The Shell Collector

by Nancy Naigle

  “Then you don’t believe it.” Maeve placed her hand on top of Amanda’s, patting it with each word. “No backup plan. Trust in the journey.”

  “I’ll try.”

  Just then the server came over, so Amanda placed their breakfast order, then handed the menus back to the waitress.

  “Paul stayed for dinner with us last night,” she blurted out.

  “You say that like it’s a bad thing. It’s dinner.”

  “So you think it’s okay? Really?”

  “Yes, I absolutely do. He seems wonderful. It scared the puddin’ out of me the way Hailey went screaming up to him on the beach. About gave me a heart attack, but no, I’m not worried about him one bit. He’s a good one.” Maeve paused, then lifted her shoulders in an impatient shrug. “Honey, Jack’s never coming back. If there’s something romantic or even just comfortable about being with Paul, enjoy it. Take a chance. The only people who need to be right with it is you and your children.”

  “He is great. I’m not going to lie. It’s been nice having him around, even just a day or so. He fixed my toilet. I’d mentioned it randomly ran in the middle of the night, and he went straight to the hardware store to get the stuff to fix it.” She snapped her fingers. “Like that. I didn’t even mention the gate being creaky, but he fixed it too. Just did it. Didn’t even tell me he did it.”

  “That’s pretty nice. That was always my love language.” Maeve tittered. “The little things. Take my garbage out and I feel so special. Other people are material. I don’t remember what all five love languages are, but you get the idea.”

  “Oh yeah. I’ve heard of them. I’m the same way. Fixing my toilet was better than a nice piece of jewelry, any day of the week.”

  “Sounds like Paul knows that about you.” Maeve seemed to be studying her reaction, making Amanda self-conscious.

  “He should. We were all best friends for a long time.”

  Tug sat down at the table. He made a playful double cluck with his tongue and patted Maeve’s hand. “How’s my best girl this morning?”

  “I’m fine, you old flirt.”

  “She loves it when I flirt with her,” he said to Amanda. “Plays hard to get, but I know.” He leaned sweetly over and nudged Maeve.

  “Stop it.” Maeve swatted his hand away. “You say that to all the girls.”

  Amanda had a feeling Tug wasn’t kidding, though. There was a sparkle in his eyes, and kindness in his actions.

  “What do you two have your heads together about this morning?” he asked.

  “The shells with the messages,” Amanda said to Tug. “Have you ever heard of anyone finding more than one?”

  “Yes, I have. Remember, Maeve? There was that article in the paper a few years back. That woman had found what, two or three?”

  Maeve didn’t seem to remember. “Not sure.”

  “It’s strange how the right message gets to each person,” Amanda said. At least that was the case with the two she had found.

  “I don’t know,” Tug said. “I liken it to how we can all sit in church and hear the same sermon, but each of us feels like that preacher was giving us a personal communication. We all hear what we need to hear.” Tug got up. “More coffee for my best girl?”

  “Thanks, Tug.” Maeve’s soft response was filled with appreciation. “That’d be great.”

  Amanda waited until he got out of earshot, and then she leaned in. “He likes you.”

  “No.” Maeve shook it off. “We just have a million years of history.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. I’m telling you, I can see it in his eyes.” The door opened, and Hailey and Jesse zipped inside to a chorus of the Gilligan’s Island theme song led by The Wife.

  “We learned a song.” Hailey scooted into the booth. “We love playing with that bird. She really likes us too. We’re trying to teach her our names.”

  “She’s very smart,” Maeve said. “She’ll be saying hello to you by name before you know it.”

  Hailey clapped her hands. “I can’t wait.”

  “Hey, you two,” Amanda said. “I was thinking about taking Denali over to Paws Town Square for a walk this afternoon. How does that sound?”

  Jesse bounced in his seat. “That would be fun!”

  “Maeve should come with us,” Hailey said. “You have to see that place.”

