Training:Complete the necessary training and licensing process, which includes a home study.
References:Provide three non-related references.
Hell, yes.He had all that covered easily, except for having his own place to live, which he could solve in a blink.
Without giving himself time to chicken out, Vince clicked the “Get Involved” button on the state website, then immediately scrolled down to where it said “application package”.
The pertinent documents populated his screen, and he downloaded them immediately before sitting back with a rare bit of uncertainty.
Did he really want to do this?
He’d decide, for real, once he slept on it. Because even when hedidapply, it didn’t mean he had to follow through if he had second thoughts. It wouldn’t be a hardship for him tolook intothings, especially since he was doing part-time work on no particular schedule; not yet deciding where his future lay.
One thingwascertain. He wanted to spend the rest of his days right here in Maine. He’d missed it like hell, being based on the West Coast for so many years, and it was a no-brainer he wasn’t pulling up anchor again.
It was thelogisticsof being here that Vince hadn’t figured out yet.
His brothers wanted him to come in as another partner in Diver Downeast, but Vincent wasn’t sure. He was currently enjoying his part-time, on-call roll with them, and wasn’t feeling a gut-need to take it any deeper. True, the water was his life, and had been for years as a SEAL, but keeping his skills honed by giving Diver Downeast a helping hand when they needed it, seemed somehow better than tying himself to the new family business.
Vincent also found himself working with his father again in theoldfamily business—the lumber mill—enjoying all the sounds and smells he’d grown up with. His old man had hinted that retirement was right around the corner for him and their matriarch, Ellen.
Someone was going to have to take over as Guy aged out, but Vincent had his doubts that his father could walk away from his life’s work, altogether. Still, it gave Vince yet another piece of his personal puzzle to fuss over. Would he want to run Sothard Lumber with his semi-retired dad, or could he oversee the business, part time, relying heavily on their long-time, loyal employees? The latter would allow him to keep one foot in the lumber business, while keeping his other in Diver Downeast, and…foster care.
Again, nothing had to be decided right away, but all those things that he was contemplating made for a potent mix that would assuredly keep his brain, his body, and his heart completely and satisfactorily engaged.
Just as he pushed back from his desk, ready to head into the kitchen for dinner he could smell cooking, Vincent’s phone rang.
He glanced at the screen.
Buck.
He looked up at the clock. It was six o’clock, so Diver Downeast had closed up for the evening, but that didn’t mean there might not be an emergency.
Adrenaline coursed through his veins as he picked up. “Yo.”
“Yo, yourself, you sly devil,” Buck shot back.
So much for an emergency. Clearly this was a social call.
“What do you want, asshole. I’m busy,” Vincent snarked.
“Right. And you’ve beenverybusytoday,” Buck countered with a smirk in his voice that was unmistakable.
How the hell…?Nope.His brother could just be fishing.
“What do you mean?” Vince returned innocently.
“Don’t give me that bullshit.” Buck was unrelenting. “You put on your widdow cwown outfit today,” he baby-talked, “and went to da horspital.”
Vince grumbled, and Buck snapped back into grown-up mode. “Which is a dick move, bro, since you know we’ve put money on whether or not you’d dare do it.”