Professional and efficient.Exactly what a co-chair should send.
He spent the next hour on the boat, ostensibly checking equipment but mostly just sitting.The sky remained optimistically blue with no sign of the storm system Cassidy had mentioned.The Gulf waters rolled with gentle waves.
But a storm was coming.Of course it was.
At ten to four, Bryan forced himself off the boat and headed to the Bayview General Store.He arrived exactly on time, not early enough to have to make small talk, not late enough to draw attention.
Cassidy was already there, standing near the front with papers in hand and that focused expression she wore when she was in professional mode.She’d pulled her hair back and was wearing one of those crisp blouses she’d favored when she first arrived before she’d softened into linen and casual cotton.
She looked up when he entered and smiled.“Hey.I was hoping we could talk before the meeting starts.”
“I’m here for the meeting.”He moved past her to take a seat in the back row.
Her smile faltered.“Okay.I just thought we could coordinate on the storm response plan.”
“I’m sure you’ve got it handled.”
Mayor West called the meeting to order before Cassidy could respond.He watched her stand at the front, her professional mask firmly in place as she walked everyone through the weather forecast.A storm system was intensifying in the Gulf, expected to make landfall tomorrow, a day before the festival.Heavy rain, high winds, and possible flooding in low-lying areas.
“We need to decide if we’re postponing,” Mayor West said.
“We can’t postpone,” Dorothy spoke up.“We’ve already got vendors traveling in.The tourism board is sending representatives.”
“We also can’t hold a festival in a tropical storm,” Marty pointed out.
Cassidy pulled up a detailed weather map on her laptop.“The storm should pass through quickly.If we’re lucky, we can still have the festival as planned.”
“That’s a lot of contingency planning for a maybe,” Bryan heard himself say.
Everyone turned to look at him.Cassidy’s expression was carefully neutral.
“The forecast is pretty clear,” she said evenly.“We’re definitely getting the storm.The question is how we adapt.”
“Right.Adaptation.”Bryan stood.“That’s what you’re good at.Adapting to local conditions until it’s time to move on to the next project.”
Cassidy’s eyes widened.“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing.I’m sure you’ve got the strategy all worked out.”He got up and headed for the door.“I’ve got to get back to the restaurant.”
“Bryan, wait.”Cassidy started after him, but Mayor West interrupted.
“We really need both co-chairs for this discussion.”
Bryan kept walking.He heard Cassidy call his name again, but he didn’t stop.He pushed through the door and outside, leaving her to handle the meeting alone.
The way he’d be handling everything alone soon enough.
He made it halfway down the block before his phone started buzzing.Cassidy calling.He declined it and kept walking.She called again.He declined again.
A text appeared:What was that?
He shoved his phone in his pocket and headed home.His small house sat three blocks from the waterfront, a modest bungalow that had belonged to his grandmother.He let himself in and stood in the empty living room, surrounded by furniture that had been in his family for generations.
This was his life.This house, the restaurant, the boat, the town.This was what he had to offer.
And it wasn’t enough.Not compared to corner offices and big city life.
His phone rang again.This time it was his mother.
