“It’ll be good to see her.”
“How about your lady friend? Will you bring her with you?”
I remembered what Sebastian had said to me on the beach about how Dominic was still learning how to be a brother. Was I any better? Riley and I had always told each other everything and that had given us a strong bond. “Jade’s not currently speaking to me. I took a little too long to get my head straight after I met you.”
“You left her hanging.”
“I did.”
“Have you tried apologizing?”
“Did that.”
“A gift?”
“Delivered, even though she didn’t want it.”
“What’s your plan?”
“To get my shit together, turn my financial situation around, and go back to her as the man she needs.”
“That’s a horrible plan that ends with her moving on to the next guy while you figure things out.”
“I’m not kidnapping her.”
He laughed. “Wow, do you think my whole game relied on that one move? Trust me, Abby wouldn’t still be with me if that was all I had.”
He and Abby did have a good relationship track record. I sat down, propped my feet on the coffee table, and asked, “Sure, why not, lay some of your wisdom on me.”
“First, send a car for her—”
“All I can afford is an Uber.”
He made a sound in his throat, then said, “I’ll hire a driver for you.”
“Dominic.”
“What?”
“I don’t want your money. I don’t want you to solve my problems.”
“Then what do you want?”
I took a moment to ask myself that same question. “Sebastian came to see me in Cape Cod, and we talked. The only family I’ve ever had was Riley and my mother. When he described how things were with his brothers and him—I wished I had that.”
In a deeper tone, Dominic said, “Sebastian’s a good man.”
“Yes. I feel like I could call him at midnight, and he wouldn’t hang up on me . . . that I could share the good and the bad with him and he’d get me. That’s where I’d like to get with you.”
“I’d like that.”
“You’re successful. I wouldn’t mind running some business ideas by you and hearing your thoughts on them. Just advice, nothing else.”
“I have time now.”
I picked up my laptop and began to go down the list of tasks on the spreadsheet. He stopped me periodically to ask questions and give suggestions. By the end of the conversation, I could see how he’d gotten as far as he had. He had a keen sense of how to attack a problem on multiple levels. “I want to have made some progress on this before I see Jade again.”
“Then you don’t have time to build up a social media following. Write up your proposal and present it to people with the funds to invest in this endeavor. Money opens doors.”
“I don’t—”
“It doesn’t have to be my money. When the cause is a worthy one, the money comes. You want to save the oceans? Sell me on how you could do that. One way. Focus on one goal and sell it to me.”
“Offshore buoys for Catalina.” I explained the devastation that was left behind by anchors and how simple the solution would be—all that was lacking was the funding.
“Okay, now who do you know who is working on something related to that?”
I named a marine biologist I’d met in Thailand who was working on a similar offshore project for several island countries. I also told him about the angry master diver I’d toured offshore Catalina Island with.
Dominic said, “Reach out to both of them. Tell them what you’d like to do for Catalina and about each other. Line up people in the press who might be interested in the story. Take your idea to Netflix, Disney, anyone who will listen. Knock on every door. One will open. When it does, present your plan, right down to how you’ve fanned media interest for the project.”
“That does sound like a good plan.”
“It’s only as good as you make it. Do I think you can do it? Yes. Will you? I have no idea.”
Because I’ve done nothing lately to inspire faith in me. “I needed this, Dominic. Thank you.”
There was a smile in his voice when he said, “Anytime.”
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Jade
When I entered the office the next day, I was handed a mountain of data to sort through and enter. I would have preferred the distraction of being out at a site, but there was a price to be paid for taking a day off. Had I actually been ill, a day in the office would have been a welcome additional day to heal.
Another sleepless night had me feeling a bit ragged. After Kal had left my apartment, I’d done my best to be okay with how we’d ended, but his gift had sat there next to the door, taunting me.
Somewhere around two a.m. I’d made the mistake of opening it. Had he bought me jewelry I could have said he didn’t know me. I’d never cared for that.
Had it been a coffee mug, I would have scoffed and said he hadn’t paid enough attention to my preferences to know that I was a tea drinker.
All the box contained was a folded piece of paper. At first, I’d thought it might be a letter from him apologizing, but it wasn’t that either. It was handwritten information on how to join a volunteer group that was diving at an artificial reef in Pensacola in a couple of weeks. Participation in the dive was by invitation only and Kal had arranged a slot for me if I was interested. All I had to do was confirm and I was in. Beneath those instructions he’d written a brief overview of the dive. The lead researcher was gathering data on PCB levels in the marine life surrounding a purposefully sunken military vessel the government had already spent $20 million on cleanup.
I’d read about the ship. Originally it had been applauded for very quickly attracting and harboring a variety of marine life. Despite following EPA disposal guidelines, the ship had contained a significant amount of toxins that had shown not only a negative impact on the environment but also a health risk to humans. The dive was part of an ongoing study of the prolonged effect of sinking decommissioned military equipment.
It was the most thoughtful gift I’d ever received and one I didn’t know what to do with. On one hand, participating in something like that, with the team that was leading the dive, was a once in a lifetime opportunity. On the other hand, how could I enjoy it knowing that Kal had arranged it?
And how long would it be until the thought of him stopped feeling like I’d just lost my best friend? Robert and I had dated for a couple of years, and I didn’t miss him. What is wrong with me?
“Oh, wow, you look awful,” Pete said.
“Thanks,” I said as I sat at my desk.
“No, seriously, I wouldn’t normally say anything, but you’re looking like you shouldn’t be here today.”
An unlikely save came from Lynn, “Lay off the compliments, Pete, before you give her a big head.”
“Sorry,” he said. “But look at her. We could have covered for you today if you weren’t ready to come back.”
“There is nothing wrong with me. I’m fine.” There was snap to my tone, one that surprised both interns.