Free Complicated Ties (The Ties Trilogy (A Contemporary Erotic Romance Novel)) by J.A. Roberts-Parkes Page B

white fences surrounding a finely cut lawn, Mike’s station wagon parked on the drive with a red bicycle leant against it.
    I could see little faces peering out of a window and then heard what sounded like a stampede came rushing out the front door, and two kids grabbed both my legs and hugged me.
    “Aunt Maddie”, they both chimed with excitement.
    “Hello James, John”, I grabbed them both and hugged them both. They then dragged me into the spacious house with its oak panelling and waxed floors.
    Johns little voice piped up as he peered up at me,
    “Aunty, can we stay at yours soon, I want to play my bike on your woods”, his face full of a beaming smile.
    “Does John want to come too?” I asked knowing the answer already.
    “Yeah me too Aunty...I want to play my bike too”, Mike and Megan came into view from the kitchen, they both hugged me and we sat in the front room.
    “Mike, I’m going to see Dad next month.. If the kids want to come that's ok”,
    “New Zealand?” he looked puzzled, “Yeah New Zealand” I told him as I wondered where Lucy was.
    “Where’s Lucy?” I asked looking at James pushing his toy car along the floor
    “Lucy’s at Playgroup...” Megan replied handing me a coffee, and then taking a seat on the couch.
    “So Mike.. Kids...Dad...New Zealand?”
    “If the kids want to go see Grandad?” before he had time to finish they both ran up and sat on my lap.
    “Well you're all invited if you can get time off work...” Mike smiled at me and winked.
    “I’ll organize time off, you want to stay for lunch?” he already knew my answer as we walked into the kitchen.
    “Megan’s made her famous Babouska, and there's plenty to go around” we all sat around the dining table as Megan brought out the food, and  Mike began to dish it out.

Chapter Eleven
     
    We sat and talked about Dad, about Mike’s recent bust involving a crack den and what we would do when we go to Auckland.
    “So what you have been upto Mad?”, Mike asked as he began to eat
    “Just sorting out my building work Mike, the new vets” I looked at him and started to pick at my food.
    “When do you think you’ll have it up and running?”, Megan came back into the room with a jug of ice tea.
    “I’ve got some contractor coming out to have a look and work out the measurements on later today”,
    “I’ll have to take a look at when it’s finished”,
    “Yeah, good idea”, I picked up my fork and took a mouthful of food.
    “So you don’t mind heading to New Zealand to see Dad?”,
    “No sis, It will be good to see him, haven’t seen him in a while and plus it will give us and the kids a chance to get away from it all”, Mike poured me a glass of ice tea
     
     
    “Mike I’m going to have to make a move, I’ll let you know the dates of when we're going to see Dad”,
    “Bye Aunty...see you soon” James said, hugging my leg.
    Mike and Megan waved me off as I returned to my car, the street empty of the accident that occurred earlier.
    Driving along the freeway I could swear I was being followed, but put the thought out of my head as I approached the turnoff that led to my house.
     
    Pulling into my drive I spotted a white GMC van with two men standing having a conversation and pointing to the woods. Daniel was there with man dressed a plaid shirt and scruffy looking jeans, ‘Shit what's Daniel doing here...he said only the contractor was coming’
    Daniel spotted me and headed my way, but Ant had appeared from nowhere and opened the door to my 177,
    “Cheers love,” Ant’s hand pulling me out the low seat and Daniel interrupted  us,
    “Miss White, this is Edward Gregg,”, as he came towards us, his hand outstretched
    “Mr Gregg, pleasure to meet you”, I shook his hand, it felt warm and clammy.
    “How long have you been waiting then?”,
    “Not long Miss White,” Edward’s reply seemed friendly enough, although I could see the scowl begin to form on Daniel’s face, his jealousy showing.