Page 62 of Skull
Boomer sank onto the edge of the couch, running a hand through his hair. His body still ached—but this time, it wasn’t for comfort. It was for something real. Something he hadn’t even realized he was still hoping for.
He looked at the phone again, rereading Taylor’s messages.
Yes. When can you get here?
And somehow, it didn’t feel like responses.
It felt like a beginning.
Later that night,back at Skull’s condo, the party buzz had quieted to a contented hush. The skies outside were inky black, and moonlight filtered through the windows. Walker stood on the balcony, arms folded on the railing as she looked out at the shimmering ocean in the distance. The sound of gentle waves and the hush of night cloaked them in an intimate peace.
Skull approached her slowly, his heart pounding in a way that none of his missions ever made him feel. He slid an arm around her waist. She turned, eyes bright with curiosity and affection, and as she did, he slipped a small box from his pocket.
The ring sparkled the moment he lifted the lid, the jeweler telling him all about the emerald-cut center stone, perfectly set with bezel accent diamonds that appeared to float delicately on each side. It was a ring made for an athletic woman, no prongs to catch. Walker’s lips parted, eyes going wide. Even in the soft moonlight, the piece glinted with brilliance.
Skull swallowed back a sudden wave of nerves, rarely short on bravery, but tonight was different. “Walker, you’re my world,” he said, voice low and full of emotion. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, building a life we can call our own. Will you marry me?”
Looking breathless, tears trembling at the corners of her eyes, a stunned sort of laughter escaped her as she nodded. “Yes,” she whispered, her voice catching before she flung her arms around him in a fierce embrace.
Time seemed to slow as he slid the ring onto her finger. She pressed her forehead to his, and for a few sweet seconds, there was no one and nothing else, just the two of them and their future unfolding.
She had taught him that his once rigid nature, the very essence of his spirit, could evolve. The courage she’d shown him on opening herself up to him, taught him that embracing tenderness did not weaken his ability to stand firm. It instead allowed him to lead with authenticity and empathy. In her presence, he experienced moments of profound clarity. Understanding that the rock he aspired to be was not a cold monument of impenetrable strength, but a living, breathing foundation built on both enduring stability and heartfelt connection.
Now, as he stood here with her in the hushed twilight, with her answer to his marriage proposal binding them in commitment and love, the promise of new beginnings echoing in every breath she took, Skull recognized that his evolution was a harmonious blend of his father’s unwavering steadiness and Walker’s transformative love. In that delicate synthesis, he finally understood what it truly meant to be a rock: steadfast yet open, powerful yet tender, and forever capable of weathering life’s fiercest storms while nurturing the fragile blooms of human connection. With this woman, all things were possible.
In that moment, Skull knew for certain they would be together forever. All the struggles, all the victories, had led them here. He envisioned the two of them in a home of their own, perhaps with a big garage, sure, but more importantly, with the warm comfort of a life shared together. The joy in her eyes echoed his certainty. This was their happily ever after, one they would shape with every gentle touch and every promise yet to come.