Page 73 of Coming Home

“Yes, the grant can be used to fund equipment for expansion.” A husky man with gray-streaked dark hair addressed a young woman.

Nat turned from the table she was in front of and listened to the man go on. His deep voice commanded attention. The man picked up a laminated postcard from the table draped in a blue tablecloth embossed withThe Clark Foundation.

“Thank you,” a young woman said, taking the advertisement and walking away.

Nat stepped up to the table, picked up the advertisement, and read it. “What is the Clark Foundation?” she asked.

“We’re a nonprofit focused on supporting rural community development. We offer grants, business coaching, and resources to support rural communities.”

Her brow wrinkled. “Have you ever worked with rural medical clinics?”

The man cocked his head to the right. “We haven’t, but there’s always a first time. I’m Caleb Walters.” He reached out his hand.

Nat took it. “Dr. Nat Owens. I work with a small clinic in Wyoming County.”

“Nice to meet you, Dr. Owens.”

A giddiness rippled through her.Dr. Owens.She was Dr. Owens, goddess damn it. Time to not just say it but be it.

After a lengthy discussion with Caleb, she found her way to the fourth row of the auditorium. The room was filled with whispering people in white dress shirts, suits, and business casual attire. A blue wooden lectern stood in the center of the raised stage with four chairs flanking each side.

Two men in black suits and a woman in a gray dress walked onto the stage, followed by Noah. Each took a seat beside the lectern. Noah’s gaze drifted around the room.

She stood up pretending to adjust her blazer, but in hopes he would see her. The pop of that dimple in a big grin told her that he’d seen her.

With an equally big grin on her face, she mouthed,Kick butt, baby.

Those butterflies jigged as he mouthed back,Thanks, baby.

The woman in the gray dress strode to the lectern, calling everyone’s attention. “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Annual Rural Business Conference. I have the distinct pleasure of introducing this year’s Keynote Speaker, Mr. Noah Wilson. Noah is not only the owner of three successful businesses, helping revive the Main Street of Perry, New York, but serves as a coach through the New York State Rural Business Association and mentors future entrepreneurs as an advisor to the Perry Central School’s Future Businesspeople of America club. Please help me welcome Mr. Noah Wilson,” she announced.

Nat clapped as loudly as she could, just skirting obnoxious. She had no idea he was coaching fellow businesses and mentoring students at the school, but she was unsurprised. There were so many things around the community that he did without people noticing. He quietly cross-promoted other businesses in town by, along with his staff wearing T-shirtswith their business’s names, having their advertisements at his businesses, or doing joint events. Each Saturday, he brought free cookies to Cow Tales for their weekly children’s story hour. He volunteered for most of the village’s events. Summer shared that he’d even rocked the pink Easter Bunny costume the last three years for the VFW’s Annual Easter Egg hunt.

Noah strode to the lectern. “Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. I’m here this weekend because of love?—”

What!?Nat’s freaked-out internal monologue cut Noah off. He couldn’t be talking about her. This wastoonew for love. Also, was he proclaiming his love in front of two hundred people? Nope, this was not happening.

“—Love is what drives me to do the work I’m doing. The love for my community and the people there.” Noah went on, interrupting her internal freakout.

Thank the goddess.She exhaled.

The tense muscles in her body melted as Noah spoke. With rapt attention, the attendees listened as he explained his professional philosophy about the importance of staying anchored in the why. That success is more than profit. If a business owner is focused on taking care of their staff, they’ll take care of your business. That supporting a community results in thriving businesses.

Noah talked about his first business, the Farmer’s Wife, that he hadn’t bought to get rich. The bakery had struggled for years, but he knew that there was still a need for it. People doubted that a man with a recent business degree from UC San Diego and four years of experience managing a sports bar after getting out of the Marines could turn around a bakery. By focusing on his community’s needs, allowing the bakery to meet those needs, and becoming an essential part of the village, he’d done what he set out to do.

Admiration fluttered throughout Nat’s entire body as she listened to Noah speak. He was everything she knew he was and so much more. Her heart burst with affection and pride.

After the speech, she followed the crowd into a large banquet room. Two bars were set up on either side of the room. Servers in black shirts wandered through the clusters of networking people, offering different hors d’oeuvres.

Nat stood at a high top in the front of the room. Noah had been surrounded by people offering congratulations and picking his brain, so she’d slipped away to let him mingle. She was content sipping her glass of rosé and nibbling on a bacon-wrapped date. She used the time to pull up the Clark Foundation’s website on her phone. The more she read on the website and thought of the conversation with Caleb, she knew with certainty that this was her answer.

“Hey, gorgeous.” Noah sauntered over, resting his hand on the small of her back and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“Hey, tall, blue-eyed, and handsome.” She winked.

He chuckled. “Are you drinking rosé? Elle would be so proud of you.”

“They didn’t have cider,” she pouted.

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