Chapter 15
Caleb pulled into the Whitmore property a little before eight, the sun barely clearing the treetops. Ranger shoved his nose against the window as if the field and pond were the most exciting places on earth.
He stepped out of the truck, the dog close behind. Dew still clung to the grass. He took a deep breath, inhaling the damp earth and pine. Mornings like this usually settled him. The early light, the honest work, everything where he could see it. Instead, the quiet felt watchful.
A delivery truck rumbled up the drive behind him and came to a stop. Two men hopped out, both younger, both built, both recommended by Finn. One of these days, he’d put together his own crew, but for now he took the help he could get.
“Morning!” he called out.
“Morning,” the taller one replied. “Picked up your lumber order. Want it stacked near the foundation lines?”
“Yeah, that’d be good.”
They unloaded, stacking two-by-sixes, posts, joists and plywood sheets on the ground quickly with no drama. Caleb pulled out the plans and crouched near the staked outline. The foundation was prepped. Today, they were finally framing.
When he finished, he walked over to help unload. The sound of gravel crunching drew his attention. Roy’s old truck rolled in and parked. The man climbed out slower than normal, jaw tight. Shoulders hunched, like he’d already decided the day wasn’t going his way.
Caleb straightened. “Morning.”
Roy gave a half nod that might have been a greeting. His eyes darted from the lumber stack to the crew, then to Caleb.
“So we’re starting today, huh?”
“That’s the plan.”
Roy shifted his weight. “Didn’t realize you needed me this early.”
Caleb shrugged. “It’s a good day to get the post anchors set. Thought you could help with that.”
Roy didn’t love that answer, but he didn’t argue either. “Yeah. Sure.”
Caleb motioned toward a bucket. “Grab those anchors, and we’ll start on the corners.”
Roy blew out his breath and grabbed a bucket of anchors. “Just want to make sure I know what you want. You calling the shots or …?”
“Yeah,” he said calmly. “It’ll go faster that way.”
The two new guys watched from the lumber pile, pretending not to.
Roy blew out his breath—frustrated, not hostile. “All right.”
Good God, why did the man ever ask to help build the barn if he was just going to give him grief?
Caleb bit his tongue. What he really wanted to do was send Roy home.
Arguing or explaining everything that had to be done would take them twice as long to build the barn.
And he didn’t trust Roy’s mood today. Not fully.
Caleb crouched and pointed along the foundation. “We’ll set the corners first. Make sure the lines are true. You take that string line and run it east to west. Sun’s better that direction.”
Roy didn’t argue, just took the line and stretched it out, squinting toward the rising light.
Caleb measured the first anchor point, checked the level and signaled Roy. “Hold it steady.”
“I am,” Roy said, not sharply, just tense.
“You’re tilting it a hair.”
Roy leaned in closer. “Hard to see with the glare. Tell me when you’ve got it.”
Caleb adjusted the angle. “Right there.”
“All right.” Roy locked it in place.
The moment eased, not friendly but workable.
They got the third anchor in, then the fourth.
The morning should have settled into a rhythm by now, but everything still felt off.
Roy wasn’t picking a fight anymore, but he wasn’t relaxed either.
He kept glancing toward the barn where Mia was working as if he either expected someone to show up or hoped they wouldn’t.
Roy’s eyes cut that way again, tension flickering across his face before he looked away.
Something didn’t sit right with Caleb. His training told him not to ignore it. What it was, he had no idea. But he had the sense that it tied back to Mia. And whatever it was, it was already in motion.
Mia was just drying the last of the catering trays when someone knocked on the barn door and opened it without waiting.
Dana Cole peeked in, sunglasses perched on her head and a too-bright smile plastered across her face. “Hi, Mia. I was driving by and saw your van. Thought I’d stop in and catch up. We don’t ever have time at the farmers’ market.”
“Sure, come on in. I’m just finishing up here,” Mia said and hoped her voice was upbeat. She really had no desire to go down memory lane with Dana. Not today. Not when she finally felt steady again.
“I heard about your engagement party at the Lakeshore Inn. Everyone loved your food.”
“Good to hear,” Mia replied. “Coffee?”
Dana pulled out a chair at the small table. “Sure. Cream and sugar, if you have it.”
Mia nodded, poured two mugs and placed them on the table. She grabbed the creamer out of the fridge and found the sugar bowl. Heat from the dishwasher clung to the air, mixing with the faint scent of roasted garlic and lemon. The barn felt safe. Familiar. Hers.
Dana glanced around the kitchen. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in here. Did your dad have this barn when you were growing up?”
