It made sense why he hadn't sought out another relationship, or even close friendships, apart from Fred.
"I don't want to be like him, Mum," Justin said as his vision blurred with tears. "I want friends, a family, and to be with the woman I love."
She hugged him to her. "There is nothing more important in the world than love. I would trade everything I have for you and our family.
Justin squeezed his eyes shut.
"Now, tell me about Freya," his mother said. "Why are you here, and not up there with her?"
Chapter 20
Freya leaned back in her chair and watched as her latest video downloaded. She stretched her arms behind her. Sleep had been evading her most of the week. It was at night when memories of Justin came back to taunt her. She would toss and turn, trying to push him from her mind. But he was always there.
She turned her attention back to Facebook, where a video of yesterday's busload of schoolchildren was uploading. Their happy laughter and enthusiastic questions had helped to brighten her mood, at least for the morning. She had interviewed a few of the more charismatic six-year-olds, asking what part of the tour they’d liked the most, and what flavour yogurt they’d enjoyed. Then she had edited it into a movie.
Greer had watched the children with longing in her eyes. Her sister wanted nothing more than to be a mother; it was why she had moved back to Maleny. She would be an amazing parent, and her children would be so loved and well-treated. They'd be surrounded by family and friends, in this community that she invested in every day.
While the video downloaded, Freya scrolled down the screen before stopping abruptly on the photo of her and Justin. Her stomach clenched, but she refused to look away. She would have to overcome this sooner or later.
She had snapped the selfie during the factory tour. He looked so content and happy. Just like she had been—the perfect couple.
Her finger hovered over the delete button. If only she could delete him from her life as easily as she could delete him from her Facebook page.
The comments below drew her attention.
What a beautiful couple you make.
Thrilled to see you so happy.
Can't wait to meet him.
There were lots of emojis and love hearts too. She considered posting a comment, letting people know that they had broken up. She didn't want to hear or read his name mentioned ever again.
She appreciated that people wanted her to be happy.
She wanted to be happy.
She had been happy. So blissfully happy.
The computer pinged with a new notification.
Justin Wheeler is live now.
Damn. She knew she should have unfriended him. But he hadn't posted anything all week, and she hadn't been brave enough to look at his profile.
Another notification appeared on the screen letting her know that he had tagged both her and Emerald Hills in his live stream.
Curiosity got the better of her, and she clicked on the link. Facebook took a few seconds to load before it brought up the stream.
As the video caught up to the audio, all she could see was a frozen image of him. His chin was clean-shaven, and his short hair slightly damp.
He had dark circles under his eyes; he hadn't been sleeping either.
Finally, the audio caught up, and she played it from the beginning.
"Hi. For those of you who don't know me, my name is Justin Wheeler. I'm Boyd Wheeler's son, and when he passed away a couple of weeks ago, I found out that I'd inherited this dairy farm. I came to Maleny to put the farm up for sale, but I didn't count on meeting so many new friends and joining such a vibrant community.
While I was there, I met a girl named Freya Montgomery. And if you know Freya, you know that she is an incredible, passionate woman. If I had grown up in Maleny, she would have been the girl next door. We would have played together and gone to school together. But we didn't get that opportunity because I grew up in Brisbane. But from the moment I met Freya, I felt like we were always destined to be together. It took a little bit longer than it could have, but I know in my heart that she is my soul mate and the only woman for me."
He paused, and Freya let the words sink in. His declaration of love made her heart pound.
"Freya, if you feel the same way, please come and find me."
She frowned and looked at the screen as he panned the camera slightly until she saw a familiar view. He was outside, sitting at the employee table where they had first had lunch together.
Right here at Emerald Hills.
She pushed her chair back, and threw open the door, running straight into Greer.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"He's here. Justin's here." Freya took off down the hallway, barely registering that her sister was following, calling out for their parents to follow.
Freya made her way outside and paused as she took in the scene in front of her. A small crowd had gathered to watch. Justin's mobile was set up on a tripod and he stood in front of it.
Their eyes met. A hint of stubble flecked his jaw, tense with nerves, while his hazel eyes, surrounded by those gorgeously long lashes, were fixed intently on her.
She stepped cautiously closer. He had already hurt her twice—could she face a third time? Then again, neither hurt had been his fault. He had only ever been honest with her.
"What's going on?"
She turned at the sound of her father's voice. Greer hushed him and waved her parents to join the other curious onlookers.
Freya stepped past the camera. "Is it still recording?"
He nodded. "Is that okay? I can turn it off."
She shook her head. He was within touching distance now. "I don't care who sees."
She leaned forward to kiss him, but his soft words stopped her. "I didn't take the deal. I'm not selling the farm."
She blinked and gave a little shake of her head, as though she’d been far away and needed to bring herself back to Earth. "You're not?"
"No. Boyd wouldn't want me to sell to a developer. It's a dairy farm, and it'll stay that way as long as I have anything to say about it."
