Fearless The King Series Book One - By Tawdra Kandle Page 0,143
During this incredible summer, we’d made the drive to the west coast as often as possible, sometimes with a large group of friends, several times on our own.
“I’m sorry now we didn’t bring the snorkel gear,” Michael remarked. “It would’ve been a good day for it.” He tightened his grip on my hand, and I could feel the anxiety banked just below the relaxed front he was putting forth.
We walked in silence for a while, although I could easily hear what was going through Michael’s head.
This is our last beach trip. For this summer, at least. Maybe I can work it out to drive down a few times before it gets too cool. It’s four hours to get home from the school. That’s not too far for a weekend. But then you add in the drive over here… maybe if it were a long weekend…
He was frowning now, and I reached over to smooth his brow.
“Hey,” I said softly. “I thought we weren’t going to think about anything but today. Wasn’t that your rule for this trip? No talking about the future.”
Michael shook his head at me ruefully. “I wasn’t talking about the future. I wasn’t talking at all.”
“Well, you were thinking awfully loud.” The hollow feeling in my stomach that I’d been holding at bay threatened again, and I deliberately pushed it away.
“Ouch!” Michael stopped suddenly, looking down at his foot. “Stepped on something. Maybe a broken shell or...” He leaned over and picked up something white that was sticking out of the sand. “Huh. Look at this.”
He held something white in his hand, studying it. When he turned it over, I saw that it was half of a sand dollar.
“Pretty,” I commented.
“And kind of unusual. I’ve found lots of pieces of sand dollars here, but never a half like this one.”
We walked on, slowly. I scanned the sand carefully, looking for shells. I had found some exquisite ones this summer, and I had planned to add to my collection today. Michael’s find had jogged my memory.
“But you know, we could.” It took me a moment to realize that Michael was continuing his earlier train of thought. “I can drive home from school on a Friday, after my last class, then we could come down here on Saturday.”
“That’s a lot of driving for you,” I observed. “And I don’t care about the beach. I mean, I’ve enjoyed it this summer, obviously, but as long as I can be with you, it doesn’t matter where we are.”
I was unprepared for Michael’s sudden stop. He used the hand he was holding to tug me back to him and pull me flush against his chest.
“We’re going to make it work,” he whispered. “I promise you we will. We were made to be together, and this next year is just a little detour. We’re going to be fine.” He covered my lips again, but this time, there was more desperation lying beneath the intensity.
The water rushed over our feet, and I felt something hard against my ankle. Breaking away from Michael, I looked down at our feet and sucked in my breath.
“Look at this!” Stooping, I picked up the flat white shell. It was another half sand dollar. I turned it over in my hands. “I can’t believe we found another one. You didn’t drop yours, did you?”
“Nope.” Michael held out his hand, with his half still visible. I took it from him and joined it with the piece I’d just found, and we both stared. The pieces fit together perfectly.
“See, it’s a sign,” Michael murmured. “Just like us. Two pieces of the same whole.”
“What are the chances that the two of us would find these two halves, and not even in the same section of beach?” I marveled.
About the same as the chances that the one girl in the world who is the other half of my soul would stroll into my school one day. Michael smiled at me and closed his hand over mine, which still held the sand dollar.
“Keep this. It’ll remind you that it was more than chance that brought us together, that keeps us together.”
“No, I have a better idea. You keep the half you found, and I’ll hold onto my piece. That way we’ll both have a reminder.” I smiled up at him, hoping the tears weren’t visible behind my sunglasses.
“Good idea.”
We turned then to look out over the Gulf. In the distance, dolphins were playing in the rolls of surf. The sun’s reflection glittered over the blue water. It was a perfect scene in a perfect day.