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Seth had always done his best thinking on the water and it seeo down to the marina He kept his sailboat moored there but couldn’t remember the last time he’d taken her out The air was crisp and clean, and he breathed deeply as he strolled over to the waterfront Sailboats and motorboats of various sizes were secured in their slips, bobbing gently, peacefully, in the dark-green waters

"Seth"

At the sound of his na toward him Seth smiled He’d always been close to his fa enterprise, which took theood, but the as dangerous, and when Justine cae His father’s help had been instru the restaurant

"You spoke with the sheriff?" Leif Gunderson asked when he joined him

Seth nodded He hadn’t mentioned this to his father, whichnew to report about how the fire was set--we already know that--or by whom The inspector found a pewter cross in the ashes That’s the biggest news But I have no idea who it belongs to and we can’t be sure it’s even connected to the arsonist"

Leif frowned, as if pondering this latest bit of information They sat on a park bench outside the s at hoiven hiain, it wasn’t like Justine to share their personal problems with others "What makes you ask?" Seth murmured He reached down and picked up a pebble and threw it into the water

His father picked one up, too, and tossed it toward the cove "I didn’t mean to pry It’s just that you looked like you wanted to talk"

All at once Seth realized he did need to confide in someone Someone who knew him well, yet could maintain a perspective on the whole situation and everyone involved Sohing deeply, Seth braced his elbows on his knees "Justine and I had an argu ie these days with the fire and all"

His father didn’t respond for a ood"

"The problem is, I don’t knohat to do withas soon as possible Then, a couple of weeks ago, Justine dropped this boood idea She seeet about the restaurant" Seth lowered his voice

He sucked in his breath and waited for his father’s reaction He assumed Leif would react the same way he had--with shock and disbelief The fact that he didn’t i surprised him "So, what do you think?" Seth pressed

His father leaned back, closing his eyes "Did she give you a reason?"

Seth had been too shocked to take in ured it was si with the after nonsense," he said "We need the restaurant It’s hoe ht--I do put in a lot of hours and the work is dein isn’t exactly e’d hoped, but ere doing pretty well"

He looked at his father, but Leif still didn’t give any indication of what he was thinking

"It’s total nonsense," Seth insisted a second time "Of course we should rebuild!"

"What do you plan to do while you’re waiting for everything to coether?" his father asked instead

If Seth had the answer to that, he wouldn’t be hanging around thetop priority in hishis days with the reconstruction project would ease his depression Seth had been raised with a strong work ethic; he’d worked summers and after school from the time he was thirteen He didn’t knohat to do with hi Outside of his role as a husband and father, his identity, his sense of who he was, came from what he did Without work, he had no purpose

Leif quirked a brow in his direction "Do you love Justine?"

That question came as another shock "More than h school and he’d carried a torch for her years afterward, too She’d gone off to college and he’d half expected her to marry so work at the bank He’d never believed she would love him, didn’t even think it was a possibility

"You ht listen to her, then," his father advised

"I do listen, but she’s talking foolishness"

"Youher"

At that, Seth turned to stare at his father "You’re saying I should let all those years of work go down the drain?"

"No I’ you need to listen to your wife"

"What am I supposed to do?" Seth flared Everyone seemed to have an opinion but no one had offered him a solution

His father didn’t answer A moment later, he casually continued the conversation "I was talking to Larry Boone the other day," Leif said as he tossed another pebble in the water "You remember Larry, don’t you?"

Seth nodded His father had purchased a fishing boat from the other man Seth had owned a half interest in the boat and when they sold it, they’d invested thatfor a sales out of retire and boats allpleasure crafts, too, and offered ood to be true"