Page 14 of The Dairy Farmer's Daughter

He took a deep breath of fresh country air, and a powerful waft of manure hit his nostrils. He fanned the smell away with his hand and turned towards the house.

Stopping in the kitchen, he cleaned the coffee cups and put them away, then made his way through the house. Maybe he should take the time to go through his father’s things. Maybe he would find out why Boyd had never bothered to keep in touch. He must have been curious as to how his only child had turned out.

Money had been deposited into Barbara's bank account every week until Justin turned eighteen. When Barbara had married her second husband, Geoff, three years after returning to the city, she had diverted the funds to an account set up for Justin. It had been Geoff's idea. He was an architect and earned a good salary. He wanted to support all his family, even his stepson. The money had been put to good use, going towards his university costs.

Even though Boyd hadn't known it, he had helped Justin become the man he was today.

As Justin transferred his washing into the dryer and turned the dial, he felt his phone buzzing. It was Stephen Webster wanting to know if Justin was still in town.

"I am actually. I have to hang out here for another"—he glanced at the dryer—"ninety-two minutes."

"Good, because Mark Montgomery called and has officially expressed interest in leasing the farm. I've just emailed you the financials. I really think it's a good deal, at least until we can find a buyer."

Justin scratched his chin. The Montgomerys were good people; they knew what they were doing. Hell, they had built themselves an empire. He agreed to look the information over and get back to the lawyer.

Maybe he didn't have to cut ties with the town straight away. At least if he leased the farm out, he would have a reason to visit again and check in with the Montgomerys. He would also get to see Freya.

He wouldn't mind doing that.

Four hours, three cups of coffee, and a headache later, Justin had finished looking over the calculations. He had always prided himself on being good with numbers and maths but given the circumstances, he wanted a second opinion, so had emailed everything off to his accountant in the city to look over.

He glanced at his watch; it was after midday, and he was starving. He pulled out his phone to see if there were any cafes closer than those on the main street. Of course, there was, Emerald Hills. His neighbours’—Freya's family's café. Since Greer was the chef, he knew it would be a guaranteed good feed. He collected his wallet and keys and headed to the car.

The drive over was pretty in the daylight, with towering macadamia nut trees lining the road and the verdant green grass under them. Marking the entrance was a big sign which welcomed him to Emerald Hills Farm, Factory, and Café.

He parked, made his way to the entrance, and opened the door to find a very busy dining room with families and couples enjoying delicious-smelling food and the lively atmosphere.

The waitress approached him and asked if he had a booking. When he said no, she frowned and looked down at the thick book full of pencil marks and highlights. Just as he was about to turn and leave, since there weren't any empty tables that he could see, he heard Nina's familiar voice call out to him across the room. She greeted him with a friendly hug and enthusiasm to rival her daughter.

"Are you here for lunch?" she asked. "Freya didn't say anything."

"I was supposed to be driving home by now, but I've been held up, so thought I'd come for a bite to eat." He motioned across the room. "I didn't realise bookings were required."

"You've caught us on a busy day," she said with a smile. "Come with me and I'll make sure you have a meal." She walked him past the counter, which displayed a fine selection of soft and hard cheeses with a sign saying they’d been proudly made on the premises with Emerald Hills milk.

She walked him through a 'no entry' door and down a corridor with offices and meeting rooms leading off it. She opened another door and they stepped out onto a veranda where a large table for six was unoccupied.

"This is the staff area, but I'll make an exception for you." She pulled out a chair for him. "Now tell me what you'd like to eat. Greer can make just about anything."

He sat on the cushioned, wooden chair and smiled. "What do you recommend?"

"Well, there's all the usual fare like sandwiches and salads, burgers and pasta. But today's special is Greer's famous seafood chowder. She serves it in a cob loaf, and it's something amazing."

Justin felt his mouth water. He was always a sucker for anything seafood, and a chowder would be perfect on a cool day like this. "That sounds delicious. Thank you."

"And something to drink? Perhaps a wine? I have a nice white that goes beautifully with seafood."

Justin took a moment to consider his plans for the rest of the day. It was Friday, after all. No hurry to head back to the city. Especially when he knew traffic would be a nightmare. He nodded. "Why not? Sounds good."

Nina smiled broadly. "Excellent. Let me put your order through. Is everything else okay? Do you need anything?"

He shook his head, and she left him to enjoy the view. In front of him, cattle grazed in on the gently rolling green hills.

He leaned back into the comfortable outdoor chair and let the cool air envelop him. He already felt better. Lighter. As long as the accountant okayed the deal, the Montgomerys would take over the lease of Boyd's farm and he could get back to the city. Everyone would be happy and able to get on with their lives.

"Couldn't stay away, could you?"

He looked up to see Freya's beautiful face looking back at him.

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