Leaning against the brick wall, I connect the call. “Hi, Charles.”
“Penny! Glad I caught you.”
He sounds… normal. Jovial, even. “I wasn’t expecting to hear from you today.”
His voice comes through bright and professional, like it always does when he’s about to drop something big. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s the opposite. The board just approved a national restructuring. We’re creating a new position—Senior Policy Director of Agricultural Strategy, and you’re the first person I thought of.”
I blink at the horizon, the words slow to land. “Senior policy director?”
“Yes. It’s a major step up. You’d lead our team on the Sustainable Farming Initiative—liaising with Congress, writing policy recommendations, traveling to summits. It comes with a salary increase to one ninety-five, plus a generous travel stipend and a small team of analysts. Of course, the responsibilities are heavier. You’d be doing probably about seventy percent travel.”
My pulse stutters. Did he say one ninety-five? As in one hundred and ninety-five thousand dollars a year?
“Wow,” I say lamely. “I mean… that’s incredible. I’m flattered you would consider me, especially since I’ve had to take leave.”
“Penny,” Charles says, almost in a chiding manner. “You’re so good at what you do, it’s why we let you take the leave. We nurture our people here. When we have talent such as yours, we do what we can to keep you. If the salary isn’t enough, it is negotiable.”
My head spins and I’m having a hard timecomprehending what’s going on. “I’m not sure when I’d be able to return.” I glance over to Muriel, who is walking around with a pitcher of sweet tea on the seat of her Rollator, filling glasses. “My aunt still has a ways to go in her recovery.”
“Not a problem. We’ll hold the position if you want it.”
I wipe a sticky palm on my jeans. Why in the heck are my hands sweating?
“Can I have some time to think about it? The amount of travel is definitely something I want to make sure I’m committed to undertaking.”
“Of course,” Charles said. “But I’d really like an answer within forty-eight hours. If you decline it, we’ll go outside the company.”
“I’ll absolutely have an answer for you by then. And thank you, Charles. It means the world to me that you’d offer such an incredible opportunity.”
“You’ve earned it,” he says warmly. “And when you’re ready to come back, we’ll have everything in place for you to start immediately. No rush—just something to look forward to. This is the kind of role people wait a lifetime for.”
“I know.” I glance through the café window, see Muriel waving at me like she already knows this is big. “I promise I’ll have an answer for you tomorrow.”
“Sounds great.”
When the call ends, I stand there thinking, the phone pressed to my chest. My mind races with numbers and logistics—salary, travel, my ability to afford a nicer place. But beneath all that practical noise, there’s something harder to face.
I’ve been starting to imagine staying in Whynot. It’s been flirting with my brain since Sam kissed me, although I keep pushing it aside. I keep telling myself that I have plenty of time to figure things out.
It looks like my time is up.
I take a breath, push through the café door, and head straight for Muriel, who’s now standing in the kitchen doorway barking instructions about tomorrow’s breakfast special.
“Can I talk to you for a sec?” I say, receiving a grateful smile from our afternoon cook, Betsy.
“Sure, honey.”
She walks slowly but steadily, and I follow her to a vacant table in the corner, eyeballing her progress with each step. She really is a tough old lady.
When we’re seated, I say, “That was my boss. He offered me a promotion.”
Her eyebrows shoot up. “Well, look at you. What’s the new title, Miss Fancy Pants?”
“Senior Policy Director. It’s huge, Muriel. More money, more responsibility.”
She leans forward. “Then why do you look likesomeone just handed you a ticking time bomb?”
“Because that’s what it feels like,” I admit. “I thought he was calling to tell me to come back or be replaced. Instead, it’s my dream job. But it means more travel, more work, more… everything. I’m not sure about this.”
