Meant to Be (7 page)

And then she focused on something
else. With her fingers comfortably laced in his, Lauren discerned a
rough callous on his hand—the type of callous caused by target
practice.

A lot of target
practice.

Like hours of target
practice every day.

She should know. She had a blister on
her hand from the last few days on the range.

Lauren pondered her discovery. Was he
a police officer? Or an assassin? Those were the only two
professions she could think of that would require long hours of
range training and excellent marksmanship. Rad didn’t seem inclined
to talk about his career, and she didn’t want to ask. It would only
result in the obvious question of what she did for a
living.

“
So when you’re not
traveling, you still call Virginia home?”

Rad’s voice interrupted her thoughts,
and his question made Lauren pause to think. The last time she
‘hadn’t been traveling’ was back when she was still in school. That
seemed like a long time ago—days when getting to class and writing
papers had been pretty much the limit of her responsibilities.
She’d been out of the country almost continuously for close to five
years now and didn’t have anywhere here to call home.

She took so long to answer that Rad
must have thought she didn’t want to.

“
I mean, you still have
family in Virginia?”

“
No.” That one didn’t
require a lot of thought. “No family. I’m an only child and my
parents both died.”

“
Oh, sorry. Didn’t mean to
get so personal.”

“
No. That’s okay.” Lauren
took a deep breath and stared out over the water a moment, trying
to decide how much more she wanted to say. This was not something
she usually talked about, especially not with a stranger. Yet for
some reason, she felt it necessary to share.

“
They were on Flight 77.”
She paused and closed her eyes. It was hard to even say the words.
“On 9/11.”

She heard Rad murmur, “The Pentagon
flight.”

Lauren had tried to put that tragic
time behind her, but it wasn’t something she could ever forget. The
incident was stamped on her conscience as distinctly as a dark
tattoo etched on pale skin. It was the day she had gone from a
carefree—somewhat wild—teenager, to a focused, motivated adult,
intent on preventing anything like that from happening in the
United States again. It was the impetus for who she was and
everything she did. It both drove her and sustained her.

“
I’m sorry,” Rad said
again, obviously distressed at himself for bringing it up. “I’m
sure it hurts to talk about it.”

“
I don’t usually tell
anyone.” Lauren blinked back the moisture building in her eyes.
“It’s hard to share, even after all these years.”

Rad put his hand on her shoulder and
gave it a firm, compassionate squeeze. “I’m honored you shared it
with me.”

Lauren caught the reflection of his
thoughts in his eyes as he stared down at her and felt held fast by
the intensity of the sympathetic and supportive look.

“
How about you?” Lauren
tried to change the subject. “You from a big family?”

“
I got some brothers and
sisters here and there. Parents in Texas.”

“
You’re from Texas? I
didn’t detect an accent.”

“
My dad’s military. We’ve
lived all over.” He chuckled. “Nowhere long enough to get an accent
I guess.”

“
My dad was military too,”
Lauren said. “Navy. I guess that’s why I love the ocean so
much.”

“
Yeah, having a sailor for
a dad will do that to you.” He glanced over his shoulder at how far
they had come. “You need a break yet?”

“
No, I’m good.” She gazed
up at him with half a smile. “Unless you’re having trouble keeping
up or something and need to sit down.”

That caused him to laugh loudly.
“You’re still trying to beat me, aren’t you?” He rested his arm
across her shoulders for a moment. “Don’t get your hopes up. I
think I’ve got enough in me to make it until the bitter
end.”

As they continued walking, Lauren
observed other women noticing Rad, and she had to smile. She didn’t
blame them. He was a tall, rugged-looking man, and the way his tee
shirt emphasized the breadth of his shoulders was enough to make
even some of the grandmothers turn their heads.

Seemingly oblivious to the
complimentary looks, Rad glanced up at the sun. “It’s getting hot.
Maybe I do need a break. How about some ice cream?”

“
Good heavens.” Lauren
shook her head. “I’m going to have to go on a diet after
today.”

Rad put his hand out and squeezed one
of her biceps. “You seem to be in pretty good shape to me. I don’t
think a little ice cream will hurt you one bit.”

Lauren felt the color
rising in her cheeks at the compliment and scolded herself for
blushing like an enraptured teenager. No one knew how hard she
worked to stay physically fit with no gym—and no one had ever
noticed or cared. Not that they
could
notice with what she normally
wore. She shook it off and pushed her way to the counter, pulling
out a twenty dollar bill and slapping it down by the register. “My
treat this time.”

“
Okay. Okay. Equal rights
and all that. I get it.” Rad held up his hands and laughed. “But
don’t go getting all feminist on me.”

“
No need to worry about
that.” Lauren squinted at him. “I just want to pay my fair
share.”

Rad ordered his ice cream and turned
to face her. “Maybe you’re paying your fair share simply by being
here.” He didn’t give her time to analyze his words but took his
ice cream and her free hand and pulled her back onto the walkway.
“Let’s go. We’re not to the end yet.”

They ambled along eating their ice
cream without talking, sidestepping people and children, but
keeping a steady pace. With the Boardwalk now teeming with people,
it took some effort and concentration to walk without getting
tangled up in a baby carriage or bike.

Lauren finally paused a moment to wipe
some sticky ice cream off her hand with a napkin. “Where’re you and
your buddies staying anyway?”

“
Down around 15th, about a
block off the beach.”

“
Oh, one of those
frat-house type of places.”

“
Yeah, right. I don’t
think my buddies would like the comparison.”

“
Well, how would I know? I
just met you. Remember? And I still haven’t met your so-called
buddies.”

“
Guess you’re right. Feels
like I’ve known you forever.”

