Page 47 of Horn of Plenty
“That wouldn’t happen to be lavender honey iced tea, would it?” the man asked with a glint in his eyes.
She gestured for everyone to sit. “How did you know?” she asked, pouring him a glass.
“My wife and her friends follow Eat Elverna on social media. I believe you posted about this summer beverage not too long ago.”
“We did. Why don’t you take a sip and tell us what you think?” she replied, handing him the glass, then pouring one for herself, her dad, and Cal.
“Are all the ingredients from Elverna?” he asked, eyeing the tea thoughtfully.
“They are,” Cal replied. “The lavender is from the same greenhouse you visited, and the honey is sourced locally from the Martinez farm.”
The man took a long sip, then set the near-empty glass on the table. “I’d say that you have really stumbled upon something here in Elverna.” The man turned his attention to her. “Your father tells me that Cal’s led the town in sustainable farming while you’re in charge of the marketing and social media.”
Mabel shot a glance at her dad, and he tossed her a wink.
A wink? When did her dad start winking? She most likely had Claudine to thank for that.
She focused on the governor. “That’s right, sir, but the entire town should be credited with the success.”
The big man sat back in his chair and glanced around. “I grew up in a town much like this a little east of here. It’s hard to beat the country.”
Cal nodded. “I would agree.”
“Your father tells me that you left New York City recently,” the governor said. Was he fishing for something? Had they done a background check before coming to the farm and learned that she’d skipped out on a few months’ rent?
She stiffened. “Yes, I moved back a little over a month ago.”
“You can take the girl out of the country, but you can’t take the country out of the girl,” the man replied before finishing off his tea.
“Something like that,” she answered as relief washed over her. Still, she had loose ends to tie up when it came to her former life.
One of the aides cleared his throat. “Sir, I hate to cut the visit short, but we’re on a schedule.”
The governor chuckled. “Always on a schedule.”
“We appreciate you visiting our farm and Elverna,” her father said, shaking the man’s hand.
“You’re welcome here anytime,” Cal added.
The governor’s gaze panned between her and Cal. “What you two are doing is important work. Many of the communities out this way have been hit hard. It’s good to see a success story. If you ever need any help cutting through any governmental red tape, don’t hesitate to reach out,” the man said, then pulled a card from his breast pocket and handed it to Cal.
“I can’t tell you how much I appreciate that, sir,” he replied when his phone chimed. He pulled it from his pocket. “I’m sorry about that. We’ve got a few cows that wandered past a broken fence line.”
The governor grinned. “Another day on the farm! I’ll leave you to it.”
“I need to check on something, then I’ll give you a hand,” her father added.
“Let me walk you out,” she said to the governor as her father and Cal headed toward the field.
“You should be very proud of the work you’ve done,” the governor said, gifting her with an easy smile.
“I am. Thank you, sir.”
“I do have one question,” he continued with what she’d swear was a mischievous glint in his eyes.
She had an idea of what he was after.
“The casserole recipe is on the website,” she answered.
