Page 45 of The Magic of Sea Glass
“You think I plan to be a fisherman forever?” He shrugged, the wind pushing his T-shirt against his toned chest.
She forced herself to look at his face.
“It’s just what I do right now. I can do it forever if I want to, but I can also do something else if I feel like it.”
“What do you plan to do when you get tired of fishing?” she asked.
“One day, I’ll show you.” He shrugged. “But there’s no rush. I like where I am now. I get to go wherever I want and do whatever I want. There’s freedom in that.”
“But Idowant a solid career and a family… and to spend more than a few hours feeling completely fine instead of on the verge of tears most of the time because I’ve losteverything.” She gripped her melted cocktail. “I’m sorry. I bring everyone down.”
“No, you don’t.” With a smirk, he gestured to Milton, who was frolicking in the surf.
She allowed a little smile but then sobered. “I do. You should be over there laughing and carrying on with everyone, but instead, you’re here with me, listening to all this.”
“But everyone needs someone to listen, right?”
“Most people can get along just fine on their own without dragging someone else into it.”
He cocked his head to the side. “What would happen if you let yourself off the hook, even a little?”
“Off the hook?”
“You don’t have to make all those things happen. You just have to be you and they’ll begin to show up around you. Before you know it, you’ll have the family you’ve wanted and the job you’ve been looking for.” He took a step toward her. “Right now,allyou have to do is stand across from me, right here. That’s it.”
She dragged her toes through the sand, drawing streaks in it. “You make life seem so simple.”
“It is.Wemake it hard.”
“My fiancé, Mason, thought the same thing. He wanted us to sell everything and move to the coast where we could live a less complicated life.”
With a proud grin, Brody held his arms out as if to say, “Here it is.”
Just then something cold washed up on her foot and she jumped.
Brody leaned over to see what it was. He reached down and plucked a shiny object from the tide. “You’re a magnet for sea glass,” he said, holding the clear piece of glass between his fingers. “This one looks relatively new. It’s still sort of pointy on one end.” He handed it to Lauren.
“That’s two pieces I’ve found on this beach so far,” Lauren said, inspecting it.
“You’re actually in a great spot to find it, here.” Brody turned his attention to the deep blue sea as it rushed toward them, pushing and pulling, back and forth. “The rip current can get strong in this area and it churns up all kinds of stuff. I’m always throwing away old visors and sunglasses that wash up, probably from vacationers who lose them on their boat rides.”
“Well, I guess I should add this piece to my little collection.” She slipped it into her pocket, feeling slightly better after talking to Brody. “Thank you,” she told him.
“For what?”
“For letting me get my feelings off my chest.”
He gave her a warm smile. “It’s no problem.”
There was something in his eyes.Interest?But before she could scrutinize it for too long, he turned toward the bonfire.
“We should probably get back.” He whistled for Milton, who ran through the sand toward him. “And you need some s’mores.”
“Me?” She stepped up beside him.
“Of course you,” he said with a laugh. “Milton can’t have chocolate.”
“I’ve never had one,” she said.
