Page 53 of Sometimes You Stay

She couldn’t stay forever. She wouldn’t.

But every minute on Finn’s farm made her want to.

Maybe it was better to break ties now. Leave before it got too hard.

But go before Bella had her puppies? Before Cretia found out what had really put Finn in a grumpy mood that morning? Before she got to really and truly kiss him?

She frowned as he led the parade along the fence line.

Neema cleared her throat. “Miss Martin? Are you still there? Would you like us to hold your package in Italy?”

Thirteen

Finn did his best to put on a happy face for the kids and focus on how the puppies were adjusting to new—more—people. But as he scratched Ringo’s furry belly, his gaze and mind still darted toward the house.

And Cretia. And the laptop she was tracking down.

He didn’t need to know a lick about technology to understand the situation. As soon as Cretia got her laptop, she’d go back to work. On the road.

She probably didn’t even need her computer. Her phone would almost certainly suffice. It fit in the palm of her hand but had the ability to run her whole world.

And ruin his.

He scowled at himself and stopped scratching. Ringo barked, demanding more attention, and Finn tried hard to focus. But clearly he was feeling a little bit overdramatic.

He’d only known Cretia for a little over a week. When she left, it would not ruin his life.

His foul mood had much more to do with Justin’s delivery. It had been a nice, neighborly gesture. And Justin hadn’tknown that his loan applications had been turned down and he’d run out of banks to ask.

The arrival of Cretia’s phone was just another piece of straw on the proverbial camel’s back.

“Mr. Finn!”

He looked over just as Paul jumped against Jack, pushing him to the ground. The boy already had a few grass stains on his jeans and giggled as the puppies all bounded to him, nipping at his sleeves and tugging at his pants. In a few years, this kid could be a help around the business.

All of a sudden, Joe Jr. looked up and loped toward the barn, stopping just as Cretia stepped into the sunlight.

“That cow still hates me,” she said as she scratched Joe’s ears. “But you don’t, do you, boy?”

Finn couldn’t stop his smile now as his funk melted away.

“Did you find your com-pupter?” Julia Mae called.

“I did.” Cretia’s gaze wasn’t on the little girl. Instead, she met his, a bit of hesitancy there. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to make his stomach drop to the sweet-smelling grass and roll over a few times.

“When’s it going to be here?” Jack’s words were muffled by the thick black coat practically covering his face.

“It’s actually in Italy. Rustico, Italy.”

“Italy? Where’s that?” Julia Mae asked.

Jack, the older and wiser brother, set about informing his sister of the boot-shaped country across the ocean. But Finn could only hear the wordItalyringing over and over in his mind. In a flash, he saw Cretia floating down a canal in a gondola. Saw her strolling over bridges and twirling spaghetti onto a fork.

Without him.

Which was ridiculous. Because he’d never been to Italy, and he had absolutely zero intention to ever visit. It looked nice in pictures and movies, but he was bound to Prince Edward Island and this farm for life. He couldn’t imagine living anywhere else—didn’t even want to. These pastures, this barn, even the old house was home. They represented roots and family and the things closest to his heart.

He loved this land. He loved when it rained and when the sun shone. He loved it in the summer and when the snow piled clear to the barn’s roof. He loved the hard work and the early mornings. He loved the sweet smell of mown grass and the warm welcome of unconditional love from the animals.

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