The Dairy Farmer's Daughter Page 11

  “No, they are just judged on looks.”

  “Too bad. That one looks really yummy."

  Freya opened her mouth and closed it again, before she could say something about him entering next year.

  "Here we are." She paused in front of a large glass stand. Inside it stood an intricately decorated, three-level wedding cake. A first-place ribbon sat proudly beside it.

  "Greer Montgomery." Justin read the label. "She won."

  Freya marvelled at her sister's latest creation. "Isn't it amazing?"

  "It sure is. Kind of makes me wonder what she's doing in Maleny and not taking the world by storm."

  "She did that already. She's done stints in major restaurants in Melbourne, London and Hong Kong but she came back here because she loves it and she wanted a quieter life."

  "And she's happy now?"

  Freya glanced around to make sure no one overheard her next comments. The pavilion was quiet though and there was no one to overhear her. "She turns thirty next year, and she is pretty keen to settle down and have a baby. She would make an amazing mother, but she just hasn't met the right guy. I mean, there aren’t many single men left in Maleny. Most of them get coupled up in high school."

  "And she didn't meet anyone along the way?"

  "She dated plenty, but never found the right guy."

  Justin turned and caught her gaze, their eyes saying the things neither could speak aloud. That maybe they had been the lucky ones and had found their soulmate in each other.

  They left and walked around to the poultry and animal displays. They were leaning on a fence, studying the cattle, when her father came over. "Hello, you two. Enjoying yourselves?"

  "Sure am," Justin said as he shook Mark's hand. "Freya is showing me all that Maleny has to offer."

  "Excellent. It's a great turnout this year," he said before turning to Freya. "How's our stall doing? Busy as usual?"

  "Sure is. I'm glad we made more samples. Hopefully we'll have enough to last."

  "Have you seen it?" Justin asked. "It looks amazing. It really draws people in.”

  Freya’s cheeks warmed at his words.

  “She’s been taking lots of photos and videos too, which will look great on social media."

  Mark smiled broadly. "I'm sure they will. Freya has an eye for detail. I'll stop by soon, but right now I have to go and do some judging."

  "Good luck," Freya called as her father walked away. She turned back to Justin and smiled. "Now, how about sideshow alley?"

  Justin and Freya followed the sound of thrill-seekers and squealing children to the carnival rides and games. When she stopped in front of the Ferris wheel, he froze.

  "What's wrong?" Her eyes were full of concern.

  He raised his gaze, taking in the height of the wheel and the flimsy carriages that swayed from it.

  "Are you afraid of heights?"

  He swallowed. Hard. "Just a little bit."

  She wrapped her arms around him. "I'll be right here beside you, I promise. It's really not that high, and we'll get a great view of town."

  He looked back at her and felt the fear dissolve.

  She cupped her hands around his face and kissed him before turning and climbing into the waiting carriage. He followed her and sat beside her as the gate was closed behind them.

  She placed a reassuring hand on his leg as they started the gentle circle up into the sky. He let his gaze wander out across the field and over the crowds milling around below them. Instead of fear, wonder filled him. The community, the people below, were his father's friends and neighbours. Freya's friends and neighbours. Perhaps they could be his too.

  He shuffled back in his seat so he could fully see Freya beside him. Happiness radiated from her like she didn't have a care in the world.

  He curled his fingers around the line of her chin. Her mouth parted, her eyes widening, then he registered nothing more except the exquisite heart-walloping sensation of her soft mouth on his.

  The kiss was intense, brief and laden with meaning. Exactly the way he wanted.

  They made out like teenagers as the Ferris wheel circled slowly several times. It was undeniable; there was something real between them, and even if Justin didn’t have all the answers yet, he couldn’t hide from the truth.

  Her body was soft and pliant against his, and he drew a shuddering breath as he lifted his head. He wanted to promise her he would never hurt her, that he would always be there for her, but he couldn't. Not when things were still so unsure. Not when she could change her mind about him if he accepted the sale.

  If he had to, he knew that walking away from her would be the hardest thing he would ever do.

  Chapter 17

  Justin spent the next day working on his laptop at Meredith's café. It was quieter than usual, with most of her clientele spending the day at the show. She paused to ask how he’d found the show, and he told her emphatically how much he’d enjoyed himself.

  Then, as the night fell and the air grew crisp, he drove to the showgrounds and found Freya waiting for him at the gate, her hands full with blankets. She kissed him and led the way through the crowds that gathered on the hills surrounding the grassy arena, until they finally spotted Greer and set up their blankets next to her so they could all watch the rodeo and fireworks.

  “Is it just me, or is it colder than usual?” Justin turned up the collar of his sweatshirt, wishing he had brought another jacket.

  Greer smiled at him. “Show weekend always marks the start of the cold season.” She threw him a blanket, which he pulled around his shoulders, offering an arm to Freya who readily snuggled in against him.

  "Aww, look at you two." Greer pulled a face at her sister.

  The riders rode into the arena and were introduced. One by one, they participated in events such as calf-roping, barrel-racing and camp-drafting.

  Greer, Justin, and Freya took turns buying food and drinks, and chatted to friends who wandered over. After the rodeo, they lay back on their blankets as the fireworks shot into the dark, wintry night, while country music blared from the speakers, barely audible over the cracks of the display.

  Freya nuzzled in closer to Justin, who tightened his arm around her.

  "Pretty cool, huh?" she asked as it finished.

  "This town just keeps on impressing me."

  "We aim to please." She raised her head for a kiss, which he happily gave her. "Thank you for an amazing week," she said as he cradled her in his arms.

