Chapter 605

Chapter 605

When Nate was two years old, Louisa and Julian decided to take him on a trip.

"Where are we going?"

Louisa leaned against Julian, flipping through a travel magazine with a smile.

"Where do you want to go?"

Julian held her close, chin resting on top of her head, his voice soft.

"I want to go to the beach," Louisa said after a moment. "Nate's never seen the ocean."

"The beach it is, then."

Julian nodded. "I'll take care of everything."

A week later, the three of them boarded a flight to the coast.

It was Nate's first time on a plane. He was practically vibrating with excitement.

He plastered his face against the window, watching the clouds drift past, giggling nonstop.

"Mommy, look — clouds! So many clouds!"

He pressed his finger to the glass, eyes wide.

"So many clouds," Louisa agreed, smoothing a hand over his hair.

"Daddy, they look like cotton candy!"

Nate spun around to Julian, his eyes absolutely shining.

"They really do." Julian smiled and reached over to give his chubby little cheek a gentle pinch.

The three of them — warm, happy, perfectly content.

When they finally arrived, Nate's excitement hit a whole new level.

He'd never seen the ocean before. The second he spotted it, he made a beeline straight for the water.

"Nate, slow down!"

Louisa chased after him, heart in her throat.

But Nate didn't slow down.

He ran barefoot across the sand, leaving a trail of tiny footprints behind him.

A wave rushed in and splashed his feet.

He giggled, hopped back a step — then charged forward again.

"Mommy, look — the ocean! It's so big!"

He stood at the shoreline, staring out at the endless blue, completely breathless.

"It really is."

Louisa walked over and scooped him up, laughing.

Julian stepped up behind them and wrapped his arms around them both.

"You love it here?" he murmured near Louisa's ear.

"I love it."

She leaned back into him. "Thank you, Julian."

"Don't thank me for something like this."

Julian smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek.

Nate looked between them and burst into giggles.

"Mommy and Daddy are kissing!"

He clapped his little hands together, absolutely delighted.

Louisa's cheeks went pink. She gave Julian a light shove.

"Stop it — he's watching."

"So what? He's our son."

Julian laughed and kissed her cheek again.

Nate laughed even harder.

At noon, they had lunch at a seafood restaurant right on the beach.

It was Nate's first time eating lobster. Somehow he managed to get it all over his face.

"Mommy, it's so good!"

He held up his little hands, grinning ear to ear.

"Slow down — don't choke," Louisa said, still laughing as she reached over to wipe his mouth.

Julian watched them, his expression soft.

He picked up his phone and snapped a photo.

In the picture, Louisa was smiling, dabbing a napkin at Nate's face.

Nate had both hands in the air, grinning like he'd won something.

Sunlight fell across them — warm, golden, perfect.

That photo later became Julian's phone wallpaper.

That afternoon, the three of them built sandcastles on the beach.

Julian dug the sand. Louisa shaped it. Nate's official role was to cause chaos.

"Daddy, this part needs a tower!"

Nate pointed at the sandcastle, dead serious.

"Adding a tower." Julian smiled and built one.

"Mommy, this part needs a door!"

"Adding a door." Louisa smiled and shaped one in.

"And a window!"

"Adding a window."

Nate stood back and studied the finished castle with a slow, satisfied nod.

"Yeah. It looks good."

He clapped his hands.

Then he kicked the whole thing over.

"My sandcastle!"

Louisa gasped, pretending to be furious.

Nate cackled and bolted.

"Daddy, save me — Mommy's gonna get me!"

Julian laughed and swooped him up.

"Okay, okay. Settle down."

All three of them were in tears laughing.

In the evening, they sat together on the sand and watched the sun go down.

The sky turned gold. The ocean caught the light and held it.

Nate was nestled in Louisa's lap, watching the horizon, his eyes soft and bright.

"Mommy, is the sun going home?"

His voice was barely a whisper.

"It is. It's going home to sleep."

Louisa smiled.

"Will it come back tomorrow?"

"It will."

"Good."

Nate gave a small, satisfied nod — and slowly drifted off to sleep right there in her lap.

Louisa looked down at his sleeping face.

Something in her chest went quietly, completely soft.

Julian came over and draped his jacket around her shoulders.

"Let's head back. Don't want you catching a chill."

"Okay."

Louisa nodded, lifted Nate into her arms, and stood.

Julian took Nate in one arm and Louisa's hand in the other as they walked back toward the hotel.

Back in the room, Nate had worn himself out completely. He was asleep almost before he finished his bath.

Louisa and Julian sat out on the balcony, quiet and close, listening to the night.

The sound of the waves came and went — steady, gentle, like a heartbeat.

Julian pulled her against him, chin resting on top of her head. "From now on, we take Nate somewhere new every year."

"Deal."

Louisa tilted her head back against his chest. "Everywhere we can. Everything there is to see."

---

When Nate was three, it was finally time for preschool.

The day before school started, Louisa and Julian took him shopping — a new backpack, new supplies, new everything.

"Mommy, I want this one!"

Nate pointed to a blue backpack, eyes lit up.

"If you like it, it's yours."

Louisa smiled.

"Thank you, Mommy!"

Nate threw his arms around her legs and squeezed.

Julian watched them, warmth written all over his face.

He picked up a small pink backpack and turned it over in his hands.

"This one's cute."

"Daddy, that's for girls!"

Nate wrinkled his nose, completely serious.

"What about this one?"

Julian held up a green dinosaur backpack.

Nate's whole face lit up. "That one's awesome!"

"Then we'll get both," Julian said easily.

"Daddy, you're the best!"

Nate launched himself off the ground.

Louisa just shook her head, biting back a smile.

He was absolutely going to spoil that child rotten.