Page 101 of Neap & Spring

Patrick is quiet for a moment, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. “Maybe you should invite her over.”

Wesley’s head snaps up. “What?”

“Invite her and Blair to family dinner. Sit down and talk through the business properly. Not at the docks where everyone’s watching and judging.” Patrick’s voice is reasonable and calm. The voice of someone who’s solved a thousand family crises. “Maybe if you explain how things work in a less charged environment, show her the ropes without an audience, she’ll be more receptive.”

“Dad, she doesn’t want to learn the ropes. She wants to reinvent the whole operation. Modernize it. Make it ‘more efficient.’” The air quotes again.

“Because she’s scared,” Patrick supplies simply. “Her father left her a business she doesn’t understand. A legacy she doesn’t know how to honor. And she’s probably terrified of failing him and running his life’s work into the ground. So she’s trying to control what she can and make changes so at least she’s doing something instead of just watching it fall apart.”

Wesley looks skeptical, his mouth pulling to one side. “I don’t know if that will help anything.”

“I could meet up with her,” I mutter the words, hoping no one heard them as soon as they are out.

Everyone turns to look at me again.

Oh God. Why did I say that? What am I doing? I don’t even know these people. I don’t know Sloane. I have no business inserting myself into a family business and fishing disputes and complicated grief.

I’m just a consultant.

“What?” Wesley looks skeptical, his eyebrows raised almost to his hairline.

I swallow hard, my throat suddenly way too dry. It’s too late to take it back now or pretend I didn’t speak.

“If she’s taking over a fishing operation with no background in it, she’s going to need help with the business side.” I’m warming to it now despite my nerves. The consultant part of my brain kicking in, finding the problem and the solution. “Supply chains, pricing strategies, how to position herself with buyers. How to read a P&L. I could stop by and offer some guidance. Maybe help her understand what she actually has before she starts changing everything.” I look at Wesley, trying to read his expression. “It might smooth things over with your routes if she feels like she has a handle on what she’s doing.”

Wesley stares at me, his expression unreadable.

The silence stretches.

“Only if you want,” I add quickly, second-guessing myself. “I just — a fishing business that doesn’t know how to run itself is a problem for everyone who depends on those waters.” I glance at Callum, then back to Wesley. “And Callum relies on those waters. His whole menu depends on what comes in. If the fishing operations are in chaos, it affects his supply chain too. And I know business. I could help. Maybe.”

A long silence. Long enough that I start to regret everything.

When I finally risk a glance back at Callum, he’s staring at me. His expression is completely open and unguarded in a way I haven’t seen in a long time.

My breath catches, and heat floods my face.

“That’s —” Wesley starts then stops. He looks at Patrick, then back at me. “That’s actually —”

“Really generous,” Patrick finishes, and his voice has that warmth in it again. “That would mean a lot, Vivienne. To all of us. Thank you.”

Wesley is still looking at me with an expression I can’t fully decode. He looks like he’s struggling against the surprise that I would offer or that I would even care about his problem.

“I’ll get you her number,” he says finally. “If you’re serious.”

“I’m serious.”

“Is she cute?” Beckett asks into the settling quiet.

The whole room goes silent.

Every head turns toward Beckett almost violently.

“What?” Wesley’s voice is dangerous and controlled in a way that’s worse than yelling.

“I’m just asking.” Beckett holds up both hands in surrender, but there’s mischief in his eyes. “Nose ring, tattoos, taking over a fishing empire. Sounds like she might be —”

“Her father just died, Beckett.” Wesley’s voice is harsh in a way that makes everyone pause. “Like, a week ago. That’s — she’s grieving. She’s trying to handle her father’s business while processing the fact that he’s gone. That’s not — it’s not relevant whether she’s —” He cuts himself off, his jaw clenching. “Don’t piss me off, Beckett.”