Ivy needed some soul-calming. She was really excited to spend time with her aunt, but she had no idea what to do on a farm. Despite her joking, she really did not want to milk any cows.
‘Where is he?’ Olivia hopped from one foot to the other, as Brendan and Mr Vega heaved Ivy’s bag into the car. ‘Jackson said he’d come and say goodbye.’
Just then, a sleek chauffeured car pulled up at the end of the driveway and Jackson jumped out and hurried up to them. He was wearing a white button-down shirt and faded blue jeans with his trademark cowboy boots.
‘I’m so glad I didn’t miss you,’ he said. ‘Camilla had me running my lines with Garrick until late last night and I overslept.’
Olivia held up her purse. ‘I’ve got my script here. She’s a tough director, isn’t she?’
‘But good,’ Jackson said. ‘And I’ve worked with lots of directors.’
Ivy tried not to stare as Olivia and Jackson moved away to the lawn to talk privately for the last few minutes they had together this weekend.
Brendan grabbed her in a big bear hug from behind. ‘See you later.’
‘I’ll call,’ Ivy said.
Brendan waved and hopped on his bike.
Mr Vega took a step towards Olivia and Jackson but Ivy stopped him. ‘Just a couple more minutes.’
‘OK,’ he said. ‘I’ll programme the sat nav.’
Ivy tried to avoid watching the couple, but out of the corner of her eye, she saw Olivia rise up on her tiptoes. Ivy knew her sister hadn’t had her first kiss yet and it looked like she was going for it right then and there!
In front of Dad! Ivy couldn’t believe it.
Ivy glanced over to her dad, who seemed engrossed in his route-planning on the front seat, but he could look up at any moment.
Should she try to block his view or try to stop Olivia’s kiss? Ivy looked back and forth between the lawn and the car; everything seemed in slow motion.
But then, she saw Jackson glancing sideways at the car. He doesn’t want to kiss her in front of Dad, Ivy guessed.
Jackson did a last-minute ducking to the side, by-passing the kiss entirely and leaning all the way in for a hug.
Olivia looked like she’d just lost a winning lottery ticket.
‘Have a great time,’ Jackson said with a goofy wave and led Olivia back to the car. ‘I’m jealous that you get to ride horses.’
Olivia brightened. ‘I can’t wait!’
‘Bye,’ Olivia called and turned to Ivy as Jackson’s chauffeur opened the car door. ‘Why oh why oh why won’t he kiss me?’ she whispered, as Jackson was driven off.
‘What’s that?’ Mr Vega asked.
‘Nothing!’ Ivy called. ‘Let’s get on the road.’ Ivy got in the front seat and Olivia sat in the back behind Mr Vega.
‘Righty-oh,’ Mr Vega called. ‘Let’s ride ’em, cowboy.’
The twins looked at each other and burst out laughing.
That just goes to show how vampires and country don’t mix, Ivy thought. But as long as it’s not too bunny on the farm, this weekend should be fun.
‘Ooh, I love this song,’ Olivia said, bopping around in the back seat to the twangy music blaring from the car speakers.
‘It sounds like a dying hyena to me,’ Ivy said, pretending to plug her ears.
‘This is classic country music,’ Mr Vega said. ‘I made a playlist for the car journey, to get you in the mood.’ He grinned, which on him looked a little sinister.
‘Oh yes,’ Ivy deadpanned. ‘It makes my feet itch for some square dancing.’
‘Ha ha,’ Olivia replied. ‘Itchy feet are no joking matter. The last time I had to deal with your itchy feet, you turned my Romeo from a Jackson Caulfield into a Garrick Stevens!’
‘A prince to a frog,’ Ivy quipped.
‘Precisely,’ Olivia said.
‘Now, girls,’ Mr Vega said, turning serious. ‘You are, of course, able to come home at any time. If at any point you wish to leave, I can be there in half an hour.’
‘Thanks, Dad,’ Ivy said.
Olivia realised that Mr Vega was a little more worried about the weekend than his just-for-fun playlist suggested.
‘You know that Aunt Rebecca doesn’t know anything about … ah … our background,’ he said.
‘We know,’ Olivia replied.
‘She doesn’t really understand why your mother and I didn’t keep in touch with her. We were planning to tell her about you two once you were born. Things just didn’t work out that way,’ he finished sadly.
‘Don’t worry, Dad,’ Ivy said. ‘We get it. And we’re really glad you tracked her down so we could meet her.’
Just then, a phone beeped.
‘That’s mine,’ Mr Vega said. ‘It’s in my briefcase on the back seat. Olivia, will you answer it, please?’
Olivia fumbled for the phone and then pressed the green button. ‘Charles Vega’s phone,’ she said.
‘Ivy?’ said a female voice. ‘Olivia? It’s Rebecca. Are you guys on your way? When will y’all get here?’
‘It’s Olivia and, uh … hang on.’ She pressed the mute button. She didn’t want Mr Vega to think that Rebecca was checking up on them, so she decided to rephrase the question. ‘Aunt Rebecca would like to know how far away we are.’
‘We are on schedule, of course,’ Mr Vega said, ‘and will be arriving at 10 a.m. as discussed.’
‘We’re right on time,’ Olivia translated, leaving out the ‘of course’ and ‘as discussed’ so that it didn’t sound too defensive.