Page 127 of Gold Rush

Kit grins. “Duh. That’s the best part of parenthood.”

Collins’s eyebrows rise.

“One of the best parts, I meant.”

Collins shakes her head. “Uh-huh.”

“Let’s get down to the beach,” Mom says. “Charlie, you’ll wait for Lili? Arthur might need help on the path.”

Charlie nods.

“Definitely don’t mention possibly needing assistance to him though,” Crew tells his almost son-in-law.

“Just grab him if he starts to lean a concerning amount,” Kit adds.

“Christopher!” Scarlett admonishes.

“He’s not wrong,” Bash contributes.

“I heard that, Sebastian,” Scarlett says, then opens the gate and starts down the path.

Crew follows her, my parents right behind them. Kit and Collins go next. Dylan insists on walking, so there’s an immediate gap as his short legs make slow progress through the sand.

“I’m tired,” Wren says, jumping on Sawyer’s back.

His jacket slides off of her as she leaps. Flynn walks over to grab it.

Bash glances at me, hands in his pockets. “I figured Flynn was here for Kit—and Lili—but Kit said you guys have been together for a few months?”

I start to correct him, then realize … it has been a few months. This started in July. “Uh, yeah. We have.”

“That’s great, Rory. Happy for you.”

“Thanks.” I smile, but the expression stretches unnaturally. I can feel the pinch in my cheeks. Not only because I’m lying. Duplicity is always unpleasant to me. But duplicity about a desired truth? Especially awful. I want what I’m saying to be true, and that makes the falsehood feel worse. “Anyone special in LA?”

“Everyone in LA thinks they’re special.”

I laugh. “Special to you, I mean.”

“Rory! Bash! Come on!” Wren calls. “Dylan is moving faster than you two.”

“She’s not wrong.” Bash chuckles, seeming relieved about the interruption. He glances ahead at his nephew. “I can’t believe how big he is. Or that there will be two soon.”

We catch up with the rest of the group, emerging on the beach. Scarlett and Mom are discussing different spots to stand, pulling out their phones to snap photos of each other from different angles. By the time Lili and Charlie reappear with a woman holding a camera and my grandfather, they’ve decided where we’re supposed to stand.

“In the center, Arthur,” Scarlett instructs.

He harrumphs but moves to where she indicated without any argument.

“Crew, on your dad’s left. Oliver, on the right. Hannah, you—perfect. Okay, kids. Lili, in front of Dad. Charlie, you too. Then Kit and Dylan. Collins, you’re next. Bash at the end. Rory, in front of your dad.”

I walk ahead. Halfway, I abandon my heels, letting my bare feet sink into the sand instead.

“Flynn, you’re—Flynn?” Scarlett turns around, searching for him.

Flynn and Sawyer are hovering behind the photographer, both jacket-less since Wren and I are wearing them.

“It’s a family photo,” Flynn calls. “We can jump in a few later if you want.”