Their gazes remained locked, unable to break it. A gaze of yearning, of love, of hope.
Justin was back; that would have been enough for her. She reached up her arms and looped them behind his neck. "I missed you so much. Nothing felt right without you."
He buried his face in her neck, holding her with the same intensity as she held him. "I love you, Freya."
She pulled back, needing to see him when he said the words, needing to make sure she didn't imagine them. "What did you say?"
A smile spread across his face. "I said, I love you, Freya Montgomery." His voice was loud enough for everyone to hear his declaration.
She grinned. "I love you too, Justin Wheeler."
He brought his mouth to hers, and kissed her.
God, she had missed his kisses. How had she ever thought she could live without them? Without him?
Doubt and fear bubbled up in her throat. "How we going to make this work? You live in Brisbane."
"I can work from anywhere. You mean more to me than anything else. Besides who wants to live in the city when they can live here, in the heart of the Hinterland?"
She kissed him again, her heart overfilling with joy.
They broke their embrace and her family surrounded them, slapping Justin on the back and hugging her, all celebrating together.
"The farm is yours to lease if you still want it," Justin said to her father as they shook hands.
"I do. We'll take good care of it." Mark looked at him with pride in his eyes. "Your father would have been proud of you. I sure am."
"Thank you," Justin said, his voice was filled with emotion.
Freya squeezed his hand, hoping to remind him she was right beside him, and always would be.
"Look at you two, so in love." Greer wiped her eyes. She always was a sucker for romance.
Freya hugged her sister. "Yo
ur turn will come. I know it."
Greer pulled back and hugged Justin. "I don't suppose you know any single, straight men, do you?"
"Let me think about it." Justin grinned. "It'd have to be someone worthy of you."
Greer screwed up her nose. "My standards aren't that high."
Freya turned and spotted the phone. She had forgotten it was still live-streaming. “We should turn that off.”
Justin nodded. “Show’s over now."
She walked behind the tripod and looked at the screen. Her mouth dropped when she saw the number of viewers. "Oh my gosh, Justin, we've gone viral."
He chuckled and tugged her hand until she was back in his arms. Back where she belonged.
"With you as the star? What did you expect?" He lowered his mouth and kissed her again.
His lips were strong and true against hers and seemed to promise a life together filled with love.
A promise of forever…
About the Author
Nominated Best Debut Author (2017) Australian Romance Readers Association
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Nominated Best New Romance Author (2017) AusRom Today
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Sarah Williams spent her childhood chasing sheep, riding horses and picking Kiwi fruit on the family orchard in rural New Zealand. After a decade travelling, Sarah moved to Queensland to raise a family and follow her passion for writing. She currently resides in Maleny on the Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Australia.
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When she's not absorbed in her fictional writing world, Sarah is running after her family of four kids, one husband, two dogs, a spirited horse and a cat. She hosts the weekly writer podcast/vlog Write with Love, runs writers workshops, mentors and supports her peers achieve their publishing dreams.
* * *
Sarah is regularly checking social media when she really should be cleaning.
You can find her online at:
www.sarahwilliamsauthor.com
Join her mailing list to read for free!
https://bit.ly/2QzxDrR
Also by Sarah Williams
The Outback Governess
The Brothers of Brigadier Station
(Brigadier Station Book 1)
The Sky over Brigadier Station
(Brigadier Station Book 2)
The Brothers of Brigadier Station
Sarah Williams
She came to the outback to marry the love of her life. She just didn't expect him to be her fiancé's younger brother.
* * *
When Meghan Flanagan, a vet-nurse from Townsville, moves to Brigadier Station in outback Queensland to marry the man of her dreams, she is shocked to discover that perhaps her fiancé isn’t the man she wants waiting for her at the altar. The man she's destined to marry, just might be his younger brother.
Cautious of women after a disastrous past relationship, Darcy is happy living on his beloved cattle station, spending his spare time riding horses, going to rodeos and campdrafting. He didn't expect the perfect woman to show up on his doorstep. Engaged to his brother.
With the wedding only hours away, Meghan must make the decision of a lifetime. But, her betrayal could tear the family apart. She knows all too well the pain of losing loved ones and being alone.
* * *
Now that she has the family she so desperately wants; will she risk losing it all?
Chapter 1
Settle down, boy." Meghan coaxed the huge German Shepherd, using all of her strength to keep the great beast on the cold, metal table.
"Almost done, just a little longer." Jennifer, the veterinarian, called from the end where the dog’s great head lay as his owner watched.
Having your teeth checked at the dentist was never a pleasant experience, so Meghan couldn’t blame the old dog for being agitated. She held chunks of its sweaty fur in her fists. It stank of dirt and urine. It had probably gotten anxious in the car ride and wet himself. Owners never told them that. It was common to find wet patches on the animals that visited Spotty Dogz Vet Surgery.
