Page 85 of The Shell Collector
“We were best friends.Are,I guess.” She pressed her fingers to her temples. “Is it weird that it seems like time just rolled back? When Jack died, that whole situation tugged us apart, but it wasn’t like Paul had done anything. It was the grief. I was angry and hurt. It was just too hard to be around Paul. He and Jack were inseparable.”
“I can understand that. So then why would people think anything of it?”
“You know how people talk. It’s been barely over two years.”
“No one is counting anymore but you.” Maeve set the shell back down in front of Amanda. “It’s self-explanatory. Don’t worry about any of that. Just focus on making every single day a happy one. Live every moment to overflowing.”
“Cast my worries. I know, I know. I was praying about that this morning. I’m great at saying I’m doing that, but then I worry too.”
“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.”
“Heisgreat. 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.”
