Page 97 of Coastal Rewind

“I learned how to love in this house,” Nolan said softly.

“I met my best friends in this house.” Maggie’s eyes were glassy as she rested her head on Keegan’s shoulder.

“I found my family in this house,” Luke said as Nolan lightly clapped a hand on his shoulder.

“I started my business in this house,” Aiden added as Rori cuddled into his side and said, “I healed in this house.”

“I knew Mom in this house,” I whispered.

Aiden placed a hand on my knee and squeezed.

“Do you think she knew what this house would become when she begged Dad to buy it?” Nolan asked the room.

Maeve shook her head. “There is no way she could have guessed something like that.”

I laughed. “She always knew this house was special, but I don’t think it was the house, really. It was us. We filled the bones of this place with life and love and stories. Mom showed us how and we continued the legacy.”

Mason wrapped his arm around me and pulled me into his side.

“This feels like a really cryptic end to an era.” Nolan shuddered.

“Or the beginning of the rest of our lives.” Keegan raised her red solo cup and the rest of us followed. “To the Malibu house and the endless secrets she keeps in her bones.”

“To the Malibu house,” we echoed before taking a sip of our drinks.

“Okay,” Nolan said as he popped up to stand. “Enough sappy shit. Who is up for one more game of Four Laps in the Malibu house?”

“Can we add the fire back in?” Mason asked like a little kid, bouncing foot to foot the same way MJ does when he’s excited.

“No!” Keegan, Maeve, and I all yelled in unison, causing us all to burst into laughter.

“Morning, kids!” My dad’s chipper voice had me cracking my eyes open into the sunlight. My head pounded from a vigorous night of too many drinking games and way too much tequila.

Mason groaned from underneath me and pushed to sit up. “I think I’m officially too old to sleep on a floor.”

I laughed and rubbed my eyes as the rest of my siblings started peeling themselves up. The glorious smell of bacon and coffee wafted into the room. My dad was standing at the kitchen island that was filled with a buffet of greasy hangover-approved breakfast foods.

“You’re the best dad in the world,” Keegan said as she took a steaming mug of coffee out of his hands and walked over to where Marnie laid on her swing next to him.

My siblings started attacking the food like vultures who found a dead body. I nibbled on a piece of bacon as my dad sidled up to me.

“Can I talk to you outside for a minute?”

I furrowed my brows but nodded and followed him out into the salty morning air. He stood at the railing that looked out over the beach. I leaned on my elbows and closed my eyes letting the sunshine soak into my skin.

“You know…your mom would’ve been beside herself walking into this house today seeing you all together. Hearing about how this house meant so much to you all that you slept on the floor to say goodbye to it.”

I looked up at him and felt the soft smile on my face. “She’s the reason we are the way we are.”

“She is.” He scoffed playfully. He turned and leaned against the railing, peering up at the house. “You know, I’ve been thinking about what happens next for a long time. I knew you’d all grow up and move on, but it happened so fast. In one blink, you’re all getting married and having kids. I feel like it was just yesterday that your mom was pulling sand out of Maeve’s mouth and ordering you and Owen to stop pushing each other down in the ocean.”

I laughed at the image. “We must have been such a handful.”

“You say that like you’re not still a handful,” he muttered.

“But you love us,” I teased.

He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into his side. “I do love you, and I just know that the stories aren’t over here.” I looked up at him confused so he continued. “You know, you’re the only one who never lived in this house full time. Everyone else’s story started here, but I think yours was destined to live here forever.”