Page 116 of Call It Love

“Thank you,” I said, feeling more than a little pride at her compliment. “You’re more accurate than you know. I just make it the way my mama taught me. It’s not a business.”

“Well, maybe not yet,” Emma said, a note of enthusiasm slipping in. “But I’d love to change that.”

I stared out across the field, where the sun glinted off the trucks. “I need to be honest with you. That’s never been a plan of mine.”

“I understand. But let me be direct,” she said. “We’re launching a limited artisan line under ourRootedlabel, and we’re on a tight timeline. Small-batch, story-driven, and built around authenticity. I would love to feature it as part of our fall release, hence the urgency. Eventually, I’d be interested in other natural remedies you make, such as lotions or liniments. But for now, this is all I have time to consider.”

My mouth went dry. “Fall? As in this fall?”

“In eight weeks,” she said. “Ideally, I’d have you in Nashville early next week. We’d do a full evaluation to test for safety and shelf stability, and then determine how we can scale it to meet our needs without compromising its integrity. Assuming that goes well, we’ll move on to packaging and branding. I’ve got a small team dedicated to supporting makers like you. We move fast when we find something we believe in.”

“I didn’t expect anything like this,” I admitted. “I thought maybe down the road. Not leave-the-farm-next-week level.”

“I know it’s sudden,” Emma said, her tone softening slightly. “But opportunity doesn’t always come on your timeline. Let me be frank. There are probably dozens of similar soaps out there, all advertisingnaturalandhomemade. They’re probably fine. Some might even be good. But yours, Anna? It doesn’t feel like it’s trying to fit a specific market trend. Yours is authentic farm-to-table quality, so to speak. Between the quality of your product and your story,you’ve got something special. I don’t say that lightly. This is a chance to step into something that’s truly yours.”

I swallowed hard. “I’ll be frank in return. I don’t know if I want that,” I said quietly. “I’ve had a…rough year. I’ve only just started getting my feet under me again.”

There was a pause. “You don’t have to commit today,” she said. “But if you are interested, we need to plan now. Even just a week in Nashville would give us what we need to get the ball rolling. And, of course, to discuss your share of the profits should this prove to be a viable product.”

My heart thudding in my chest. “I’ll think about it.”

“Please do,” Emma said, her voice returning to all business. “I wish I’d discovered you earlier. I’m afraid I can’t delay much longer.”

Chapter 40

Anna

The morning lightfiltered through the kitchen windows, creating a nice sunny spot for Jack, who lay snoring while his paws twitched as if he was chasing a bunny in his sleep. Jordan munched happily on a bowl of cereal, while Chase browsed the latest issue of a magazine. All very domestic. Everything I dreamed of. And yet, my coffee had grown cold while I picked at a leftover muffin from yesterday.

Last night, while Chase worked at his computer, grumbling about the bookkeeping he hated doing, I sat curled up on the couch with my laptop, diving into everything I could find about Calla Skincare.

It wasn’t just some trendy pop-up brand. They were a polished, established company. Emma Callahan had been featured in several magazines and news articles, all singing her praises. She described her goal as wanting to create products around natural, sustainable ingredients—especially those with Appalachian or Southern roots, since she herself was from a small town in Georgia, and she wanted to support other small-town traditional creators.

Her mission resonated with me. Calla could open doors. Potentially big ones. But I didn’t know if I was ready—or willing—to walk through one that might alter everything I’d just begun to rebuild. What I had here was real. Safe. The kind of steadiness I’d longed for since I was a teen. Even so, the idea of carving out something that was mine whispered to me like a siren. Hard to ignore but frightening just the same.

“Anna.”

“Mmm?”

Chase’s thumb was tracing circles along the back of my hand, but I’d been too lost in thought to even notice. I hadn’t even seen Jordan slip out.

“Where’d you just go?” he asked.

“Oh, just thinking, I guess.” I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but he didn’t take the bait.

Instead, he looked at me with a steady gaze that made me feel seen. It was impossible to lie, even by omission.

I sighed. “It’s something Mallory told me when she was here.”

“What?” His voice was edged with concern.

“Nothing bad,” I reassured him. “Just an opportunity. But it’s no big deal. It’s probably not even going to work out.”

“Why don’t you tell me, anyway?”

So, I told him. About Calla Skincare. About Emma Callahan and my call with her. And how, if I wanted, I could pursue a potentially amazing opportunity with them. I could see the surprise hit him, then the slow lift of his eyebrows.

“Anna, that’s amazing! Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

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