“Then at least hold her feet to the fire in some other way—and the assistant’s, too,” he urged her. “It seems to me that the agency director should be making more of an effort to reconcile their mistake. He should be bending over backward to demonstrate how valuable you are to his agency. Are you sure you want to keep working for him?”
“No, I’m not sure, but what other option do I have?” Caitlin sighed.
“You could strike out on your own!” Shane exclaimed enthusiastically. “I realize it can be tough to build a client list, but in my experience, the benefits of being totally independent far outweigh the cons of working for someone else.”
“I’ve often considered starting my own business. The problem is, when I accepted consulting assignments through the agency, I signed a non-compete clause,” Caitlin explained. “Even if I worked independently, I couldn’t manage campaigns from any nonprofit organizations in New Mexico. Not in Texas or Arizona, either, because they’re in the agency’s territory. Which means my hands are tied, so to speak.”
“Yeah, I guess they are.” Shane wrinkled his nose in disgust. “But it stinks that you have to get your work through an agency whose director is so unethical.”
“Oh, I don’t think he’s unethical,” countered Caitlin. “Tobias had so much going on in his personal life that I think he miscommunicated with his assistant, who made an honest mistake.”
Shane shook his head. “You’re a lot more easy-going than I could ever be.”
“I might be cuttingTobiassome slack, but believe me, I’m furious at Melanie,” said Caitlin. “I just spent the past hour fantasizing that she’d contract some sort of itchy rash her first day of working at the hospital and she’d bring it home to Jonathan. I wouldn’t necessarily want the rash to be painful, but it would have to be infectious enough that they’d need to be quarantined together for five or six months. That seems like a suitable amount of suffering for them both.”
Shane laughed. “And you’d accept the hospital campaign in Melanie’s place?”
“How could I say no, if Tobias begged me to take it and sent me a dozen long-stemmed roses every day until I agreed?” she joked.
“Skip the roses. As long as you’re dreaming, make him double your salary,” suggested Shane. “That should be a non-negotiable. You’re worth it.”
“I’m gladyouthink so, but I’m not sure that’s how Tobias sees me,” she replied facetiously.
“If he doesn’t, its only because he’s got his eyes closed,” he solemnly asserted.
“Th-thank you,” she stammered. But in her mind, she downplayed Shane’s compliment, thinking,He wouldn’t say that if he really knew me. If he knew what happened the summer I was seventeen…
As her departure date drew closer, Caitlin discovered she wasn’t nearly as eager to leave Hope Haven as she thought she’d be. Although she missed her brother’s family and could hardly wait to see the children, once she lost the hospital campaign, she also lost her drive to return to work in Santa Fe.
I’ve conducted so many school campaigns I can do them in my sleep, she thought.So I’m not especially looking forward to talking to Tobias about accepting another one, and I definitely don’t want to cross paths with Melanie at the office.
Caitlin also felt reluctant about leaving Dune Island because she hadn’t figured out who R. was, or what information Craig was possibly hiding. The fire chief had been so cagey that she reconsidered going back to the station and confronting him again. But she doubted he’d be any more helpful than the first time she’d dropped by, and she was concerned he might feel as if she were harassing him.
Instead, she returned to the library in Benjamin’s Manor to do more research.I realize Craig suggested the other lifeguard wasn’t a year-round resident, but I’m not sure I believe him.Caitlin got the distinct feeling the fire chief was protecting R.—whoever he was—for some unknown reason.
Shrugging off whatever assumptions the librarian might make about her motives, Caitlin requested to see print copies of the high school yearbooks again. Although she went through four more years’ worth, and found dozens of boys whose names began with the letterR, they weren’t matches with the lifeguard from the arcade.Maybe Craig was telling the truth about him being an off-island resident after all, she thought. Or maybe the lifeguard and the guy named R. were two different people. It was entirely possible that Nicole had stashed the photo and the placemat together, but they weren’t related to each other at all…
I guess it’s time to give up and accept the fact that I may never know for certain why Nicole wound up near the inlet thenight she drowned, Caitlin reluctantly concluded.Considering that she’d spent two decades pushing the accident from her mind, she was surprised it was such a struggle to dismiss her doubts about it now.
Likewise, she was startled by how nostalgic she felt about leaving the cottage for a final time even though she’d been so reluctant to return to it in the first place. But when those feelings popped up, she rationalized,I’m probably just being sentimental because the cottage is one of my last tangible reminders of Aunt Lydia and Uncle Albert. Or maybe it’s that I’m subconsciously remembering how sad I used to feel about leaving Hope Haven when I was a teenager.
Regardless, the more she wished time would slow down, the faster the minutes flew by—especially during her morning coffee chats with Shane in the kitchen.
“Great news,” he announced one morning shortly after Tobias’s phone call. “Looks like I can finish up a few days early, so you’ll get to enjoy your last week at the cottage in peace and quiet.”
Caitlin caught herself thinking,What’s so great about that? Ilikeyour company.But she said, “No need to rush on my account.”
“I’m not—it’s just that everything’s coming together beautifully.” Shane beamed at her, and their eyes met. “I’m excited to show you the finished product.”
“I’m excited to see it.” Wondering if she was blushing, Caitlin tipped her cup and took a sip of coffee. “So, when will you fly out to spend Christmas with your parents?”
“Not until December 23, which is a busy time to travel, but it works out well because it gives me a chance to squeeze in a small, last-minute project for a new client before I leave,” he explained. “It she’s pleased with the results, it may lead to a major gig,which would be great, since winter’s usually a downtime for business.”
“I’m sure she’ll love your work so much she’ll hire you on the spot,” Caitlin said with a big smile.
She was truly happy for him, yet for the rest of the morning, she felt glum, and she didn’t know why.Am I disappointed because I have fewer mornings to chat with Shane than I expected?she asked herself.Or is it that I suddenly feel like I’m just another client, and he’s moving on?
She acknowledged that would have been illogical, since shewashis client, and they did have a professional relationship. But there was more to their connection than that. Whether it was friendship, flirtation, or a little of both, Caitlin liked to think what they shared was special—and she was sorry it was almost over.
