Chapter 30
Monday morning arrived far too early, but Mia woke with a sense of momentum she hadn’t felt in a long time.
Caleb dropped her off just after seven, the truck idling softly as he leaned over to kiss her goodbye. The kiss wasn’t rushed or hungry. It lingered, slow and breath-stealing, the kind that stayed with her long after he pulled away.
“Text me later,” he said.
“I will.”
The farmhouse was quiet when she slipped inside.
Her dad was still asleep, and she was grateful for the silence.
Her body still felt loose and warm, and she let herself linger in the afterglow of a post-sex-marathon high.
They had made love several times during the evening into the night and very early this morning while it was still dark outside.
She made coffee. The familiar gurgle of the machine was oddly comforting. Inhaled the rich aroma filling the kitchen as she poured herself a cup and wrapped both hands around the mug.
For a few seconds, she let herself breathe.
Then reality snuck in soon enough.
Today mattered.
This was the first time she was using the event barn for an actual tasting. Small, yes, but just as important. A chance to get a feel for what worked or didn’t. A test run. Proof that this wasn’t just a dream she’d talked herself into believing.
And Martha Langford was supposed to call about menu choices for her daughter’s wedding.
She also had a call from the garden club about catering a fundraiser tea and needed to reply to that.
For once, things were looking up in her professional and private life. Mia let herself believe that, just for a moment.
Roy’s truck was already parked in the drive when she headed to the barn.
Her heart sank the instant she stepped inside. That heavy, dropping feeling that hit low and fast.
Nothing was where it was supposed to be.
The tasting setup she’d asked Roy to stage was half done at best. No linen-covered tables. No labeled trays. No chafing dishes polished and ready. In fact, one sat crooked on the counter; another was still wrapped in plastic. The menu cards were missing entirely.
The space felt unfinished. Exposed.
“Roy?” she called.
He appeared from the back, wiping his hands on a rag. “Morning.”
“Morning,” she said, jaw tightening even as she kept her tone even. “I don’t see the tasting setup finished. The chafing dishes, the menu cards, the tables with linens. Was there a problem?”
He hesitated.
That pause told her everything.
“I thought you meant the coolers,” he said. “So I cleaned those instead.”
Mia closed her eyes. Counted to three. Then five. Just long enough to keep herself from saying something she couldn’t take back.
“No,” she said carefully. “I needed the room staged. I wanted to see how everything came together before the clients came by this morning.”
“Well, I can do it now.”
Mia sighed. Roy just wasn’t working out. She couldn’t depend on him to do simple tasks, and she couldn’t do it all herself.
“Fine,” she said. “I’ll help so that it’ll get done faster.”
It took nearly an hour. By the time they finished, her feet ached and her shoulders were tight, but when Mia stepped back and took it in, she felt a flicker of relief.
Elegant but simple. Clean lines. Warm touches. Perfect for the small goodbye party they were planning.
Exactly what she’d pictured.
She crossed over to her barn kitchen and noticed a missed call on the landline.
Martha Langford.
Mia’s stomach clenched. Her pulse quickened. This was it. Her big shot.
Martha picked up on the first ring. They exchanged pleasantries, polite and practiced.
“Have you decided which menu you’d like to move forward with?” she asked.
There was a pause.
Silence.
Her grip tightened on the phone. Silence was never good.
“Mia,” Martha said carefully, “we loved your food. Everything was perfectly presented, and the flavors were exceptional.”
Mia held her breath.
“But while we loved everything,” Martha continued, “we’ve decided to go with another caterer.”
Mia’s heart plummeted. The words hit hard, landing a punch to the gut.
“Was it the cost?” Mia asked quietly.
“No,” Martha replied. “Another company offered a package that better suited our overall budget.”
Mia swallowed. Her throat felt tight. “May I ask who you went with?”
A brief pause.
“We’ve decided to go with Live Oak Catering. Her pricing structure was … more flexible.”
Mia nodded even though Martha couldn’t see her.
Of course it was Dana.
“I understand.”
“She came in quite a bit lower,” Martha added gently. “And with weddings, as you know, costs add up very quickly. It wasn’t an easy decision. But I truly want to thank you for your time and effort.”
So yes. It was the cost.
“Of course,” Mia said, forcing steadiness into her voice. Professional. Polite. “Thank you for the opportunity. Please don’t hesitate to call if you need anything in the future.”
When the call ended, she stayed where she was for a moment, phone still in her hand, letting the disappointment land before she packed it away.
Of course, Dana got it. She stayed. Built roots. The mayor knew her. Knew her family. Knew Mia’s family too, but her dad wasn’t wealthy, wasn’t connected.
It wasn’t personal. It was politics. Choosing what felt safe.
Knowing that didn’t make it hurt less, but it made sense.
The barn felt suddenly too quiet.
Just when she thought everything was finally going right, it all came crashing down.
She checked her watch. No time to spiral. She was meeting Tessa and Lainey at the Red Rooster Diner for lunch. She briefly thought about canceling, about crawling back into bed and pulling the covers over her head, but she needed her friends.
She walked back to the farmhouse and found her dad in the kitchen. They chatted for a few minutes with him telling her how much he liked Caleb. She had to agree.
The drive to town was short. Before she knew it, she was parked behind the diner.
Tessa waved to her from a booth, and Mia slid into the seat across from her and Lainey.
“You look like you lost your best friend,” Lainey said gently. “Everything okay?”
