Page 22 of Small Town Sizzle

“We have all of the proof we need,” she sighs. “I don’t want to take them away from their mom any more than he does, but man, these kids can’t thrive like this,” she says.

“I agree. I’ll head out to Linda’s to check on them,” I tell her, talking about the grandmother.

“She’s a saint and too old to constantly deal with this.”

“Agreed.”

The phone rings, and Leti turns to answer it. At the same time, the front door opens, and TJ walks in. My stomach drops. I wasn’t expecting him, and it’s annoying that he’s shown up like this again. Why is he back today?

“Hey, Maya!” He grins widely. “I got you some coffee and thought we could talk a little more.”

I force a smile and shoot him a confused look. “How do you know I drink coffee?”

“Well, I might have asked the barista as much. Perks of a small town, am I right? Everyone knows everyone.”

“Clever,” I reply as he hands me the latte. “What do you want to talk about?”

“I’m really intrigued with how well-preserved the wetlands are, but I’m also really impressed with what you guys are doing here and with the youth center. You must be really proud of all of it.”

“I am,” I say, my chest tightening with emotion. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s worth it. Greta used to say that this land had a soul, and it was our job to protect it.”

He nods slowly, his expression thoughtful. “That’s a beautiful way to look at it. And I can tell you take that responsibility seriously.”

“I do,” I say, smiling. “We all do. The whole community pitches in—it’s not just me.”

“Still,” he says, his gaze settling on me, “it’s clear you care deeply about this place. That’s rare. I think it’s really interesting that the youth center and wetlands are tied together in a trust. That’s smart.”

His words are kind, almost too kind, and they make me feel a little off balance. He’s charming, no doubt, but there’s something about how he keeps steering the conversation back to the land, to the trust, to the specifics. It’s subtle—so subtle I’m not even sure if it’s real or if I’m imagining it.

I should tell this man to leave because I have a million other things that I need to be doing right now. However, my curiosity is getting the better of me.

“So,” I say, shifting the topic slightly, “what does your agency do? I’m not really sure of why you’re asking so many questions about the wetlands and youth center.”

“Potentially, we’re interested in partnering with you. We’re conducting a survey of protected areas like this one to identify opportunities for collaboration. Things like grants, additional protections, or even community outreach programs. It’s all very preliminary at this stage. I think it’s awesome that the youth center is attached. It would be great goodwill for the company to also help with that. We’re always looking for more ways to give back.”

“That sounds fantastic,” I say. “We’re always looking for ways to expand our programs.”

“I’ll definitely keep you in the loop,” he says. “In the meantime, if you don’t mind, I’d love to take a closer look at the wetlands. Maybe get a sense of the biodiversity here.”

“Of course,” I say. “I can schedule for one of the volunteers to give you a quick tour if you’d like.”

“That would be amazing,” he says, his smile widening. “Is it possible for you to do it?”

“Not at all,” I chuckle. “I apologize, but my workload is just too much right now for me to go off task.”

“Understood.”

“Hey, Leti?” I ask as I turn around. She looks up at me. “Can you schedule TJ for a tour of the grounds when one of the male volunteers are around?”

She nods her head. “For sure.”

“Thanks so much,” I say quickly before turning back around to TJ. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really need to get back to work.”

“Of course. Thanks!” he calls after me as I walk down the hall into my office.

I’m not sure what it is about that man, but there is definitely something that gives me pause about him.

For now, I decide to give him the benefit of the doubt. After all, Greta taught me to believe in the good in people—until they give you a reason not to.