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seemed to sense that it would make her uncomfortable and would
instead launch into another story.
When the food was ready, he called the kids and they came
running. They were covered in sand, and Alex had them stand to
the side while he brushed them off. Watching him, she knew he
was a better father than he gave himself credit for; good, she
suspected, in all the ways that mattered.
Once the kids got to the table, the conversation shifted. She
listened as they chattered on about their sand castle and one of the
shows on the Disney Channel they both enjoyed. When they
wondered aloud about the s’mores they were supposed to have
later—marshmallows, chocolate bars, and graham crackers,
warmed until melting—it was clear that Alex had created special,
fun traditions for his kids. He was different, she thought, from the
men she’d met in her past, different from anyone she’d met
before, and as the conversation rambled on, any vestiges of the
nervousness she’d once felt began to slip away.
The food was delicious, a welcome change from her recent austere
diet. The sky remained clear, the blue expanse broken only by an
occasional seabird passing overhead. The breeze rose and fell,
enough to keep them cool, and the steady rhythm of the waves
added to the sense of calm.
When they finished eating, Josh and Kristen helped clear the table
and pack away the uneaten items. A few items that wouldn’t
spoil—the pickles and the chips—were left on the table. The kids
wanted to go boogie boarding, and after Alex reapplied their
suntan lotion, he slipped off his shirt and followed them into the
waves.
Katie carried her chair to the water’s edge and spent the next hour
watching as he helped the kids through the breakers, moving one
and then the other into position to catch the waves. The kids were
squealing with delight, obviously having the time of their lives.
She marveled at the way Alex was able to make each of them feel