“Yeah, go ahead,” he answered, giving the man a weak grin.
At least, it was something. She glanced up at him and, as much as he was trying to be the big, stoic farmer, he was hurting. She’d known him long enough to catch his rigid posture and the hard set of his jaw.
“Is that for me?” Preston asked, peeking into her bag.
“Yes!” she replied, eager to get this visit going as she handed him a casserole dish. “Betty Young wanted me to give this to you. It’s a new recipe with heirloom tomatoes, scarlet globe radishes, and mountain rose potatoes. She’d mentioned that you enjoyed the casserole when you’d visited the farmers’ market.”
“My husband has barely spoken of anything since then,” Logan replied with a chuckle. “I’d say he’s gone casserole crazy.”
“And the Elverna bakery sent these,” she added, handing Logan a box. “They’re gluten-free muffins made with amaranth and strawberries from my farm.” She glanced at Cal. “Our farm. Muldowney Farms. We brought another twelve dozen to donate from the Elverna bakery. They’re in with the rest of the produce,” she finished, glancing at the back of the truck to find that a pair of men had already started unloading.
“This is absolutely terrific,” Preston said, smiling ear to ear. “We’ve wanted to support local agriculture, but it’s tough dealing with so many individual farms. Your Eat Elverna co-op, where the town works together, makes it so much easier to collaborate.”
“It was my brother’s dream,” she began. “Well, Cal and my brother’s dream. Jamie, that’s my brother, passed away four years ago while the town was transitioning to organic and sustainable farming.”
“I had no idea. I’m sorry for your loss,” Preston replied as his husband’s expression grew somber.
“That’s kind of you to say,” she answered, her throat tightening with emotion. She hadn’t planned on mentioning her brother. But the truth was, they could use his help. This is what he was good at—the back and forth, the dreaming and brainstorming, the schmoozing.
She felt for the M charm, then glanced at her giant stoic farmer.
We could use some of your magic, big brother! And if you could do something about your cranky best friend, it would really help land this deal!
“We’ll show you the food pantry and then head over to our restaurant,” Preston said, cutting into her thoughts.
“Is the food bank new?” Cal asked, and her jaw nearly hit the floor.
Why would he ask that?
Preston opened the back door and gestured for them to enter. “It is relatively new. The community center has been here for a little over thirty years. The addition of the food pantry came about a decade ago.”
They entered the building, and she could barely believe her eyes. “It looks like a grocery store,” she said, taking in the aisles and the shoppers pushing small carts. The only thing missing were the price tags. Otherwise, it reminded her of the small corner markets back in New York.
“You’ve made Preston’s day,” Logan said with a wide grin as he and Preston placed the muffins and the casserole on a table loaded with baked goods.
“Why is that?” she asked.
“We’ve worked hard to make it feel like a market,” Preston began. “People fall on hard times for many reasons, but that shouldn’t make you feel like any less of a person. The community members who need our services come in and shop like anyone would at a typical grocery store. There’s a staff that bags the items at the front, but no one is turned away, and payment isn’t expected.”
“What a fantastic idea,” she said as a little boy ran past her legs, following behind a young woman pushing a cart. A muscle twitched on Cal’s cheek as he watched the child until the boy disappeared down an aisle.
She wanted to reach out and take his hand. It was like that moment at the skilled nursing facility when she knew he needed her. But that wasn’t an option in the middle of a tour with possible clients.
“Here’s where we could really use your help,” Preston said, and Logan nodded.
“Unfortunately, as you can see, we lack fresh produce. Your donation will make a real difference,” Logan added, pointing toward the refrigerated section where, as quickly as the workers were stocking the shelves, shoppers were already adding Elverna fruits and vegetables to their carts.
“Isn’t that great, Cal,” she remarked, trying to get his mind off whatever was dragging him down. He had to see the value of what they were doing. That had to mean something to him.
“It’s good to know that this is here and that people can get what they need,” he answered robotically.
“Yes, it’s our pleasure, and we hope to make it a recurring donation,” she added, doing her best to salvage this meeting.
“How about we go around the corner to our restaurant to get a cup of coffee and chat?” Logan asked.
Mabel glanced at Cal, who acted as if he were in a dream world. Eyes wide, the man took in every inch of the food pantry.
“That sounds great,” she answered for the both of them.
They followed the chefs out the main entrance, and whatever was going on with Cal, at least he was being civil.
“The restaurant operates under the same philosophy as the food pantry,” Preston explained as they walked down the block. “We ask people to pay what they can. But we don’t turn away anyone. The waitstaff from our other upscale restaurants cycle through here, so the diners at this location are treated just as we’d treat our patrons at our high-end cuisine restaurants.”
“It’s about treating people with dignity and offering assistance when needed,” Logan added as they arrived at a darling café.
“Why don’t you two take a seat,” Logan said as a barista situated behind the counter waved to the chefs. “Preston and I are going to say hello to the staff and grab some drinks for us.”
She nodded to the men and took in the cozy restaurant. Bright and eclectic with modern furnishings, it was as inviting as any eatery. Everything about the way Preston and Logan ran their business meshed perfectly with Eat Elverna’s goals. She took the seat next to Cal. “I’m blown away by this. And Preston and Logan know what they’re doing. This seems like a great partnership for Eat Elverna, don’t you think?”
Cal stared out the window. From this vantage point, the same row of homes he’d been fixated on when they’d arrived were in plain view.
“Cal?” she pressed, tapping his arm.
He blinked as if he’d awoken from a dream—or perhaps a nightmare. “Yeah, it’s good. They’re great guys,” he answered flatly.
She stared at the houses. There was nothing remarkable about them to her. But for Cal, it was clearly a different story.
“Have you been here before?” she asked, lowering her voice. Cal turned, but before he could reply, the chefs returned with four steaming mugs of coffee and a file folder.
“We’d like to cut right to the chase,” Logan said, opening the folder.
She threw another glance at Cal and then to the row of gray-blue houses. But she needed to focus. “Let’s get to it,” she answered.
Preston leaned forward. “We’re extremely impressed with Eat Elverna. Your growth over such a short period of time is impressive.”