Mia explained her disappointment at losing the mayor’s daughter’s wedding.
“Did she say why?” asked Tessa.
“No,” Mia said. “Just that they went with someone else.”
“Hmm,” Tessa frowned. “I wonder who. The only other caterers that might be on par with you are Savory Designs and Live Oak Catering.”
Mia shook her head and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. I really thought I had this one. The exposure alone would’ve helped so much.”
But it did matter. She really thought she had this one. The exposure would have helped. But she wasn’t going to turn knowledge into gossip or disappointment into a complaint.
“Well, I have good news for you,” said Tessa.
Mia blinked. Hope flared.
“Elena Morales, the director of Willow Haven Shelter, has specifically asked you to cater the next fundraiser again.”
Mia blinked. “You’re kidding.”
“Nope.” Tessa grinned. “She loved your food and professionalism. Can you do it?”
“Yes,” Mia said without hesitation. Her chest loosened for the first time all day. “Absolutely.”
They talked dates, rough numbers, and menu ideas. By the time their food arrived, her disappointment had softened, replaced by a quiet reminder that she was still moving forward.
Maybe closing one door didn’t mean she was failing.
Maybe it just meant another one was opening.
Her phone rang midafternoon while she was restocking the fridge.
Garden Club.
They wanted to reserve the event barn for their winter tea fundraiser. About seventy-five guests. Light lunch, elegant desserts, simple service.
Mia leaned against the counter after hanging up, relief loosening her shoulders.
Finally, a win.
A little later, tires crunched on the drive. She heard a familiar woof and looked out the window.
Caleb.
He climbed out, sunglasses pushed up into his hair, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, looking every bit the steady, capable man she’d come to rely on. Ranger bounded after him, tail wagging like he’d been invited to a party.
She opened the barn door, and Ranger barreled toward her, sniffing her hands like she had a hidden snack.
“Hey, buddy.” She laughed, rubbing his ears, and then looked up at Caleb.
“I’m jealous,” he teased. “He greets you like that, and I get one kiss.”
She smiled up at him. “You’ll survive.”
“Barely.”
“Thought I’d stop by,” he said. “Wondered how your event in the new barn went.”
“Come on in, and I’ll tell you about it.”
He kissed her as he stepped inside—quick and warm and familiar. Ranger flopped down near the door with a dramatic sigh.
“Coffee?”
“I’d love some,” he said. “And a snack if you’ve got it. Missed lunch.”
Mia busied herself with the coffee, grateful for something to do with her hands, and pulled out the leftover turkey and brie croissants from earlier. She set a couple in front of him along with his mug.
“Can Ranger have something too?” she asked.
“You’re spoiling him,” Caleb said, amused, and glanced at his plate. “And me. Yes, but nothing too big.”
She cut up some sandwich meat and set it down for Ranger. Before she even turned around, it was gone, and he was staring up at her with puppy eyes.
“Not going to work, buddy,” Mia said, laughing. “Your dad said not too much.”
With a soft huff, he laid his head on his paws.
She poured herself a cup and sat across from Caleb.
“What was your morning like?” she asked.
“Brotherhood meeting. New assignments. Updates.” He took a sip of coffee.
“Do you have a job coming up?” The question slipped out before she could overthink it. She hadn’t quite figured out how his schedule flowed yet. She only knew she missed him when he wasn’t around.
He nodded. “A couple of days next week. Helping a woman and her kids get into the shelter.”
Mia’s chest tightened. Oh God. Mia couldn’t imagine having to hide because the person who was supposed to love and protect you was the person you needed protection from.
“Well,” she said quietly, “that kind of ties into my good news. I’m catering Willow Haven’s next fundraiser.”
“Good cause.” Caleb was silent for a minute. “Helping these women and kids is a double-edged sword. I’m glad I can do it, but on the other hand, I hate they need help in the first place.”
“I know.”
He took another bite of his croissant. “Anything else going on?”
She hesitated. She could tell him about Dana. About Live Oak Catering. But saying it out loud made it feel too much like complaining.
“I lost the wedding I was going to cater,” she said instead. “Someone underbid me.”
He reached across the table and took her hand. “I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It’s business,” she said with a shrug that didn’t quite fool either of them. “You win some, you lose some.”
They sat with that for a beat.
“So,” he asked, “how did the barn event go?”
She made a face. “It worked out fine. Eventually. Roy and I got everything sorted out.”
Caleb tilted his head. “I thought you said Roy was going to set up.”
“He thought I asked that the coolers be washed.”
Caleb took another bite and wiped his mouth. “So … he didn’t follow through.”
“That’s one way of looking at it.”
“Uh-huh. And another way is he’s not helping you and you’re paying him.”
Mia stared into her coffee for a moment. This was the hardest part—balancing loyalty, guilt and reality.
“True. It’s complicated. My dad loves him. Roy would do anything for him. My hands are kind of tied. So, I take what I can even though I do pay him for certain jobs.”
She hesitated, then added, “I’ve got a storage unit by the marina. Extra tables, linens, silverware. But I still need Roy to haul everything. I can’t exactly load it all myself.”
That earned a quiet look from Caleb. Not judgment. Just understanding.
“Well,” he said after a beat. “You have to do what you think is best.”
“I know.” She exhaled and took another sip. “I just wish doing the right thing didn’t always feel like the hardest option.”
He squeezed her hand once more, steady and reassuring, and for a moment, that was enough.