  “Yes, Maeve,” Jesse said. “Please?”

  Maeve hesitated, but only for a moment. “Yes, I’ve been wanting to see how it turned out, and the time keeps slipping away.”

  “Slipping away? Is everything okay?” Amanda felt a note of panic in her voice.

  “Oh, it’s just an expression. I’m not getting any younger.” Maeve seemed uncomfortable, shifting in the booth. “I could go around two. Would that work for you?”

  “That sounds great,” said Amanda.

  The waitress brought their order to the table, and Maeve got up. “I’m going to let y’all eat. I need to get home and make some calls this morning so I can play later.”

  “I’d offer you a ride home, but we walked down today too. Besides, I know you prefer the beach route, and I’d never try to come between you and your treasures.”

  “Well, you are one of them, my dear. You and these two.” Maeve pointed at the tops of Hailey’s and Jesse’s heads. “But I do need my daily dose of the ocean as well.” She spread her arms wide and started to walk out the door. “The tide beckons me.”

  * * *

  —

  It was late in the afternoon when Amanda pulled into Maeve’s driveway and tooted the horn. Denali lazed in the back between the car seats.

  Maeve walked down the stairs. It was the first time Amanda had seen her in anything other than a skirt or dress. Dressed in blue jeans, she looked alarmingly thin.

  “Hi, Maeve!” Jesse said.

  “Hello, you two. Didn’t I just see you this morning?”

  Hailey blew her a kiss. “You did. And Denali’s here too.”

  “I don’t think he’s very excited about going walking.” Jesse’s lips pulled to the side.

  Maeve slid into the passenger seat.

  Amanda glanced in the rearview mirror before backing out onto the street. “This may be the world’s shortest walk.”

  “It’ll be fine.”

  They drove over to Paws Town Square, and Maeve marveled at the surroundings as she got out of the car. “It’s pretty enough to be a resort for people, not just pets.”

  Hailey tumbled out of the car, and Jesse raced around to help her with Denali, who was standing at the edge of the seat, looking out but not budging. Hailey tugged on the leash, but that only made Denali lie down.

  “Don’t pull him too hard. Here, let me get that.” Amanda walked over and commanded Denali to get out of the car, finally tapping him on his rear end to get him moving. He hit the ground with a hefty one-two snort.

  “Let’s go, Denali.” Hailey started walking, and Denali moved in a languid lumber, picking up speed at a slow rate. Jesse skipped alongside.

  “You’ll love this.” Amanda hung back with Maeve. “When we got home this morning after breakfast, someone had rolled my trash can out to the street for me. Had to be Paul.”

  “That was so thoughtful. Let the man do nice stuff for you. Quit being surprised. There’s not a mourning period we have to complete before we’re allowed to feel happy again. Besides, I like seeing you smile.”

  “It’s taken you years to get there. Why are you rushing me?” Amanda tried to make it sound like a joke, but honestly, did she have a right to feel this way about Paul?

  “I’m a hardheaded old fool, and I didn’t have someone like me around to give me expert advice. Everyone is different. Some people find love again immediately.”

  “What if he’s just feeling guilty?” Amanda lowered her
voice. “Survivor’s guilt or something?”

  “I don’t think he’s that kind of guy. Enjoy it and keep living a good life. It will all fall into place.”

  They walked inside and Maeve let out a gasp. “A bakery for dogs? What will they think of next?”

  They took to the walking trail. Air-conditioning and fans kept the air not only cool but dry, which was a relief from the humidity outside. They noticed that fun facts were posted among the plants along the route. Some were even multiple choice with electronic answer boards. The kids had fun guessing them, and as a team they’d scored pretty well.

  Surprisingly, Denali enjoyed the walk once he got going. His tongue curled as he panted, but it looked like he was smiling.

  A few people passed, walking their dogs.

  “Amanda?”

  The voice had come from behind them. She turned and so did Maeve.

