by Hart, Taylor
He stood there, wearing Wranglers, cowboy boots, a belt buckle, and a five-gallon hat. He looked completely out of place. “Hey,” he said.
“What are you doing here?” She grasped at the doorframe to steady herself, feeling like she was in an upside-down world.
His lips were tight. “I missed you.”
The words tugged at her heartstrings. For four weeks, she’d imagined him showing up just in this way.
“Shay—” He took his hat off. “I have to confess I actually came here a couple of days ago and wimped out. Well, actually, I parked down the street, and I walked around the island and on the boardwalk. I was trying to decide if I could really move here.”
Her heart thudded in her chest.
“I came back to your place and I was going to talk to you, but the next thing I knew, the lights were on and this guy was chasing me down and the cops were there.”
Taking a closer look at him, she could see he wasn’t shaven and didn’t look very clean. “I’m so confused,” she said.
His lip twisted up. “Then, I thought I would just go home. So I did. I drove clear back to Salt Lake City. Then I turned back because I had to tell you I came. I had to tell you I love you.”
Her heart hammered as she thought of the bravery this took on Jason’s part, to come and then leave and then come back. She knew him as her best friend far before they had promised each other their hearts.
He took a step forward and gently put up a hand and pushed a stray hair out of her face, the way he’d done their whole lives. “I love you, Shayla Anne Castle.”
Scar didn’t know her middle name. They hadn’t known each other that long. Why should he know it? She didn’t know his. What was his?
“I’ve loved you for darn near forever.” He kept his hand on her cheek.
Shayla didn’t know what to say. She had loved this boy her whole life, but she also knew that the feelings she had for Scar were real. Scary and unexpected, but the person she was with him—wait!
While she was struggling to sort out her feelings, Jason had moved in to kiss her. Before she could utter a single protest, his lips touched hers. It was Jason, a boy she’d been kissing since she was fourteen, a boy who had been a part of every moment of her life. It felt so wrong. Scar’s face swam to the surface of her thoughts, and she jerked away.
“Shayla?” His hand dropped from her face and reached for hers.
She let him take her hand and closed her eyes to collect herself. Jason. The man she’d pledged her heart to in the middle of fireworks on the Fourth of July in ninth grade. He was back. Did she want him back?
“I love you, Shay. I want to marry you, and we can live here if that’s what you want.”
Chapter 27
Scar decided it was just easier to run the short distance from the hotel to her townhome. So that’s what he’d done when he was dropped off at the hotel by an Uber driver. He put his laptop in his room, then took off for Shay’s house.
A million thoughts ran through his mind. The meeting with the Kincaids, though untimely, had been amazing. They had committed to three more facilities—Denver, Seattle, and West Virginia. He had told them his plans for quitting the Titans and staying in San Diego. Boy, had they given him grief, but Anthony had said something that had touched him. “You’re a guy that plays with his whole heart. The vets are lucky to get you full time.”
Everything about today had been amazing. The best part was that he felt completely clear about what he wanted. This was his job, his Foundation. He thought of the thousands of vets it would help, and how they would help him.
It was stupid, and he knew she would hate how much he’d spent for the ring, but he’d stopped at a jewelry shop and bought a one-carat princess cut. It was showy enough, but not too showy. He knew she wouldn’t want too showy. It was all so unreal to him, that in less than two weeks he’d fallen so hard for this woman and that he was going to do it.
He was going to ask her a question he’d never asked another woman: to spend the rest of her life with him. He meant it. He wanted every day with her. Sprinting for the last part, he turned off of the boardwalk and began crossing the street to her townhome.
He saw something he’d never expected. His heart turned to ice when he saw her kissing another man, holding his hand.
After freezing for a split second, he couldn’t stop himself. “Hey!” he yelled, wanting to grab the guy and rip him off of her.
Chapter 28
The sound of Scar’s voice broke the spell of Jason. Shayla’s heart skipped a beat as she turned to see Scar coming toward them like he would slay the dragon and fight off the opposing forces if necessary.
“What the—?” Jason looked back and undoubtedly was a bit intimidated by the former Navy SEAL trudging toward them with the ferocity of a lion.
“What the … ?” Scar stopped in her yard, broaching the deck.
“Scar?” she said, touching her mouth where Jason had just kissed her.
It would have been slightly amusing to her to see a scene like this in a romantic comedy movie. It would have been hilarious if it weren’t her life.
She moved away from Jason out onto the deck. “This is Jason,” she said, all her thoughts scrambling. “This …” She turned to Scar’s scary-looking face. A face she’d seen him wear during wrestling season before a match. She wanted to veer him away from this opponent, because it would not go well for Jason.
Scar way outmatched him.
Scar’s eyes flashed back and forth between them. “You’re the ex-boyfriend?”
“Yeah, I am.” Jason’s jaw tightened, and he glared at Scar. “Who are you?”
Shayla fumbled to explain to Scar. “He just showed up, and …” Her mouth felt dry. She felt like she was in front of judge and jury. She turned to Jason. “Jason, would you please just …” She didn’t know what to do. He didn’t have anywhere to go, he’d been living out of his truck, and there were still some things to sort out. “Go in my house for a second. I need to talk to Scar.”
