A dozen trucks lined up, engines off, gleaming in the sunlight. And standing in front of them were the same men from the blizzard—each holding a box, a crate, or a piece of equipment.
“Morning, Mama Millie!” Jake called, grinning. “We figured we owed you more than a thank-you.”
I blinked. “What’s all this?”
He gestured around. “A new stove, freezers, a coffee machine that doesn’t sound like a dying cow—and a new roof, too. We called in some favors. The Brotherhood doesn’t forget kindness.”
Tears filled my eyes. “You didn’t have to—”
He interrupted gently. “You fed us when nobody else would. You gave us warmth. Now it’s our turn.”
Within hours, word spread through Millstone like wildfire. People came from every corner of town to see the trucks lined up at my little diner. Some came to help, others just to stare in disbelief.
They thanked me over and over, calling me an angel in an apron.
But what I didn’t know was that letting them in would change more than just their night.
It would change my life—and the life of the entire town.
