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.
CHAPTER 24
Mia gotup bright and early and stepped outside, inhaling the fresh morning air. The sky was just starting to lighten, the farm quiet in that peaceful, before-the-world-wakes-up way.
Today was the party at her client’s house. Everything was done. All she had to do was a final check and load the van.
She crossed to the barn, pushed the door open and flicked on the lights.
Nothing.
She flicked them on and off.
Still nothing.
Her stomach tightened. The barn felt wrong. Too quiet, still, like it was holding its breath.
She stood there a second longer, listening, processing, then hurried inside. “No,” she whispered. Dread settled in her heart.No. Not today.
She tried the switches she knew—the overhead lights, the outlets along the prep wall—but nothing changed. Whatever fed the barn itself was dead.
She rushed over to the refrigerator. Dark. She yanked open the door, and lukewarm air spilled out. The shelves were slickwith condensation. The yogurt parfaits slumped in their cups, berries bleeding into the cream.
She opened the freezer next.
A wave of damp, sour air hit her. Melted ice. Soft packages. Ice crystals pooling at the bottom.
“Aargh!” Mia screamed into the darkness, pressing her forehead against the door. Not today. Please, not today.
She forced herself to take a deep breath. What could she salvage? Not the parfaits. Certainly not the salmon.
She reached for the salad, lifted the lid, and stared at soggy, sad, pathetic lettuce.
“What can I save?” she muttered.
How long had the power been out? Overnight? Hours? Too long.
Mia pulled her phone from her pocket and scrolled. Sabrina.
She hit call. It rang once, twice. “Come on. Come on,” she muttered.
Third time. “Hey,” Sabrina answered.
“Sabrina, I know this is last minute,” Mia said the moment she answered. “My power went out overnight. I lost most of my prep. Do you have anything ready? Salads, proteins, anything I could buy off you for today?”
