“You know I never wanted to destroy your career.”
Ethan smiled.
“You didn’t.”
“No.”
She understood the correction.
Ethan looked at Maddie through the window.
“My career isn’t one building.”
Vanessa said nothing.
“Take care of the mechanics.”
“I will.”
“Listen when Mike complains.”
“That may be impossible.”
Ethan laughed.
“That’s fair.”
They ended the call.
Two days later, Ethan drove to Regional Jet Services.
Not for a job interview.
That was what he told himself.
The maintenance director showed him around.
Smaller operation.
Less polished.
Hangar half the size of Cole.
Older equipment.
Excellent organization.
The director was a former mechanic named Sarah Klein.
Fifty-one.
Short gray hair.
No patience for corporate language.
They stood beneath a Citation with one engine cowling open.
Sarah said, “I heard you quit dramatically.”
Ethan sighed.
“Apparently.”
“Did you throw a wrench?”
“No.”
“Shame.”
“I fixed the airplane.”
“Then quit.”
“Yes.”
“That’s more annoying.”
“Why?”
“Harder to make a movie.”
He laughed.
She handed him a flashlight.
“Look at this.”
He leaned inside the engine bay.
“What am I looking for?”
“I don’t know.”
He looked at her.
“That’s encouraging.”
“Intermittent vibration sensor fault.”
Ethan studied the harness.
“What have you done?”
“Nothing yet.”
“Why?”
Sarah shrugged.
“I wanted to see how you think.”
Ethan straightened.
She smiled.
“No clock.”
He stared.
She laughed.
“Sorry. Too soon?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
She walked away.
Ethan smiled despite himself.
He spent forty minutes with the aircraft.
No audience.
No performance.
No ultimatum.
Just work.
The fault turned out to be chafing near a clamp.
Ordinary.
Honest.
When he finished, Sarah handed him an employment offer.
He did not take it immediately.
She noticed.
“Take it home.”
“No pressure?”
“Plenty of pressure.”
She pointed at the airplane.
“Just not stupid pressure.”
That evening, Ethan placed the offer on the kitchen table.
Maddie sat across from him doing homework.
“What is it?”
“Job.”
“You got one?”
“Offer.”
“Is it good?”
“Pretty good.”
“Will your boss be crazy?”
“I don’t know.”
“Important question.”
“Yes.”
She kept writing.
“Are you taking it?”
“I think so.”