The scent of salt and sunscreen drifted freely again, and the only voices that reached her now were distant and gentle, blending into the soundscape of the beach instead of cutting through it. She stretched her legs, digging her toes into the warm, powdery sand until it buried them completely.
Her shoulders settled back into her chair, the fabric cradling her in a way that felt almost indulgent. She opened her book, the pages now safe from stray splashes and sandstorms, and took a long, slow breath from her thermos.