  "No, thank you. I wouldn't have known any of this existed if it wasn't for you."

  Hope, trepidation, and plain desire pounded through him, and as he kissed her again he wished the night could last forever.

  After breakfast the next morning, Freya set up her laptop opposite Justin's, and they both attempted to get some work done. He opened his emails and frowned when he saw one from his lawyer that he had missed on Friday afternoon. He clicked on it and read the lawyer’s note advising an official offer had been made on the property.

  He glanced at Freya who was concentrating hard while uploading videos from the weekend.

  As the documents downloaded, he read over the terms and conditions before coming upon the amount offered.

  Holy shit.

  It was a lot of money. More than he had expected, even in his wildest imagination. It was enough to pay off his student loan, his sister’s student loan, his parents' house, and still buy himself a new one. Hell, he could buy himself a house in Sydney with that amount of money.

  This was a complete game-changer. This was life-altering.

  He finished reading through the contract, searching for a reason not to accept it, anything that made it too good to be true, but he couldn't find anything that raised any red flags.

  All he could think about were the dollar signs, and that these developers obviously really wanted the property.

  He re-read Stephen's email, which asked him to call him at any time over the weekend for any reason. He picked up his phone and told F
reya he had to make a business call. Then he went out the front door—he didn't want Freya to overhear this conversation.

  The lawyer picked up on the second ring.

  "I only just saw your email, or I would have called you earlier."

  "No worries. What did you think? All pretty straightforward?" Stephen sounded calm and relaxed, while Justin's heart was hammering in his chest. It was like he had just won the lotto.

  "Yes, I just can't believe the amount. That's a lot of money."

  Stephen chuckled. "I think they will go even higher."

  "Higher, seriously? I'm having trouble wrapping my head around that figure."

  "They are really serious," the lawyer said. "And they want an answer by the end of this week."

  "They've done all the due diligence already?"

  "Yup, they are dead-set serious and ready to settle as soon as possible."

  "Okay," Justin sighed into the phone, his mind still spinning with possibilities. "I'm going to need to take a few days to think about this."

  "Of course. Let me know when you're ready."

  He hung up the call and put his phone in his back pocket. Then he stared out onto the fields of his father's property.

  He couldn't deny that the landscape all around the Hinterland was incredibly beautiful, and the people were the friendliest he had ever met. But with that amount of money he could travel the world. He could see and do things that most people never had the opportunity to do.

  But what would the developers do with this land? They would build those tiny little houses on those tiny little blocks. Concrete slabs would cover the fertile grounds that had been in his father's family for generations. They would cut and dig into earth that had never had more than grass grow on it. They would pull down the dairy and the house and all the sheds and buildings and replace them with roads and sewers and power lines.

  Eventually this might be the way it had to be. But did he want to be the one to give in to commercialism?

  He squeezed his eyes shut and put his hands behind his head.

  It was too much. Too much depended on this one decision.

  Freya.

  She had said she would stand by him, whatever he decided, but would she really? What would she think of him if he sold out? Would she still be willing to be with him?

  Freya smiled as she finished editing the last video from the show. It had been an amazing, busy time, and she had loved every minute of it. Being able to share the event with Justin had made it even more memorable.

  He came back into the house from making his phone call, and she could sense a shift in his mood. "Everything alright?"

  "Yes, fine. Want a coffee?" he asked, flicking the kettle on to boil.

  "Sure." She stood and went to him.

  He wrapped his arms around her. His touch rippled through her, electric. She couldn’t stop the heat that rolled through her body, jolting every nerve and synapse with pure desire.

  With deft fingers, she unbuttoned his shirt, and he looked at her with hot desire written into every line of his face.

  "Take me to bed?" she whispered.

  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 of kindness 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?"

  "I fell in love." He shrugged.

  Barbara leaned her head to the side. "I think you should come into the kitchen and tell me all a
bout it."

  He followed her to the rear of the house, past the open dining and living areas where his family celebrated every milestone and major holiday.

  In the kitchen, with its sparkling surfaces and gleaming appliances, Barbara prepared two cups of coffee, and sat down next to him at the counter. "Who is she?"

  "Freya Montgomery. Nina Montgomery's youngest daughter."

  Barbara smiled. "I always liked Nina. I wish I had tried harder to fit in; I think she and I could have been great friends."

  He wondered if there was more to the story. "Why didn't you stay with Dad? Really?"

  She sighed. "After you were born, I suffered from depression. Postnatal depression is what we call it now, but back then I thought I was going crazy. You were never a good sleeper, and I would be up with you most of the night. Boyd was busy all day and needed his sleep, and after a while, I just couldn't cope."

  Justin gulped down the emotion he felt—pain at having caused his mother's suffering. "So you left?"

  "I hadn't had a good night's sleep in over four years. I was snappy and irritable. Boyd agreed I should take you to Brisbane and have a holiday. I could let my family help me, teach me how to look after you properly, and take you to a paediatrician." Her voice held such regret and sorrow. "A week turned into a month. I was finally getting help, and sleep, and I was scared that if I went back to Maleny it would all be for nothing. I felt like I was ruining Boyd's life. So I decided to stay in Brisbane. I called your father and told him. He didn't sound surprised. He said he had set up a bank account, and would pay as much as he could into it each week."

  Justin sagged against the counter. "Just like that?"

  "At the time, I didn't understand it. But since he passed, I've been thinking about it again, and I wonder if he thought he was causing the problems—if he thought he was the reason you couldn't sleep, and I was being so horrible. I don't think we'll ever know the truth, but Boyd was certainly sensitive."