“Okay,” I say softly. “Thanks for letting me know. Let me check in with George and see what he wants me to do.”
“Sorry again,” she says.
“Not your fault.”
I make my way back through the crowded office and step outside.
The noise of the harbor hits me all at once. My hand is already reaching for my phone. I pull up my text thread with Aiden’s and type quickly.
Me:
Hey, are you okay?
The message sends, and a second later, it shows delivered.
I stare at the screen, waiting for the little read notification to appear.
It doesn’t.
Around me, the harbor keeps moving, voices and engines blending, but suddenly I feel completely still, my fingers tightening around my phone.
I look out toward the Coast Guard docks, hoping to spot Finn.
Instead, farther down the dock, I notice a man standing alone.
A black dog sits calmly at his side.
Nathan.
I start walking toward him quickly, my steps turning faster and faster until I’m nearly running across the parking lot. Nathan turns and notices me almost immediately. Houston gets to his feet beside him, and the two of them begin walking toward me.
The closer we get, the more clearly I can see his face.
Something is wrong.
Concern is written all over his face, his jaw set tighter than usual.
“May,” he says as soon as we are in front of each other.
“What happened?” I ask, my words rushing out. “Is Aiden okay?”
Nathan meets my eyes and pauses for a moment before speaking.
“May,” he says quietly.
I shake my head before he can say anything else, the sting of tears already building behind my eyes.
“Just tell me what happened.”
He nods once.
“The Coast Guard crew on duty was already out assisting a whale watching vessel outside Otter Rock,” he begins, keeping his voice low so the people passing nearby can’t hear. “They had a mechanical failure and were transferring passengers to another boat so they could tow it back safely.”
I nod quickly.
“I heard that part.”
“While that was happening,” he continues, “a smaller recreational fishing boat sent out a distress call. Steering loss, engine failure. They were drifting toward the rocks, and someone onboard was in medical distress.”
