Page 73 of Always Meant for You
“May I?” I ask softly, gesturing to the door.
She nods—or the hat does. That’s all I can see now.
When she’s inside, I circle the truck, then pause at the tailgate. Her silhouette is visible through the rear window.
For a second, it feels too familiar, too much like something I’ve dreamed about a thousand times.
Mabel in my truck.
Mabel’s hand in mine.
Mabel in my arms.
Her breath warm against my lips.
“Christ,” I whisper.
I can’t get this woman out of my head.
I get in and start the engine.
We drive through town in silence. The buildings thin, and the road narrows, the sky stretching darker around us as we head toward the quarry.
I need a reset. We both do.
I glance over. “The town seemed impressed with you.”
She exhales softly. “I wasn’t sure how tonight would go.” Her voice is low, thoughtful. “I’m usually the one people whisper about. But tonight they listened. It felt different.”
There’s surprise there. Maybe hope, too.
She removes her hat and sets it on the seat between us. The wind pushes strands of her hair across her cheek, and I fight the urge to reach over and brush them back.
She turns slightly toward me. “I didn’t plan on speaking, Cal. It all just came out. And I didn’t know I’d be working with you. I thought this job would give me some control.”
“To avoid working for me?”
She doesn’t answer. She doesn’t need to.
“At your last job in the city,” I ask, “was it mostly working with vintage couture?”
I feel the tension rolling off her.
“Why?” she asks, voice small.
“As head of the co-op, I should understand what you’re bringing to the table,” I add. “We’re working together now. That matters.”
“A lot of it was clothing, yes. But also restaurants, accessories, destination events. It was a lifestyle brand. Marketing wasn’t about the product. It was about the story.”
She pauses, then shifts closer. “Cal?”
“Yeah?”
“Is the plan working? The one you and Jamie built together?”
How do I answer?
“The farming side is growing,” I say. “We knew the transition wouldn’t be easy. It takes money, and time, and a hell of a lot of faith. We tried to plan for it all, but . . .”
