Page 110 of Meant to Be

“I remember this one,” I said, plucking it from the pile, wondering if he knew its significance.

He gave me a cute little grin, confirming that he did. “I’m gonna wear it again….”

I laughed and called it absurd.

“Do you want a hat? It’s getting cold out there….”

“Okay,” I said, taking the elastic band from my ponytail and shaking my hair loose before choosing a white, ribbed wool hat. I put it on and, channeling my modeling days, gave Joe a faux pouty look.

He smiled and pulled me into a hug, whispering that he loved me. He didn’t say those words a lot, so it meant something every time. I told him that I loved him, too, feeling so happy.

We left the house via the back porch, following Thursday, who raced to the fence at the edge of the property, wagging his tail, waiting for us to catch up. A moment later, Joe was unlatching thegate, the three of us making our way down the wooden walkway, past the dunes covered with sea grass. Where the boards met the sand, Joe and I paused, taking in the view. That first glimpse of the ocean got me every time. There was nothing like it, no matter the weather. In some ways, I liked it even better on days like this one.

“Which way?” Joe said.

I glanced in one direction, then the other, pointing toward the northeast, where the sky looked slightly less ominous. Joe nodded in agreement as Thursday ran to the water’s edge, barking and chasing a seagull.

We began to stroll, finding that sweet spot of wet packed sand that was hard enough to walk on but not in range of waves. We laughed at Thursday’s antics but didn’t talk much, falling into a contented zone of quiet togetherness. A good bit of time and distance passed, though it was hard to measure either on the beach, before Joe asked what I was thinking.

I’d just been replaying our conversation about his potential congressional run, and I answered him honestly.

“Does that stress you out?”

“No.”

“Not even a little?”

“Nothing stresses me out right now,” I said. “Except the sky,” I added, looking up just as thunder rumbled in the distance. It was getting darker and windier, too.

“Should we head back?”

“Maybe,” I said. I remembered hearing once that you were more likely to get struck by lightning on the beach. I asked Joe if this was true, and he nodded.

“Yeah,” he said. “Not because of the water—just because you’re the shortest path from the sky to the ground.”

“Yikes,” I said, stopping in my tracks.

“But I’m taller, so you’re still safe,” Joe said, pulling me into his arms.

“Not if you’re hugging me,” I said, playfully pushing him away.

Joe assured me thatnobodywas going to get struck by lightning, hugging me again. I nestled against him, thinking there was nowhere in the world I’d rather be.

After a few seconds, he released me and said, “You know where we are right now?”

“No. Where?” I said, looking around.

“We’re about fifty yards from where we met,” he said, pointing up the shoreline.

“Oh, my goodness,” I said with a sigh, remembering. I smiled and said, “You were shameless that day.”

“I was?” Joe said, laughing. Clearly, he knew exactly what I meant.

“Using your poor dog to meet some random girl on the beach,” I said.

Joe grinned back at me. “A guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gottado.”

“And look at you now,” I said. “Still wearing the same ridiculous hat.”

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