Jason flicked his glare to her. “Shay?” he demanded.
Scar’s glare was on him. “Wait a second,” he said, seeming to be processing his profile. “This was the guy who ran the other night.” He pointed an accusing finger at Jason. “You were running.”
“You were chasing me?” Jason asked just as harshly, pointing back at Scar. “Jerk!”
“Why don’t you come down here and tell me about it!” Scar’s voice bordered on thundering as he took a step forward.
She put up both hands like she was blocking her brothers from a fight. “Stop!” She looked at Jason. “Go inside, please. I want to talk to you about everything, but I need to talk to Scar first.”
Sucking in a ragged breath, she saw the most ferocious look on Jason’s face. But he nodded, giving Scar a triumphant look. “I will go into your house,” he said, like he was throwing it in Scar’s face.
He shut the door, and Shayla turned to Scar. Already, his eyes were on hers. They were intense, fiery, every bit the SEAL she knew he was. She felt herself start to tremble. “Scar, I didn’t know he would show up here.”
“Uh-huh,” he said, the cynicism back in full force. “So the boyfriend shows up, and I find you in a lip-lock?” He sputtered. “Really, Shay?”
It took her off guard that he called her Shay instead of using one of her nicknames. It felt impersonal. Especially after everything that had been happening between them the past couple of days.
“Look,” she said, her mind racing. “Give me a chance to talk to Jason. I need to sort some things out.”
He scoffed. “Right. That means my time is done. Thank you for your service.” He said it like an officer would thank a soldier.
“Scar.” She couldn’t believe he was acting so rashly. “I spent most of my day making dinner for you. I went up to Loma Point and missed you. All I wanted was for you to get back here, okay? Because …” Did she have to say it? She couldn’t stop herself. “I’ve falle
n in love with you.”
Now, his face hardened even more, and his lips twitched back to the sardonic smile. “So you fall in love with me, then you kiss your boyfriend when he shows up.”
Every part of her wanted to deny that she’d kissed Jason, but she had. “I did not kiss him, and it’s not that simple.”
“Isn’t it?” His face fell, looking ragged and vulnerable. “Are you really in love with me or not? Is it him or me?” The words were quiet and sharp.
Her mind raced. She needed to talk to Jason. He had been the one for her whole life. This thing with Scar felt huge, life-changing, but she just needed a minute.
Shaking his head at the silence, he shook his head and grunted. “Awesome. I know how to pick ’em.”
She felt shell-shocked and out of sorts. “You’re comparing me to one of those big-boobed bimbos that have everything fake about them?” She raised her voice. “Really, Scar?”
He shook his head and then swallowed and looked away from her, squeezing his eyes closed. He tugged a box out of his pocket.
Her heart hammered inside her chest. She didn’t know what was happening. He couldn’t be doing this.
Closing the gap between them, he popped open the lid. “I came here tonight to start something new with you.” His eyes looked vulnerable and stormy and confused, exactly the way she felt. He frowned, holding the ring suspended in the box in the air. “So I’m—” He broke off, then sucked in a breath. “I can’t believe I’m doing this, but …” He dropped to his knee.
Her hands reflexively went to her mouth, and tears were in her eyes.
“Will you marry me?” He blinked. “I don’t know what’s going on, but I do know that the only thing I care about is you and me. I’m throwing caution to the wind. I’m trusting and having faith. I love you, Kansas. I want it all with you. Our dreams. Our hopes. A future. In San Diego. Right now. I want to start. I want it right now with you.”
A thrill ran up her spine, and she reached for the ring with shaky fingers. “I want … Scar …” Her hand flattened. As she thought of Jason, uncertainty dampened her mood. “I—” Tears fell down her cheeks. “I …”
She thought of how she’d always seen herself married to Jason. Of how she’d only known Scar for such a short time.
At her silence, his face drained of all emotion. He stood, pulling the ring back and pushing it into his pocket. He shook his head.
“Scar, it’s not—I can’t just—would you give me a minute?” Oh, she was not explaining this well at all!
He scowled at her. “Carpe diem,” he said simply. “I wasn’t doing that until I met you, so thank you for that.” He barked out a laugh. “Man.”
Wanting to fix all this, but not knowing how, she just stood there.
His eyes met hers. “You fell in love with me, ya know?”
It made her half laugh, his cockiness, his arrogance, but it was true. “I know.” It was undeniable, so why deny it? She had fallen in love with him.
For a second, he hesitated. Then he gently took her hand, and she marveled at his warmth, the way her body felt on fire when she was next to him came to life. “Hey,” he said.
She blinked, and tears fell down her cheeks. This felt like the end. She hated it. She couldn’t stop herself. “Hey.”
His lips were on hers, and she felt his desire and his pain and all of her own feelings wrapped up in this kiss. In this time. In this moment.
It ended before she wanted it to.
Pulling back, he cocked an eyebrow at her. “Thank you for giving me back San Diego. I needed that.” He looked down. “Goodbye.” Then he left.
