“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 howhis 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.
