As I walked the last blocks home, the town settled into me like a tide settling shells into sand. A guy painted a fence and waved. Kids rode bikes in small, zigzagging lines. The Corner Scoop’sOPENsign flickered like a friendly heart.
The warmth of my encounter with Lila and my interaction with Harper and Ben lingered. The people who stayed here didn’t settle. They chose. They built. They thrived.
Now the island felt like a place where I might do real work and belong while doing it. My internal conflict was no longer just about a boy I’d left behind over a decade ago. It was about an entire life I had chosen to walk away from. The professional equipment in my hand was solid and real, a symbol of my success.
But for the first time, I wondered if it was enough.
Chapter Five
BRADEN
There werea thousand places to hide on an island, but your family’s pier wasn’t one of them. That thought looped through my head as I marched toward the dive shop, the wooden planks thwackingunder my flip-flops. The morning was barely alive, but my muscles were already clenched tight. The wind had changed direction, which set me on edge for some reason.
I’d received a text from Eli at 5:30 a.m. Wiping sleep from my eyes and swearing, I picked up my phone. No good news ever arrived that early.
Eli:Tony’s officially out. It’s a go. Need you at the pier by 7:30.
I sent back a growly confirmation and dragged my ass out of bed.
He’d already warned me this would likely happen, and now here I was marching down the dock. On time. Professional. I was also marching into the favor I dreaded, andtoward the one person I spent a decade avoiding. Every step felt like a betrayal of my own common sense, but I made a promise. I was here to captain the boat. Stay busy, stay distant.
I spotted Eli immediately, dragging a hand through his hair in front of the dive shop.
My feet stumbled.
If I was running the boat, he should be in the pool area prepping for his open water students or dealing with gear rental. Instead, he was pacing the dock, his shoulders rigid. When he caught sight of me, his expression morphed to a mix of guilt and determination.
“Why aren’t you setting up for your certification class?” I called out as I approached, cutting straight to the chase.
Eli’s face didn’t show relief at seeing me. In fact, he winced like a man about to pull the pin on a grenade. “Yeah, about that. The plan has... evolved.”
I braced my hands on my hips. “Evolved how? You said you needed a captain.”
“I do. But I also need a divemaster.” He held up a hand before I could interrupt. “The Scripps team decided to dive Marker 22 this morning. It’s a tricky site and has different liability requirements.”
“I agreed to drive,” I reminded him, scowling as a gust of wind blew through my hair. “I stay dry, I captain the boat, and we meet thestaff on vesselmandate. That was the deal.”
Eli stared right back at me. “Not at Marker 22. Because of the currents, our insurance policy kicks up a notch. It’s not enough to have a resort employee at the helm. We are legally required to have a certified resort guidein the waterwith the researchers.”
I hissed an exhale. “So who drives the damn boat?”
“You drive, but any of the Scripps people can staytopside. One of them can handle surface support and the resort is still compliant because you’re on site. But I need you in the water.”
“No way in hell. Find someone else, Eli.”
“There is no one else, Braden.” His voice sharpened with frustration. “Jules checked the policy three times. If we don’t have a Sunset Siesta guide in the water at that site, we’re operating uninsured. With me teaching, you’re the only one who qualifies.”
The words slammed into me like a dive weight. I’d been prepared for awkward small talk and professional distance. Not to spend the whole morning right next to Tessa.
“This is not what we agreed to.” My voice came out low and dangerous.
“I know. I’m sorry. But if we don’t provide proper support, we’re in breach of contract and uninsured.” Eli’s expression was genuinely pained, but underneath it was the steel of someone who understood that family business meant family responsibility, whether it was convenient or not.
I stared out at the water. The sound of an approaching boat engine cut through the morning air—a steady, professional rumble that could only beSeahorse. My time was up.
“Jesus. Fine. One day.” The words felt like they were pulled from my chest with pliers. “I’ll guide one day, and then you figure something else out.”
Relief flooded Eli’s face. “Thank you. I owe you.”
