Andie laughed. “Not yet, but you never know. I’m just trying to help them out and maybe pick up a few things for my shop.”
“The shop looks great.” Shane fiddled with the hammer, trying to think up interesting things to say and refrain from blurting out something about her running off again.
“Thanks.” Andie sipped her lemonade. “So, you’re settling in since the navy, I guess.”
“Yeah. That was a few years ago, and my son is here and Caleb, so that makes it nice.” Thoughts of his grandson, Caleb, made Shane smile.
“Itisnice to be back,” Andie said. “It’s changed a lot but stayed the same too.”
“I know what you mean. The old places we used to hang around are still there and some of the old shops, but new ones like the bread store have come in.”
“The best part of the town never changes, thankfully.” Andie gestured toward the ocean, where the white sails of a sailboat bobbed amidst cobalt-blue seas.
“Remember all the bonfires we used to have down there as kids?”
Shane’s question brought a smile to Andie’s face. “Yes! How about the time that we got Steve’s brother to buy beer for us and we all lost track of time?”
“You got home late, and your mom was waiting on the porch!”
“I got grounded for a week, and I only had one beer.” Andie laughed. “Those were good times, though.”
“Sure were. Simpler times.” Shane grabbed the hammer. He really should get back to work, but all he wanted to do was stand here with the sun warming his shoulders and a cool drink in his hand and talk with Andie. Judging by the way she was lingering, Shane hoped that maybe she felt the same.
Her stomach grumbled loudly, and she looked down.
Before he even knew the words were coming out of his mouth, Shane said, “Guess it’s lunch time. I’m about to head down to the Clam Shack. You want to join me?”
Chapter Eleven
The Clam Shack was a Lobster Bay mainstay. Situated right on the beach, it had been frying up clams, onion rings, and fish since Andie was a little girl. They took Shane’s truck, which brought back memories of the hundreds of times they’d driven the route to the beach.
Of course, it wasn’t the same truck he’d had in high school, but as Andie gazed out the passenger-side window over the dunes at the ocean, she felt herself slipping back to those carefree days.
“Have you been here since you’ve been back?” Shane asked.
“No.” Andie stood in front of the small building, breathing the tantalizing aroma of fried clams, and wondered why she hadn’t.
“I don’t come here that often, trying not to clog up the arteries. Every once in a while it tastes good, though.” Shane stepped up to the window. “You still like tartar sauce?”
Andie nodded, surprised he remembered.
They sat side by side on the weather-worn gray wooden picnic table bench, facing the ocean. You couldn’t beat the view. The tide was out, and the ocean was about a hundred feet away. Andie could feel the moist, salty air on her cheeks and hear the rhythmic sound of the waves punctuated every so often by the cry of a seagull.
Toasted rolls overflowing with golden fried clams sat in red-and-white checked paper “boats” on the table in front of them. On the side of each tray sat a mound of French fries and creamy coleslaw in paper cups.
Andie slipped off her sandals and dug her toes into the warm beach sand.
“This table is ancient. Do you think it’s the same exact one we used to sit at?” Shane asked before trying to stuff the end of a roll in his mouth.
Andie looked behind her at the Clam Shack. The small building, barely big enough to house a kite, was painted white with green trim. A green-and-white striped awning shaded the order window. The menu posted on the side had been updated as well as the awning, but otherwise it looked the same as it had thirty years ago. “Could be. The place hasn’t changed much.”
“I think the portions are smaller.” Shane frowned at his roll.
Andie picked a clam out of her roll, dipped it in tartar sauce, and popped it into her mouth. Crunchy and sweet. “Still just as delicious though.”
A gull swooped down and landed on the beach in front of them, looking expectantly at the table.
“Remember that time a gull stole a clam right out of your hand?” Shane asked.
