Page 45 of The Dairy Farmer's Daughter

He swept her into his arms and kissed her with a fierceness and urgency she hadn't felt before.

CHAPTER 18

That same familiar dread curled through his system as he walked up the stairs to Freya's house. He already knew what he had to do; he just had to break the news. The coward in him had wanted to text her, leave a voicemail, but he had been raised better than that, and he had to talk to Freya and hope she understood.

She met him at the door before he had time to knock. Her face was bright and happy. But when she looked at him, and took in his solemn expression, he watched her face change. Her beautiful eyes darkened, and the corners of her mouth dropped.

He wanted to go back to yesterday, before the email, before the phone call. He felt so guilty for not telling her before they'd made love. Then she'd gone back home for a change of clothes, not before asking him to join her family for another meal. He'd agreed, knowing he wouldn't stay long enough to enjoy Greer's cooking.

"What's wrong?"

He shoved his hands in his pockets. He couldn't risk touching her and falling apart. "I got the official offer from the developers."

She leaned against the doorframe and nodded. "That's why you were acting weird. You're going to take it."

"I don't know. It's so much more than I was expecting. I don't know what to do."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "You have to do what is best for you and what you feel is right. This is your decision to make."

He nodded. Every muscle in his body wanted to reach out and pull her close. "They want an offer by the end of the week. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but I need to get away to think about it."

"I understand." She gazed at his car, and her eyes widened at the boxes piled high in the back seat. There was no room left in his car for anything else. He was taking everything of value with him- just in case he didn't come back.

He watched as she gulped and her eyes misted over. "Well, it was fun while it lasted."

He scratched the back of his head, wanting to promise her things he wasn't sure he could deliver. "You are a very special woman, Freya Montgomery. Don't ever forget that."

She gave a half-hearted smile. "Me? I'm just a dairy farmer's daughter." Then she reached over and gently pressed a kiss to his cheek, before pulling away, and closing the door firmly behind her.

He took a moment to steady his breathing, before walking slowly down the stairs, hoping that at any second, she would run out and stop him. But as he opened his car door and slid inside, he knew she wasn't going to come.

He started the car and put it in gear, then bumped along the muddy driveway, before turning onto the road that would lead him to the city. There was no turning back now.

CHAPTER 19

"He might still agree to the lease," Mark said, as the family discussed the events over lasagne that night.

"Who in their right mind would lease out the dairy farm when they could make a lot of money from selling it?" Greer said.

"He's not just anybody. He has history here—family history," Nina said. "But it is his decision to make, and we have to trust him to make the right one."

"And if he does sell it, then we will have to make the best of the situation," said Mark, ever the optimist.

"That's right," Nina agreed, touching his hand lovingly.

Freya remained quiet, still mourning his loss, knowing in her heart she would never see him again.

"Now it's time to think ahead. We have to put this behind us and focus on other things." Nina said.

Greer slid her sister a sideways glance. Freya could think of nothing but the fact that the only man she had ever loved had just driven out of her life. She knew that for the next few days, as word spread, she would be approached by the townspeople with their pity and disappointment. Their well-meaning acts ofkindness would only remind her that she had allowed herself to be vulnerable. How could she have been so stupid, when she knew it would probably end like this? She had been wrapped up in the moment and carried away. It had all been a dream. A wonderful, beautiful dream. Now, she had to return to reality, where she and her sister were still waiting for love to find them.

She tried not to feel the swell of sadness again, but it rose as steady as a tide in her chest. In time, it would be better, she told herself. In time, he would be just another detour on her path to real love.

Justin didn't want to be alone. One night in his cold apartment was enough. He wanted to be surrounded by people who loved him, who he could discuss his decision with, so he called his mum and asked if he could stay for a few days.

He pulled up in the driveway and knocked on the door.

Barbara opened it and, seeing him, pulled him into her arms. "What happened?"

---