His heart fell silent, his soul sang.
His body lit up like it had been struck by lightning, every nerve waking in unison, his breath catching. Because there, rising from the water with the kind of grace that felt otherworldly, was a lone surfer stepping out of the sea like something the tide had returned to him. The sunlight caught him first, pouring over his shoulders in molten gold, illuminating every angle of his body—broad, tanned, and glistening—carved into the shape of someone who had never stopped moving, never stoppedfighting.His board was tucked beneath one strong arm, water dripping in slow rivulets down his chest and stomach, down the long muscles of his legs to the edge of his black boardshorts, soaked and clinging to him like second skin.
And then—his eyes.
Whiskey-colored. Wide and warm. Familiar in a way that made the world tilt sideways.
They found Logan as they always had, without hesitation, without doubt, as if all this time had been nothing more than a pause between heartbeats. And there was no question in them. No fear. Only love. The kind that had survived cancer and silence and two oceans’ worth of separation. The kind that knew the cost of being alive. The kind thatchoseagain, even when it had every reason not to. The kind that burned with love for Logan like the hottest flames. The kind that bled Logan’s names and molded his shape to his chest, and said his name like a prayer.
Logan’s lips parted, breath caught halfway between disbelief and wonder, and his heart clenched—not from pain, but from the unbearable weight of joy.That’s my husband,he reminded himself, blinking against the light that suddenly felt too holy to hold.That’s him.
As Adrian approached, his steps quickening into a gentle jog to meet Logan halfway—almost as if their time together hadn’t carved their familiar rhythm—Logan caught a faint glimmer of awareness. The surrounding beachgoers had turned, their gazes drawn by the quiet energy of the moment, watching silently. How could they not? Adrian’s presence demanded it. The curve of his shoulders, the calm in his gait, the way he smiled like sunlight belonged to him. He was unforgettable. He always had been.
But Logan didn’t care.
And neither, thank God, did Adrian.
“Abba!” Jay’s voice shattered the stillness, high and bursting with light, his small body already in motion, legs pumping, arms outstretched. “Daddy, let’s go to Abba!” His tiny surfboard dropped into the sand behind him, forgotten in his urgency, and Logan barely had time to react before Jay took off like a storm of joy, racing down the beach with a speed that only love could give.
Jay used the Hebrew word for “dad” for Adrian, a small thing that carried the world for Adrian. Logan remembered the first time Jay had said it, how Adrian had broken down, tears spilling freely, as he processed it.
Adrian’s expression softened instantly, and without missing a beat, he ducked down, collecting Jay in his arms, murmuring that he missed him and how fast of a runner he was. He lifted him effortlessly, one arm wrapped securely around him, while the other still gripped his board.
Jay’s little arms and legs wrapped around Adrian, clinging to him like a koala, his small hands gripping his shoulders.
“You went surfing without me,” Jay huffed, his voice filled with playful accusation.
“Didn’t want to wake you and Daddy,” Adrian said, pressing a lingering kiss to Jay’s forehead before his gaze shifted, landing on Logan.
The kind of gaze that always said more than words ever could.
“We have the whole day to surf together.”
Logan closed the space between them, reaching up to cup Adrian’s jaw as he leaned in for a kiss, his lips brushing against Adrian’s; they were salty, warm, familiar.
“How dare you leave the bad so early on vacation?” Logan murmured, smirking against his lips.
Adrian chuckled, nuzzling their noses together. “Wanted to go and feel the water.” He stole another kiss. “You two were sleeping so well, I couldn’t wake you.”
Logan exhaled, resting his forehead against Adrian’s for a beat longer than necessary, his hands slipping over his husband’s arms, feeling the shape of him.
Adrian was here.
Alive. With him.
Something he didn’t dare take for granted.
“Daddy! Look at that wave!” Jay’s excited scream shattered the moment, his head snapping toward the ocean where a set was rolling in, powerful and perfect.
Adrian and Logan turned, following his gaze, their expression shifting into one of playful scrutiny. “Hmm… those are too high for you, buddy,” Adrian said.
Jay pouted. “I can do it.”
“You will do it. One day.” Logan promised, grinned, and Adrian set Jay down before ruffling his messy blond hair. “But for now, I have a very cool trick to show you.”
Jay’s entire face lit up. “What trick?” he asked.
“I’ll show you in the water.”
