Paul was enthralled, for lack of a better word. Cassie's answer to the question was fascinating, and he listened with a great deal of attentiveness. Maybe it was the story itself, or even just the sound of her voice, but he was pretty captivated.
"That sounds...perfect, actually," he said, letting out a deep breath. He hadn't even realized he had been holding one in. "Simplicity is often the best way." There was a time when things had been simple for him too. A retired father who was still alive, friends, family. The ocean. Now everything was jumbled, but talking to Cassie made him feel like he could get back to that simplicity, that wonderful way of life. The happiness.
He snapped out of it, nodding a little. "Let's go in," he decided, and he wasn't one to turn down a trek into the water either. First he took off his shirt and dumped out his pockets - didn't want to drench his cellphone or his keys - and then was headed for the water. "I definitely owe you ribs someday," he went on, flashing her a smile. "So that recipe will be as good as mine."
Once he got in the water, the happy memories seemed to resurface easier. There was a feeling of calm and serenity associated with both the water and Cassie, something he couldn't quite describe. "There was a movie theatre on the Navy base," he began. "When we lived in Norfolk. It was cheap, only like a dollar or something ridiculous like that, and I would go almost every weekend. Popcorn came with it too, and so you'd have a bunch of 6-10 year olds running around trying to find the best vantage point for monster movies and such." Retelling the story made him smile. "I always liked that."