Page 28 of The Dairy Farmer's Daughter

“This feels so right, doesn't?” she said.

“I was just thinking the same thing.”

Freya lifted her head, putting her chin on his chest. “Do you think we could try and make this work?”

“Are you sure you want to? Long-distance relationships can be hard.”

“I'm willing to do whatever we have to do.” She kissed his chest and moved her hand provocatively across his chest.

He groaned and rolled her on top of him, bringing her mouth to his, wanting her, needing her so much it hurt.

“When does Felicity go home?” Freya asked.

“Tonight.”

She raised an eyebrow at him. “So you'll have the house to yourself?”

“Seems I will.” He kissed her forehead

“Will you come over? Will you spend the night with me, Freya?”

She smiled and nodded. “I will.”

He rolled her over so she was on her back and he could keep kissing her as deeply as he needed to. His kisses were full of the promise of what lay ahead that night. The pleasure he would give her. The love he would show her.

They met Felicity at a funky little café just off Hastings Street.

Over a delicious lunch of pasta and salads, they chatted about their childhood and laughed. Justin couldn't remember the last time he had laughed so much. When their stomachs were full to bursting, they decided to head back up the range.

Justin couldn't help but keep checking his watch; the sooner they got back, the sooner Felicity would leave, the sooner Freya could come over and the lovemaking could begin.

Freya must have felt it too. She kept sliding him glances and suggestive looks.

“Are you coming back to the city soon?” Felicity asked later as she packed the car, ready to go.

“We'll see. I've got my laptop, and I'm doing some work when I can.”

Freya had left after hugging Felicity and promising that they would see each other again soon.

“I really like her,” Felicity said to her brother as she prepared to head home. “Her mum and dad too. She is perfect for you.”

“Thanks, sis.”

He watched his sister drive away as the sun set over the mountains. A cool wind blew through the paddocks and he hugged himself. How would he feel when it came time to leave?

He went back inside the house and cleaned up in anticipation of Freya's arrival. Boxes were stacked in most rooms of the house now. His father's clothes and knick-knacks were ready for transporting, but he still didn't know where they would go. He hadn't found anything he wanted to take back with him. As he sat on the couch, feeling happy that it was now an estate worthy of Freya visit, he noticed the coffee table had a drawer.

How have I not noticed this before?

He bent over and slid it open; a large leather-bound photo album took up the entire drawer. He pulled it out and leafed through it.

Faded photographs of his parents, and him as a child, filled the pages, and he felt tears sting his eyes. It looked well-loved, as though his father had flipped through them many times over the years. A picture of him as a toddler was the final photo in the book. The last image his father had of him. There were only blank pages after that. Gaps that should have been filled with shots of him growing up, but instead they were empty.

He wondered again why his father hadn't fought for him. Why he had never tried to contact him. Grief slammed into him for the first time. He and his father had missed a life together. He had missed getting to know his father and his father had missed getting to know him. He would never know the reason why they had missed the opportunity to be together and he swore silently. He would never know the real reason they had been apart, he swore silently to himself that he would never give up an opportunity to share his life with anyone he loved.

Including Freya.

CHAPTER 10

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