Rad kept walking, licking his ice
cream cone as if the words he’d said were nothing to him, but
Lauren’s heart picked up its pace again. It wasn’t because she
feared or felt threatened by him now—but because she felt the same
way. How could that be? In the breadth of half a day she had told
this man more about herself than she had shared with some people
she had known for years. Why did she feel so safe and secure with
him? And what was this startling and exhilarating sensation that
overtook her when he gazed deep into her eyes or wrapped his
fingers around hers?

She shook her head to clear
her thoughts. Her life was complicated enough. She made up her mind
right then and there not to add to the complexities and confusion
by fretting over where this was going. They would both be leaving
tomorrow and never see each other again.
Today is all that matters. Just go with it.

When they were done, and they had
removed the worst of the sticky ice cream off their fingers, Lauren
sat down on a bench facing the ocean. “Okay. Now it’s break
time.”

“
If you say so.” Rad took
a seat beside her.

“
You were just waiting for
that, weren’t you?” Lauren gazed up at him. “You wanted me to sit
down first.”

He held his hands in the air
innocently and shrugged. “Hey, if you need a break, that’s fine.
It’s not like this is a competition or anything.”

Lauren could tell from the tone of his
voice that a competition was exactly what it was, and his next
statement confirmed it.

“
But for the record, you
did call it quits first.”

She laughed loudly and with obvious
amusement. “You are almost intolerable. You know that?”

“
Pretty
sure I’ve been called worse.” He sat back and crossed his arms.
“Almost intolerable. Geez. That’s
almost
a compliment.”

“
I should have known you’d
see it that way.” Lauren shook her head.

Rad kicked his legs out in front of
him. “So what’s your favorite memory about your
grandmother?”

Lauren took a deep breath as she
thought about it. “Probably hunting seashells. We used to get up
early every morning so we’d be the first ones on the
beach.”

“
Hmm.” Rad nodded. “Like
this morning.”

“
Yeah.”

“
So what was the best
thing you ever found?”

Lauren crossed her arms, closed her
eyes, and leaned her head back. “My best find ever was actually
this morning.”

“
Really?” Rad laughed.
“Thank you.”

“
No-o, not you.” Lauren
elbowed him playfully. “I found a sand dollar.” She paused for a
moment as the memories came rushing back. “My grandmother always
talked about sand dollars—the elusive treasure we could never
find.” She looked up at him. “It’s like she put it there for me to
find this morning. You know what I mean? It’s so rare.”

“
That’s pretty special.
Worth losing your hat over.”

Lauren smiled. “Thanks to you, I
didn’t lose it.” She stared at the lacey-looking whitecaps dance
and dissolve on the dark waves. “You ever hear the sand dollar
legend?”

“
Something your
grandmother told you?”

“
Well, there’s actually a
poem about it that’s told at Christmas and Easter.” Lauren had left
the shell in her room, so couldn’t show him, but she tried to
describe it. “There are five slits on the shell that represent the
wounds on Christ when on the cross, and then there’s something that
looks like an Easter lily with a star in the middle that represents
the star of Bethlehem. On the back is the outline of a Poinsettia,
the Christmas flower.”

“
That’s pretty neat.” Rad
stared out at the water. “All in one little shell.”

“
Yeah. They also say that
when the sand dollar is broken apart, the pieces resemble five
doves spreading good will and peace.”

“
Then I guess you have a
real good luck charm.”

“
Yep. A gift from the sea.
Or heaven.” Lauren sighed and propped her feet up on the sea wall.
“I’m not sure which.”

Rad’s attention drifted instantly to
her toes. “Nice pedicure.”

Lauren smiled. “No pedicure. Just
painted them this morning.” She lifted her leg and pointed her
toes, twisting her foot one way and then the other as she admired
her work. “It’s supposed to be a shade called Sensational Sunrise,
but I think it looks more red than pink.”

Rad’s gaze moved slowly from her foot,
up her leg, until his sparkling eyes were focused on hers. “Well,
at least they got the sensational part right.”

Lauren felt a whooshing in her ears,
like an ocean wave had landed on her head. What kind of man noticed
a woman’s toenails? And complimented her on them? And was a perfect
gentleman? And fun to talk to? And as comfortable to be around as a
best friend?

She reached for the arm of the bench
to steady herself. Was she awake? Was this for real?

Rad leaned forward and touched her
little toe, which rested unnaturally under the one beside it.
“What’s up with this?”

“
Oh, I broke the little
toe and taped it to the next one as a splint.” She tried to wiggle
her toes, but those two didn’t move. “I guess I didn’t do a very
good job and it healed that way.”

“
You didn’t get it set by
a doctor?” His brow creased with astonishment.

Lauren shrugged as if it wasn’t
something she’d ever thought about. “No. It was just a broken
toe.”

“
Must have been a pretty
bad break. How’d you do it?”

“
Geez. You really want to
know how I broke my toe?” Lauren could feel her cheeks turning
red.

“
Well… yeah. Why
not?”

“
I was a teenager and it’s
embarrassing.”

“
Then I definitely want to
know.”

Lauren took a deep breath and thought
about it. “You have to promise not to laugh.”

Rad didn’t respond so Lauren bumped
him with her shoulder. “Promise or I won’t tell.”

“
All right. I
promise.”

“
Well…” Lauren hesitated,
not sure how to proceed. “Okay. So I was riding my horse in my bare
feet and decided to jump a fence.” She gazed up at Rad to make sure
he was keeping his promise. He appeared to be picturing the scene
rather than getting ready to laugh, so she continued. “The top rail
was down so it wasn’t that high, but my horse had second thoughts
and veered to the left.” She brought her foot up and pulled her toe
out from the others as far as she could. “My little toe hit the
fence post as we were going over and snapped back to about here.”
She pulled even harder, but her toe wouldn’t move, so she pointed
to where it had been flayed out from her other toes.