Chapter 6
6
T wo weeks later
“What do you think?” asked Josh, one of the student nutritionists who was hired by Meadowland Milling to work at the feed mill and learn under her. Luna had to admit that Josh was eager, which was a good sign. He had printed out the lab reports of her latest premix.
Still there was no sign of a permanent solution for a nutritionist for this area. Not that she minded. It was good to work out in the field and be hands on. Since discovering the blunder of the last nutritionist and the mastitis outbreak, she’d been trying to formulate a better feed for the range of dairy cows that were in southwestern Ontario.
Something which would not only help the herd fight off infection, but boost immunity and help with production.
It was her biggest challenge yet. And she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been so challenged and excited by her work.
Now, as she read over the reports, she could see from the corner of her eye that Josh was rocking back and forth on his heels.
“You’ve read this. Haven’t you?” she asked Josh.
“I have. I’m sorry. I was just so excited to be a part of this.”
“I know and it is exciting.” She smiled as she leaned back and flipped through the report.
“Are you annoyed I read it?”
“I’m not.”
“Oh good.”
“Why would you think I would be?” she queried.
“You’ve been a little preoccupied today,” Josh remarked.
“I guess I have, but it’s nothing to do with you. Just tired.”
Which was true. Her exhaustion at work was completely worth it. She loved all her late nights with Roan. She’d forgotten how at peace she felt when she was in his arms and how much she loved her life out here. The problem was, this job wasn’t permanent. Roger had been hinting he wanted her back at the head office.
She just wasn’t sure now if she wanted to go back.
Still, her company hadn’t hired a permanent replacement for this area and she wasn’t in a rush to leave. Not with Roan here and her mother was so much happier when she was around. She could tell her mom wasn’t as lonely.
Neither are you.
She shook that thought away and tried to focus on the report. “It’s a really good premix.”
“Do you think Mr. Babcock will approve for it to go on sale?”
She set the report down. “I think so, but the farmers who were affected by the bad feed get first priority for this one. I need it to go into production as soon as possible so that we can start replacing the orders. I’ll finish up my report and email it to Roger or rather Mr. Babcock and then the sales team can decide how much to sell it for and when.”
“I’ll go get it in production right now.” Josh scurried out of her office.
She fired off an email to Roger. It was almost five o’clock, but she knew he would still be in his office.
The moment she hit send, her cell phone rang and she smiled as she answered it.
“Hi, Roger. Imagine you working late on a long weekend.”
Roger laughed at the other end. “Of course I’m working late. I’ve been eagerly awaiting this much talked about solution. I read your report and all the tests. It’s fantastic.”
“It’ll be good, I think. I’ve put it in production now, so I can refill the orders of that previous feed that caused all those problems. After that, I think it could become one of the top selling feeds at Meadowland Milling.”
“I have no doubt of that,” Roger remarked. “You’ve never let us down.”
“I’m glad it and I meet your approval.”
“You do. In fact, one of our biggest territories is in the prairies and we need someone to head up our office in Calgary starting next week.”
Luna blinked a couple of times. “Calgary?”
“Yes.”
“What about here? You haven’t hired a replacement yet have you?”
“We have someone who can step in if needed until someone is permanently hired.”
“Wow. So, I would be overseeing all the nutritionists out west?”
Roger laughed at her disbelief. “Yes.”
“That’s…I’m in shock.”
“I know, but think about it and I’ll email you the details. I need you in Toronto tomorrow anyway to talk about this new premix for sales, so hopefully you’ll have your decision by then.”
“Okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” She ended the call and opened up her email to look over the offer which arrived as soon as she hung up. It was everything she’d been working toward.
A year ago.
Now, she wasn’t so sure.
She was loving her life back here. Could she give that all up and move across the country? When she got involved with Roan again, she told herself it was just a summer fling.
Is it though?
She ignored that niggle and finished up her work.
When she headed for home, she drove on auto pilot as she mulled everything over. She wasn’t even sure how she was going to break it to her mother that she was really thinking about moving to Calgary. If she did that her mother would be all alone. Sure, they had relatives in Huron County, but it wasn’t the same.
When she pulled in the drive and parked, her mom was puttering around in the garden and Luna smiled to herself, watching her. She got out of her truck and walked over.
“Hey, Mom. Are you weeding?”
Her mom turned around. “Yep, and barking at squirrels.”
She took a step back, unsure if she heard her mother correctly. “What?”
“Barking at squirrels. It scares them off.”
