Summer Love at the Beach (Summer Instalove)

zones.

Every time I heard the crackle of the metal detector find something, my heart leapt into my

throat. After finding two earrings, at least a dozen quarters, and a tacky bracelet, my

nerves were completely on edge. This was perhaps the first time in my life that I’d been

genuinely afraid, and I was coming to realize that the feeling was beyond discomfort. It was

downright painful.

I noticed that the guy closest to Brendan’s house finished his section, and began sweeping up the tiny path toward the house. I tried not to get my hopes up when I heard the crackle

again.

“Hey, Mitch,” he called, “Is this it?”

I raced to him, and he held out a rose gold necklace with a string of stars. “Oh, thank God,”

I muttered. My hand shook like a leaf as I reached for it.

Thanking all three of them profusely, I paid two of them a hundred and fifty dollars cash

each, and five hundred to the finder.

Rushing into my house, I took a dish towel and carefully polished the necklace. Finding a

scrap of tissue paper in my junk drawer to wrap it in, I began to head out the door, then

stopped.

Should I text her first to warn her that I’m coming? Should I try to talk to her?

My stomach was tied up in knots, and I second-guessed every possible move. I realized

that I needed to see her eyes. If she didn’t want to be with me, I needed to read it on her

face, otherwise I could never trust it.

As I walked over to her house, I could see Becca in the window. I waved for her to come

down, and she nodded. As soon as she came outside, she walked quickly toward me,

muttering, “Beach walk, away from house.”

Following her across the sand, she headed away from my house, further down the beach.

Once we were several houses away, she slowed down and turned to me. “I’m incredibly

angry with you. But I saw that you had guys with metal detectors out this morning. Thank

you for trying.”

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out the hastily wrapped tissue package and handed it to

her.

Becca’s pretty little mouth fell open. “You found it?” she breathed, staring at me for two