Page 38 of Forever Ink

Dad rubbed his beard and looked a little shifty. “Well...”

“He started to make the glögg, and he and Grandad may have started taste-testing it to make sure the spice was balanced or some shit.” Rhys piped up.

“Baby bear,” I growled, forgetting we weren’t alone. Nobody seemed to blink an eye.

Rhys grinned cheekily. “You can punish me later for swearing.” He gave me a saucy wink that had Callum and Mouse roaring with laughter.

“Brat. I’ll deal with you when we get home.” I softened my warning with a smile, extending my arms for Rhys to cuddle up against me. “By the way, I’m proud of you for driving when Dad couldn’t.”

Rhys smiled up at me. “Thank you, Daddy.” His smile was lit up like the sun “I was a bit nervous. Magnus was so worried about Ragnar. He and Grandad had hit the spiced wine hard. I think they were having too much fun catching up. Did you know they knew each other years ago?”

That was a surprise to me. “No, I didn’t. You’ll have to catch me up when we get back to the farm and I’m not soaked through.”

Rhys looked down at my legs and gave a soft laugh. “Oh, no. You weren’t supposed to go swimming with your clothes on.”

Pulling him into my arms, I hugged him. “Well I hadn’t planned on it, but Ragnar kind of had other ideas.” I kissed the top of his head, savouring this moment.

Rhys tilted his head up, a smile forming on his plump lips. “Well then, better get Ragnar back to the farm and looked after. Then I can look after you.” There was a naughty promise in my sweet boy’s eyes, and I was very much there for it.

Chapter 16

RHYS

I’d been a bundle of frazzled nerves driving the UTV—it looked like a golf cart on steroids—but once I’d gotten going, and with Magnus’s constant words of encouragement, I had managed to relax and enjoy the thrill of driving. I’d not really been fussed about learning to drive. Daddy had offered to teach me, but I worried I’d be too nervous. But maybe now I might ask him to teach me.

Simon was a drenched mess. His jeans and boots were soaked through where he’d walked in the creek to get Ragnar. I tried not to giggle at the fluffy mess his hair had become. His curls had a life of their own, but now they looked as wild as Ragnar’s wool. When we got home and got Ragnar looked after, I was going to take care of Simon. He spent so much time looking after me, and I wanted to look after him this time.

As Magnus and I got back into the UTV I looked over at Daddy. He stood a good head taller than Callum and towered over Mouse—although a smart man never mentioned just how short Mouse was. Simon was larger than life, and not just in build. Everything about my daddy was commanding. I suppose some would find him a bit scary, but to me he was my giant daddy bear. Simon turned around to face his bike and I got a look at his glorious backside. Damn, my daddy had a magnificent arse.

“Son, I hate to stop you admiring my son’s arse, but we need to get Ragnar back.” Mag was smiling as he said it.

“Sorry, got distracted.” I carefully reversed the UTV back up the path we came down.

“Ah, to be young and in love again.”

I grinned like an idiot at his words. “It’s the best.”

Grandad was waiting at the gate to the small yard attached to the barn when we pulled in, waving at us. Doc and Alice must’ve still been inside.

“We’ll get him inside and cleaned up. Doesn’t look too bad, silly sod got himself caught up on some old fencing wire.” Magnus scratched his head, sighing. “I swore I got it all.”

Grandad came around to the UTV and clapped a hand on Mag’s shoulder “I’ll help you do a search after we get this holiday stuff out of the way. I already told you I’ve gotten the neighbours to watch Thumper Downs for me.”

“And I already said you didn’t have to, Joe, but I’ll admit an extra hand might help.” Magnus sighed again, resigned.

“I told you when I phoned last it wasn’t a problem. Besides, spending time up here means I get to spend more time with Rhys.” Grandad smiled over at me. I couldn’t explain how happy it made me having him here; all my family together in one place.

Grandad and Magnus had hit it off when they met after my birthday when Simon and I had managed to get them together for a family dinner, and since then they’d been phoning each other every week. I suppose they had a lot in common—both widowers, both running a farm—but it wasn’t until today that I’d found out they’d known each other years ago through agriculture shows and sheepdog trials. I giggled like I always did when I thought of sheepdog trials. I always imagined some poor dog sitting in the dock, waiting to be charged with some heinous doggy offence.

Lizzie’s bark drew me back from my wandering thoughts. She was standing with her front paws on the back of the UTV, her nose pressed to Ragnar’s.

“You worried about him, girl?” I reached over and stroked her soft fur. Her puppies looked just like her, and I hadn’t let go of the idea of bringing one of them home with me. I just had to convince Simon it would be a good idea.

I watched a little awestruck as Magnus lifted Ragnar out of the trayback of the UTV. He may have been a man in his seventies, but he was strong as hell. Grandad was the same. Life on the farm made you strong, I swore.

Magnus carried an uncomplaining Ragnar through the barn to a small stall filled with straw. “All right lad, first thing we’re going to do is clean these cuts. In the mud room in the house there is a large first aid box, it’s got stickers of sheep and goats on it. Bring it back out here and we can get started.”

I found the animal first aid box as soon as I stepped into the mud room. I ducked my head round the door into the kitchen to let Doc know we were back and gaped. Doc was sitting at the head of the table with Alice. To one side of the table sat Barbie, Batman and what looked like a GI Joe sort of doll. They seemed to be in the middle of intense negotiations, Doc grinning liked I’d never seen before, atop his head a sparkly pink tiara.

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