Chapter 23
Mia was still riding an emotional high on Saturday morning.
Friday evening had been everything she’d hoped for and more. The music was just loud enough to have a conversation. The food was rich and comforting. They talked and laughed and danced.
It felt real. Honest.
Caleb’s hands were warm and steady at her waist, anchoring her until he pulled her closer and she felt the solid heat of his chest beneath her palms. And when she looked up at him and caught the desire in his eyes, God help her, she wanted him to kiss her more than anything.
And he did.
It wasn’t rushed. It wasn’t casual. It was a kiss that lingered, like he wasn’t ready to let go yet.
She smiled to herself as she pulled onto the farm drive after another successful farmers’ market. Sold out again. The kind of day that reminded her why she did this, why the long hours and aching feet were worth it.
The farm was quiet when she stepped into the barn. No Roy. No men working. Just the familiar silence of one space that never let her down.
Her dad was feeling good, steady on his feet, joking around, teasing her about her date in a way that made her roll her eyes and laugh at the same time. That alone felt like a gift.
Tomorrow’s event still needed final prep, and Wednesday’s tasting menu hovered in the back of her mind. But for once, she didn’t feel behind. She felt grounded.
Hopeful.
Still, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.
Lately, it seemed like people were curious about her schedule. Sabrina. Dana. Questions slipped in between small talk and customers, casual enough to shrug them off. Mia chalked it up to town curiosity. Business picked up, people noticed. That was all.
She couldn’t wait for the event barn to be finished. Once it was, she could hold tasting menus and small parties there instead of schlepping the food all over town, juggling unfamiliar kitchens and borrowed space.
She poured herself a cup of coffee and carried it to the table, setting it beside her pad and pen. The list of what was due tomorrow was waiting, neatly organized. She scanned the page, checking off what had already been done.
The list of items left to complete was short.
Good.
That left one thing.
She flipped to a fresh page and wrote at the top:
Foundry—Early Winter Wedding Tasting.
The bride’s mother had been clear. Formal. Sit-down. Elegant. The mayor’s daughter—no pressure at all. At least they booked The Foundry, and Mia knew that kitchen inside and out. That helped.
She leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, already building the menu in her head.
Early winter in Florida could be cool. So the food needed warmth without heaviness. Comfort yet sophisticated. Dishes that felt celebratory without fuss.
She started sketching ideas. Soup or salad. Filet or chicken. Something vegetarian.
The overhead lights flickered.
Her phone buzzed on the table before she could glance up.
Caleb! Mia smiled. “Hey.”
“Hey, yourself,” he said. “I wanted to start the day hearing your voice. I had a wonderful time last night. Been thinking of you every hour since.”
Oh my, be still my beating heart. “Me too. It was fun, and I really enjoyed dancing with you.”
Silence. “It was the highlight of my evening, especially when we kissed good night.”
“You sweet talker, you,” she teased. “What are you up to today?”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you,” he replied. “I have a short assignment for the Brotherhood.”
Her fingers tightened on the phone. “How short?”
“Just a few days. I’m headed out tonight. Called the guys. They will continue work on the barn until I get back.”
Disappointment flickered for a moment. She swallowed it down. This was part of his life. “Be safe.”
“I will.” He paused. “And Mia? I’ll call when I can.”
“I’ll be here.”
The call ended. She set the phone down and took a sip of her coffee, now slightly cool.
He’d be gone for a few days. But he’d told her. That mattered.
She glanced up.
The lights had steadied again, the soft hum filling the barn like nothing had happened.
“Probably the wiring,” she murmured, taking a sip of coffee. Old buildings did that. She’d learned not to panic at every creak or flicker.
Still, she made a note in the margin of her pad.
Check lights.
There wasn’t much she could do about it now. It was the weekend, and she’d never get an electrician out on short notice.
Her thoughts drifted back to Caleb. The way he’d looked at her when the music slowed. The way he’d kissed her like he wanted to see her again. Like he already planned to.
She smiled.
Maybe things really were looking up.
The lights flickered once more—longer this time.
Mia stilled, listening. The faint hum cut out, then returned. The refrigerator kicked on. Everything else stayed quiet.
She took another sip of coffee and stared at her pad. A tasting menu to plan. An event to prep.
Life was moving forward.
And for now, everything was still working.