Page 8 of Outspoken Hearts
The door opens and the room's energy shifts. I turn to see James Adams.
Photos don't capture him. He's tall with commanding presence, dark hair silvered at the temples, eyes crinkling when he smiles—which he's doing now.
"Sorry I'm late. Traffic on Main." He scans the room until his gaze finds me. "You must be Eva Miller."
"That's me." Our handshake is warm and solid. "Nice to meet you."
"Likewise. I've been looking at your portfolio. Impressive work."
"You looked me up?"
His mouth quirks. "I like to be prepared."
"Of course you do," I reply, immediately fearing it sounds sarcastic. But he just laughs genuinely.
"Let's get started, shall we?" James gestures toward the table. "I think we've got a full house now."
I take a seat between Margie and Margaret (that won't be confusing at all), opening my portfolio and trying to look like I belong here. James remains standing, moving to the front of the room with easy confidence.
"Welcome, everyone, to our first Meadowbrook Branding Committee meeting. I appreciate your time and expertise." James makes eye contact with each person. "Before we dive in, let's introduce ourselves—share why you care about Meadowbrook's image."
Everyone shares their connections. Harold mentions preserving history while moving forward. Margaret wants to attract diverse businesses. Tom discusses economic development.
When my turn comes, I clear my throat. "I'm Eva Miller, freelance UX designer. I've only lived here eight months, so I'm still learning about Meadowbrook. But fresh eyes can be valuable. I care about creating authentic experiences that connect people to places."
"Fresh perspective is exactly what we need," James nods, writing "Meadowbrook Brand Refresh" on the whiteboard with bullet points for "Goals," "Timeline," and "Deliverables."
"Our current branding is fifteen years old and no longer reflects our community," he explains, displaying the logo: a generic tree with "Meadowbrook: A Place to Call Home."
I make an involuntary noise: half-snort, half-cough.
James raises an eyebrow. "Something to add?"
My cheeks burn. "It's very... 2005. And that tree could be anywhere. Nothing distinctive about it."
"What would you suggest instead?"
"I'd want to research more, but Meadowbrook has that beautiful covered bridge, the river, historic downtown with distinctive lampposts..." I trail off. "Sorry, didn't mean to jump ahead."
"No, that's exactly the feedback we need. Eva's right. Our branding could be any small town. We need something uniquely Meadowbrook." Then he surprises me: "I propose working in pairs. Eva, since you've got design expertise but are new, why don't you partner with me?"
"That makes sense," I manage. "I'd appreciate the local insight."
The meeting continues for another hour. James outlines the six-week timeline, proving organized and surprisingly open to input.
When we exchange contact information, he says quietly, "Most people here are very careful about what they say to me."
Before I can ask what he means, we're setting the next meeting.
As everyone leaves, James pulls me aside. "Could we meet Tuesday at three, Meadowbrook Brew?"
"Tuesday works."
He hands me his card with his cell number. "I'm looking forward to working together. I've been hoping to shake things up around here."
"Well, you've partnered with the right person for that. Shaking things up is my specialty."
His smile widens. "I was hoping you'd say that."
