‘If you need to go, then go.’
Nate drooped. This was it, where his heart was pressed into nothing and was overtaken by the void in his chest.
‘But come back, because I love you, Nate Daley.’
Nate looked at her blankly. She wanted him to come back? Because she loved him? She loved him, like he loved her.
A crooked, nearly desperate smile blossomed on her face. She was waiting for him, but all he could do was stand there, watching the rain fall on her.
Laurel Fletcher raised her hand and held it out to him, raindrops dripping off her fingers.
Nate’s face split into a grin and he strode forward, grabbing her hand and letting her pull him to her.
‘I’m so sorry I didn’t talk to you, I’m sorry,’ she was muttering, but he didn’t care. Laurel was crying, and he pushed the soaked tendrils of hair out of her face and wiped her cheeks.
‘Can you kiss her so we can all get back inside, please?’ Robin shouted from the cab of the tractor, bundled up against the weather.
Nate cupped her face and did just that, crushing his lips to hers as she wound her arms around his neck.
It was them, together.
Laurel and Nate, Nate and Laurel.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Epilogue - 10 months later
Laurel
Laurel stood in the conference centre at Little Willow Farm, tightly gripping Nate’s elbow.
‘What if they don’t like me?’ she asked, pulling at her slightly too tight dress to adjust it. Again.
‘They will love you, Laurel,’ Nate whispered, trying to loosen the grip she had on his arm.
But what if they didn’t? What if they laughed at them, laughed at her? She only had a degree. She wasn’t a doctor like Nate, and she had never, ever published anything. Let alone something with so much media interest.
Jess had been right: human interest sells. The media had been all over them both since the day his declaration of love had been aired, wanting an update, wanting a happily ever after. It was a classic take of girl fancies boy, boy’s friend steals her work and publishes it with said friend as his own, boy meets girl ten years later, falls in love, boy’s friend’s duplicity is discovered, girl feels betrayed, and boy announces his love on national television.
But apparently, people were invested and that was good, because Little Willow had never been as busy as it was now. Ever.
The conference centre was booked months in advance, they were full every weekend throughout the spring and summer for weddings. The cafe was expanding into home delivery veg boxes, meat boxes, and even some restaurant supply. The Pick Your Own was still closed, but reviving.
Sylvie headed up on stage, absolutely rocking the tight midi skirt and heeled boots that she had taken to wearing with her new job as Deputy Manager. Laurel hadn’t the time so much anymore, not since Nate had persuaded her, not that it took much persuasion, to take a Masters in archaeology part-time. Of course, so she could still have oversight of the farm.
Giving more responsibility to Sylvie had been a steep learning curve for Laurel. Letting go of some of her need to be in control of everything was hard. But Sylvie was amazing. Here were cameras on her, and an awful lot more people here than when Nate and Alex had presented the Anglo-Saxon finds at Little Willow, but Sylvie’s voice didn’t waver once. Pride bloomed in her chest.
‘So, without any further ado, I would like to introduce Dr Nate Daley and Laurel Fletcher.’
There was applause as Nate led Laurel up to the stage.
‘Come on, they’re waiting for us,’ he said, smiling down at her.
Laurel reached up onto her toes and kissed him.
‘No surprises, like the last time you were on TV?’ she murmured.
Nate breathed out a laugh.
