His Ring, Her Baby / His Bride for the Taking: His Ring, Her Baby / His Bride for the Taking

“Then we’d call one to come out here or go into town. We’re not that far from civilization.” She began pouring the iced tea. “Are you staying in the area long? I suppose you’ve already booked into a motel.”

For the life of her she couldn’t imagine them staying at Linda and Hugh’s motel. They would prefer one of the larger ones in Dubbo.

“We came straight from Dubbo Airport and haven’t booked in anywhere yet. We thought we might—” Grace broke off as Vanessa handed her the glass. “Oh, my God, you’re not wearing your rings. What happened to them, Vanessa? Have you lost them?”

Vanessa hid her wince. Trust her mother-in-law to spot that straightaway and make it sound as if it was the crime of the century.

“No, I’ve put them in a safe place. They were too tight out here in this heat, that’s all. I didn’t want to get them adjusted, so I decided to take them off until I go back to Sydney.”

Mollified, Grace accepted the explanation. “Yes, everything should return to normal once you’re back home.”

Vanessa looked down at her drink. Was Sydney home anymore? She wasn’t so sure.

“Someone’s coming.”

Vanessa heard her father-in-law’s words and her head snapped up. She groaned inwardly. Kirk’s Range Rover could be seen driving toward the house.

“That’s my employer,” she said brightly. Heaven help her. Grace would spot the tension between them at fifty paces.

“Good. I want to meet this Kirk Deverill,” Rupert said, a self-important quality in his voice.

“Why?” Vanessa’s brightness dimmed, her back up now. She couldn’t help it.

“Our grandson is living in his house.”

Was Rupert insulting Kirk? It certainly sounded like it. And it was one thing for her to think bad of Kirk. It was another for these two people to consider Kirk some sort of villain when they hadn’t even met him.

“I think we have that right,” Grace added.

Vanessa silently choked. These two people had little rights where Josh was concerned. Yes, they had rights as grandparents to concern themselves with their grandchild’s well-being. But more than that and any further “right” with them was totally wrong.

“I believe you’ll find both Josh and I are in safe hands with Kirk.”

Grace shot her a sharp look as the vehicle drew to a halt behind the rental car. “You call your employer by his first name?”

Grace would have a fit if she knew that Kirk had kissed her daughter-in-law, that he’d touched her breasts. “They’re very friendly out here.”

Her mother-in-law clicked her tongue. “It would never do in the city, Vanessa. Remember that when you come back home.”

There it was again. Did Grace have to keep mentioning about going back home? Her in-laws had no idea what a true home should be like. Mike had known that and he’d often ignored their antics, but in the long run they’d still been his parents.

She remained in her chair as Kirk came up the steps, carrying his hat. Better not to let any of them know how anxious she felt. “Kirk, I hope you don’t mind, but my parents-in-law have come to visit,” she said, then introduced them.

He inclined his head at the older couple. “Not at all.” He didn’t glance her way and for that she was grateful. “You’ve come a long way.”

“We thought it our responsibility to come and check things out,” Rupert said, without quite the haughty tone he’d used before. Clearly Rupert recognized a potential enemy.