Page 28

Brooklyn shuffled into the kitchen still wearing boxer shorts and a tank, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she reached for the coffee maker. She hit the button, listening to the familiar gurgle as it came to life. Normally, she got up and had a shower immediately, but after the week she’d had, she thought she deserved a day to sleep in and take it slow. The bruises on her body from yesterday’s attack also demanded she not do anything too quickly.

The doorbell rang and she frowned. Her brother had said he and Liam would drop by later. Who could this be? Barefoot, she padded to the door and peeked through the peephole. Ethan stood on the other side, his tall frame relaxed but unreadable. He held a brown paper bag in one hand, his fingers curled around it like whatever was inside mattered.

Brooklyn hesitated for only a second before unlocking the door and pulling it open. Her heart hammered against her rib cage. She owed this man her life and an apology.

"Hey," he said, his voice still sleep-roughened.

"Hey," she echoed, eyeing the bag before stepping aside to let him in.

His presence filled her small kitchen as he set the bag on the breakfast bar. "I figured you might be hungry," he said, nudging it toward her.

Her stomach growled loudly and Ethan grinned. She shrugged. “I guess there’s no point in denying it.”

“Nope,” Ethan agreed letting his glance linger on her chest for maybe a beat too long.

Brooklyn smiled to herself. At least she knew he was still interested. Would he be, though, after what she had to tell him? Her stomach clenched at the thought. Lifting the bag, she peeked inside. "Loco Moco?" she asked, arching a brow.

"Thought you could use some comfort food."

“Great idea.” Brooklyn grabbed two plates and portioned out the meal, the scent of gravy and fried eggs making her stomach tighten with hunger. She poured them both coffee and slid a mug across the counter to him before taking a seat on the stool beside him.

When she sat, her tank top rose and Ethan gasped. “What’s that?” He pointed to the rosy mark above her buttock.

“Just a birthmark.”

“It looks like an island.”

Brooklyn glanced at the mark. “Yeah. Like the Big Island. I think that’s probably why I ended up here.”

Ethan’s nostrils flared and he frowned as he wrapped his hands around the warm ceramic without taking a sip. Instead, he watched her, his gaze steady. "We need to talk."

She nodded, but before he could go on, she set down her fork and looked him in the eye. "I owe you an apology."

His brow furrowed. "For what?"

She exhaled slowly. "For being mean to you. And for pushing you away." She took a breath, steadying herself. "That night—the night of your accident—we slept together." She forced herself to hold his gaze. "You were at my place. You left early in the morning, and I had no idea why. But then you never called. I called you, but you never called back. I thought…" She shook her head. "I thought you ghosted me."

Ethan’s expression darkened, his fingers tightening around his mug. "Brooklyn?—”

She cut him off. "I was hurt. My ex had an affair, and I—” She swallowed. "I assumed the worst. I didn’t trust my own judgment when it came to men anymore, and you… Your behavior seemed to indicate that I’d made the same mistake again. Instead of confronting you, I just shut you out. I’m sorry."

Ethan stared at her. He set his coffee down, his jaw tightening. "I don’t remember much about that night," he admitted, his voice rough. "Mostly just flashes of scents and color and sounds, like laughter. But I can’t remember… But that birthmark…"

Brooklyn’s stomach twisted, but before she could say anything, he leaned in slightly, inhaling.

"You smell like vanilla," he murmured.

She blinked, caught off guard. "What?"

"The woman in my dreams…you, I guess." His voice dropped lower. "She smelled like citrus and summer rain."

Brooklyn let out a soft laugh. "I ran out of my usual body lotion."

Something shifted in his expression. He reached for her, his hand sliding to the back of her neck as he pulled her forward. His lips met hers, warm and certain, a kiss that stole her breath. She’d hoped he might feel the same way about her as she felt about him, but she didn’t know for sure. All she knew was she was falling in love with Ethan Foster and doing her best to stop the tumble.

He pulled back just enough to whisper against her lips, "I don’t remember that evening, but I do remember you. You’re the woman in my dreams. I am so fucking glad you’re real. I feel like I’ve been searching for you forever."

Then he kissed her again, and this time, Brooklyn let herself fall.

Six weeks later

“That was a beautiful wedding,” Nova commented, then sipped her champagne.

“Yes, it was,” Sienna agreed. “Cliffside at sunset is damn hard to beat.” She glanced at Nova, a knowing glint in her eyes. “Is that the type of wedding you and Cooper are going for?”

Nova laughed. “I have no idea what kind of wedding we’re going to have. Neither one of us can seem to make a decision on it.”

“Elope,” Rusty suggested, lifting his beer to his lips. “Then throw a big party afterward.”

Bellamy and Octavia swayed together on the makeshift dance floor, wrapped up in each other while the rest of the guests twirled and laughed around them. The golden glow from overhead string lights made everything feel warm, intimate, and perfect.

Sienna smiled. “It’s nice to see them so happy—especially Octavia.”

“They’d better live it up now,” Cooper said, smirking. “Because once that baby comes, there’ll be no sleep and no private life.”

Nova snorted. “Like you would know.”

Cooper shrugged but didn’t argue.

“How’s the apartment hunt going?” Brooklyn asked, shifting the conversation.

Rusty and Sienna exchanged a glance before sighing in unison.

Ethan chuckled. “That bad, huh?”

“It’s hard to find a decent place with a good-sized backyard for Soda,” Rusty admitted, finishing off his beer. He turned to Brooklyn. “Anything available in your neighborhood?”

“Not that I know of, but I can ask around.”

Under the table, Ethan squeezed Brooklyn’s hand, his thumb brushing over her skin. He had never felt luckier than he did at this moment. He had the woman he loved beside him, his best friends around him, and a life that finally felt right. It didn’t get better than this.

“What about you, Ethan?” Sienna asked. “Are you going to find a new place so Mojo has space to run around?”

Ethan smiled, turning his gaze to Brooklyn. “Funnily enough, I did find a place. Turns out it’s already inhabited, but the owner is kind of cute and she loves dogs, so I think it’s going to work.”

Nova gasped. “You two are moving in together? That’s awesome! Right on, Brooklyn.” Then she narrowed her eyes playfully. “Just make sure he clears out when we have girls’ night.”

Brooklyn nodded. “No question.”

Girls’ night had become a tradition, with Brooklyn hosting it more often than not. Ethan still didn’t know how she had so seamlessly become part of his life, fitting into every corner like she had always been meant to be there. It was effortless.

His fingers curled around the small velvet box in his pocket, feeling the weight of the moment. Not tonight. But soon. He would ask her, and he already knew her answer. She had to say yes—because there was no way he was ever going to live his life without her.

He leaned forward and kissed her.

Brooklyn pulled back slightly, her eyes searching his. “What was that for?”

“Just ’cause.” He stood, tugging her hand. “Come on, let’s dance.”

She smiled, rising to her feet, and he slid an arm around her waist, pulling her close. As they moved onto the dance floor, the warmth of her against him, the steady rhythm of her heartbeat, Ethan knew—deep in his bones—that this was exactly where they were meant to be.