Page 123 of I’m Already Gone

I nod, emotions welling in my chest. “Yeah, it feels right to be back. I’m going to grab the bags, okay?”

She hums with a smile. “Okay.”

Stepping out of the car, I stretch my stiff back before heading to the trunk. When I pop it open, a mountain of bags, coolers, and beach gear spills out.

“Alright, everyone, let’s grab a bag. Jake, you take the big cooler. Maddy, grab your duffel, and Ollie, you can carry your backpack,” I direct, pointing at him.

“Got it,” Ollie declares, puffing out his chest like he’s Superman.

I let out a snort-chuckle. The kid is freaking adorable.

Jake grunts, struggling to hoist the hefty cooler. “Holy crap, Dad. Why does this thing weigh a ton?”

I lift an eyebrow at him. “All that time in the pool and you’re complaining about a fifty-pound cooler?”

Jake scowls. “I’m a swimmer, Dad. Not an MMA fighter. There’s a difference,” he mutters, adjusting his grip.

Maddy steps forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Need a hand, Jake?”

“Nope.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yep.”

“I can help, you know.”

“I know you can, but I’ve got this.”

“Because if you want⁠—”

“Maddy,” he grumbles.

With the cooler in hand, he trudges toward the front door. Maddy smirks and follows him inside with Ollie right behind her.

Lily finally climbs out of the car, her movements a little slower, but determined. She reaches for a smaller bag.

“No, you don’t.” I intercept, taking the bag from her hand.

She rolls her eyes, a playful defiance in her expression. “I’m not weak, Ethan.”

“Never said you were.” I grab two more bags and wait for her to follow me.

“Can you make it up the steps?” I ask her, looking between her and the wooden steps.

“Yeah, I think I can.”

We slowly take our time up the steps. The interior greets us with an open, airy layout, sunlit and bright, exactly how I remembered it. White walls are complemented by soft sky-blue accents. The living room, adorned with a faded floral sofa and a wooden coffee table, resembles a boardwalk in coastal blue and white colors, with a slatted wood base. But the best part of the house is the expansive window framing the ocean.

God, I missed coming here.

We walk down the hallway to our bedroom, the largest space in the house, with its king-size bed and whirlpool tub. Lily approaches the window, pulling back the curtains.

“Do you want to rest or take a walk on the beach?” I ask, setting our bags down on the wooden bench at the foot of the bed.

“I think I’m going to rest for a bit,” she replies, her voice soft but weary.

“Okay. I’ll whip up something for dinner.”