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Every bit of warmth disappears from his expression. "My feed prices aren't your concern."

"Nope."

"Then mind your business."

"Can't."

His eyes harden.

I tap my fingers on the table. "You're getting screwed."

"Well, hell, Sherlock. Did you step in pig shit this morning and suddenly get smarter? Tell me something I don't know."

I grin through the insult.

Charlie grabs his chin.

For a moment, he softens again. He smiles at her. "Don't worry. I know you're here." Then he looks at me with a scowl. "So Lainey told you? Because I know her mama sure as hell wouldn't."

I put my hands in the air. "Whoa! No. Neither of them told me. I overheard them talking, so I went and ran the math."

"Overheard them talking?"

"Yes."

His jaw tightens. "She shouldn't be involved in this."

"Well, she is."

His gaze sharpens with guilt.

I lean closer. "Look, you're paying almost four times what we are."

He scoffs. "I don't buy the volume you do."

"Correct. But what would you say if I told you that you could get our pricing?"

His eyes narrow. He loses a bit of color in his cheeks, assessing me closer, probably deciding if he should trust me or not.

I get right to it. "I talked to the supplier. We can create a sub-account under our main one for the same pricing."

"No."

"Why not?"

He shifts Charlie on his hip, then raps his fingers on the table. "Listen to me closely, son. I don't take charity."

"Good. We're not giving you any."

"An account under your account? Sounds like charity to me."

I continue, "It's not. It's so you can keep track of what you order and the delivery address. You pay for what you order. We don't pay a dime of it. We're just giving you access to our pricing."

He stays quiet. A long time of tense silence passes.

"You even get a 90-day credit on your account."

His eyes light with fire. "So it is charity."