Had he really just said that to her? He took off in front of her, not going so fast he would lose her, but going fast enough. Sure, he hadn’t biked the island before, but his navigational and spatial skills for knowing where he was were in full force. Plus, this island wasn’t very big. He headed west and found a tourist bike path. Hopping on, he waited for her, meeting her eyes with a challenging smile despite his nervousness. There was still time to deny what he’d said. Tell her he was messing with her. Something.

When they stopped at the next stoplight, she grinned widely as she pointed to a tree. “Look.”

Scar peered at its branches. “What?”

She laughed. The light turned, and she got on and kept going. “A lemon tree.”

He shook his head and smiled. Since he’d grown up in San Diego, he wasn’t necessarily impressed by that. She was from Kansas, though, so he could imagine how it might be exciting.

As they rode on, Shayla taking the lead, she pointed to another tree. “A magnolia tree!”

He laughed at her delight. She pointed to different flowers and named them all, and he felt like he was seeing through the eyes of a child. It was innocent and fun.

They stopped at another light, and she said, “Which way?”

“I thought you’d done this,” he teased.

Her face reddened. “I’m not very good at navigating.”

“Let’s hit the beach this way.” He pointed to the right. “Then we’ll come back around.”

The light turned, and they kept biking. This time, he led the way. Out of the blue, he found he liked pointing things out to her, so he showed her a bird of prey flower, a Salvia Pozo Blue that attracts hummingbirds. The whole experience was ridiculously fun, and by the time they landed back at the beach close to where she lived, both of them were smiling and laughing.

It felt like one of those scenes in a movie, where they are at the carnival and the boy and girl are hand in hand. Why was he thinking of carnivals? Maybe because she’d said the fair was all they had in her town.

They sped down the boardwalk. The moonlight showcased couples walking and holding hands on the beach. One couple had a child between them and were flinging him up into the air as he squealed with laughter.

He realized this was what his life was missing. A woman. A family. He thought of his brother having a baby. He remembered what his brother had said about San Diego being Scar’s home. Maybe it was.

The past few months he’d worked harder and harder on the Sparring for Vets program, but something had felt incomplete. Right now, as Shayla almost wrecked at the bike place and they both laughed, he felt complete. This moment could be the most perfect moment he’d ever had.

After checking in the bikes, they walked back to the boardwalk and the hotel. “Sorry I made you miss your workout,” she said quietly. When their eyes met, he felt another zing.

His hand brushed hers and he considered holding hands, but he wimped out. “Hey, I can miss a workout. I usually do two a day, but it’s good to not always push so hard.”

As they approached the hotel, he smelled food wafting from the restaurant and realized he was hungry. Glancing at her, he saw her staring at the restaurant. “Hey, you want to grab something to eat with me? I guess the hot dog guy and cotton candy shop is closed at night.”

Her eyes sparkled at the idea, even as she turned away. “Naw, I better get back.”

“Hey, c’mon, it would be nice to have company. I usually do everything alone. I think I enjoyed biking around the island because I got to see it through your eyes.”

“Guess it’s your bucket list too?” she said, smiling.

He lowered and lifted one shoulder. “Take a beautiful woman on a bike ride around an island? That sounds good.”

She scoffed. “Yes, it sounds like a very Navy SEAL-ish bucket list type of thing.”

“Have dinner with me.” He wanted to sit, talk to her, have dinner, and stare at the ocean in the background. He didn’t want to go and drink another protein shake. No, no, no.

Hesitating, she smiled. “Another time.” She nodded to the path and started walking.

“Tonight,” he said decisively. “You had me rescue you from the possum, remember? Have dinner with me.”

She cocked an eyebrow. “You’re telling me I owe you?”

It was a challenge he accepted. “Yeah. I am. It’s how the real world outside of Kansas works.”

Her nostrils flared a bit, and he saw some fire in her eyes. “Actually, I thought the world worked like people helping people. Doing what’s right because it’s right.”

She would throw his words back in his face. Now he felt guilty. “I’m sorry.” Why was he acting like such an idiot?

She sighed. “Thank you for everything, but I need to get back.”

He didn’t want this to be over. He needed to be with her, like they were down by three and the other team had the ball. “I’m walking you home, Kansas. That’s not negotiable.”

They walked briskly, and she didn’t talk to him. He hated that he felt like he’d ruined this. Whatever it was. It had been amazing.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at her townhome. “Thanks again,” she said, before shutting the door firmly behind her.

Scar wanted to bang on the door and demand that the woman hang out with him. He thought better of it, turning and staring at the ocean, feeling like he’d seen it for the first time.