Laura chuckled and took a seat next to him in the sand. “No, I only got to go a couple of times, and it was never like this. There wasn't sand here at all, and there were always huge lines of people. This is a lot different than when I went.”
“I want to live here,” Ivy said, with a huge smile. “Can we just move here? We can play on the beach all day every day.”
“I wish,” Laura said. “That would be fun.”
Ethan walked up and took a seat next to Laura. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. The two of them stared at the water, admiring the waves. Laura relaxed into him and let out a nice, long sigh. For the first time in a while, she felt completely at ease. Her worries were gone, and the only thing that mattered to her was that present moment.
“It's peaceful, isn't it?” Ethan said.
“It really is,” she agreed. “You want to go swimming?”
“Do I?” he said, quickly standing up and taking her hand. “Do you even have to ask?”
Laura stood up, and as soon as she was on her feet, Ethan grabbed her by the waist and lifted her from the ground. She squealed and giggled as he carried her toward the water.
“It's going to be freezing!” she said. “Don't throw me in!”
Ethan laughed and increased his pace. He was taking giant steps through the sand, with Laura draped over his shoulder.
“Dallas! Ivy! Save me!” Laura called out, laughing the whole time.
The kids looked up from their sandcastles but didn't run to help. They just giggled as they watched Ethan playfully throw Laura into the water. To her surprise, it wasn't cold at all and in fact, was quite warm. When she stood up, her hair had fallen into her face. She pushed it to the side to see Ethan standing there with a playful smirk. He was still completely dry, except for his feet.
“I'm going to get you,” Laura said, running toward him.
Ethan took a step back, but Laura was too fast. She tackled him in the waves, and they began to wrestle in the water playfully. The kids finally came in with them, and all four started splashing each other. Within seconds, they were all soaked.
“I love the beach,” Dallas said randomly.
Laura laughed as she lifted him into the air. “I love it, too, buddy. Now, what do you say we go finish that sand castle you guys started?”
“That's a great idea,” Ethan said. “I'll race you guys. Last one to the sand castle is a rotten egg.”
Laura set Dallas back down, and all for of them sprinted out of the shallow water and back to the warm sand. Ethan let everybody else get there before him and pretended to be panting with exhausted as he approached the castle.
“You guys beat me,” he said.
“You're a rotten egg,” Dallas said, giggling.
“I know,” Ethan replied, laying on the sand. “That's a bummer, huh?”
They spent the next hour or so building the sandcastle, and by the time they were done, it looked like the Taj Mahal. It was at least as big as a dog house, with two stories and intricate windows engraved in the walls by Ethan.
“I need a picture of this,” Laura said, pulling out her phone.
“Wait, hold on,” Ethan said, hopping up from the sand. “I'll take the picture with you and the kids next to the castle. It'll be a family picture for you.”
“We want you in the picture, too, Ethan,” Ivy said.
Laura shrugged. “You want to be in it?”
“Sure, yeah,” Ethan said, smiling. “Let me just grab an employee.?
?
He jogged off and a moment later came back with a young lifeguard. Laura handed him the phone and then all four of them situated themselves around the castle.
“Okay, say cheese,” the kid said, holding out Laura's phone.