I spent the next two days checking every number Tideglass had offered.
The town's assessor had never valued the boatyard as a functioning marine business. I requested an independent appraisal, then paid the appraiser's deposit from my savings. Willa found the invoice on the office desk and pushed it back toward me.
"I said I didn't want your money."
"I'm not giving you money. I'm paying for a number we should have had before we considered selling."
"We considered selling because we had no time."
"Time for what?"
"For something better?"
"For a fair offer."
She stared at the invoice, then left it where it was.
I asked the yard's suppliers for current balances. One of them, a family-owned rigging shop two towns over, agreed to hold our account open for thirty days if I guaranteed hal
