Mike and Brenda exchanged a surprised look but agreed that with some work, the buildings had good bones. Steve admitted he was thinking about more than just a vacation. He had an idea for a craft creamery and organic farm, and he wanted Mike to come on board as his partner. He promised to run the numbers overnight and show them a business plan in the morning.
Four years later, that idea had grown into “Valley Heritage Farms,” a thriving business with a stellar reputation in the state. The operation had expanded to include a modern milking parlor and a processing facility for artisanal cheese and yogurt. Steve was even planning to open a farm-to-table market in the city to cut out the middlemen.
Mike had stepped up as the operations manager, running the maintenance crew with military precision. He hadn’t let the success go to his head; in fact, he was taking night classes in business management to keep up with the company’s growth. Business was great, but Steve’s personal life was a bit more complicated. He was head over heels for Sarah.
They had been dating for a while, though running the farm meant their time together was limited. Steve got along famously with her son, Max, but whenever he brought up marriage, Sarah asked for more time. It frustrated Steve; they were both pushing forty, and he didn’t see the point in waiting.
To add to the stress, the farm was dealing with a stray cat problem. The staff had been feeding them, and the population exploded. After a stray got into the sterile processing area, Steve put his foot down. He cited FDA regulations and told the staff the cats had to go—no exceptions. He threatened to call animal control if the barns weren’t clear in a week.
Sarah had quietly argued for the cats, asking where they were supposed to go, but Steve was adamant about the health codes. Strangely, the cats disappeared a few days later. But then, a new issue arose. One evening, Steve saw Sarah parking her car near the old, dilapidated equipment shed on the far side of the property, looking over her shoulder.
