Those were the things that mattered most to his father. Logan knew then he’d never make Al understand. He tried to explain, anyway. “I played it safe. I tried to be responsible. I was a good husband, and the marriage still didn’t work out. I’m a good father, and now my son is moving to Japan. I’ve been a good businessman, and I’m so bored some days I want to hit myself in the head with a hammer.”

“It’s the ebb and flow of life,” said Al, a hint of his Irish heritage coming out.

“Not my life. I’m done playing it safe all the time. I’ve decided to live the way I want to, taking risks, doing something that matters to me, creating something.”

“Creating what?” His father seemed genuinely baffled. “A glorified playground?”

“This is a project I’m passionate about. I have big plans for Saddle Mountain. More mountain-biking in the summer. The zip line. A climbing course. Ice-climbing in winter.”

“You’ll lose your shirt.”

“I’ve lost more than that and survived.”

Al paced the deck, casting dubious glances at the green and gold hills, the grand view of Willow Lake in the valley with the town of Avalon hugging its shore. “I understand that restless feeling,” Al said. “I was young once, too. But it’s a cockamamie scheme. It’s not that I don’t trust you or think you’re a good businessman. I simply can’t give my approval to your financial downfall.”

“The plan is to succeed, not fail,” Logan said, struggling to keep his voice even. A decade of anger and resentment simmered just beneath the surface. “And I don’t need your approval.”

“You haven’t thought this out,” his father said. “You’re panicking because Charlie is going to be moving so far away. You miss him and you’re trying to fill the void.”

Ah, so now Al was the armchair psychologist. “And what if I am?” asked Logan.

“Never make a decision driven by panic. It won’t work.”

“I’m not panicking, and it’s going to work.”

“You’ll be taking on a terrible burden of debt,” his father blustered. “It could be really bad.”

“Only if I default.” For some reason, Darcy Fitzgerald’s words came back to him. When it comes to leaps of faith, I’m a frequent flyer.

Part Four

Part Four

There’s nothing like starting the holidays with a spirited breakfast...

Eggnog Pancakes with Whiskey Butter

Eggnog Pancakes with Whiskey Butter

1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

2 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder

1⁄2 teaspoon salt

1⁄2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 cup eggnog

2 tablespoons oil

1 egg, beaten

Mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Make a well in the center, and pour in the eggnog, oil and egg. Mix until dry ingredients are evenly moist.