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I’ve always wanted to travel. We used to go to at least two different holiday locations each year when I was a kid, but with everything that happened, I never really got to do it recently. It’s something I hope we can rectify in the coming years.

“We’re here,” Corey announces as the car comes to a stop outside a bar called The Pear Tree.

We thank the driver and climb out.

“Come here,” he says, pulling me into his side. “Look down there. You see that pink sign?” I nod. “That’s the original Rebel Ink. Where it all started. I’ll take you there another day. For now, you get to meet the guys who make it what it is.”

He holds the door open for me, and I step through. Everything seems calm, normal, until he follows me inside. Then an eruption of noise comes from the corner of the bar and four tattooed guys come running at us.

I stand aside with a huge smile on my face as the four of them greet Corey as if they never thought they’d see him again.

“You’ll get used to them eventually,” a soft voice comes from beside me. Pulling my eyes away from the bromance unfurling before me, I find the kind eyes of a woman with pink hair. “Hey, I’m Tabitha. Although everyone calls me Biff. You must be Harlow. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Really?” I ask, baffled about how that can be.

“Yep. You’ve really stolen that guy’s heart, it seems.”

I look over to where he’s laughing and joking with his friends, and my heart damn near explodes in my chest with everything I feel for him. Seeing him back here with the people that mean the world to him is everything to me.

“The same can be said for me.”

I look back to find her staring at me with a wide smile on her face.

“Let’s introduce you to this lot.”

“Hey, Kitten. Who’s your new friend?” the blond guy asks with a wink at me.

He knows full well who I am—as do I, as I watch him sweep Biff into his arms. She’s not the only one who’s had a full rundown as to who everyone is.

“Hey, I’m Zach,” he says. I expect him to hold his hand out, but much to my surprise, he releases his girl and pulls me into a huge bear hug.

“Um … hey,” I say with a laugh.

“Get your hands off my girl, motherfucker,” Corey barks.

“S’all good, man. Just thanking her for looking after our boy.” Zach winks at Corey, but it doesn’t help relax him at all.

“So, you’ve met my overly-handsy boss. This is Titch, Spike, and the old one is D.”

“Fuck you, man,” D grunts, much to everyone’s amusement.

“This is Danni, Titch’s wife. Kaz, Spike’s girl, and Piper, D’s ol’ lady.”

After a round of hellos and hugs, we all head over to the table they vacated when we arrived.

“Right, drinks,” Zach says, rubbing his hands together. “Pint?” he asks Corey. “Wine, cocktail…?” he says, turning to me.

“Um … just an orange juice, please.”

Everyone’s silent for a beat. As far as I know, they have no idea about the baby, but it seems that’s all about to end.

“Hell, yes. She’s pregnant.” Another round of excitement ensues, and I can’t help but sit here and laugh as they all give us their congratulations.

I love LA. It’s my home, and it’s where all the memories of my family are, but after even being here for just a few hours, I already know that I could make this place home.

From the second I stepped off the plane, I was just relaxed.

I’m not sure if it’s just the company and I’d feel that way wherever I am in the world, as long as Corey is by my side, or if it’s the place.

I turn to look at him as he laughs with his friends. He must feel my stare, because he turns his eyes on me.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah,” I say with a smile. “Everything is perfect.”

I have no idea if he’d ever want to move back, but I decide there and then that if he ever brought it up, there’s no way I’d stop him. I think we could be really happy here.

Our two weeks in Corey’s home city pass in the blink of an eye.

We spend time with his family every day and meet up with his Rebel Ink family more often than not.

I get a tour of the studio, which looks freakishly like the one I’m used to in LA.

I even spend a day with Biff and her best friend Danni while the guys hang out.

It’s incredible, but it reminds me of just how much I miss my own best friend.

We’ve hardly been separated since I arrived at her home all those years ago.

Whenever we’ve been on vacation, we’ve been together, so being so many miles apart is weird.

We’ve spoken every day, but it’s not the same.

Tonight, Corey told me that he’s taking me out. And that’s all I know. It’s our last night in London, so I hope he’s got something good planned. I’ve still got a few things on my to-see list that we’re yet to tick off.

