That meant she wasn’t done with him either.
And later, when they talked again, he wouldn’t be guessing anymore.
CHAPTER 21
It turnedout that she and Caleb didn’t get to speak later on Tuesday. Something came up on his end, and he had to leave. She was busy doing last-minute preparations. Time passed. Night fell. On Wednesday, Mia told herself they’d talk today.
She was in the kitchen barn going over the next week’s schedule when a bark cut through the quiet. Then men’s voices, the steady thud of a hammer, familiar sounds that usually grounded her. But today, it only made her aware of how tense she was.
A knock sounded at the door.
She looked up just as Caleb stepped inside.
He was backlit by the morning sun, a soft halo of light outlining his broad shoulders. His expression was serious, unreadable, and her stomach gave a little flip.
“Sorry about yesterday,” he said. “I’d hoped to catch you before the day ended, but an emergency came up at the Brotherhood.”
Relief loosened something in her chest. She smiled. “No problem. I got buried in last-minute stuff, anyway.”
He shifted, clearly weighing something. “So,” he said, hesitation creeping into his voice. “Before we get too busy again, I was wondering if you’d like to grab a drink Friday night.”
Mia’s pulse kicked hard. Why yes. Yes, she would. She ran through her schedule anyway, pretending she was calm and collected instead of mentally grinning like an idiot. With the farmers’ market fully handled for Saturday, Sunday was her only remaining event.
“Friday is free,” she said.
A slow smile spread across his face; his shoulders relaxed. “Great. I’ll pick you up around six thirty.”
“I’ll be ready.”
He gave a short nod, then turned and stepped back into the sunshine.
Mia waited until the door closed before letting out a breath. She fanned herself with her clipboard.
She had a date!
An actual date.
With the man she’d been trying not to ogle ever since she first saw him.
Things were finally looking up in the romance department.
The phone rang.
She grabbed it, listened, answered a few quick questions, then hung up.
“Oh, my God.”Mia let out a whoop of joy, clapping a hand over her mouth even though no one was close enough to hear. A tasting menu. Next week. The mayor’s daughter. If she landed this, it would be huge. The kind of client who opened doors instead of slamming them shut.
For the first time in weeks, it felt like momentum was on her side.
Then reality nudged back in.
She glanced over at the new barn. Roy’s truck sat parked at an angle that always looked slightly defiant, and her excitement dimmed just a notch. A tasting menu meant prep. Precision. No forgotten coolers. No missed details.
She’d need to talk to Roy about expectations. About pulling his weight. About the fact that she was paying him for these projects and she couldn’t keep accepting less than she demanded of herself.
Especially now.
Mia took a steadying breath before heading down to the event barn. Roy stood near a worktable rummaging through it, as if he half expected something to magically appear. He glanced up when he sensed she was there.
