Aidan could hear the passion in his voice and followed his gaze toward the sparkling waters. An eagle chose just that moment to soar into the air. “It would be,” he found himself saying as he watched the magnificent bird’s flight. “How did you get interested?”
“I spent my life on these waters. I caught my first rockfish right off this pier, or the old rotting one that preceded it, I should say. I caught crabs, even hauled in a few oysters from time to time. Then I started reading about the decreasing supplies for the watermen to harvest every year. I hung out with some of them and listened to their stories. I could see for myself that the ecosystem was changing and not for the better. I couldn’t sit by and watch that happen, not just for my generation, but for the generations to come.”
“Sounds like an all-consuming goal,” Aidan said. Thomas’s words were no salve for years of resentment, but Aidan was forced to admit he was beginning to understand just a little.
“If you’re really interested, I have some books you could read,” Thomas said, then grinned. “I try to turn everyone I meet into a convert when it comes to the environment around here. I figure no one could be a harder sell than my brother, and I’ve finally gotten Mick on board.”
“He didn’t agree?”
“Not when it interfered with his plans for building the town,” Thomas revealed. “Had to take him to court.”
Aidan’s mouth gaped. “You took Mick to court? I’d heard there was bad blood back then, but no one mentioned why.”
“We’re past it now,” Thomas said, then chuckled. “Mostly, anyway. He claims he even sees my point. This town probably sticks to the spirit of the Chesapeake Bay Act more closely than any other community along the water in any of the states where it applies.”
Aidan began to see just how deep Thomas’s convictions ran. He couldn’t help admiring that, even if it also confirmed that in the past he and his mom would have been no match for such dedicated idealism. He tried to imagine what it would be like to be so passionate about a cause that people didn’t matter.
And yet Thomas appeared to be happily married now, a contented family man. How had that happened? What powers of persuasion had Thomas’s wife, Connie, had that his mom hadn’t. Bitterness, never far from the surface especially since he’d come to town, reared its head. It was complicated by the school principal’s insistence that he take on the after-school assignment of working with the kids who’d organized a junior support group for Thomas’s foundation.
A one-year commitment, he reminded himself. Not forever. For now he needed to embrace this opportunity to get to know his father on his own turf.
“I imagine I’ll have to get up to speed if I’m going to be working with the kids at the high school,” he finally said. “They probably know a lot more than I do at this point.”
Thomas regarded him with what seemed to be real pleasure and maybe even a hint of relief. “They’re a fine group of young people. It’s been wonderful to see them dedicated to a cause that’s so important to this town and this entire region. I guess that means we’ll be working closely together, too, since I try to come to as many of the meetings and activities as I can.”
Aidan bit back a sigh. He’d known that would be the case, but hearing it rattled him more than he’d expected. Somehow he’d envisioned crossing paths with his father only on rare occasions. Surely Thomas was too busy to spend much time with one high school club, or so he’d convinced himself. He’d had some crazy idea about being able to glean the kind of man he was from limited contact, just enough to fill in the gaps without forming any real relationship.
Still, maybe it was a good thing, becoming immersed in his father’s cause. He was already convinced about what a good cause it was. If he ever hoped to bond with the man, this was an excellent way to start.
“I imagine I’ll be wanting those books you recommend and perhaps a short course in what we need to do to be effective and helpful,” he told Thomas.
“Anytime you’re ready,” Thomas responded cheerfully. “As you can already tell, it’s a topic I never tire of discussing.”
“I’ll be in touch, then,” Aidan said. He gave a wave to Sean, his half brother, a concept he couldn’t even begin to wrestle with right now. “Hope you catch something.”
Sean gave him a beaming grin. “I always do. Mom’s counting on me bringing home dinner.”
“You could join us,” Thomas suggested. “I can pass along a couple of books.”
“Thanks. Another time. I have plans for tonight.”
He had no idea what those plans might be, but anything would be better than pretending that this man hadn’t had the power to make Aidan’s life very different from the one he’d had.
Not that it had been a bad life. His mom had been amazing. She’d worked hard and they’d been okay. But even in a few short weeks in town, he’d come to realize that a childhood as an O’Brien would have been something very different, indeed.
* * *
Liz was standing in the doorway of her shop when she saw Aidan ambling in her direction. Her heart did a little flutter. Apparently it was not getting the message about avoiding him or keeping him in a tidy little box labeled “friend.”
As Aidan drew closer, she noted the troubled expression on his face and instinct kicked in.
“Everything okay?” she called out.
He glanced in her direction as if surprised to see her. “Hey. I didn’t notice you standing there.”
“I opened the door to let in a little fresh air. It cuts down
