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I shake my head even though he can’t see me. “It’s basic human decency. Things that keep people alive and healthy shouldn’t be for profit.”
“Agreed,” he says.
“I shouldn’t have to appeal to corporations or billionaires or even nonprofit foundations. I believe governments should pay for these farms.” I wait to see what he says to that. He is the government in Cara, essentially.
“Why?” he asks after a moment.
He knows the answer to this. He’s read all my papers. But if he wants to hear me say it, I definitely can. It’s not every day I have the chance to personally appeal to someone in a position to actually do the things I believe in. I’m not going to pass this chance up.
“That’s what government, at its most basic level, is about—gathering the resources and distributing them to the people. It’s what taxes do. It’s what public education does…and could do better. It’s what emergency services are. Food should absolutely be the same.”
“You believe a government should feed its people.”
I absolutely do. “In the US, the federal government pays out billions in farm subsidies every single year,” I say, feeling myself about to get on another roll. “A huge portion of that goes to big ag corporations rather than to small family farms. And nearly two-thirds of it goes toward meat production with less than two percent going to fruits and vegetables despite everything we know about healthy diets. Because of big lobbies. We need to divert the money in politics out of influencing votes to make people bigger profits and into making sure people are taken care of. If even a portion of the farm subsidies was invested into indoor farming, threats to crops like weather, climate, and disease would be a moot point. Food would actually be produced, and people would actually be fed.”
I take a breath and then say, “Being in a position to truly do something about that…to make decisions that impact people’s lives every day…that is incredible, Torin. You can make people’s lives better and easier and happier and healthier with the swipe of your pen.” I pause. “Right? I mean, Cara doesn’t have a congress or parliament. It’s just you.”
“My grandfather,” he corrects. His voice sounds gruff.
“For now. Someday it will be you. And that’s amazing.”
He clears his throat. “You’ve studied Cara’s government?"
I feel my cheeks heat. I’d started out wanting to know more about agriculture in the country, but I’d kept going. "I was...curious." I’d read everything I could find. Which wasn’t enough. I want to know more.
"I'm glad,” he says. “Makes me feel a little less like a stalker with everything I’ve looked up about you."
I feel myself smile. “Maybe we’re both stalkers.”
“Just one more thing we have in common,” he says. “A passion for making people’s lives better, hot as fuck chemistry, and stalker tendencies.”
This man, no doubt, has women throwing themselves at him all the time. To hear him say our chemistry is hot is…amazing. I mean, I think it’s great, but I have very little to compare it to.
“If you tell me you believe peanut butter Oreos are far superior to regular Oreos, we’re practically the same person,” I tease.
“Alas, I prefer the mint Oreos to all others.”
I giggle. And I honestly don’t remember the last time that happened. “Well, I still like you anyway.”
“I like you too, Abigail.” His voice is husky again.
That is so not dirty, especially compared to what he said just a little bit ago, but a swirl of heat twirls through my belly and between my thighs.
“You don’t think a monarchy is an outdated model of government that should be abolished and replaced by a representative government of some kind?” he asks, a moment later.
I think about his question. “Not necessarily.”
“No? Nineteen-year-old Torin is on the verge of launching into his lecture,” he says with a soft laugh. “But I’d love to hear your thoughts on why not.”
“I’d like to hear nineteen-year-old Torin’s lecture,” I say, meaning it.
He clears his throat, then says, “In a nut shell, I think people should have a say in the policies and programs that govern their lives. One person shouldn’t decide that for everyone. Especially someone who sits on money and power and has no idea what the average, and below average, citizens’ lives are like.”
I’m sure his ‘lecture’ is more in depth than that, but I like his summary. I agree with it. But… “Okay,” I say. “I was more of a science geek than a history or poli-sci girl, but...” I decide to say the first thing that occurred to me when he asked the question. “I think it depends entirely upon the monarch. A benevolent one, who truly cares about his or her people, and listens to them, can be even more effective in a lot of ways. If he or she takes the time to understand what needs to be done and then takes action, it saves a lot of time and red tape and time in making things happen.”
He chuckles, and the sound rolls through me like a swallow of cocoa…sweet, and warm, and very satisfying.
“I’m going to assume you’ve run into a lot of red tape and people who have policies about the policies applying policies to things?” he asks.
