs in his pockets, Morgan wandered further into the vegetable patch. ‘You’ve got a lot of things still growing well for this time of year. Broccoli, brussels sprouts, silver beet. What’s that one?’
‘Kale.’
‘Plus rhubarb. Do you still make the German rhubarb cake I liked?’
‘For special occasions. I tend to cook biscuits mostly. They’re easier for school lunches.’ She wished he’d get on with things. ‘I’m assuming you’re here to return the containers?’
‘I thought I might check on Gabby too. How is she?’
‘I think she’s still asleep. She went for a lie down after lunch and dropped off.’
‘No concussion?’
‘I checked on her a couple of times. She was tired and sore, but no headache.’
‘Good.’
He still seemed reluctant to move, staring down at the trees partially obscuring the river and the fancy house on the far side.
‘I’m sure you have places you need to be. I’ll come and get the containers and you can head off.’
‘No hurry.’ He turned slowly in place, his gaze directed up at his new home and his parents’ place. ‘Mum and Dad are having dinner with some friends at the bistro, so I’m at a loose end.’
Which sounded like a hint, but she wasn’t playing. ‘Lucky you. A chance to catch up with some old friends.’
