A fresh coat of paint had been applied and the old furniture he remembered no longer filled the space. An old table stood next to the fireplace and a laptop computer sat open on it. Filing cabinets leaned against the far wall and another smaller table held what looked like sales sheets and dockets. Obviously it was someone's office now.
He turned and walked towards the main house, watching his footing over the rough cobblestones. Pushing open the kitchen door, he stepped inside.
"Leave that door open any longer and the flies will come in." Essie stood at the island counter rolling pastry. "Get in here and shut the door."
"Sorry, Essie." He hobbled in and shut the door behind him. "How are you?"
"Better than you by the look of things. What have you been doing to yourself, Cade? That doesn't look too good." She wiped floury hands on her apron before stepping forward to wrap her frail arms around his shoulders.
"It's nothing I haven't had before, Essie. A few weeks rest and I'll be back into it " He took a seat at the counter and leant his crutches against his thigh. "So, how have you been? Not much seems to have changed around here."
"Now why would it? No point in changing it if ain't broken."
Her words were clipped and Cade felt the bite. "Is there a problem here I'm not seeing? You sound a little bit annoyed." He clenched his teeth waiting for the lashing of words he knew would his way. Essie had never held back on giving him a tongue lashing as a youngster, and he doubted she’d softened over the years.
"The problem as I see it is you never coming home to see your folks. Too busy now you’re a big football star to care about the people back home who loved and raised you. Broke your mother's heart it did, that you never came back." Essie slapped the pastry down on the board and rolled it with more vigour than needed.
Cade bit the inside of his lip. She was right but Essie didn't understand how hard it was to finally break free from his father. It was a big step. It was easier to stay in the city than to come here and have to go through the whole leaving again.
"Look, I'm sorry you feel that way. It wasn't my intention to hurt you, I promise."
A small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth.
"You know I love you, Essie. I always have."
"Don't listen to him, Essie. He's sucking up," Russ said as he walked into the kitchen.
"If I recall, sucking up was always your job, brother." Cade's stomach tightened as he looked at his big brother. As youngsters, they had clashed enough over Essie's attention. Russ had always been her favourite, much to Cade's annoyance. "I just tell it like it is."
"Yeah, right. Just make sure you mind your manners then when you catch up with Kate. She doesn't deserve any of you smart-mouthed crap."
"I already saw her. Fiery little piece isn't she?" He knew the smirk on his face would annoy his brother so he worked at keeping it there.
Russ leaned on the bench and glared at him. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing," Cade growled and slapped his hand on the counter. "I parked the Ferrari in the shed and she told me to get it out. Christ, it's a three hundred thousand dollar car. I'm not parking it outside for the bats to shit all over. It's staying where it is."
"No, mate, it isn't. Park it down in the barn with mine. There is more room there anyway. She keeps the farm ute in there, so let her be." Russ leaned down on his arms and grinned. "I don't think you want to see how much her temper matches her hair now."
"Yeah I do, actually. Is she, you know, attached?" She was so different to the skinny, freckled kid who’d annoyed him with her incessant chatter as she followed him everywhere.
"Just you keep your hands off of our Kate," Essie snapped. "That girl has her head on straight and is too good to join the ranks of the skanky girls that follow you around."
"Are you serious? Listen to yourself. You aren't her damned mother and if I want to ask her out I will."
"I've looked out for that girl since she first came to work for your father. Don't go giving her a hard time or you'll have me to deal with." Essie waved her rolling pin in his direction and he glanced at Russ for help, worried she would hit him with it for his remarks.
"I really don't think she’s your type. Kate is too down to earth for you from what I've seen clinging to your arm on the news. She’s a country girl and not used to someone like you." He walked over to the fridge, opened it and took out a beer. "Want to join me on the front veranda for a cold drink?"
"Sure, why not?" Cade winked at Essie who still frowned in his direction and followed Russ out through the hallway to the front veranda. He hobbled over to a large wicker chair and leaned down into it. Dropping his crutches on the wooden floor, he reached up and took the cold beer offered to him.
His mind went back to the swaying hips encased in tight blue denim. Young Kate had certainly grown up. It was hard to keep the smile from his face as he let his imagination run wild picturing her in his bed.
"Cade, are you listening? I said we need to talk about the funeral tomorrow."
"I thought Tory had it all sorted."
"He does but I'm a bit concerned about Essie. I think this has rocked her even though she is making a big show of being her normal self." Russ shrugged his shoulders. "If you could keep an eye on her, I would appreciate it. Don't let her get
