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“This is great! We need to write an article about this.” Alissa pulled her small notepad out of her purse and scribbled down some notes.
Something about things passed down from generation to generation fascinated her. Bringing something old, like making candy by hand, into the modern era felt like the best kind of memorial—merging the past with a person’s favorite part of the present.
She’d interviewed lighthouse keepers, dog trainers, fishermen, and more. Every time, the mingling of the past and the present inspired her to write a great piece.
“Do you have a card from the paper?” Alissa asked Dane after she finished her notes.
Dane dug into his wallet and pulled a card out. Alissa thanked him and approached Pops.
“Hi there,” Alissa said. “I’m a staff writer at The Outlet, the local paper and magazine. Would you be interested in being interviewed? I’d love to hear more of your story.”
Pops was approachable, but Alissa always had a moment of anxiety when she asked for an interview. Some people were thrilled to have the chance to tell their story to a lot of people, but others turned shy at the thought. Alissa didn’t blame them, though. Telling your story to a stranger was never easy.
“Yes, I’d love to!” Pops smiled, tucking his hands into his pockets. “I’ve picked up copies of The Outlet before and I enjoyed it.”
“Great!” Alissa handed him her card. “Here’s our information. I can give you a call tomorrow to set something up.”
Pops took her card, looking at it before tucking it into his pocket. “That sounds good.”
Someone else caught Pops’ attention and he excused himself.
“You always find a story that people will like,” Dane said, resting his hand on Alissa’s back.
“I can’t help it.” She looked up at him, leaning against his side. “If I’m always looking, I always find something.”
“And that’s why you’re amazing at what you do.” He kissed her forehead.
“You guys ready to go?” Caitlin asked. She had a few small bags of candy in her hands, along with a stuffed cat. “We’ve gotten more than enough.”
“I’ll buy this candy and then we’ll be good to go.” Dane held up his cellophane bag of his favorite childhood candy.
He bought his candy and Alissa threw in a few last minute additions for their office candy drawer. They were set for quite a while, though Alissa knew she was going to buy more treats when she interviewed Pops.
But before they dug into their candy in earnest, Pearl brought them on a detour to the beach, where they picked up seashells and dipped their feet into the ocean. Walking on the sand and chasing Pearl around built up their appetites, so they swung by The Crab for lunch instead of indulging on their candy. Sitting at the table with the view of the ocean, eating incredible food while surrounded by the people she loved, warmed Alissa from the inside out.
As if he read her mind, Dane slipped his arm around her and kissed her forehead.
“Thank you for arranging this,” Dane said in her ear.
“It’s no problem. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
* * *
Alissa polished off her spaghetti Bolognese, chasing it with a sip of wine. The hearty dinner had been just what she needed after a long day of exploring Blueberry Bay. She and Caitlin had cooked together, which they hadn’t done in a long time. Caitlin’s skills in the kitchen far surpassed hers, so Alissa was glad to pick up on a few new tricks.
Dane and Pearl were sitting on the floor in the living room adjacent to Alissa’s small breakfast nook, playing Uno. Or that was what Pearl claimed they were doing—she was making up the rules as they went along. Dane just smiled, laughing at whatever new rule Pearl brought up and going along with it. Alissa was glad that Pearl was having fun and that she had a moment with her sister.
“Uno!” Pearl declared, putting down two cards.
“But you have two cards,” Dane pointed out, his voice gentle but playful in a way that tugged at Alissa’s heart.
“But seven minus six is one, so it’s Uno.” Pearl grinned, making Dane laugh.
“All right, then. Can’t beat that logic.” Dane put his cards down. “Want to play again?”
“Yeah!”
“Dane’s very sweet,” Caitlin said, turning back toward Alissa.
