Date with Destiny

By Erin Moira O'Hara

Bindarra Creek is a treasure-trove of buried secrets, challenges, and new beginnings. Antonia Sullivan is on a high, overjoyed to be celebrating her first Mother’s Day with the daughter she gave up at birth. Then as family and friends gather, a bombshell re-ignites an old feud. It’s a Mother’s Day Spectacular.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erin Moira O'Hara
• Release date: Dec 12, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463049891

Erin Moira O'Hara

Erin Moira O’Hara grew up in the Blue Mountains of Australia, with a garden backing onto native bushland, hidden caves and fabulous lookouts. Weekends were spent exploring and creating secret bases. Her love of reading began as a child, where she became absorbed in a world of intrigue, fantasy and action-packed stories.The moment Erin read her first romance; she was hooked and dreamed of writing her own romantic adventures. She now lives close to Lake Macquarie, the largest saltwater lake in Australia. The family home overlooks bushland and is surrounded by birds and an acre of ever-growing gardens. She shares this paradise with her own hero, three eccentric hens, two spoilt cats and one adorable dog called Murphy-girl.Erin’s writing encompasses everything she loves best—intrigue, suspense, passion and romance.

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Dedication

Date with Destiny is dedicated to my sister, Louise. Alongside her husband, she runs a Hereford stud in the New England region of New South Wales. This is no easy task when dealing with draught and hungry livestock. Louise’s solution is to take her girls, (anywhere up to eighty-head of heifers at a time) out on the road, or as she calls it, the long paddock. My heart goes out to all farmers doing it tough.

My thanks to my critique partner S.E. Gilchrist and Editor Susanne Bellamy. Also, my formatter, Amy Atwell, and cover artist Paradox Book Cover Designs. You ladies all rock.

Chapter One

Warmth radiated through the car’s windscreen, filling Antonia with a lethargic sense of harmony and wellbeing. A good thing she wasn’t driving, or she’d run off the road. Winter might well be around the corner, yet autumn clung with a vengeance. It promised to be a lovely weekend.

So much had changed in the past fifteen months. She’d shed her cool, protective shell and moved in with Tom Sullivan, the love of her life. Becoming mistress of Tulachmhor homestead had fuelled the rumour mill for months. Then she’d transferred the deeds of her two-storey Victorian home to her daughter and son-in-law. As if that wasn’t enough to shock the populace, Antonia had recently handed the reins of her business to Tom’s second son, Hunter, in order to spend time with the daughter she’d given up at birth.

Her latest transactions to capture the gossips’ attention had been the new extension to Tulachmhor, the purchase of breeding stock for Tom’s eldest son, Reid, and a partnership deal for Tom’s daughter, Ali. Facts she’d hoped to keep private. The leaks had to have come from within the solicitor’s office, and they’d definitely turned Bindarra Creek on its head.

In short, Antonia continued to give the gossips’ plenty of fodder, and her once deeply buried secret continued to attract censorship and disapproval from many in town.

Antonia had no time for bigots or gossips. What did hurt was her parents’ moralistic stance and the distance it had created.

Her deep sigh drew a quick glance from Tom. What’s up, Annie?

It would have been nice to celebrate Mother’s Day with my mother, but I guess that’s expecting too much. Maybe next year.

They’ll come around, darlin’. In the meantime, we should elope to Europe for…six months? We can visit museums in Prague, eat gelato in Positano, see a show in Paris, and relax on the Algarve Coast of Portugal.

She laughed. Tom’s ability to brighten her day was one of the things she loved most about him. "You have been doing your homework. But the answer is still no."

I’ve got it. He slapped his knee. We’ll elope to Tahiti for two months.

Not happening, Tom.

Scotland. We can marry in a medieval castle, then take the ferry to Ireland. You always said you’d like to explore the Emerald Isle.

One day, but for the foreseeable future, I’m staying right here.

He reached across and squeezed her hand. You do want to marry me, Annie?

More than you can ever know, darling. I’ve waited thirty-four years to be your wife, but you know I cherish every minute spent with Samantha, and we’re about to become grandparents.

You’re right, which brings me back to my original proposal. Let’s get married in Bindarra Creek? The honeymoon can be postponed.

I’m sorry, Tom, but getting married without my parents’ attendance will draw more talk and, to be frank, I refuse to have anything spoil our wedding day.

Trust me, Annie, nothing will spoil it. He returned his attention to the road, negotiating a tight bend. Look at those skid marks. Some idiot almost missed the bridge and ended up in the river.

Antonia leaned forward. Its always been a dangerous corner. The narrow bridge doesn’t help, especially when the road is icy. She glanced at a giant excavator parked on the verge. At least they’ve started widening the road, and the new bridge will make a big difference.

It will, if they ever finish it. Tom drove over the ancient wooden bridge, its support beams clattering under the car. I heard the crew have been called away to Moree. Bindarra always draws the short straw when it comes to road maintenance.

Antonia patted his thigh. Which reminds me, you haven’t replaced the bridge near Eagle Rock. I know it’s a big expense, but with the river running high, the cattle can’t access those pastures, and if another bushfire threatens us or our neighbours, we can’t help each other.

I know. Tom scratched his head. Comes down to money, Annie. The divorce settlement took a big chunk of my savings. I’m thankful the witch couldn’t make a claim on Tulachmhor.

It’s a blessing your mother kept Tulachmhor in her name. I have money, Tom. What’s mine is yours. Take whatever you need to build the bridge.

Thanks, darlin’, but it wouldn’t be right. You’ve already been overly generous to my kids and paid for the extension and renovations.

"For goodness sake, Tom, I needed to make it our home. Call it anal retention if you like, but I didn’t want to sleep in the same room you once shared with Julia. Take whatever money you need to build the bridge, or I’ll have it built and you won’t get any say in the design."

He chuckled. In that case I will…after you marry me.

Argh. She threw up her hands. Men and their bloody pride.

Hey, I didn’t stop you helping my kids.

"That’s because you know I love them as if they’re my own. Plus, with Hunter running the Agency, I can spend more time with you, and Jake’s partnership deal did entice Ali to come home."

Tom frowned. I spoke briefly to Ali last night, but she looked exhausted. I got the impression she’s nervous about working with Jake Morgan.

"Nonsense. Ali hasn’t got a nervous bone in