A Kiss to Seal the Deal by Nikki Logan Page A

conversation-starter.
    Kate looked up. ‘Sunbrook. We ran dairy, mostly, but had sheep and some alpacas.’
    â€˜What happened to the stock when you moved to the city?’
    â€˜Sold, apparently.’
    â€˜Apparently?’
    Her hands tightened under the table. ‘I never asked. I never wanted to know. Two of those alpacas were like pets to me.’
    Grant shook his head. ‘And no-one asked your permission? Asked you what you wanted?’
    Defensiveness surged through her for the people who’d been left with the awful task of sorting out her life. The people who’d done their best. But deep down she knew that Grant only voiced the same question she’d had her entire adult life. How hard would it have been to ask her what she needed?
    She shrugged and studied the menu. ‘I was twelve. What was I going to say? There was no way Aunt Nancy would have moved onto the farm, so what choice did I have?’
    Conversation stalled while they ordered meals and their drinks arrived—a tall beer for Grant and a wine and soda for Kate.
    â€˜It’s funny,’ he finally said, breaking the silence. ‘While I was doing everything I could to get out of this place, you would have given your life to go back to your farm.’
    Kate sipped carefully then lowered her glass. ‘I still would.’
    â€˜Did you ever go back?’
    She’d driven south especially to see it a few years back but, even with the shielding of time past, it hurt too much. ‘Only once. I couldn’t bear to see someone else’s children climbing my trees. Someone else’s washing on Mum’s line.’ Her voice cracked slightly and she took another sip. He hadn’t touched his beer; his attention was completely on her.
    â€˜What did you do with the money?’
    â€˜Most of it went back to the bank to pay off the agricultural loan. Some of it went to Nancy for taking me in. What little was left I got when I was eighteen. I used it as a down payment on my apartment.’ She folded her hands on the table and leaned towards him. ‘Grant, why are you selling Tulloquay? I completely understand your desire to keep it in one piece, but why sell it at all? Why not lease it, or get a caretaker in? Keep it in your family?’
    His lips thinned. ‘What family?’
    That was right; he had as little as she did now that his father was gone. ‘Your future family. Someone should look after it. Until you need it.’
    â€˜Angling for a new job, Kate?’
    She didn’t laugh. ‘No. But I would give anything for a chance to come back to country living, to have something to call my own: land. A future. A home. I can’t understand how selling it is better than keeping it. Even if you kept it empty.’
    â€˜An empty farm is soulless, Kate. I’d rather see a stranger take it and make it great than let it run fallow.’
    Her heart softened. She considered not voicing her thoughts. ‘Every now and again I look at your face and I see Leo staring back at me.’
    He stiffened.
    â€˜I meant that as a compliment, Grant. He was a complicated but dedicated man. And he was determined to strengthen Tulloquay, to keep it relevant.’
    â€˜Then he should have left it to someone else.’
    â€˜Because you’re not interested?’
    â€˜Because I’m not a farmer.’
    â€˜That’s not the first time you’ve said that. Do you think farmers are born knowing what to do?’
    â€˜They’re raised. Trained.’
    She frowned at him. ‘Leo didn’t teach you?’
    He thought about that long and hard, staring into his beer. Eventually he lifted his head. ‘I didn’t want to learn.’
    The dark shadows in his eyes called out to her. ‘You didn’t want the farm—even then?’
    â€˜I didn’t want my future mapped out for me. If he’d said he wanted me to go into the army, I probably would have