Those days were behind him, but the habits remained—the steady gaze on the horizon, the practiced hand on the wheel, the quiet calculation of risk in every shifting breeze. Liam, meanwhile, had the restless energy of someone still trying to prove himself, his equipment almost an extension of his ambition.
“You always book me,” Ethan said suddenly, not taking his eyes off the water. “Why’s that? There are plenty of boats you could ride.” Liam shut his notebook, considering. “Because with you, I know I’ll come back with my gear intact. And without getting seasick.” He smiled lightly. “That’s good enough for me.”