Page 126 of Always Meant for You
My stomach drops. That’s not Mabel’s voice. It’s a man’s voice. And holy hell, we’re busted.
Chapter Twenty-Three
CAL
I turn toward the voice, my heart hammering. “Abe,” I manage.
Thank God it’s not Elias. No shotgun. No reckoning. But the relief doesn’t last long. I still have to explain why I’m standing under Mabel’s window.
Abe jogs toward me, squinting up at the second floor. He doesn’t appear alarmed, and he doesn’t seem to read the tension coming off me in tsunami-level waves.
Maybe I have time to cover this.
“What are you doing, Cal?” he asks, nodding toward the house.
I cross my arms, settling into the role of grumpy farmer. It’s honestly not much of a stretch. “I’m looking for you,” I bark. “Where are we on the produce?”
He straightens. “Kenny’s already loaded the berries, mushrooms, and heirlooms. We’re grabbing the scarlet radishes and dragon carrots next.”
The man adjusts his hat and grins. “Dragon carrots. What a name!”
My pulse slows. Mabel and I are in the clear.
I chuckle. Jamie used to love those carrots. Their deep purple skin, bright orange centers, the unexpected sweetness, and theboldness of introducing them to a town that prefers tradition. The name is what drew him to them. It was the first new crop he convinced Elias to plant in raised beds before we started restoring the soil.
“They’re good,” I say. “They’ll draw attention. And once people taste them, they’ll want more.”
I hear the optimism in my voice. It’s not forced. No guarded second-guessing. Damn, thanks to Mabel, I’m lighter. I’m?—
“Boss?”
I snap out of it. “Yeah?”
“You’ve got a weird smile on your face.”
I school my features. “No, I don’t.”
Abe glances at Mabel’s window.
“Get to it,” I say, pulling his attention back to me. “It’s a big day. I’ll be out to help finish loading up after I check a few numbers.”
“Got it, boss.”
As soon as Abe walks off, I exhale and head for the cottage. When I step inside, my pulse spikes all over again.
“Mr. Muldowney?” I stammer, checking him for weapons.
He’s seated at my desk near my open laptop. I glance at the screen, and then at the bright pink cell phone beside it.
Mabel left it behind.
Shit!
“I didn’t expect to find you here, sir,” I say, working to keep my tone steady.
Elias glances at the phone. “It’s an important morning.”
I nod, unsure where this is heading.
