Page 12 of Devlin

"After college, my summers wereno longer free. Can you join us?"

"I can." He pulled a chair over to their table and sat down. "When did you get in, Hannah?"

"Yesterday."

"That's great. How long are you staying?"

"I'm not sure, but probably through Memorial Day."

"You'll be here for the race?"

"I will. Dad and I were just talking about it. We're thinking of racing together. We just needto find a boat."

"Hannah," her father said with a frown. "I told you I'd think on it."

"Well, you don't have that much time. You said entries close in a few days. What do you think, Uncle Joe?"

He grinned with approval. "I like it."

"I haven't agreed to anything," her father interrupted. "And that boat I built for the Blackthornes is probably unbeatable."

"I'msure it's amazing," she said. "But it still needs a sailor, and you are the best there is."

"She's right about that," Joe said. "What about Howard Palmer's boat?"

"I'm sure he's racing it."

"Nope. His wife made him go on an African safari with his in-laws. He left two days ago and won't be back until June."

"Is that a possibility, Dad? Is his boat a good fit?"

"He's never won with it," her father replied. "But he's not the best racer, either."

"I think you should do it, Frank," Joe said. "After the way the Blackthornes treated you, if nothing else, you can take that trophy they love so much."

"To be fair, Devlin has treated me well," Frank said. "It's his father I have a problem with."

"Well, you know how much Graham loves to getin the winning race photos, even when he's never actually on the boat," Joe reminded her father. "I'll text Palmer now and ask him if his boat is available."

"He'll have to agree to let me fix it up," Frank said. "I'm not going to race if I have no chance of winning."

"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have you work on his boat."

She smiled at her dad as Joe typed out a text."This will be good," she assured him. "We haven't sailed together in a long time."

Her dad nodded, but she could see indecision in his eyes. "It's not that I don't want to sail with you, Hannah; it's more complicated than that. I'm not a Blackthorne, but I've built their business and their boats. I've always been a loyal man."

"You have, but Graham hasn't shown you the same loyalty."

"Already got an answer," Joe interjected, an excited gleam in his eyes. "Palmer said yes. He didn't have to think about it for a second. You've got yourself a boat, Frank, and you can do whatever you want to it. Oh, and he says you better win."

"We will," she said confidently.

Her dad reluctantly smiled. "Now I know what it feels like to be steamrolled."

Despite hiswords, she saw a new light in his eyes. He didn't look nearly as unhappy or defeated as he'd been a few minutes earlier. In fact, he picked up his spoon and slid it into his chowder, as if he'd suddenly found his appetite.

"You came at the perfect time, Uncle Joe," she said.

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