Chapter 46: Return to Malibu
Chapter 44
The familiar scent of salt and sun hit me the second we stepped off the plane and into the Malibu air. It wasn't just the location—it was the feeling. That mix of ease and indulgence that only this place seemed to offer.
Charlie slid his sunglasses on and stretched like he had just returned from a spa, not a chaotic vacation filled with beach drama and unexpected hookups.
Instead of his usual convertible, a black SUV was parked by the curb. Alan stood next to it, arms crossed, looking mildly irritated.
"I rented something roomy," Alan said as we approached. "Figured it'd be more comfortable for everyone."
we come back with way more baggage, after all
Then he sighed and looked at the SUV with mild disappointment. "It was supposed to be a luxury van, but they gave me this instead. Said it was 'an upgrade.'"
Charlie snorted. "Yeah, nothing says luxury like 'last-minute substitute.'"
We all piled into the SUV (smaller than the one that we started the trip)—Alan was driving, Charlie riding shotgun, and the rest of us squeezed in the back. Mom claimed the window seat with a calm grace, while Gramma made a point of loudly adjusting the air conditioning and critiquing the car's interior.
I sat between them, trying not to laugh at Evelyn muttering, "This is what they call an upgrade? In my day, upgrades came with leather and legroom."
A few minutes into the drive, I looked up at the two of them and said, "I need to say, the vacation went unexpectedly well... besides the rain."
Charlie turned halfway in his seat and gave me a look. "That's the understatement of the year."