“Do I need to take you to the hospital?” Luna teased.
Her mom frowned for a moment and then laughed. “No. I know what I’m doing. I don’t want to trap them and definitely don’t want to kill them, but they attacked my strawberries in June and now they’re after my beans.”
She chuckled. “You could get a dog, Mom.”
Her mother sighed. “I’d love that, but I went to see the optometrist today.”
“I don’t see the connection, Mom.”
“It was to do with some tests he ordered a week ago.”
“You didn’t tell me about these tests,” she chided.
“I didn’t want to burden you.”
“Mom, you’re not a burden.”
“It’s fine, Luna.”
“Clearly it’s not. What test did you have?”
“Fluorescein Angiography. Your Aunt Shelley took me to it.”
She swallowed the knot of worry that crept up in her throat. “And?”
“My eyesight isn’t getting any better.”
“What do you mean?” she asked, her stomach clenching at the thought of something wrong with her mother. She just lost her dad; she couldn’t lose her.
“The FFA test I had showed that it’s macular degeneration starting. Right now, I can still drive. But I don’t know how fast it’ll happen.”
Her heart drooped to her feet. “What does that mean?”
“I’m going blind?” her mother tried to say light heartedly.
“No. I know what it means, but…”
“I won’t be here much longer.”
She frowned. “You’re not dying.”
“No. I know that. I mean on the farm.” Her mom took a step forward and touched her cheek. Luna loved the feel of her mother’s hugs and touches. It was comforting and she needed it right now as her mind was racing, thinking about how her mother was alone here. “I’m not getting a dog when I’ll have to sell the farm and move into a seniors apartment. That’s not fair to a dog.”
“I understand that,” she responded, softly.
Her mom smiled. “Barking at squirrels is easy and fun.”
She chuckled and pulled her mother in for a hug, holding her close and not wanting to let her go. She felt guilty for not staying here or coming back when she was done her schooling, but when she made that decision to get married and work in the city for Meadowland her father had been alive. Now, her mom needed her, even if she wouldn’t admit it.
“Thanks for the hug,” her mother murmured patting her on the back. “Are you and Roan going out tonight?”
“I think so.”
Her mom smiled warmly. “I always liked him. When I’m ready I’m going to see if he’ll buy out this land. I’d like to see it in his hands. He’ll take care of this place.”
Luna didn’t say anything as her mom went back to weeding and barking. All she could do was look around at the farm. The little grey stone house with the covered porch, the spruce trees all around the yard that her dad planted when he was a young teen to help cut down on wind.
The picket fence she helped paint with him.
Everywhere she looked she saw memories of her father, her mother and all her ancestors before her. Why had she been in such a rush to leave here?
A truck pulled into the drive and she turned to see Roan. Her heart skipped a beat. He waved as he parked and then sauntered over to them.
“Mrs. MacKenzie, you look stunning,” Roan remarked.
Her mother blushed. “You’re such a liar, Roan.”
He grinned and then turned to her. “Fancy some fish and chips down at the lake?”
Luna nodded. “Sure. Just give me a moment to freshen up and change out of my work clothes.”
“Sure thing.” He wandered over into the garden with her mother and her heart melted as he bent down to start pulling weeds. How could she leave here, or him? But could she give up the promotion of a lifetime for no commitment?
She wasn’t so sure.
And she wasn’t sure if she wanted that promise of forever either.
She wasn’t sure if she ever wanted to get married again.
Roan could tell that Luna was distracted. They picked up fish and chips from the local place down at the harbor and then he drove them down to a property he owned, which had a secluded spot on the beach.
“Where are we?” she asked as he turned up a dirt path through a forest of trees.
“A piece of property I own. There’s no house on it yet. I got a lake side property so I could have a little retreat one day. My spot is at the end and a secluded portion of the shore. We can set out a blanket and watch the sunset.”
“Nice.” Luna smiled, but it was one that didn’t reach her eyes. She was completely lost in thought. It reminded him of that night when she broke the news she was headed off to university and he encouraged her to go, though he wanted her to stay.
He parked and she helped him get out the quilt and the food.
The sun was staring to set as they laid the quilt out on the sand. There was barely any wind and the lake was calm. There were only a few ripples lapping the shore.
“It’s the perfect night for a fire. Maybe after dinner I’ll get one started,” he suggested.
“It’s beautiful here.”
“It is.”
