Chapter 151
Amelia
I watched as Ethan knelt beside Lucas, helping him wash sand from his little hands at the beach shower. Even from a distance, I could see the careful way he held our son's wrist, gentle yet secure. Lucas didn't pull away this time - small progress that made my heart swell. The afternoon sun cast them in golden light, two dark-haired figures with the same stubborn set to their shoulders.
Olivia nudged me as we walked across the warm sand. "Your man's got some daddy skills after all."
"He's trying," I said, unable to keep the softness from my voice. "That's what matters."
We'd spent hours splashing in the waves while the men supervised the kids' sandcastle competition. Now, exhaustion and hunger were setting in. As we approached, Ethan looked up and caught my eye, his smile immediate and warm.
"Ladies returning from battle?" he called out, reaching for a towel
Ella ran to me, her curls wild with salt and wind. "Mommy! Daddy and Noah helped us build a huge castle!"
I raised an eyebrow at Ethan. "Daddy, huh?" I mouthed silently.
He shrugged, but couldn't hide his pleasure at the title. Standing, he wrapped his left arm around my waist, pulling me close enough that I could smell the sunscreen on his skin.
"What can I get you to drink?" he asked, his voice low in my ear. "The cooler's stocked with everything from champagne to coconut water."
"Coconut water sounds perfect," I answered, leaning into him slightly.
The simple domesticity of the moment struck me - Ethan asking what I wanted to drink while our son stood nearby, Ella chattering about sandcastles. It was so normal, so natural, like we'd been doing this for years instead of days. The feeling was warm and terrifying all at once.
"Lucas, drink some water," Ethan said, handing our son a bottle. "You've been in the sun for hours."
I watched, fascinated, as Lucas took the water without argument. Ethan's tone hadn't been commanding - just matter-of-fact, the way he'd speak to an adult. Lucas seemed to respond to that.
We made our way to the beach loungers where the others were settling. Michael was arranging towels and drinks with his usual quiet efficiency.
"Your boy never stops working, does he?" I whispered to Ethan.
"Neither do I," he replied with a wink.
Rachel approached James, who was sprawled across two loungers. "Move over," she demanded. "There aren't enough chairs."
"Find another one," James replied without looking up from his phone.
Sophie stepped in, touching Rachel's arm. "There are more loungers by the umbrella," she said, shooting James a look that was half reproach, half admiration.
I bit back a smile. Sophie's crush on James was becoming more obvious by the hour. James, to his credit, seemed determined to ignore it.
Rachel surveyed the elaborate sandcastle the men had built with the children. "On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it an eight," she announced.
"Only eight?" Noah looked up from where he was helping Ella add shells to her tower. "Why not a perfect ten?"
Rachel shrugged, her smile teasing. "Got to leave room for improvement, don't I?"
I turned to Ethan, admiring the intricate castle with its towers and moat. "I didn't know Wall Street elites had such talent with sand architecture."
Ethan pressed a kiss to my forehead, his hand warm against my back.
"The kids," I said, watching our children. "It’s really nice."
"They really have very different personalities. I want Lucas to learn how to solve problems independently," he said quietly. "But Ella needs encouragement to try new things. They're so different."
I nodded. "You're doing well with them. Just... don't be too hard on Lucas. He needs time to adjust to having you back in his life."
Ethan's hand tightened on mine. "I'll wait as long as it takes," he promised. "I'm not leaving again."
The sincerity in his eyes made my chest ache. I wanted to believe him - was starting to believe him despite everything.
Nearby, Noah draped a light beach cover-up over Olivia's shoulders as the breeze picked up. She was playing with Ella, pretending to consider moving into the sandcastle.
"Can I live here, princess?" Olivia asked, making Ella giggle.
"Yes!" my daughter nodded seriously. "You can have the tower with the shells."
Olivia's face softened with something that looked like longing as she arranged seashells around the sand tower. I wondered if she was thinking about having children of her own someday.
James suddenly stood, offering his lounger to Sophie. She beamed, thinking he was being especially considerate, until he said, "You're not getting any taller, so you might as well sit down."
Sophie, never one to back down, moved closer to him. "Look carefully, I'm not short."
James looked distinctly uncomfortable as she invaded his personal space to compare their heights. I caught Ethan's eye, and he was clearly enjoying James's discomfort. Even Noah seemed surprised, reassessing whatever assumptions he'd made about Sophie and James.
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, I leaned against Ethan's chest, watching Sophie boldly pursue James despite his obvious attempts to maintain distance.
"Sophie's brave," I murmured. "To be so direct about her feelings."
Ethan's arms tightened around me. "I could pursue you like that if you want," he whispered, his breath warm against my ear.
I shook my head quickly. "Stop joking... We're fine just as we are now; there's no need for all those fancy gestures."
"I could romance you properly, Amelia. If that's what you want," he said, his voice deep and serious.
I lowered my eyes, suddenly shy. "I just think, real feelings don’t need all the bells and whistles."
His fingers traced patterns on my arm. "How does it feel?" he asked suddenly. "The day here, I mean."
I considered the question, watching our children playing nearby. "It feels like that long-sleeping version of myself inside has finally opened her eyes," I finally answered.
Ethan brushed his lips against my temple. "Other people's stories might seem more exciting," he murmured, "but nothing compares to the moment you smile at me."
I leaned into him, wishing we could freeze this perfect moment forever. "I hope it stays this way," I whispered.