Page 122 of The Havenport Collection

When I arrived on the farm—freshly divorced, disgraced, and broke—the enormity of what I had inherited hit me.

I wasn’t a businesswoman, and I didn’t have any useful skills.

So I put my head down and tried to learn.

Thankfully, I had a lot of help. My mother managed the store independently and had that well in hand.

Bob did all the planting, harvesting, and managed the community supported agriculture shares and farmers’ market.

Everyone spent time with me, answering my questions and helping me learn the processes and schedules.

But the financial aspect of things still puzzled me. My weekly meetings with Nick had done nothing to help me understand the finances, specifically the debts and where our profits went every month. Because the farm was busy, we had a stable business and managed modest growth every year.

Which is why I knew firing him had been the right move. I couldn’t trust him, and he didn’t believe in me, didn’t want to partner with me. I didn’t need to be lectured like a child. I needed a collaborator, a mentor.

“I think we should work through our ideas and meet next week to put together a list of action items,” Astrid said, putting the cap back on her pen.

“I will have something for you in writing soon. In the meantime, I want all your contracts. Everything. Distribution, transport, bulk supplies, even your water bill.” She cracked her knuckles like she was heading into a fight.

“I will renegotiate everything. Get you better deals and shave some overhead off this place.”

“You don’t have to do that!” I was feeling overwhelmed by their kindness.

Nora shook her head. “You have to let her, Violet. Negotiation is Astrid’s favorite hobby. Or I should say blood sport because she is pretty deadly at it.”

Astrid shrugged, accepting Nora’s compliment.

Cece was scrolling through her calendar. “Sounds good to me. Violet, can you do next Monday morning at ten? We can head over here after Monday breakfast.”

“Yes!” Nora shouted. “Violet, I insist you join us. We have breakfast together every Monday. It’s kind of our thing.”

“Nora and I both work a lot on weekends, so we started getting together for breakfast every Monday morning instead to catch up. It’s grown a lot, and we have an amazing group of women,” Cece added.

I hedged, doubting I would fit in with this group. I admired the hell out of them, but I didn’t have much energy for friendship at the moment. “I don’t want to impose.”

Nora pinned me with a serious look. “I won’t take no for an answer.”

“She won’t,” Astrid said dryly. “It’s easier if you don’t fight it.”

I nodded. “Okay. I’ll try my best to make it.”

Nora jumped up and down, pulling me into a firm hug. “You are fierce as fuck, Violet Thompson. I am so proud of you.” Cece wrapped her arms around me and then Astrid. It had been a while since I had indulged in a girl-power group hug. But it felt amazing.

And then the dam burst. All the guilt and all the self-doubt I had been carrying just broke through. Tears pooled in my eyes as I hugged them back. “I have no idea how I can ever thank you guys for your help. Or pay you for that matter.”

“Stop,” Cece said. “We’re here to help. Havenport is a community, and we are not going to let you down. We all work together in this town.”

Now the tears were cascading freely down my cheeks. “It’s all going to work out,” Nora promised.

“And we’ve got your back,” Astrid said.

I sniffled, desperate for a way to thank them and divert attention from my nervous breakdown. “Why don’t you swing by the store?” I asked. “I can at least send you home with some goodies.”

Astrid’s head whipped around. “Do you have any apple cider donuts?”

“Oh, yes, we do.” I smiled. “I’ll ask Martha to whip you up a fresh batch.”

Her long legs immediately began to stride down the stairs.

“Astrid loves food,” Cece said. “You should know that about her. If you feed her, she’ll do anything for you.”

“What about you guys?” I asked, as we began to walk across the property toward the farm store.

Nora thought about it. “Mostly booze, but I can be bought with pretty much anything.”

I laughed and smiled at her.

She slung her arm around my shoulder. “We’ve got you, mama. You are smart and hard-working, and you are going to crush this. Don’t doubt yourself.”

“Yes!” Cece said. “You can do it.”

“She would know,” Nora said, pointing at Cece. “She drove me crazy for months with all her self-doubt imposter-syndrome bullshit.”

“True story,” Cece shrugged. “I was a mess.”

“And it was annoying as fuck,” Nora added.

Cece grabbed my arm. “Yes it was. Learn from my mistakes, Violet. Please.”

I laughed. Even with my positive thinking and my everything-happens-for-a-reason attitude, things were not looking great.

But this morning had changed things. Not only had I seen the power and the talents of my community, but I had begun to feel my own power and talent.

Maybe things would look different, but I could make something out of this place.

As we walked, arm in arm, toward the delicious smell of cider donuts, I began to finally feel some hope.