Page 79 of Letting Go

Instead, I walk to one of the windows and look out across at the city, the shorefront, and then the sea. That's what most of the view is: the ocean.

"Yes and no." Nic pauses.

Finn, always cutting to the chase merely says, "We want to make you a partner with no fiscal responsibility."

"You just have to say yes."

I can’t seem to think. "You want me as a third partner, with no buy-in? This is a proposal?"

"Yes, says Finn."

"When you put it that way—it is like a marriage, I guess," says Nic. "You're going to be stuck with us for a long time."

I don’t know what to say, so I say that.

"Well for everyone's sake you need to say yes."

I nod. "All's good."

From behind, Nic claps me on the left shoulder, gently, but a brotherly clap nonetheless. It feels good to be on a team. Again. A real team.

Finn waggles a finger at Nic. "You know you can’t trust a word he says right now. He's completely on drugs."

I ignore him and turn to Nic, my mind already racing to the next question. "Who's the co-director?"

"You get to name whoever you want."

"Can I train them up?"

I know there'll be a lot of shit-faced, angry people down in the Boston office but the only name I can think of is Mateus's.

I end up spending another week at the apartment, again with very little communication from Chloe. No texting or phone calls (bad connection), and no more food deliveries because the stream of visitors dried up.

I love you.

Did I freak her out?

I am over at the new building, negotiating some space with the contractor when I get a call from Finn.

"We need someone to take the Water Falcon up to Echo Bay and dock it. I'm paying Laurel to scrape it. It's not going into dry dock this year, but it still needs to be serviced."

Back on the water, behind a wheel. I nearly had a full-blown PTSD attack when we pulled Claire from the water three months ago.

"Sure."

"You're up for it?"

"Sure."

It also meant coming to Echo Bay.

"Hey. Is Chloe there?"

There's some scrambling around and then, "No, but she says not to worry, she'll see you soon."

"So, you need me to do this now then."

Finn starts getting all weird. "Well yeah. Now. Yes."