Page 38 of Horn of Plenty
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.”
“We’d like to partner with you on two fronts,” Logan continued. “The first is the food pantry. The second is with our upscale restaurants in Chicago and in St. Louis.”