Chapter 29
It’d been two days. Two days since he’d left Shayla to her go back to her boyfriend. Two days since he’d checked out of the Hotel del Coronado and just crashed at the gym. Two days of soul-searching. He’d thrown himself into the vet project and worked long nights. At night, he would go through the limited pictures he’d taken of her on his phone. He’d wanted to delete them, but he found himself unable to do it yet.
Now, he stood on his brother’s cruise ship, staring off the front. He’d made the paperwork official and would force his brother to sign if he had to. The boat was Steven’s. It was funny to Scar that his brother had been right in the end—San Diego was home.
He was staying, even though he was heartbroken. He’d been consumed with Shayla. With the days they’d spent together. With the knowledge her old boyfriend was in town. With the dreams he’d lost when she hadn’t answered his question. He clutched the bar that ran across the front of the ship. He thought he could bend the metal if he tried hard enough.
“Here you are.” His brother’s voice pierced his thoughts. “Been looking for you.”
It was early, and the sun shone from behind his brother, making him squint. They looked alike, more than he cared to admit, but his brother didn’t have the scar on his face.
“I’m here for paperwork you should have signed a long time ago.” He held up a file with the paperwork to make the cruise ship officially Steven’s. He wouldn’t take no for an answer.
His brother frowned at him. “Scar, we need to talk.”
“The business is yours. You’ve been running it, so just sign them.” Scar held the folder out to him.
Steven glared at him and crossed his arms. “Are you leaving?”
“Actually, I’m staying.”
His brother’s eyebrows shot up. “Really?”
“I’ve decided to work on the sparring for vets project full time.”
Steven looked him up and down. “What about the girl?”
Scar shrugged, but the feel of the ring in his pocket was still there. “Nope,” was all he said.
His brother narrowed his eyes, seeming unconvinced. “What happened?”
What was not going to happen was this conversation. “Suffice it to say, it was a mistake.” Scar shook his head, sinking back into the brooding thoughts.
Steven scoffed. “Look, I don’t know what happened. Clearly, she did something that hurt you. You’re one of the bravest, strongest people I know, so if you think it’s time to walk away, I am not going to argue with you. Heck, you know I am the first person to want you to stop putting yourself in harm’s way, but … she’s here.”
His heart raced. “What?”
Steven rushed on. “She says it was all a misunderstanding, and she looks as miserable as you, so I figured—”
Jolting out of his cynical calm, Scar’s heart jumped. “What?”
“Guess she couldn’t find you the past two days?” His brother shook his head. “Did you do one of your disappearing acts? I told her to wait while I checked the boat.”
He thought of how he’d blocked her number. He didn’t need any Hail Mary pillow talk in the middle of the night if she felt bad. He was done. She’d made her decision.
His brother’s face softened. “I liked this girl.”
She was here? She was here? She was here? He started for the dock, feeling like someone else was controlling his limbs.
“Wait.” Steven’s hand was on his shoulder. “Bro, remember, don’t let pride get in the way.” After letting that sink in, Steven said, “I admit, I have a lot of my own pride. It’s a Walker trait. Don’t lose her because of your stupid pride?”
Scar was only focused on one thing. “She’s here?” He couldn’t believe it.
“Scar.” His brother called out again. “One last thing.”
He stopped, noticing his brother had finally called him Scar. Steven was next to him, reaching out, pulling him into his arms.
They hugged briefly. It felt good to make that connection again.
His brother let him go and asked, “You love her?”
A million emotions clashed within him. “I don’t know. I thought so, but it’s complicated.”
His brother shook his head. “Love is simple. You love each other, you forgive each other. That’s how it works. Wash, rinse—”
“Repeat.” Scar
smiled and felt so grateful for his brother. “I’m sorry, Steven. For my pride.”
Both of them hugged again before Steven pushed him. “Go to her, you idiot!”
Scar took off, but slowed to a stop when he saw her coming down the dock.
Her red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and there were strands haphazardly hanging out. Just like when he’d met her. When he saw her face, the distress and the relief on it perfectly reflected his feelings.
With a cry, she rushed toward him. She held her hands out to her sides, tucking in her bottom lip as if saying, I couldn’t stay away from you.
Dang it if he didn’t feel like this was the end of some sappy romance novel. Scar would read any number of cheesy romance stories if he got to end up with his dream girl. He ran to her, stopping a few feet shy and knowing tears of his own were running down his face.
She shook her head, her eyes bloodshot. “You never gave me enough time to answer you.”
A grin swept over his face. “Hey.”
She closed the gap between them and smiled. “Hey.”
They kissed. He was drinking from her, and she from him, and it felt perfectly right. Like the world, his world and everything in it, had been restored to perfect working order.
She stared at him and got serious. “I told Jason I realized he was a dream I’d had for a long time, but I my dreams had outgrown him.”
His heart stopped. “They have,” he said with certainty.
Carefully, she put her hand on his face, tracing his scar. “You call me your dream girl, but you’re my dream guy. I want you. I know it’s crazy, and I know it’s fast, but it might be the only dream I know is real.”
Taking her hand, he held it and got down on his knee again. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but if he knew anything, it was that this woman was the only woman he would do it for. “Marry me. Marry me, and let’s start it all together.”