“Thanks for bringing me here.” She sighed as she sat down on the quilt and began to spread out the paper wrapped packages of fish and chips. He set the cooler down in the sand and opened it, handed her a can of pop, which wasn’t as fancy as wine but they had to drive home still.
He sat down next to her. “Ketchup?”
“Always.”
He tore open the package of ketchup and squirted it on the paper.
“My what strong hands you have,” she ribbed.
He grinned and leaned over to kiss her. “I can show you what these hands could do, but I think you already know.”
“I do. Now, eat your dinner.” She kissed the tip of his nose.
“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“What do mean?”
“You’ve been distracted tonight.”
She sighed again. “Well, I got a job offer today.”
“And that’s…sad?” he asked, confused.
“Not sad, just unexpected. It’s just…it’s in Alberta.”
It was like he was being sideswiped by a semi and he tried not to let that look of shock and disappointment cross his face. He’d had a similar conversation like this with her before, years ago. This sounded exactly like that.
“I got in,” Luna said, her voice shaking as she handed him the letter.
Roan just stared at it. He was crushed to lose her, but also happy. “It’s great.”
“Thanks.” She worried her bottom lip. “I’m not sure though.”
“About what?”
“Going. What do you think?”
The selfish part of him wanted to tell her to stay, marry him. Instead, he handed her back the letter of acceptance. “You need to go, Luna. It’s your dream.”
“Alberta?” he asked, finally finding his voice and shaking the memories away. “A promotion?”
She nodded tightly. “The new food, which will be coming to you shortly by the way, impressed my boss so much. He wants me to be in charge of all the nutritionists in the west.”
He cleared his throat. “Well, I’m glad for you.”
“I’m thinking about it.” She dipped a fry into the ketchup.
“What’s there to think about?”
Their gazes locked and he tried to keep his emotions in check, because there was a part of him that wanted to scream and beg for her to stay with him, but how could he deny her this opportunity? He couldn’t.
More importantly he wouldn’t.
“Lots,” Luna mumbled, eating a piece of fish.
“Like?” he asked.
“I just got divorced, my dad passed and now Mom’s vision is apparently getting worse and she’s contemplating selling the farm.” Her lip wobbled and she covered her face with her hands.
“Hey,” he whispered, gently and he snuggled up beside her putting his arm around her. “I’ve got you.”
She clung to him and he just held her while she cried. What he wanted to do was hold onto her forever, like he always wanted, but it was her decision to make ultimately and he’d never hold her back. He couldn’t.
He loved her.
In reality, he never did stop loving her.
She relaxed and loosened her grip on his shirt. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to sob all over you.”
He wiped away a tear with his thumb and smiled at her. “It’s okay.”
“It will be.” She stood up and pulled her t-shirt over her head.
His blood heated. “What’re you doing?”
“Are you complaining?’ she asked unzipping her jeans kicking them off into the sand.
“No.”
She unhooked her bra. “So, you going to join me for a swim?”
“A swim?”
“Sure.” She shimmied out of her lace undies and kicked them toward him, before turning and running buck naked into the water, screeching at the top of her lungs.
Roan chuckled to himself and stood up, peeling off his clothes as fast as he could. He didn’t much feel like swimming in the cold water of Lake Huron, but he’d be a right fool for not following her in there.
The moment his bare skin hit the cold water he screeched so loud Luna laughed at him and then splashed more water his way.
“Cold?” she inquired, trying not to laugh.
“Just a bit.” He dipped beneath the surface and then paddled toward her, pulling her tight against him. “You need to warm me up.”
She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist.
“Isn’t this great?” she asked, kidding him lightly.
“Swimming in ice cold water? No. With you? Yes. Are you feeling any better?”
“A bit.”
“Good.”
“What do you think about my offer?” she asked quietly.
“You’ve worked so hard for it.”
“I have, but…”
“What? It’s your career. Nothing should hold you back. No one should keep you from it.” It was so hard for him to say it again, but it was her life and they made no promises to each other. Although, he wanted to promise her everything. He just couldn’t follow her because he couldn’t give up his huge dairy operation and start over. Just like she couldn’t give this chance up.
“Thank you for your support.” She kissed him deeply, her fingers tangling in the damp hair at the nape of his neck, which always drove him wild.
“I’ll always support you, Luna.”
“I have to go to Toronto for a couple of days. I leave tomorrow.”
He ran his hands down to cup her bottom. “Well then we better make the most of tonight.”
He wanted to hold onto her forever, but he couldn’t, even if he wanted to.