Page 95 of Meet Me at the Grand

Two years had passed since he’d stood at Troy’s grave and vowed to reopen the fishing business. He’d almost gotten the funds together for the extra gear and the boat parts. If he didn’t get back on the water soon, he’d lose all credibility with the restaurants Hart Fishing Company used to sell to. He couldn’t keep stringing them along. If he didn’t open during this fishing season, he would never open at all.

“I think I diagnosed the problem though,” Cody said. He pointed at the piston sleeve. “It’s cracked along there.”

Liam came closer. “Even I can see that. Will you replace it?”

“I’ll have to see if I can find the part on eBay. It’s not something they have down at any old hardware store. I don’t think they’d have it at the marine store over in Port Joseph either.”

“Might be easier to just replace the engine.” Liam shoved his hands into his pockets. The guy might wear jeans and T-shirts instead of a full-on suit now, but his expertly tapered brown hair and the high quality of his clothing still spoke of his former executive lifestyle.

Cody had only known the builder for a few months, but he’d come to respect him as someone who knew what he wanted and went after it. “They cost between ten and twenty thousand.” He shifted a few of the parts on the long workbench. Keeping them organized meant less of a headache later when he put the whole thing back together again.

“Probably not easier, then.” Liam’s wry grin matched his own.

“If I can’t find the part, I might be screwed.” Cody reached up to rub his hair, but remembered his grease-covered fingers just in time. “I’ll have to order a custom-made part and that can take weeks.”

“Remind me again why you’re doing this?” Liam turned and looked at the boat high and dry in the middle of the shop. “I mean, I’m not against hard work, but this seems over the top. Will this thing even float?”

Cody looked at the boat too, all thirty-one feet of her. A Radon commercial class with diesel engine—currently on his operating table—outfitted for trap or long line fishing. The paint was peeling off the hull in several places, and the deck needed a serious scrub down. Inside, the single bunk needed a new mattress, but the cockpit and cabin were clean and had been updated just before he bought it. “She needs a lot of work, but her bones are solid. And I need her if I hope to reopen my dad’s fishing business.”

“Why reopen? It seems to me you’re making a good living as the island’s favorite handyman. And there’s definitely enough of that kind of work around here to keep you busy.”

The trouble was, he couldn’t say exactly what it was that gave him this drive to move forward with the fishing business plan. “I guess it’s just that Troy and I had dreamed about taking over the company for so long. I can’t imagine doing anything else.” He paused. Swallowed. “Plus, being out on the water used to fill me up like nothing else. So, yeah, I could keep being a handyman, but I don’t love it.”

“I get that.” Liam ran a hand over the hull of the boat. “So, being a handyman pays the bills, but you’re looking for more.”

“Yep. I’ve been putting aside as much as I can spare each paycheck to buy Dad’s business and equipment. The money’s one issue. The boat’s another. But the biggest is getting my dad to transfer his fishing license to me.”

“Why wouldn’t he? You’d think he’d be glad for the retirement funds.”

“You’d think. But my dad’s one of the stubborn ones. He’s decided that the Hart Fishing Company is dead in the water—took the accident as a sign of sorts—and won’t even discuss it.” He shrugged a shoulder. “I’m hoping that waving the actual money in his face when the time comes will change his mind though.”

“Wow. Why’s he being so stubborn about it? You’d think he’d be proud his son was taking over for him.” Liam knocked a knuckle against the boat. Thethunkechoed through the high-ceilinged space.

Cody lifted a shoulder. “Honestly? I think he blames me for the accident.”

“No way. From what I’ve heard it was just that—an accident. A storm. Right?”

“Slightly more to it than that. I don’t know. Maybe Dad’s right. Maybe it was my fault.” Cody braced his hands on the workbench. “But either way, the only way to really move on with my life…to honor Troy’s memory…is to make sure our dream of owning the company comes to life.”

“I think that’s really great, man. But why can’t you go out and get a license if your dad won’t sell you his? And a loan for equipment?”

“I already tried that. No one wants to take a chance on a twenty-four-year-old whose last boat sank. And commercial fishing licenses are hard to come by in Michigan. There’s a wait list.” He shook his head. “I’m going to keep hacking away at this dream a little while longer. I don’t want to see another thing I love die.”

Liam was quiet a moment. “I get that,” he said. Then, “Listen, I mentioned to Dani that I was stopping by and she said she’d meet me here. She’s got something to talk to you about.”

Dani Sullivan, Liam’s girlfriend, worked as the head of tourism on Jonathon Island.

Great. “What does she want? She’s not going to hassle me about taking tourists charter fishing again, is she?” She’d mentioned it once before, wondering aloud if it could be a big draw. No thanks. Too much risk. Besides, he wasn’t sure how soon this boat would be up and running.

Liam cracked a smile. “No idea. Something about sprucing up some houses and some buildings in town, I think.”

Sprucing up sounded much better than taking drunk, seasick frat boys out to catch fish all summer. “You never said what you came for. Did you just come here to hassle me?”

“I hassle because I love you, you know that.” Liam had only been on the island a few months. He’d come to help Dani plan the renovations on the Grand Hotel. Already the islanders had accepted him as one of their own.

“Doesn’t answer my question.”

Liam crossed his arms. “I was debating whether to do this…I need your advice on something. I wondered if you would help me pick out a gift for Dani.”

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