Grey
Have fun tonight. Tell Breck hi for me.
She got home from a trip yesterday and is spending the evening out with Jaz. Or maybe it was evening in. I’m not sure, they didn’t seem to have a plan when we last spoke. Knowing she’ll be home when I get home, that we have a few days before she leaves for work again, has me smiling like a fool.
Me
I will. You and Jaz have fun too.
“See? You and Joss are theworstthese days.” He shoots me a smirk.
I bark out a laugh before sliding my phone into my pocket, determined to give Breck my undivided attention.
We head inside and grab a table near the dart board. Maybe a couple rounds of throwing sharp objects will take the edge off for Breck.
“So, where’s Willow tonight?”
“Sleeping over at a friend’s house.” He places his phone on the table face up, glancing at the screen like he may need to put on his dad cape and rescue her at any moment. “I keep wondering when it will get easier.”
“You really are such a softie for her.” I laugh, and he does too. With the sound, his shoulders relax and he leans back into the chair.
A server stops at our table and we order a couple of local beers and a basket of wings to get us started. It’s not long before two pints are sitting in front of us and we settle into comfortable conversation.
“How are the airline applications going?” he asks for what feels like the millionth time since I decided to move here permanently.
“Great. I have an interview with Qantas next month, and if that doesn’t pan out, I still have a couple others I’m waiting to hear from.”
He nods, lifting his beer to his lips. “You’re sure you don’t want to stay on with the new owners?”
“Nah. I don’t think I could work there without you. And anyway, Joss and I have our trip to Tahoe planned for Christmas next month, and this way I don’t have to ask for leave.” I take a large gulp of my own beer, steeling myself for my question. It’s one he’s been avoiding, but the sale will be final—his turnover to the new owners complete—in two weeks.
“Have you…” I pause when I see him stiffen slightly. “Have you thought more about what you’re going to do after everything’s done?”
He squeezes the back of his neck with his free hand, spinning a coaster on the table with the other. “Not really. I feel like that’spart of the issue with Talia. I keep asking her what she wants to do now—what we should do next—but she’s not giving me much to go on.”
He drums his fingers on the table, watching them with rapt attention instead of making eye contact with me. “I’m honestly at a complete loss as to what to do. You know I didn’t want the sale, but I was in the minority, so now it’s done and I have no idea where I go from here. That business is all I’ve ever known, all I’ve ever really wanted. What do I do now?”
He finally looks at me and I can see the uncertainty in his eyes. Adventure Chasers was his baby. He may have co-owned it with Talia and Drew, but he put his all into it. I can understand, based on my own experience losing a career I loved, how adrift he must feel with all of this.
A lightbulb goes off in my brain and I’m surprised that I didn’t think of it before. “Why don’t you, Talia, and Willow come to Tahoe with Joss and me? It would be a great way to let off some steam and get away after everything wraps up here. Maybe it would give you the space to figure out what that next step might be.”
Breck’s eyes brighten and I can see the wheels turning behind them at the idea. “Yeah. Yeah, okay. This could work. You’re sure you guys wouldn’t mind us tagging along? Maybe the three of us could even stay into January for a bit, while Willow is on her break from school…”
I haven’t seen him this excited, this animated, over anything in a while. “We’d love to have you go with us. Can you imagine Willow on a snowboard? She’ll be too freaking cute.”
His signature wide smile splits his lips at the thought. “Wes, you have no idea, she’s going to be so excited. I can’t wait to tell her tomorrow when I pick her up. I’ll run it by Talia tonight. Maybe this is exactly what we all need. Just some separation from reality for a bit.”
The next couple of hours pass in a blur. We ended up shooting pool because Breck had less need to throw stuff after the idea of going to Tahoe took root. He’s got a whole plan in his head now, and by the time we climb back into the truck, he’s the Breck I’ve always known. He’s lighter, happier… all the negativity and frustration from earlier in the night now firmly in the rearview mirror.
Breck’s truck sits alone in the lot when I pull in. A singular light shines through the windows from his office. He hesitates, scanning the lot and the otherwise dark building. “I thought Talia would still be here. She said she had a lot to do this evening and was going to take advantage of the alone time to get caught up.” His brow furrows, but with a shake of his head and a shrug, he opens his door and hops out.
“She must have finished up early,” I offer. It’s almost midnight and I’m ready to get home to my bed after a long day. I’m sure she was too.
“Yeah. Hopefully I can catch her before she goes to sleep and we can talk about Tahoe.” His face lights up again. “Thanks for tonight, Wes. I really needed this.”
He closes the door and jogs up the steps, turning to give me a parting smile as he lets himself into the building. I reverse out of my spot and turn toward home.
A knock on the front door interrupts me mid-sentence. Both Joss and I turn from where we sit on the balcony to look at it in surprise. We aren’t expecting anyone this morning, and the only person on the list to be allowed up without a call first is Breck. My brow furrows and a second knock echoes through the house.