He’s told me to wear something comfortable, so I pull on a pair of leggings and an oversized T-shirt. I might have the smallest of small bumps, but I’m already struggling with proper pants.

After slipping my feet into a pair of sneakers, I go in search of my man.

I find him sitting in the living room with his mom and sisters.

“Here she is,” Helen announces, smiling at me as I join them.

“You ready to go?” Corey asks.

“Sure am.”

“We’ll see you before you go tomorrow, right?” Sadie asks.

“Of course. Our flight isn’t until five. We’ve got almost the whole day.”

“Good. I’m not bored of you yet.”

“Nice,” Corey jokes as he takes my hand.

“Have a great night,” Helen calls as he leads me out of the house.

Unbeknownst to me, there’s an Uber waiting outside. I climb in, sit back, and wait to see where we’re headed for the night.

“Are you looking forward to going home?” Corey asks me.

“Yes and no. I’m going to really miss your family, but I can’t wait to see Brooke and tell her everything. What about you? Ready to get back to the sun, ocean and sand?”

“Yeah. I love it here, but there’s too much pain.”

“You think you could ever move back?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. I think we both know better than anyone that you can’t predict the future. I’ll just take things one day at a time.”

“That sounds perfect. I just want you to know that, if you wanted to, it wouldn’t be out of the question for me.”

He stares at me for a beat. His eyes are so intense that it makes my heart race. “Fucking hell, Harlow.”

“What?” I ask.

Reaching out, he wraps his hand around the back of my neck. “How the fuck was I so lucky to find you?” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond, because his lips brush mine before his tongue slips between them.

I moan into his kiss, sliding my hand up his torso.

I’ve always wanted him, but with the added hormones racing around my body, one touch from him and it makes me damn near desperate.

I can’t wait to get back to our large, empty house so we can make up for having to be so quiet and restrained while under his mother’s roof.

The car comes to a stop, and sadly, we have to break apart.

“Where are we?”

“On the west bank. I thought we could have a nighttime trip on the London Eye. It was on your list, right?”

I can’t help my lips twitching in excitement. “Yes. I can’t wait.”

“Come on then.” We walk along the river, chatting about our time here and the things we want to do when we get home.

It turns out that Corey has booked us our own pod, so I get to enjoy the sights of London by night without the distraction of anyone else.

In no time, we’re stepping inside and moving our way around.

“This is amazing,” I say in total awe, my nose almost pressed against the glass as I stare out at the incredible city beyond.

“I’m glad you like it.”

The view is out of this world when we get to the top, and my eyes hungrily flit around, trying to take it all in.

“Harlow?” Corey asks from somewhere behind me.

“Yeah, what’s—oh my God,” I gasp when I find him down on one knee behind me.

“Harlow Winters, by some miracle, you’ve brought me back to life.

You’ve shown me that the world still has color in it.

And you’ve shown me that it’s possible to bounce back from the darkest of times.

I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side.

Will you do me the honor of agreeing to be my wife? ”

“Oh my God, Corey.” My eyes fill with tears and my hand trembles in front of my mouth as I try to cover that it’s gaping open in shock.

He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a small black box. The world around me blurs as I watch him flip it open.

“Oh my God,” I repeat. “You’re serious.”

“Deadly. Now, will you marry me?”

“Yes. Corey. Yes.”

He holds his hand out for me, and I reach for it. I blink, and he’s got the ring in his hand and is sliding it up my finger. It stops at my second knuckle.

“Fuck,” Corey barks, looking up at me with a horrified expression on his face. “I had Brooke give me the size. Shit.”

“It’s okay,” I say with a laugh. “If I weren’t pregnant, I’m sure it would fit perfectly fine.”

Disappointment fills his eyes, but all I feel is excitement.

I drop to my knees with him and lift my other hand to his cheek.

“I love you so much, Corey. The ring is perfect.”

“Yeah?” he asks, the twinkle returning to his eyes.

I lift my hand, the princess-cut diamond sparkling before me. It’s simple; it’s classic. It’s utterly perfect.

He’s perfect.

“I love you so much, Harlow. Both of you,” he says, dropping his hand to my belly. “I want everything with you.”

“I love you, too,” I sob as he crashes our lips together to seal the deal.

And just like that, two broken souls become one.