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"I'm sorry," Lacey whispers, her voice tinged with vulnerability I've seen only in glimpses. "For not believing in us. For giving up when I should've held on stronger. I wasn't strong enough."
I shake my head, cupping her face gently in my hands to make sure she's looking right at me. "Listen to me, Lacey. You are the strongest woman I know. You walked into a lion's den, a situation so utterly daunting, with every eye waiting for you to falter. And not once did you back down."
Her eyes, wide and shimmering under the boat's soft lights, search mine as if looking for the truth in my words. I press on, determined to make her believe it. "You've been shouldering not just your own fears, but your entire family's future. That's not weakness, Lacey. That's strength. Incredible strength."
There's a heavy pause, filled with weeks of untold struggles and silent battles.
"I know about your dad," I continue, tightening my hold on her as if to convey my support physically. "I know about the burdens you've been carrying, about the difficulty in getting him the right care. And I want you to know, I've arranged for funds to be sent to his physical therapy facility, and for his orthopedic surgery. At your say."
Lacey's breath hitches, and for a moment, I'm worried I've overstepped. But then, she collapses gently against me. "How did you... Why would you..."
"Because I love you, Lacey. And when you love someone, you’re invested in lightening their load, in fighting their demons alongside them." I brush a stray curl away from her face, my heart swelling with emotion. "You don't have to be strong all the time. Let me be strong for you."
Lacey's lips quiver as she looks up at me, tears glistening in her eyes. "I love you too," she whispers, before closing the gap between us and pressing her lips to mine.
Breaking the kiss, I can't help but tease. "Well, that's one way to seal a deal, sweetheart. I always knew my charm was irresistible, but I didn’t realize it worked that well." A smirk plays on my lips as I gently wipe away a tear that dared escape her eye.
"Please, Aidan. Your 'charm'? I was clearly overwhelmed by your generosity, not to mention your modesty."
"Oh, is that so? Here I was, thinking I had swept you off your feet with my sense of humor and patient yet understanding nature." I give her my best innocent look, earning a laugh from her.
"Well, you do have your moments. But let's not forget who really swept me off my feet."
"Are you saying my seven-year-old daughter is more charming than me?"
"Well, she shares her sprinkle pancakes with me. And you..."
"Share something much more special with you." I finish her sentence as her eyebrows arch. "I'm talking about my heart, obviously. And my never-ending supply of dad jokes."
Lacey rolls her eyes but leans into me, resting her head on my shoulder. "I'm lucky to have both of you in my life."
We sit in comfortable silence for a few moments before Lacey speaks up again. "So, about those sprinkle pancakes..."
I chuckle and pull her closer, enjoying the warmth of her body against mine. "Anything for you, my dear."
We stand there, on the deck of that gently rocking boat, wrapped in a moment that's just for us. A moment that feels like it could last forever.
Until Lacey steps out of my embrace, tugging on my hand. "Before I forget, I have a surprise waiting for you below deck...so let's go."
"Ah, I see. You just want to get back to your ‘surprise’.”
"Hey, I never said it was a naughty surprise." She tugs my fingers, leading me towards the stairs that take us below deck.
"Neither did I. Your mind is just in the gutter, sweetheart." I tease as we descend into the cozy cabin.
"No, my mind is in my stomach. I've got pancake ingredients in the kitchen. You can be my sous chef."
“Sous chef? Nah, I think you mean co-chef." I follow her into the kitchen before noticing the TV's on in the living area. "Wait, is that...?"
"Beauty and the Beast?" She grins, pulling out a bowl and whisk from the cabinet. "I know it's your favorite."
"This is perfect." I wrap my arms around her waist, swaying to the opening song playing on the screen, and breathing in the sweet scent of her hair. "I love you."
"I love you too." She turns around, wrapping her arms around my neck and leaning up to kiss me. She backs away. "Now, let's get cooking before the movie ends."
"Right. I'll get the flour."
"And I'll get naked." She grins as I look over, eyes hungry. "Okay, so I never said the surprise would be not-naughty, either."
