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Moving the whole boat as if it was made of cardboard.
“You’re so strong, daddy. Will I be as big and strong as you one day?” Zac asks.
“You already are Zac. You already are.” His dad tells him.
“No, I’m not… I’m tiny,” Zac protests and Xander tousles his shock of dark hair, squatting down in front of him to be on his level.
“But you are, Zac. What you did just now? Watching that fish go and enjoying it without wanting to keep it…or eat it? That’s being the biggest, the strongest,” Xander tells him, hooking his arm around the boy and lifting him up.
Telling him he’s proud of him. Telling him how much he loves him.
“I’m proud of you, Xander Alexander Condor,” I inform my man once Zac and his brother and sister settle in front of the TV before dinner.
“Oh?” Xander asks, peeking over my shoulder to make sure the kids are busy before kissing me how he knows I like it.
Dangerous territory when he’s cooking, though.
“About what you told Zac after you got off the lake… I’m proud of both of you. He’s such a sweet young man already.”
“And me?” Xander pouts, ever my silly man.
“You’re the sweetest old dude I’ve ever let rough me up down there,” I tell him, putting on the silliest voice I can, making him laugh until he grabs hold of me.
Suddenly serious again.
“God, I love you, Chloe. I love…this,” he whispers and kisses me again.
This, for us, is the kids. The house. Fishing on the lake or just doing nothing together.
“I know you miss him,” I tell Xander, stroking his hair as he leans down further to hold me.
“He got plenty of good years with us,” I remind him. Talking about Kenneth, Grandpa.
That asshole actually turned out to be one of the best people we’ve ever known.
“Let’s just make sure we give these guys more time than we had,” Xander says softly.
“I love you,” I tell him, and his eyes light up.
The same way they did the first time I told him. And every time since.
“I love you, too, Chloe. I love you too.”
