Page 106 of Always Meant for You
And now she’s here, grounded and glowing, in that same designer dress. She’s rewriting my version of her with every step.
“Cal,” she calls, “can you angle the knife a bit away from the camera?”
I move beside her and adjust it. She nods, pleased, then steps back and lifts the phone.
She scrolls through a few shots, then turns to Harry. “What do you think?” she asks, offering the screen. “Are you comfortable with this one? The light’s catching the edge of the rind so beautifully, don’t you think?”
Harry nods, impressed. “That looks like it belongs in a magazine.”
“That’s the goal,” she says, turning to me. She holds out the phone. “Cal?” Her voice is steady, but I hear the weight behind it. She’s taking the time to get my opinion. And I appreciate it.
“It looks great,” I answer.
She watches me, searching. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.”
And sweet Christ, I want to kiss her.
If Harry weren’t standing three feet away, my hands wouldn’t be in my pockets.
“Okay,” Mabel says, then turns her attention to the wheel of cinnamon apple cheese.
Harry notices. “Is there something wrong? Do you need another picture?”
“No.” Her voice is quiet, tinged with hesitation. “I was wondering if it would be possible to get another bite?” A blush colors her cheeks.
Harry’s grin splits his face. “Absolutely.”
He slices a fresh wedge and hands it over. Mabel eats it in two bites, eyes fluttering shut. She doesn’t hide her pleasure, and it damn near knocks me sideways.
I eat mine slower, more focused on her than the cheese.
Then she opens her eyes, and from the set of her jaw, I know she’s got an idea.
She zeros in on Harry. “How many trucks do you have, sir?”
“Five,” he answers, tipping back on his heels. “But we only run one. We got the others through a grant Cal applied for.”
“That’s a lot of potential sitting idle,” she says, stepping closer to the wheels of cheese.
Harry tilts his head. “I’m not sure I follow.”
She rests her hand on the shelf. “Have you ever considered offering a cheese subscription box?”
He runs a hand through his hair. “People subscribe to cheese?”
“People subscribe to everything: socks, razors, granola bars. It’s a massive market. And it doesn’t have to stop at cheese. What else do you make now?”
“Chocolate and strawberry milk. Butter, cream, cottage cheese. Eggnog around the holidays.”
Her eyes light up. “And what about the bakery in town? Could you include some of their baked goods in your deliveries? I had a strawberry muffin last night that was like nothing I’ve ever tasted.”
She’s seeing it. Mapping it out.
And I can see it too, clearer than I expected.
She’s not tossing out ideas.