  It was Paul, jogging up with a German shepherd wearing a service vest.

  “Paul? What are you doing here?” The dog’s vest looked heavy. “I can see you’re running, but does the base let y’all train here now?” As hot as it was, it would be a nice way to train, but then she never knew any Marine to worry about doing things the easy way. They were as tough as they came. “I take it this is your military working dog.”

  “Oh no. This guy’s retired now. I’m just running him. Keeping us both in shape.”

  He’d always been committed to a healthy lifestyle as long as she’d known him.

  “Hi!” Hailey waved to Paul. “Can I pet your dog?”

  “Sure. His name is Gauge.”

  “Hi, Gauge.” Hailey reached down to pet him.

  Amanda watched her, proud that her little girl wasn’t afraid, but then she caught Maeve looking Paul square in the eye for a long moment. Amanda watched them both but couldn’t read either of them.

  Maeve grabbed for Denali’s leash from Amanda. “I’ll take Denali and the kids over to feed the koi. I hear they’ll come right up to the top of the water.”

  She was already racing away with Hailey and Jesse in her wake.

  “Yeah. They will,” Paul said. “Clap three times,” he called after them. He shifted the shepherd’s leash in his hand. “Don’t think she even heard me,” he said.

  That was strange. Amanda couldn’t help the feeling she was missing something between the two of them.

  22

  Paul regretted not telling Amanda he was no longer a Marine the first time she’d made mention of it. That would’ve been so much easier. The way her head was cocked now, he could tell she thought something was up. Maeve’s stink eye hadn’t been all that subtle either.

  His mouth was as sticky as a tree toad’s toes. “Amanda, I’m not in the Marine Corps anymore.”

  “What?”

  “Haven’t been for a while now.” He watched her, waiting for that dash of disappointment in her eyes.

  Her long lashes lifted. “That’s the last thing I expected to hear.”

  “I should’ve told you sooner. When Jack died, I became reckless. Guilt took over my good judgment. I had to get out and redirect my attention before I got someone else killed. I was a mess.” He lowered his head. “I’m sorry if I’ve disappointed you.”

  “What? Paul, you haven’t disappointed me. Sure, I was proud that you and Jack were serving our country, but that’s not what makes you special. It’s who you are inside. In fact, it’s a major relief.” Her tongue flicked across her lips.

  “I don’t want you to think less of me. Jack gave his life for this country. He’s a hero.”

  “Stop, Paul. I hate to even say this out loud, because I’ve been trying to ignore the possibility of it, but if you were still in the Marines, I don’t think I could risk that hurt again. I mean, I realize it’s a long shot that anything would ever happen to you, but I—”

  “There’s more. I’m running Gauge here because I own this place. Well, not just this one, but the whole business. The location in Virginia, and three more underway.”

  He could almost hear her replaying what he’d just said in her head, but she didn’t look offended or mad or even that surprised. Please let this be okay.

  Her eyes darted from one side of the huge building to the other. “How did you achieve all this in such a short amount of time?”

  “I was broken emotionally, but I had a plan. I wanted to still make a difference, and I got lucky. I tapped on the right doors. Got the right investors and supporters who also wanted to make a difference for our veterans. You see, it’s not just the kennel or these retired military dogs. It’s the veterans who need work while healing from PTSD. We are partnering closely with several organizations.” He stopped and took a breath. “Sorry. I’m kind of passionate about it.”

  “Congratulations. This is amazing!” She looked around. “I’m…I don’t know…impressed. Proud. Excited for you. All of that.”

  He sighed with relief. “I’m really proud of it. This company is so much more than a cool place to leave your dog. There’s a lot of personal stuff that goes along with it. Ties back to my fellow military men and women. It’s a long story.”

  “I want to hear it, no matter how long it takes. And, Paul…I could never think less of you. No matter what you did. You’re not what you do. It’s you.” She tapped his shirt at his heart. “This is who you are. You have always been thoughtful and caring.”

