I’ve never felt anything like this.
George steps closer, clapping me on the shoulder. “Great job, May,” he says, pride clear in his voice. “Guess this is your officiation.”
I blink at him.
“You’re one of us now,” he adds, grinning.
The words settle deep in my chest.
I look out at the water again, where the surface has gone calm, as if nothing extraordinary just happened. The gulls circle overhead. The cliffs stand tall and unchanged. The world moves on.
But something in me has shifted.
I belong here.
And for the first time since I arrived in Depoe Bay, that thought feels certain.
I’m exactly where I should be.
Chapter 14
Within thirty minutes, we’re pulling back into the Depoe Bay harbor.
The boat glides into place with practiced ease, the engine cutting as we’re secured. A small group of Coast Guard members waits by the ramps, and as soon as we step back onto solid ground, there’s clapping, congratulations, and a few pats on shoulders.
Rescuing and assisting animals this large isn’t something everyone gets to experience. It’s earned, and it’s celebrated.
As we make our way off the boat and toward the parking area, Cassie and George fall into a rapid back-and-forth about the photos she took and the plan to run them through the system to see if the whale shows up in any existing catalogs. I listen closely, tracking every word, every next step.
At least I try to.
My attention drifts when I notice someone working in the garden just outside the station.
Broad back. Black T-shirt. Backwards hat. He’s on his knees in the dirt, hands deep in the soil as he plants flowers with quiet concentration.
I slow without realizing it.
He lifts a hand to wipe sweat from his forehead, tugging his hat off as he does, and my breath catches.
It’s Aiden.
What is he doing here?
Cassie is still talking beside me, but I haven’t heard a word she’s said until—
“May?”
I turn to her, startled and more than a little flustered. I realize I’ve been staring at Aiden’s back for who knows how long.
Cassie follows my gaze, then looks back at me with a grin. “Wow. It must be difficult to be you.”
Heat rushes to my face. “Sorry.” I shake my head quickly. “I got distracted. What did I miss?”
“I asked if you had plans for lunch.” She’s still smiling.
“Oh.” I wince. “I’m sorry, I can’t today. I need to go home and take Neptune out. I’d invite you over, but all I have are leftovers from breakfast. I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet.”
Cassie laughs. “Did you at least finish moving in?”
