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“Are you suggesting people hate me?” He’s clearly offended. I guess when you sit in your ivory tower, you don’t hear the grumbles from below.
“You’re the boss. Who likes the boss?”
He says nothing to that, instead turning the conversation in a different direction. “Why don’t you work out of Sunrise Bay? We can make The Five Seas part of the Baker family business.”
I knew he’d probably pitch the idea, so I’m prepared. “I want to make a go of it myself. I don’t want to feel like you’re standing over my shoulder, questioning my decisions or wondering why it’s been a lean month if things don’t continue to go well. I need to do this on my own.”
“So you’re just leaving.” He throws his hands up.
I nod. “It’s what makes me happy.”
“It’s hard to be happy with no money, Cameron.”
I shrug. “I did well on the first and second boat. But I learned a lot this month, what I need to do to spread the word and make a name for myself.”
He nods over and over again.
“Gage can take over the excursions if you want. He did a great job the other night.”
He continues to nod without speaking a word.
“Then I’m going to go.” I thumb behind me toward the door.
“Your mother will be disappointed. She always loved that this company would be passed down to you and then your own son someday. But I suppose a few wooden boats will be the same for your son, right?”
I stand, not willing to listen to him degrade me. He’s the reason I didn’t believe in myself at first. The fact I kept my company hidden for this long. But I’m not going to allow him to control me anymore. “If I’m blessed to have a son, I hope he finds what he loves, and I’ll do what I can to nurture that love.”
My dad’s forehead creases. “What does that mean?”
I shake my head. Even if I went off right now and told him everything I feel, in the end, he’d still blame me for being ungrateful. “Nothing. Thank you for everything.”
“Hold on.” He digs in his drawer, pulls out an envelope, and grabs a set of keys from inside. “Here.” He tosses them at me. “The keys to your jeep and the keys to the storage locker. Your salary paid for those things.”
It feels so good to have my jeep back. I felt like a loser driving Chevelle’s car this entire month. “Thanks.”
“Good luck.”
I clutch the keys and walk out of his office feeling freer than I ever have. I wish I would’ve done this ages ago.
* * *
Once I’m outside, I notice Chevelle’s boat is docked, but she’s not there.
Me: Where are you?
The three dots appear and disappear, then the text pings.
Chevelle: I’m at Fisher and Allie’s. Babysitting while they go out for a lunch date.
Me: Okay.
Chevelle: Did you talk to your dad?
I decide not to message her back but unlock and climb into my jeep. I run my hands along the steering wheel and relish having this little piece of freedom back. It’s been way too long.
I can’t wait to tell Chevelle and see her reaction when I get to Fisher’s. When I get there, I knock on the door.
She whips it open. “They’re sleeping,” she says through a clenched jaw.
