I pulled up to the James manor on the hill, following the line to the valet, stepping out and handing my keys to the attendant and taking my ticket. Immediately I was drawn by the flower lined path to the side of the house where there was a beautiful welcome sign, adorned in an arrangement of soft pink roses and orchids, sat next to the table chart. I checked for my name, not surprised by those I was sharing a table with. I smiled as I looked again at the welcome sign.

'Welcome to the engagement of Harry James and Tessa Monroe'

Who would have thought that Harry would have been the first of us to settle down.

He met Tess at the end of freshman year of college, and they had been together ever since. He had tried to convince us at first that she was just another fling, but I knew better. When he invited her to stay at the beach house the first summer, we all knew they were end game. He proposed on New Year's Eve in front of all of us.

Making my way around to the back yard, I knew that Mrs. James had been in charge of decorations. The whole event was beautiful, flower centerpieces on each table, fairy lights strategically places to create what reminded me of a fairy garden with elegance. Soft golds, pinks and whites.

Harry and Tessa were standing there greeting all their guests as they arrived. She looked amazing in a beautiful shimmering white gown, her dark hair flowing and brown eyes bright. Happiness radiating off the happy couple. Harry had matured too from his boyish good looks as a teen.

"You look amazing" I greeted as they both hugged me tight.

"It's great to see you Kayla, we are so glad you are here" Harry said, giving me an extra tight hug.

"Nothing could make me miss this" I replied.

"How was the move back?" he asked, releasing me from the hug.

"Everything went as smooth as can be, I'm all settled in my new apartment. It's great to be home again, back in the sunshine"

I had spent the last 12 months in Seattle, after finishing my marketing degree I was offered a year long contract with a top agency. I had nothing tying me down and it would look amazing on my resume. It was difficult being so far away and being a beach girl all my life, the cold was a challenge. I chose not to extend my contract, despite being offered to as I just wanted to be back home.

I left Harry and Tessa as they said hello to more guests arriving behind me and made my way to my table. Before I could get too far though I was stopped by two adolescent arms wrapping around me.

"Madi! Oh, I've missed you! How have you grown so much?" I said, taking in this now 12 year old girl who stood in front of me. She was now up to my shoulder and would no doubt overtake my height in a few years, taking after her brother. She was beautiful and reminded me so much of her mother.

"I'm so happy to see you Kayla! Seattle is just too far away" she said matter of factly.

"Well I'm back for good now."

"So is he" she said, with a smirk in her voice.

Over all the years, Madi had always hoped that Tyler and I would be together again. She would often update me on his movements, even though I didn't ask. He and I hadn't had any contact, but we both had a love for Madi. I had become a big sister to her, visiting her as often as I could through college. She meant the world to me.

"I'll save you a dance later Madi, go have fun with your friends" I gave her another hug before finally getting to my table to find Kara, Mason and Jason already seated.

I greeted them all with a kiss on the cheek, before sitting down myself. I had seen them all the days before as they helped me settle into my apartment.

"Who would have thought we would be at Harry's engagement party first, while the rest of us sit here single" I wondered out loud.

"I for one, am not ready to give up my bachelor pad anytime soon. The women come in, see my bed, and leave in the morning" Jason said, making us all laugh.

He was the true definition of a player. Mason though, had been ready to settle down. He was getting serious with his last girlfriend before she cheated on him and that all ended. It wasn't a pleasant time, Mason had even come to stay with me in Seattle for a little bit to get away. Kara was the female version of Jason, just like her high school ways. She, however, was open to the idea of love. She just hadn't found anyone 'worthy', her words not mine.

"I'm heading to the bar, anyone else for a drink?" I asked the group, they were all ok though, having got themselves drinks just before I arrived.

I stood at the bar, ready to order a champagne when I felt a presence beside me that felt incredibly familiar.

I turned and had to blink a few times to believe that it was actually him that I was seeing.

His hair was now shaved short, the long shaggy beach locks gone, his shoulders broader, and jaw sharper, older. Those eyes though, they never changed.

"Tyler" I said softly, almost still not believing that he was in front of me.

"Kayla. You look beautiful tonight, you've hardly changed" he said, making no secret of scanning his eyes from top to bottom.

I blushed at his compliment. This man in front of me felt like a stranger, a scarily familiar stranger and he still set the butterflies alight within me.

"Madi mentioned you were here" I said, trying to act like he wasn't affecting me by just merely standing here.

"I have no doubts, she is hardly subtle. I heard you just moved back here" he replied.

"Madi?" I laughed. "Yes, I'm glad to finally be home"

"Me too."

"You're home? For good?"

"Yes. I've taken a position in recruitment here in California. After 4 tours, it was time to come home and be closer for Madi" he explained.

"She will love that" I smiled, accepting my drink from the bar tender.

"Can we walk, I would love to hear more about how you are doing" he asked, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I'd like that" I said as we walked to the edge of the garden, where the clifftop overlooked the ocean. It was quieter here, we would be able to talk with some privacy.

"Are you here alone, Kayla?" he asked as we stopped walking.

"Madi didn't tell you?" I laughed.

"She had mentioned that there was a guy in Seattle" he said cautiously.

"That was never serious. There's been no one serious, not since you" I said honestly.

Sure, I had dated through college, even had my share of one night stands just for the experience. No one ever compared to Tyler. I thought that Greg could have worked in Seattle, but whether it was because I never truly felt at home or because of him, I couldn't fully commit. He also wasn't Tyler.

"Good" he stated.

"Good?" I asked.

"Yes. I would hate to have to compete for you" he stated.

I had no words, I just stared at him, wondering if I was hearing him correctly.

"We had agreed Kayla, we would part ways and find ourselves. Become our own people. We did that, but what I realised all the time apart from you, is that there is no one else. It's always been you, it always will be you. When I was in the middle of a warzone, guns blazing around me, it was you I thought of, you were my motivation to come home. I know that letting you go was what we needed then, I know that chapter of our story finished that summer after high school. But I want to write the next chapters with you. If you will have me, that is."

I was gobsmacked, speechless. I had thought about a moment like this for so long, of finding each other again, but I had pushed it to the back of my mind believing it would just be a fantasy.

"Tyler, I never stopped loving you" I said softly.

The smile on his face only grew tenfold. Without wasting a moment at all, he pulled me close, one hand on my waist, the other he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. He stepped closer to me, our bodies close now. I felt his breath on my lips, my eyes looking to his before closing the space between us completely. Kissing him was as natural as it had always been and I realised how much I had missed him.

Nothing had felt so right in 5 years. I was home again, in more ways than one.

I just couldn't resist a cliche ending! <3