Still, in all her years working as a vet nurse, being wet on wasn't her worst experience. She was often a scratching post for vicious cats and had lost count of the numerous bites from a variety of rodents and birds. Her pain threshold had increased dramatically since she had finished her training. There were other parts of the job that were far worse. Like caring for a cat who was in constant, agonising pain or having an innocent young puppy die in her arms. Those experiences left a mark that couldn't be seen.
While healthy, domestic animals were cute and adorable, but it was the larger animals, especially horses, that Meghan wanted to work with.
"All done." Jennifer stepped back. The dog hurled itself out of Meghan’s grasp and off the table. Claws scrapping on the metal surface.
Jennifer and the owner tackled the creature out of the room, leaving Meghan alone to clean the instruments and sterilise the table. After washing her hands, she visited her patients. A new litter of short haired, tabby kittens had been brought in after being found abandoned. Meghan had already checked the kittens for fleas and ticks when they had first arrived yesterday, now they were just waiting for microchipping and vaccinations. A brown and grey boy cried mournfully and Meghan couldn't help wishing she could adopt them all. She scooped up the tiny kitten and snuggled it against her chin. Its soft fur tickled her skin and its small heart thumped against her fingertips.
After a few minutes of loving, she placed the kitten back with his siblings, stroking all six in turn, saying a quiet goodbye and hoping they all found good homes before her next shift.
She sighed as she glanced at her watch, it was almost the end of her shift. It had been a long day and she was looking forward to spending the night on the couch with her fiancé, Lachie. He had only arrived yesterday from his home in the outback and she had barely seen him yet.
Her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She pulled it out and answered when her best friend's name appeared.
"Hey, Jodie," a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Jodie could always make her feel better.
"Are you still at work?"
"Yeah. Almost over."
"I just wanted to wish you luck for tomorrow. What time are you leaving?"
"First thing. Lachie said it takes about seven hours plus breaks."
"Geez, what a long drive. Did you really have to fall for a guy who lives on a farm in the outback?"
Meghan laughed. "It's a cattle station, not a farm. It's been in the family for generations so he didn't get much of a choice where it was."
Jodie was quiet, but Meghan knew her friend well enough to know when she was rolling her eyes.
"Well, good luck meeting his family. Use these two weeks to make sure moving out there is what you really want."
"I will." Meghan's eyes prickled with threatening tears. "I’m going to miss you. We’ve been friends for what… twenty years? We’ve never been apart this long."
"It’s going to be harder if you move out there permanently."
After the wedding, Meghan would call the station home. Leaving her best friend wouldn't be the only thing she would miss about Townsville. The beach, the food, the music. But the country promised excitement; a new start, a new identity, the family she longed for. She would become Mrs. Lachlan McGuire of Brigadier Station. She bit her lip, containing a grin. His country upbringing had been appealing right from the start. He was outgoing and confident. The fact that he was gorgeous helped too.
"Call me. I want updates. And photos. Find out about the other brothers. If either are single and hot, I want to know." Jodie was always keeping an eye out for her next boyfriend.
"I will. Love you."
"Love you too. Safe trip."
Meghan slipped her phone back in her trousers and glanced at her watch again. After her rounds, it would be time to say goodbye and her two-week holiday would start. She would finally meet Lachie's Mum and brother and see where he lived and had grown up. They would also be announci
ng their engagement.
At twenty-nine, Meghan Flanagan was about to have everything she had ever wanted. She was in love and moving to the country to start a new life. A better life. She had never been happier.
The television was blaring when Meghan got home. The air smelled musty when she stepped into the kitchen. She placed the bags on the kitchen counter and opened a window, allowing a cool breeze to waft in. She peeked into her small living room. Lachlan McGuire was sprawled on the couch, beer in hand, watching the North Queensland Cowboys defend their title. He was relaxed and happy. She knew he liked spending time in her modest little house. Away from the station, he could ignore the paperwork and bills that were no doubt overloading his email account; he worked hard, so Meghan couldn't blame him wanting to take a break.
"What's the score?"
He looked up and grinned the grin that made her insides quiver. "Cowboys are up by twelve."
Cowboys games always reminded her of when she had met Lachie eight months earlier. Jodie had dragged her to a home game. By sheer good fortune, they had been seated next to each other. Lachie had quickly won her over with his good looks and charm. She had been surprised by the attention. Gorgeous guys didn't waste their time on plain girls like her. She wondered if he was being nice to her to get to Jodie. The tall, blonde beauty was often the center of attention. But when the game was over, he asked for Meghan's number and within a week they were an item. Whenever she asked him why he had chosen her, he always replied: ‘You're a girl I can take home to Mum.’
"Is that Thai food I smell?" He climbed off the couch and followed his nose to the kitchen.
"I got that Pad Thai you like." She watched as he opened containers appreciatively and started serving it up onto two plates.
The Dairy Farmer's Daughter Page 12