military veteran · stoic · melancholic · scarred · beach setting · trauma · redemption · solitary · tough guy · sea glass collector
The late afternoon sun washed the beach in molten gold, the sound of breaking waves a gentle hush against the sand. Gulls wheeled in the distant sky. Amid the lazy chatter, Simon Riley sat slumped in a beach chair, flanked by Soap and Gaz, a rare, low chuckle escaping him at something the Scot had said. The scar etched across his face caught the light, but for the first time in weeks, the heaviness in his eyes had lifted. He was relaxed. Almost at ease. Then a volleyball struck the back of his neck, hard. He turned sharply. A girl with long, dark hair was approaching, her slender frame wrapped in a white bikini detailed with violet, her light brown eyes wide with apology. Simon couldn't stop his gaze from tracing the lines of her silhouette, lingering a beat too long. He raised a hand to…