Page 58 of Lennox Lane

Curtis’s eyes narrowed slightly. “I didn’t realize you were part of the organization.”

“I’m on call.”

Lane made a sound that might have been a laugh if she had not been so angry.

Curtis took a step back. “Ms. Sanders, I hope you’ll think carefully. Change is coming to this corridor whether we like it or not. It would be unfortunate for The Full Plate Project to end up on the wrong side of it.”

Lennox stepped half an inch forward.

Not much.

Enough that Curtis noticed, and so did Lane.

Lennox smiled calmly. “Drive safe, Curtis.”

The man’s gaze held his for one beat too long. Then he nodded, adjusted his too-tight jacket, and walked toward the exit.

Lennox waited until Curtis disappeared through the front doors before turning to Lane. “No.”

Lane looked at him. “No?”

“No.”

“You don’t even know what I’m about to say.”

“You’re about to say you have it handled.”

“I do.”

“And I’m saying no.”

Her brows lifted. “You’re very brave saying no to me inside my own food bank.”

“I’m also sweaty and underfed. Dangerous combination.”

Despite herself, her mouth twitched.

Lennox nodded toward the hallway. “Office?”

Lane looked over his shoulder at the pantry floor, then sighed. “Five minutes.”

Her office was small but organized with two desks. There was a wall calendar full of color-coded notes. Shelves stacked with binders and a framed photo of Lane, Nova, and Cadence standing in front of the building with their arms around one another. A second frame held a poem written in Lane’s own handwriting, though Lennox didn’t dare read it without permission.

Growth.

Look at him.

Lane closed the door and leaned against it. “That man all but threatened me.”

“I noticed.”

“He works for some developer trying to buy up half this corridor. They’ve been sniffing around for months, but this is the first time they sent somebody to my face.”

Lennox pulled Curtis’s card from his pocket.

Curtis Bell. Bell Community Strategies. Acquisition & Transition Consultant.

Transition consultant.