I decide to go ahead and tell them, with or without our dad here. I slip my hat back on and look at each of my brothers in turn. “I think I’ve come around.”

Levi takes a step closer. “Meaning what?”

“Meaning, I think we should sign on.” I look over at Levi and laugh at his hopeful expression. “For the show.”

My brothers both let out enthusiastic whoops, and high-five each other before hugging me again.

“Fuck yes!” Colton yells, and his voice echoes down across the water. “Oh, this is good, Finn. I’m fucking stoked.”

“Can you imagine what people are going to say?” Levi asks, though his grin tells me he isn’t particularly worried. “They’re going to give us epic shit, I’m sure.”

“Yeah, well, they can give us all the shit they want,” I tell him. “You can wave at them from the water because our engines are working.”

“I’ll blow them a fucking kiss wearing nothing but my bank statement,” Colton adds.

Levi laughs. “I’m sure you would.”

There’s a moment where I just watch the two of them, measuring this Levi and Colton against the ones I left the day I headed to Oliver’s. Things were looking bad, and maybe I didn’t realize how bad they were until right now, seeing the contrast in them. They’re smiling and happy, young. Hopeful for the first time in years. Money can’t buy you happiness, but happiness sure is a hell of a lot easier to find when you’re not worried about where your next meal is coming from.

“Come on,” I tell them, reaching for a clipboard that hangs on a nail near the door, and thumb through the daily logs. “I need to take stock of everything so when we call, I can tell them what’s gotta be fixed.”

Levi follows me up into the wheelhouse. “So, tell us about California.”

“What he means is tell us about the pussy,” Colton interrupts.

“Check yourself, Colt,” I chide him quietly.

Colton looks at me with the most comical look of feigned innocence I’ve ever seen.

“It was good. Great to see Oliver and Ansel. See the new store.” I scribble a few notes on the charts, add today’s date, and start a list of repairs needed in order of priority. “I saw Harlow,” I add, and regret it almost immediately.

“Harlow,” Levi repeats with glee evident in his voice. “Harlow of the trench coat?” Of course Levi would remember that. Because karma has an incredible sense of humor, Levi just so happened to be pulling up to my house as Harlow climbed into her cab. He definitely enjoyed sharing that piece of information with my entire family.

I glare at him over the top of the clipboard. “Yes. That Harlow.”

“Well, damn, son. I wouldn’t have answered my phone calls, either.”