I give her a wry smile. “I know you mean that to be reassuring, but somehow it really isn’t.” My surf touring company, Schwartz Surf Tours, has been growing like crazy, and for the last five months, Hannah’s been working part time for Earth Ambassadors, an environmental company we’ve been partnering with the last few years. Having a charitable arm of Schwartz Surf Tours was part of the plan from the beginning. Hannah’s spent a lot of time over the last few years seeking out organizations we can sponsor and partner with, and Earth Ambassadors was so impressed with her that they offered her a remote position running their social media properties. They actually wanted her full time, but since she does all the marketing for me, they compromised at half time. But she’s been struggling to keep up with the workload for two companies, and since her passion has always been working to clean up the environment, she’d rather work for them.
It all came out a few weeks ago, when I found her in the bedroom crying. She’d been afraid to tell me, thinking that I might take her wanting to quit Schwartz Surf Tours as some kind of betrayal. But I reassured her that I will always support her, and I’ve appreciated all her help and support while I was getting my business off the ground. She worked for Eco Utilities for about a year before coming to work for me full time.
The solution she offered was for me to hire Lance to take over for her. He has a degree in marketing and has been working for an agency since he graduated. The prospect of working with one of my best friends is exciting. We don’t see each other much these days. I talk more to Abby than I do to Lance, actually, because she helps me with translations to and from Spanish when I’m booking tours in Central and South America.
But the four of us get together every so often. And tonight we’ll get to see Megan too, who I also haven’t seen in far too long.
Hannah chuckles and gives me a sympathetic glance while she puts on her puffy winter coat. “Sorry. But it’s true. If he says no, we’re no worse off than we were before. We can find someone to take over for me eventually. It’ll be okay.”
I pull on my wool coat and wrap an arm around her waist under her jacket before she can zip it closed, pulling her in for another kiss, this one lingering a bit before we break apart. “You’re right. It would just be great if he said yes.” Plus, if Hannah’s already been stressed out to the point of tears, I’m anxious to ease her load. If Lance says yes, we can start working on a transition plan. If he says no …
It’ll take longer to find a good fit. I know I can work well with Lance. We were teammates for years and workout partners after graduation until our schedules became too disconnected to make it work anymore.
Maybe if we’re working together, we can start doing that again too.
Hannah pats my chest and steps back, gathering her purse and the pan before giving me a big smile. “Let’s go.”
When we arrive at Lance and Abby’s, we’re greeted by the energetic whirlwind that is Megan. She squeals when we walk in the door, yelling, “Matty!” and launching herself at me.
Laughing, I catch her in a hug. “Still trying to make that nickname stick, huh?”
She pulls back, her dark eyes sparkling with good humor. “Always.” A little more calmly, she turns to Hannah, takes the dish from her hands and passes it to Abby, then holds out her arms wide before wrapping them around Hannah in a big hug. “Oh my god, you guys. I haven’t seen you in so long!”
Hannah returns the hug with a smile. “You should get over here more.”
Megan pulls back with an arched eyebrow and a dismissive noise. “And when’s it your turn to come visit me?”
“Convince Chris get us good tickets, and we’ll be sure to make the trek,” I put in.
Her smile turns a little false. “Ha. Yeah. Okay, sure. Because that’s the only reason you’ll come visit? To get good seats at a football game? He can’t even play right now.”
Her reaction has my brows drawing together. “He said he wasn’t hurt that bad and would be back in fighting shape in no time. Was he just blowing smoke up my ass?”
Megan sighs, her head tilting from side to side. “I think that’s more wishful thinking on his part. He maybe should’ve had surgery. Depending on how the rehab goes, he might still need surgery. We’re in wait-and-see mode right now. It was a bad hit, and he doesn’t like to admit how serious it really was. The power of positive thinking, and all that. Which I’m all for. But not at the expense of reality.”
“Oh,” is all I manage to say. Chris had shrugged it off like it was no big deal when we talked after the game where he got injured. Said he’d be out a few weeks, probably. I was kind of surprised that he was going to be coming for Coach Hanson’s retirement party at all. I figured he’d be playing again by now.
I guess that explains that.
Megan turns back to Hannah, pulling her into the room. “So, let’s talk Christmas party. I know it’s going to be at your place, but I need more details. And what can we help with?”
Hannah takes off her coat as she answers Megan’s question about the Christmas party we’re hosting while everyone’s in town, and Lance approaches me, a smile on his face. “Just like old times, huh? Megan coming in and commandeering everything how she likes it.”
I laugh and drape my coat over the back of a chair, following his gaze to where the three
