Page 77 of Best Laid Plans
Cam grinned, energy threading through his veins as he readied himself for what came next. He had another stop before he laid it all on the line with Elle.
Cam walked into Pierce’s Lobster Co. and ignored the sensation bubbling up in his throat. The one that made him feel like he could throw up at any second. After all, it wasn’t every day that he had to approach the father of someone he’d been caught in a compromising position with. Who also happened to be the man whose business he wanted to invest in. Add that he looked at Jim Pierce as both a father figure and a mentor, and Cam’s hands were so clammy that he hoped he didn’t need to hold anything.
But he was done running. He was here, ready to stand in the face of whatever Mr. and Mrs. Pierce needed to level at him. If they thought he wasn’t good enough for their daughter, he’d prove them wrong. If they didn’t like his proposal, he’d make them a better offer.
Elle had done the hardest part. She’d put herself on the line. For him. Forthem. So–up to and including–walking through literal fire seemed like a cakewalk compared to what she’d already done.
He was determined as he reached the counter, Mrs. Pierce looking up in surprise. “Cam, you’re here.” But the way she saidhis name, like he was a son returning home from war, made warmth spread through his chest.
“Is Mr. Pierce around?” Cam asked, rocking his weight from one foot to the other, willing himself not to lose his nerve. “I have something I want to talk to both of you about.”
Cam hadn’t realized how spry she was until she’d already reached across the counter and pulled him into a surprisingly strong hug. Her arms wrapped around him, holding him close. Softness and support enveloped him, like she’d already given him at so many points throughout his life.
He relaxed into the sensation, refusing to give into the reflex to run away from it.
“I need to watch the counter, but you go on back,” she said, pulling back so that she could gesture past him to the line that had already formed. And then she winked before adding, “Can’t be slacking when Pierce’s is in its revival period.”
Confused and a little bit dazed, Cam made his way to the end of the counter before approaching the swinging door that led into the kitchen. He pushed it open and took a deep breath.
Mr. Pierce stood at one of the large boilers, tongs ready to pluck out a lobster when it was perfectly done by sight. He’d taught Cam the same way, and they must have spent hundreds of hours staring over those boilers together until he and Mr. Pierce would go for the lobster at the same time when it was the perfect shade of red.
He smiled at the memory, even as the anxious, buzzy feeling in his body returned.
“You did a great job the last few weeks,” Mr. Pierce said, his focus staying on the pot in front of him.
Cam dropped his head, still feeling undeserving of someone like Jim Pierce’s praise. He’d made Pierce’s Lobster Co. a Rock Harbor staple for three decades. He loved his wife deeply. He’d raised two incredible–albeit stubborn–children. And now, adding a level of importance to the mix that made Cam feel likethis was the second most important conversation of his life, he was the father of the woman who Cam was deeply in love with.
But being worthy of something was about showing up and doing the hard things. And he wanted to be worthy. For Elle, but also for himself. “I appreciate you saying that, Mr. Pierce. And these last few weeks have really made me think about the future of Pierce’s, especially with the offer from Heads & Tails. Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about it, if you have a few minutes.” Truly, a hat-in-hand moment.
Mr. Pierce dipped the tongs smoothly into the water and plucked out the lobster. “Ah, perfect,” he said, holding it up for Cam to see before placing it to the side to cool. He put the tongs back on their hook and wiped his hands on his apron before gesturing to Cam. “Let’s fry some clams.”
Cam wasn’t exactly sure what was happening, but he watched as Mr. Pierce walked into the refrigerator and brought out a container filled with clams that had been soaking in the milk marinade, slightly pink from the cayenne pepper.
“Grab the batter,” Mr. Pierce directed as he took the lid off the clams.
Cam walked over to one of the large storage racks and pulled down the multi-gallon bucket, usually filled with a combination of flours and spices. In the weeks that Cam had kept things running, he hadn’t needed to refill the tub.
Today, it was empty.
Cam’s ears perked up. He’d been waiting almost twenty years for this. Without being asked, he grabbed the ingredients he already knew were included, placing the various-sized containers on the prep table. Talk about feeling like a kid on Christmas morning.
Mr. Pierce gave him a look before he started speaking. “One part corn flour. One part all-purpose flour. Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste.” The secret ingredient was still missing, but he knew that all the Pierces loved a good reveal.
“Why now, after all this time?” Cam asked, quickly measuring the ingredients and dumping them into a large mixing bowl.
When Mr. Pierce didn’t respond right away, Cam looked up, proud eyes staring back at him. “Kid, I swear that by the time you were sixteen, I didn’t have anything left to teach you.”
Cam scoffed, even as a pleased warmth spread through him. “That’s not true. I was still using a knife like a machete back then.”
Mr. Pierce laughed. “We both know that isn’t true. You’ve always had a knack in the kitchen, but it was the amount of effort that you put into it that made you truly great. I thought to myself so many times over the years, ‘now there’s a kid that can do anything he puts his mind to. If he wants to be, he’s going to be a great chef one day.’”
A lump formed in Cam’s throat. He stood in front of the mixing bowl, his voice thick with emotion. “I learned from the best.” And he meant every word. No one had taught him more about the kitchen–or about life–than the man standing across from him.
Mr. Pierce picked up one of the clam strips and began to let the excess liquid drip off. “Fill a shallow container with the batter.”
Doing as he was told, Cam tried to figure out what he was missing. He knew all of these ingredients, had figured out the ratios years ago, even without Mr. Pierce confirming them.
“Elle gave me some paperwork yesterday.”