“He had it built a few years ago. When I moved back, we fitted it out as a catering kitchen.”
“Nice.” Dana fixed her coffee, took a sip and set it down. “There’s a lot of activity going on over by the pond. What’s going on?”
“I’m having an event barn built. The pond is an ideal backdrop for it. It’ll have space for private events, tastings, workshops … that kind of thing. Plus an outdoor space for people to gather for cocktails, conversations, whatever.”
“Business must be good.”
Mia shrugged. “You know how it is. Ups and downs.”
It had been mostly ups this week, but she wasn’t about to hand Dana ammunition to gossip with, especially after what Sarah overhead Saturday night. Mia wasn’t taking anything at face value.
“I saw a couple of hunks out there as well as Roy Spencer. I didn’t know he was still around.”
Mia kept her expression neutral. Of course, she noticed the guys. Dana was the biggest flirt in high school. And she always noticed everything.
“Roy helps around here doing odd jobs.”
Dana nodded, then shifted. Mia felt it before she heard it, the change in tone, the way Dana’s smile stretched a little too wide.
Here it comes. Mia wondered what gossip she was going to hear.
“You know,” Dana began, tapping her fingers on the table, “speaking of business around town, have you talked to Sabrina lately?”
Mia’s shoulders tensed. “Not really. Why?”
“Well,” Dana said, leaning in closer, “Sabrina’s been talking. And Heather’s been eating up every word.”
Mia set her coffee cup down a little too firmly. “About what?”
God help her. She didn’t want to know, but the words slipped out before she could stop them.
“Oh, nothing huge.” Dana gave a little smirk and waved a hand as if it were no big deal. “Just how fast your catering took off after you moved back. How you’re getting all the big events. How other vendors can’t compete.”
Mia took a slow breath and let it out. This again.
Dana lowered her voice as if there were spies hiding outside the window. “Sabrina claims you’re undercutting people. Stealing business.”
Mia blinked once. “That’s so not true.”
“I know,” Dana said quickly. “I told her you’re just good at what you do. I know Sabrina pretty well, and … she tends to get dramatic. And Heather? Well, she’s always looking for gossip.”
Damn. It was one thing to hear the rumors at the event, but to have Dana repeat them hurt.
Her stomach flip-flopped. The last thing she needed was anyone going around stirring up trouble. Especially since she worked hard to build trust, not step on toes.
“What exactly did she say?” Mia asked.
Dana bit her lip, pretending to hesitate. “Nothing specific. Just that people are talking. But she’s telling everyone that you stole the Barton-Mercer party.”
“That is a lie,” Mia replied. “Sure, they interviewed Sabrina, but they never told her she had the contract.” Why couldn’t she keep her mouth shut?
“I believe you,” Dana said, tilting her head like she was trying to soothe her. “I told her you would never do that. But rumors have a way of growing, especially in a small town. You might want to keep an eye on it. Sabrina plays dirty, so be careful.”
Mia sighed. She was just trying to make a living, not steal anything from anyone. She didn’t have time for Sabrina Masters’s petty jealousy.
“Thanks for telling me,” she said, keeping her voice polite, although she felt anything but.
Dana gave a small smile, pretending she’d done Mia a favor. “Just looking out for an old friend.”
Mia doubted that. But she nodded anyway.
Dana stood and smoothed down her blouse. “Well, I should get going. Just wanted to stop by, say hi, give you a heads-up.”
“Sure,” Mia said, walking her to the door. “Have a good rest of your day.”
“Oh, I will.” Dana smiled brightly. “And don’t worry about Sabrina. People talk. It’ll blow over.”
Mia forced a smile. “Right.”
Dana slipped on her sunglasses. “See you at the farmers’ market.”
“Okay. See you.”
Dana stepped outside and gave a little wave before heading to her car. The door clicked shut behind her, leaving the kitchen in silence.
For a moment, Mia just stood there. Her pulse thudded a little faster. Why had Dana stopped by? Was it just to tell her about rumors? It wasn’t exactly like they were BFFs. It felt too intentional. Too timed. Like Dana wanted her rattled. She let out a slow breath.
Haywood Lake didn’t need any more drama. She didn’t either, and having Sabrina starting rumors behind her back … Mia just shook her head.
The dishwasher hummed softly in the background. Outside, she heard the faint rumble of construction starting up near the pond.
Work was good. It was progress. It was a future she’d earned.
She slapped her hands on the counter. “Let them talk,” she murmured. She had things to do. Jobs to finish. And a business to protect.
And she wasn’t going to let gossip get in her way.
Still, a flicker of unease stayed with her, a shift she couldn’t name, but she felt it all the same.