The day had been perfect, until it wasn’t. Claire was halfway through a chapter, the tide’s gentle hush syncing with her breathing, when a sudden, cold spray hit her bare legs and torso. She gasped, jerking upright as droplets rolled down her skin, darkening the fabric of her cover-up.
Her gaze snapped to the source. The boy was already sprinting away, plastic bucket swinging wildly, his laughter trailing behind like the tail of a kite. Claire brushed at the wet patches on her clothes with deliberate care, but the serenity she’d fought for all week was already starting to unravel.
For a moment, she considered letting it go. One careless splash didn’t have to ruin the day. But then, in the distance, she saw him filling the bucket again — water sloshing high over the rim as he wobbled toward her with a grin that promised more trouble. Her jaw tightened. Claire’s calm was about to be tested.