Page 87 of Between the Lines

It’s like something out of a Disney movie. The long sandy stretch between the blue water and tall grassy dunes is full of seashells, driftwood, and sandpipers running along the shoreline.

My eyes meet Caden’s and he smirks, almost shy.

“I always thought this area was cool,” he says, scrubbing his jaw. “Was this totally lame?”

I shake my head, gazing out at all the treasures.

“Are you kidding me? I used to spend hours scouring the beach as a kid for seashells. This is incredible.”

We start down the sand, carefully stepping around shells.

Scanning them, I spot a beautiful one in near perfect condition. It’s cream colored with rusty orange stripes and as shiny as a new penny. I cradle it in my hand, checking to make sure no little critter is calling it home.

“I discovered this specific area a few years ago,” Caden says. “I was trying to find an area to get away from the crowds one weekend, and as it turns out, people just stick to the main shores. No one explores this far.”

“People have no sense of adventure,” I reply in agreement, picking up shells and a piece of driftwood that would make the perfect jewelry hanger.

Within minutes, my arms are full, and my heart content.

I glance up to find Caden, but he’s further down the beach, gazing out over the water.

I make my way towards him and he looks up, eyes going wide at the stash in my arms.

“Ah—now I see why your house is packed full.”

“And I see why your house is so minimal. How do you come here and not take a souvenir?” I ask, truly aghast.

“I can come any time I want to get a shell, so I guess I never feel the need to.”

“Politely, I have to disagree with you there. Sometimes things only come around once in a lifetime. You have to harness the moment.” I look down at my findings. “See, like this.” I hold up a shell. “A perfect Scotch bonnet shell. Do you know how rare these are?”

Caden chuckles, hands shoved in pockets.

“You don’t get out much, do you?” he replies.

“Hey, you have no room to talk, you're a literal hermit crab!”

But he smiles in response and it disarms me.

The pattering of my heart reminds me how fast I’m falling, how fast our friendship turned into something more.

Sometimes I want to put my hands out and stop the fall, and other times I want to just jump and trust I’ll land.

“You hungry?” he asks, breaking me from his spell. He rubs a hand over his toned belly. By now I know this question means he’s hungry.

I glance down at my bountiful collection. “Yes, always.” I blow my bangs out of my face. “Did you happen to pack a lunch in that monstrous cooler of yours?”

Caden smirks. “I did, actually. I made turkey sandwiches.”

“How are you somehow more domestic than me?” I tease, and he rushes at me, wrapping his arms around my waist, picking me up, twirling me around with my feet off the ground.

“No! Don’t!” I scream out between laughter. “My shells!”

Caden puts me down. “Give me those.”

“What?” I cock my head back to look up at him.

“I’m carrying them.” He nods to my treasures.