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.”

“I was hoping you’d ask again. Yes!” She laughed.

He stood and slipped the ring onto her finger.

“Hey.” She said, falling into him.

“Hey.” He pressed his lips to hers, picking her up, spinning her around.

Finally he put her down and she gazed into his eyes.

His heart felt like it would burst. “I’m glad you messed up my eggs.”

She shoved him and he kept her close.

“And I want to keep living dream after dream with you the rest of our lives.”

She smiled back. “Me, too.”

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