Chance Encounter - Jerry Cole Page 0,58

Ava screamed as she ran through the water with Becca and Mari on her heels. I let Gray lead me by the hand as I inhaled the ocean air, and watched the waves rolling against the sand. We were here for three nights, and I could see how relaxed everyone already felt.

We left Becca and Mari on the beach with Ava and went to the grocery store with a list. There was a grill on the deck, so we bought supplies for a barbecue. There was also an indoor grill. We also got some snacks and plenty of drinks to stock the fridge with. We figured we’d have one night out to eat, maybe two. It depended on the weather and what we ended up doing.

When we got back, Ava was sleeping in the bedroom. We all unloaded groceries and set up the kitchen with everything that we’d need. Gray told us about the town as we had some coffee and relaxed, piquing our interest.

When Ava woke up, Amy was taking a nap with Jackson. They were cute together, and he was by her side every minute. I knew that Gray was proud of his cousin for being the man that he was with Amy. He’d be a great father.

We decided just to make dinner at the house tonight since it was getting late. The girls took Ava to the beach again as we fired up the grill. We decided on steak and chicken, along with some veggies the girls would roast when they got home.

I watched as Becca leaned over to scoop Ava up, running toward the house. She was happy. I always wanted that for her, and she had everything she wanted right now. Ava laughed as they came back, with Mari taking her to the bedroom to get into some dry clothes while Becca helped with dinner.

Amy woke up as we were finishing, apologizing for sleeping so long. We told her not to worry and got everything plated and set up on the counter buffet style. Everyone plated their food and sat at the large dining room table, laughing as we ate. We watched a movie after dinner on the huge TV, all of us tired from the excitement of the day. When that was over, the girls took a sleeping Ava to the twin bed in the bedroom beside theirs. They went to sleep afterward, and everyone followed suit.

We looked out at the moon shining over the water from our window for a moment. We cracked the window to hear the waves, smiling at the sound. “We need a beach house.”

“I know,” Gray said, kissing the corner of my mouth. “We’ll work on that.”

We made love quietly before falling asleep. Our plans the next day includes walks on the beach, and possibly a trip into town to see some sights. We weren’t locked onto anything specific.

We woke up in the morning to sun shining in the windows. I smelled coffee and heard voices downstairs, stretching to wrap my arm around Gray. “Who is that?”

Gray laughed before kissing me. “We’ll take a trip alone if you want.”

“I love this, to be honest. I just need coffee to feel it.” We held each other for a while before rising to dress and head downstairs. Ava was munching on toast and watching a cartoon while the girls sipped coffee. “Morning.” Mari smiled at us, looking perfect as always. “Sleep well?”

“Nothing is better than the sound of the ocean for sleep,” Gray replied as he poured coffee. “You?”

“It turns out that a lot of beach time wears out little miss,” Becca said with a wink. “She slept hard until eight. It was wonderful.”

“Do you want to be tourists today or stay at the house?” I asked as Ava giggled at something.

“I’d like to see the town. Maybe we can do lunch out today,” Mari suggested as Becca nodded. “There’s probably more beaches around.”

We made breakfast when Jackson and Amy woke up, showering, and getting ready after we cleaned up. We managed to fit into two cars, parking in the center of town. We made our way down the main street, taking in the architecture and small-town feel. It was gorgeous here.

Amy and the girls walked into shops, deciding to leave Ava with us in one she could do no damage in. They bought a few souvenirs, and we decided to go to a nearby beach and park. It was more for the view than a walk with a rocky area,