Page 120 of The Scars I Bare
A possibility.
A lifetime.
By the time I arrived at the marina, the sun behind me casting long rays of light over the water, I felt like I’d been waiting for this moment for an eternity.
Rather than a handful of months.
Dean had come roaring into my life at a time when I thought I needed no one but myself and the love of my child. He’d been persistent in his friendship, showing me that, while life didn’t require a village to survive, it was a hell of a lot better with one.
And thank God I’d found mine.
This quirky little island of the sea.
And the man who loved it.
Walking down to the marina where Sutherland Fishing Company was located, I did a quick check of my hair as it blew in the breeze. Molly had helped me somewhat tame it, creating a French braid along the top that resembled a headband. I didn’t know how she had done it, but it was breathtaking.
She was going to be a wonderful mother to the little girl growing in her belly, and I couldn’t wait to see her and Jake become parents in a couple short months.
It was Lizzie I caught sight of first, standing outside the office door, looking very pretty in a summer dress I’d bought for her just recently when the temperatures began to rise.
“I should have known you had something to do with this,” I said, bending down to place a single finger on her nose.
She giggled, giving me a big hug. “I’m supposed to escort you to the boat,” she said.
“Oh, well then, I’d better not keep you from your job.”
She held out her arm, looking very official. I took it, and we took off down the dock toward several of the Sutherland vessels. At first, I had no idea which one we were headed for, but the closer we got, the easier it was to pick out.
“Do you see it?” Lizzie asked. “Dean and I did the flowers. We’d collected them from neighbors and some of the shops nearby. They were all really excited when they found out what we were going to use them for.”
“I do,” I said, tears stinging my eyes. “It’s beautiful.”
Every rail of the boat was covered in flowers, wrapped in greenery and every spring bloom that blossomed all over the island.
“Don’t cry yet, Mommy,” Lizzie said.
“Okay.” I laughed. “I’ll try not to.”
As we stepped onto the boat, the flowers only continued, creating a path to the stern.
To Dean.
“Oh my gosh,” I said, getting my first look at him.
Dressed in all black, including long black boots, he wore a black bandana over his head and—holy hell—a mask.
“It’s too much,” he said as I stepped forward.
“I can’t believe—”
“It’s the bandana, right? I went too far with the bandana?” He reached up to touch it.
“Just shut up right now. I’m living out a fantasy, okay?”
A sly grin spread across his face. “Okay.”
“You dressed up like the Dread Pirate Roberts for me?” I said, taking his hand. “That’s, like, the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.”
