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“Dude, the women, the money, the attitude. You were a jackass.”
“Yeah, well, quitting your job because you almost brokered a deal with a criminal tends to dent the ol’ ego.”
“Luc, all you did was trust someone who didn’t deserve it.”
“But I had a bad feeling, and I ignored it. I should never have worked with him. So much for myMidas touch.”
“I’m sorry about the deal and the case, but I’m not sorry you’ve been home lately. The changes you’ve made are making a difference for the farm.” Finn’s expression was firm.
“Thanks, man, that’s good to hear.”
“You seem more relaxed, too.” He looked pointedly at my muddy half-laced boots. Four months ago, I wouldn’t have been caught dead in them. “You ever considered staying around long-term?”
“I like Perry Harbor, and I’ve missed it more the past couple of years. The landscape, the guys. But the tech is in Seattle. It’s where I belong.”
“So, build a tech business here,” he said.
“Just start a company here?” I’d never really thought about that. Seattle and Silicon Valley had seemed like my only options, but the industry was changing.
“Why not? You’ve said before you wanted out of the corporate engineering grind, and that’s why you started consulting. You like writing code but not the all-consuming culture. So, get an LLC, hire some engineers, and start coding on your own terms. Build your own culture. Be the change you want to see in tech … borrowing a little from Gandhi there.”
“I’m not sure it’s that simple, Finn.”
“You never shied away from difficult things, Luc. And … Jo’s here.”
I turned to him. “Her food is amazing. It may be reason enough to move back.” Jo wanted to be here doing her personal chef thing. But she told me she had a cookbook coming out soon. When that happened, would she be tempted to go back to the city, or would she stay in Perry Harbor?
Finn grinned. “Come on, man, I’ve seen how you look at her. You’re into her.”
“Yeah … But she’s not some rando in a bar looking for a hook-up or a tech guy meal ticket. She’s different. We’re friends. I don’t just want her. I want to talk to her and cook with her. I don’t have a lot of experience with that.”
“Man, me neither, yet I’m living life with the best woman. I’m still shocked she chose me.”
“Everybody else was shocked too.” I grinned at him.
Finn glared at me.
“How did you know Emily was the one?”
“She didn’t give your ass the time of day.” His glee at me being rejected was a little over the top. Asshole.
“And I just knew.” He shrugged. “Things didn’t add up. I kept trying to keep her in this box or that one because she was rich or because she was beautiful, and it didn’t work. She was surprising and real. Vulnerable and fragile in some ways, yet badass in others. Don’t piss her off, by the way. And then once we … well, I knew I’d never love another woman. I didn’t want to imagine a life she wasn’t in. Scared the shit out of me.”
“Yeah, I remember the scared shitless part.” I punched his shoulder.
“Look, I’m still scared sometimes. She’s my everything, and yeah, she could get into a car, leave the house, and not come back. But I would rather be with her, even scared, than without her, simple as that. It’s about how you want to spend your days. Mine are a lot better when they’re with her. She’s worth the risk.”
“What if I screw it up? Turns out I’m capable of it. My career’s not looking too good.”
“You didn’t screw up your career. And you won’t with Jo either. Or if you do, you’ll fix it. I had the same fears. People say love is work, but with the right person, the work is easy. You have to put in effort. Give up some control. But with Emily, that wasn’t hard. It says something about you and Jo that you’re worried. I think you owe it to yourself to try.”
I liked my days with Jo. From the verbal sparring to the genuine interest in making me a decent cook to the way she smelled like vanilla. She made the day better.
“I’m not sure how to play this one,” I said. “I’m pretty sure she’s thought about it, but if I start my usual cocky act, saying all the sweet words, she’ll kick me in the balls.”
Finn laughed. “You’re probably right. Don’t play it. Be honest. Tell her how you feel, and don’t cover it up with jokes or slick lines. You want genuine, you gotta be genuine first.”
17
