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“Nothing, actually. That’s the weird part.”

“The hamster finally took a break?”

I laughed. “I think the hamster retired. Moved to Florida. Took up shuffleboard.”

He leaned down and pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “Good. He deserved a vacation too.”

I rolled onto my side to face him. He looked different out here. Younger. His hair was messy from the salt water, his skin golden from days in the sun. He looked happy.

I hoped I looked the same.

“Thank you,” I said.

“For what?”

“For taking time off with me. I know you have clients. Work. Things that actually matter.”

“Nothing matters more than this. Than you.”

My heart skipped a beat. I still wasn’t used to it. Being someone’s priority. Having a person who chose me over everything else without hesitation or resentment.

“I love you,” I said because I could. Because the words came easier now.

“I love you too.”

He caught my hand, bringing it to his lips. The kiss he pressed to my palm sent warmth spreading through my entire body.

We stretched out beside one another once again. The silence between us was comfortable now. It didn’t need to be filled with conversation or activity. We could just exist together.

I must have dozed off because the next thing I knew, voices were drifting toward us. Familiar voices, accompanied by the high-pitched squeals of children.

I opened my eyes to find Beau already sitting up, shading his eyes against the sun.

“Incoming,” he said with a grin.

I pushed myself up just in time to see a small army descending upon us. Cleo led the charge, her designer beach coverup billowing behind her like a cape. Behind her came Callum and Victoria, each carrying bags and towels and all the paraphernalia that seemed to accompany children everywhere. Drew and Kensey brought up the rear, with Katie perched on Drew’s shoulders and Grant racing ahead on unsteady toddler legs.

“Surprise!” Cleo announced, dropping an enormous beach bag onto the sand beside our towel. “We brought reinforcements.”

“And snacks,” Kensey added, pointing at a cooler.

Victoria spread out a blanket beside ours. “We brought food. Sandwiches. Fruit. Those little cheese things the kids like.”

Grant launched himself at Beau. Beau caught him easily, swinging him up into the air while Grant shrieked with delight.

“Uncle Beau! We’re at the beach!”

“I can see that, buddy. You ready to build a sandcastle?”

“The biggest one ever!”

Katie was demanding to be put down, her chubby arms reaching toward me. Drew lowered her to the sand, and she immediately toddled over, her gait unsteady but determined. I caught her before she could face-plant into the towel, lifting her onto my lap. She smelled like coconut.

“Hi, sweetheart,” I said. “Did you come to play in the sand?”

She nodded vigorously.

“Should we build a castle better than Grant?”