  “I’ve been so blessed, and I’m passing it on, Amanda. There’s so much more to this business that I can’t wait to share with you. It touches lives in a way that I could have never dreamed of, and I don’t do it alone. One heart touches another and the talents just flow.”

  “Gift. This is your gift.” She nodded with a reassuring smile. “It sounds like it was meant to be. I’m so excited for you and so proud of you.” Gauge sat at attention in front of them. She reached down and stroked his ear.

  “I need to finish Gauge’s run. Can I come over tonight?” Please say yes.

  “I was hoping you would.”

  “Yes.” The fist pump had been an automatic response. He pulled her into a friendly hug. “Thank you.” He released her, looking into her smiling face. “We’re going to run. He’s on a strict exercise routine, but I’ll be over tonight. I can bring pizza.”

  “No, I’ll cook. Just show up. Whenever. We’ll be there.”

  He took off running. His legs felt strong, probably from the adrenaline, and the dog geared up right with him too. He turned and waved a hand in the air. “See ya later.”

  Maeve stood on the bridge with the kids. Jesse was on tiptoe, peering over the rail.

  The boards echoed as Gauge’s feet double-timed across the planks over the exercise pond.

  “See y’all later,” he said as he jogged by.

  “Bye.” Hailey and Jesse were still waving when he transitioned from the bridge back to the Astroturf. In the reflection of the large round security mirror that hung between the trees, he could see them still standing there. When he spotted Amanda’s bright-blue shirt, his pulse quickened.

  She wasn’t mad. Glee pumped through him.

  He took Gauge for one more fast lap, and then they cooled down with a game of catch and fetch in the water-park area outside. The two of them relaxed and dried in the sun. Best job in the world.

  He’d honored Amanda’s wishes to stay away, but when he saw her on the beach, those old feelings flooded back. A thousand what-ifs ran through his mind. He thought about his love for her all these years, impossible to act on while Jack was alive. He’d all but buried those feelings in finding a way to move on. Seeing her again awakened all of that hope.

  He’d worried that Amanda wouldn’t understand how he could leave the Corps after Jack had given his life for it. He’d dreaded telling her, but she seemed genuinely relieved by the information.

  All that worry for n
othing.

  Now he just needed to win her heart.

  * * *

  —

  That evening, Paul stood at the back door of Amanda’s house with a paper grocery sack in one arm and a yellow plastic bag hanging from his other hand.

  “Hi, Paul!” The kids raced from the living room to greet him.

  “Hey!” He placed the bags on the floor, picked up Jesse, and slung him into the air. Then he twirled Hailey. “You ready for fun tonight?”

  “What are we going to do?”

  “It’s a secret, but I promise you’ll like it.” He turned to Amanda. “How long until dinner?”

  “About forty-five minutes. Do you need a snack?”

  “Nope. That’s perfect. I have a project for the three of us while you finish cooking. That is, unless you need our help.” He reached down and tickled Jesse. “Because all the fun happens after dark.”

  “Nope. I have dinner under control. You are dismissed.”

  “Awesome.” Paul moved the plastic bag to the corner, then unpacked the contents of the paper bag.

  “What is all that?” Amanda asked.

  “Well, the other night I fixed your squeaky gate.”

  “I noticed. Thank you, by the way.”

  “You’re welcome. Although it occurred to me later that I’d also eliminated your redneck burglar alarm.”

  She snickered. “It wasn’t intentional, but I guess it was a pretty good alarm.”

  “So I got you one of these systems where you can use an app to see who’s at the door and the gate. It’s safe here in town, but couldn’t hurt, right?”

  “That was thoughtful.” She picked up one of the boxes. “Yeah. Great!”

  “Won’t take long to install, and then you can see what’s going on here even if you’re over on the beach.”

  “I do like that.”

  “Can I have your phone so I can set up the app?”

  “Sure,” she said. “It’s on the charger over there by the door.”