Owning a business together with you ex and going no contact

My boyfriend of 2 years broke up with me a month ago.

It had been coming for quite some time; he had been having a lot of frustration about money and work (we work together on boats as a team, we had a string of disappointing jobs and then were unemployed for 6 months). I think he started to believe I was in the way of him getting the kind of work and pay he wants right now.

I told him I don’t mind spending time apart if he wants to take a gig that suits his needs, but his anxiety was more than that. I’m 31, he’s 24, and I’m his first girlfriend. He admitted to me about a month before he broke up with me that he was having worries about us being so committed and he never having lived the young single life.

So, in short, I feel like I was dumped because a grass is greener mentality concerning money and sex.

We were fighting a lot near the end, I was exacerbated and frustrated about finding work. I lined up so many interviews for us and nothing was good enough. I asked him to help and decide for himself what he needs, but he lacked motivation/had no idea what to do.

We started a business selling boat parts in the 6 months we were unemployed. It hasn’t started making money yet but it’s close to being ready to launch. I did most of the initial work thus far because I know web design and his role was going to be the knowledge on boating/handling customers once the business launched.

Since we broke up I’ve continued on the business because well, I put 6 months of time into it! I was planning on doing No Contact but my ex contacted me a week after breaking up to say he misses me and wants to help with the business.

I told him I can’t work wit him right now and need space. He said he respected that.

I sent him a short message two days ago concerning car insurance (his car is still in front of my house in California unfortunately, and he’s in New York). He said he wasn’t doing very well and was super depressed and exhausted, couldn’t find any jobs he likes.

He asked again to help on the business. I told him I couldn’t work together and I would buy him out of his half when it began making money.

He said he understands, but to not change the ownership yet because he just doesn’t know what he wants right now. He said again he misses me and kept trying to keep the phone call longer.

I’ve dated a lot of guys, this is my third serious relationship, and despite the age gap he has been the most loving and wonderful boyfriend I’ve ever had. And, despite everything we had overall a wonderful relationship. He was bawling his eyes out when he broke up with me, told me he’s worried he’s making the stupidest mistake giving up the right girl.

He was unhappy and depressed, I think he saw breaking up with me as a potential solution to those feelings and now, a month into it it’s not. But I don’t think he’s in a hurry to get me back either, I have a feeling he won’t until he’s rebounded with a few other girls to know if he truly is missing out on not having slept with anyone else.

I guess my question is, do I continue to tell him I don’t want to work on the business together? Is this him just trying to keep me close in case his other endeavors fail? Or is this him slowly telling me he thinks he made a mistake and wants to work up to us getting close again? My first gut feeling is, I want him to experience a summer without me and without my help getting money, so he can truly know if his life is better on his own.

I’m just confused about the NC rule, I know it means the dumpee doesn’t reach out but once the dumper starts reaching out, how much do you let in and how much do you keep him at a distance?