Page 186 of Five Summers

I have a job that brings me immense joy. I love being able to create music and travel the world with my band of brothers, my chosen family, who would go to great lengths to protect me. Above all, I have my own family - a woman whom I have loved for years, and she has blessed me with the most precious gift imaginable. I am deserving of it all. Though I couldn’t see it back then, I now know that I am so much more than what they think and how they treat me.

Upon hearing the sound of Poppy’s voice, I turn around. “Hey sweetheart,” she says, making her way over to Alex still seated on the couch.

“Hey Mom,” he says, his gaze fixed on the television.

Poppy moves over, planting a kiss on the top of his head before reaching for the empty milk glass sitting next to him on the couch. When she approaches me, a radiant smile lights up her face.

Her sleepy eyes and unkempt hair only add to her beauty, making her look even more enchanting.

As she places the empty glass in the sink, I notice her gaze lingering on my chest, her eyes fixated on the tattoo sheadores tracing with her fingertips in bed. At first, she may have questioned my declaration of love. However, her doubt vanished the instant she laid eyes on her name forever engraved on my skin.

She wraps her arms around my waist, resting her cheek against my chest. As I hold her close, I can feel the warmth of her body melting into mine, creating a sense of deep comfort.

“What time did you wake up?” she asks, tilting her head back to look at me.

"Not that long ago," I tell her. “Just made a fresh pot of coffee.”

She rises up on tippy toes and kisses me before turning away. “I’ll get us a cup.”

My gaze drifts down to admire her ass in those tight sleep shorts. Last night, all I wanted to do was get her naked and sink into her, but with Alex in the next room and the paper thin walls, I knew it was best to just hold her. However, tonight, when we get back to my place, I’ll indulge in all the dirty things I want to do to her. Need to get my fix before I fly out for a week without her by my side. It's killing me to imagine not having her there with me, not being able to touch her. I’ve endured years without physical contact, but now, seven days seems unbearable compared to all those years.

As Poppy grabs two coffee cups from the cupboard, I move over and lean against the kitchen counter. “Are you nervous about leaving everything behind and moving somewhere new?”

She turns her head and stares at me while holding the coffee pot. “Why… are you having second thoughts?” she asks.

“No. Never. I want this for us, for our family,” I tell her.

“So, what do you actually mean?” she asks, going back to pour our coffees.

“I know that you have your mom here, as well as Mrs. B,” I say, accepting the cup she offers me. I take a sip, tasting thebitterness on my tongue. Despite its unpleasant taste, I do my best to drink it, realizing that tomorrow, when Poppy wakes up, all she has to do is press a button to have a perfectly brewed coffee, unlike this awful crap.

“My mom told me straight up that if I didn't do what she wanted, I meant nothing to her. Mrs. B won’t be around. She texted me saying she's moving to help her son-in-law with the grandkids. So, there’s nothing left for me here. I'm happy we're finally doing what we should've done ages ago.” She turns and leans against the counter across from me. “What makes me nervous, though, is being in your house without you being there.”

"It's not just my house anymore, Princess. Looking back now, I realize that when I designed it; I had this vivid image of us sharing a life in it.”

“How so?”

“The media room has this huge ass TV. Even though the designer said reclining seats were a good idea, I wanted a couch. I wanted to recreate the times we spent watching The Real Housewives together. Since Theo watches it with me sometimes, I had to get him his own chair. It was weird having him sit next to me since we used to make out on your mother’s couch. And then, there's this grand piano, perfectly placed for me to watch you play while I chill on the couch.”

“You have a grand piano?” she asks, her face lighting up with a smile.

“Yeah, even though I suck at playing it, I had to get one. When they were drawing up the plans, I insisted on having a grand piano as the centerpiece of the open living area. I mean, I could just relax on the couch and listen to the sound of you playing, like how I used to sit on your bed and watch you create magic on your keyboard. It was this morning when I realized that everything around me seemed perfectly designed with youin mind. I know I have to leave early tomorrow morning, but remember, this home is the one I built for us. Do whatever you and Alex want to make it feel like home for the both of you.”

“Xander, I—”

“No, please listen. My main priority isn’t the house. You and Alex are what truly matters to me. Paint his room with animals all over the walls if you’d like. It doesn’t bother me. My only desire is for the both of you to be happy.”

“But we are happy. We don’t need extravagant expenses to be happy, Xander.”

Right from the start, I’ve always admired that quality in her. At first, I assumed she was privileged and spoiled, hence the nickname Princess, but she has since shattered that assumption with her actions.

“Okay, but if you need anything while I'm away, just say it.”

“I will,” she says. “But we probably won’t need anything.”

Her eyes speak volumes. I can see the unconditional love she has for me. I've never had someone look at me with so much love. In the past, girls have desired me, and I recognize that familiar look—the one that hints at their desire for me to fuck them. Back in high school, Jade, Savannah, and all those other girls used to cast that lustful glance my way. Groupies look at me because I’m Xander Williams, the front man for Broken Oasis, but the look in Poppy’s eyes is genuine, brimming with love, and it shows that I am her everything.

"Mom, I'm hungry," Alex says as he comes over.

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