Apparently, he'd missed them too.  She smiled at his compliment and teased, "Well, then, we won't go to the movies.  Or for a long drive along the coast."  Laughingly, she said softly as she loaded the dishwater, "I know you were just on the beach, but yes, there's a pier not too far away, may be a couple of miles.  We can walk to it.  It's pretty neat.  Fishing and restaurants and shops.  They also built a stage and usually have live music.  And there's the new aquarium."  Finishing cleaning up, she wiped her hands on a clean dishtowel and slipped on tennis shoes.  It was a good day for a tank top and shorts, but she didn't dress that way anymore.<br/><br/>They left the beach house and walked along the beach, idly chattering about changes in San Diego.  She told him about new restaurants and shopping centers.  She told him too about the little changes they'd made to their downtown condo, so different from their getaway home on the shore.  The sun shone on them, and she felt content for the first time in a very long time.  It was good to have Landon home.  She'd worried about him, and being able to see that he was in one piece was comforting for her.<br/><br/>Impulsively, she touched his arm and stopped walking.  When he stopped with her and looked at her, she smiled.  "I'm so glad you're home, Landon," she said, and then she leaned in toward him, standing on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.