Page 23

With a smirk, I took my time entering the security code, punching each digit with agonizing care while he hopped from one foot to the other on the stone step.

‘Dad! Come on!’

I laughed as the mechanism clicked and the timber door unlatched.

I pushed open the floor-to-ceiling aperture, revealing our home for the next two months.

‘Whoa!’ Raff shouted, his voice echoing as he dashed past me into the well-appointed, sun-drenched space.

The estate sat on the beach at La Cala de Mijas.

The vast strip of golden sand was the only buffer between the expansive blue pool, the house, and the sea.

The modern interior was bathed in light; the open views made the horizon the central focus, anchored by a floating steel staircase.

Outside, through the extensive glass, I spotted a shaded terrace, a barbecue area beside the pool, and a green tropical garden.

‘Holy smokes,’ Christine breathed, walking into the massive kitchen, trailing her hand over the cool, smooth concrete island.

The villa’s layout inverted traditional layouts to maximize the sparkling seascape view.

The open-concept living area, movie theatre, five ensuite bedrooms, and my primary suite sat on the first floor.

The remaining four bedrooms, a second living area, and a cinema lounge opened onto the tropical gardens on the ground floor.

A feature wall added architectural intrigue while artwork broke up the muted luxury palette.

‘First dibs on the rooms!’ Raff shouted, clattering up the stairs as he went searching for the best pick.

‘Go for it, kiddo,’ I called out, following him upstairs.

The suites leaned into high-end opulence, with plush, oversized bedding, silk accents, and sumptuous linens that felt like a five-star sanctuary.

The bathrooms were finished with textured stone tiles that felt incredible underfoot when I kicked off my shoes in the primary bathroom.

Raff found and bagged a corner room with a wrap-around veranda.

I took the primary with a similar outdoor terrace, and Christine picked from the myriad other suites.

I smiled as I caught her gasps of wonder floating up the staircase as she cased each one, settling on a double bedder facing the ocean.

‘Good choice, Chris,’ I said, smiling at her as I headed downstairs for my suitcase.

We unpacked and settled into our spaces.

After a little more exploring, including a beach reccie, I raided the pre-stocked refrigerator.

I pulled out fresh eggs, local chorizo, and crusty bread to whip up a simple, rustic dinner.

We ate on the spacious terrace, with the salty breeze dancing through our hair.

As the sunset inched toward the horizon, the Costa del Sol lived up to its name, melting into a gradient of burnt amber, deep lavender, and bruised magenta.

The Med stretched out before us, its glassy surface catching the final, shimmering embers of gold.

Below our perch, the sand lit up with the rosy glow of the dying sun.

I sighed, taking in the quiet rhythm of distant waves crashing against the shoreline, setting a steady, hypnotic cadence for the evening.