The GPS leading the way to Santa Barbara, Chase anxiously dialed Zoey's phone to no avail. After a dozen tries and no luck, he gave up. "God, don't let me be too late," he said to himself.

Finally, he pulled up to Zoey's resort and hastily parked the car. Chase leapt out and darted through the hotel's automatic doors to the front desk, clutching it for stability. Breathless, he could barely voice his request. "Looking…for…Zoey Brooks. Please…help."

After a moment's hesitation, the concierge – a man wearing a green blazer and a nametag - appeared to recognize the name. "Oh, yes, Ms. Brooks checked in about forty-five minutes ago and left here shortly thereafter; she appeared to be walking toward the beach." Chase took a few deep breaths and the concierge added "Between you and me, she looked like she was on her way to her wedding- she was dressed up in all white and-"

"How do I get to the beach?" Chase interrupted, his voice urgent.

"There's a path directly behind this hotel that will take you down there," the concierge replied.
Chase dashed out the doors and around the hotel until he saw the path. "This must be it," he murmured. He followed it until it opened up to an expansive white sand beach; waves crashed against the shoreline with mild force.

Chase looked to his right; nothing. Immediately upon turning to his left, he saw her. Zoey sat draping her legs over the side of a hammock hanging from two palms; one hand grasped the rope handle, the other at her side. She wore a flowy white dress with spaghetti straps and a flowery band rested on her head. Chase closed the distance between them until there was none. "Zoey, are you-? Am I-? Does this mean I'm not too late?" he asked warily. Zoey's expression was a combination of surprise and relief.

"You found me," she said, a soft smile on her face. She moved over, motioning for him to sit. As he joined her on the hammock, she ran a hand through Chase's cropped curls. "The shorter hair suits you."

"So, are you...?," he breathed, staring into her eyes.

"Am I married?" Zoey offered, staring back. She shook her head. "Chase, no. There wasn't anyone else."

Chase hesitated. "Zo, about what happened back at PCA...I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am. I gave up without a fight and that was the biggest mistake I've ever made."

"It's OK. I didn't exactly help things." She sighed. "I'm sorry, too. Our relationship escalated and I freaked. I had never been physical with anyone before and I didn't know how it would change our relationship. Part of me was afraid the physical stuff would take over and part of me was the afraid of the way I felt about you. I wasn't prepared for either of those things."

"If I would've known..." Chase said wistfully.

"It's OK. It doesn't matter now," Zoey insisted.

A long silence followed, then "So, when you said there wasn't anyone else, did you mean ever?" Chase inquired.

She nodded. "Ever."

"Then why did your assistant say-?" Zoey diverted her gaze downward and he began to understand. "This was a set-up."

Zoey met Chase's eyes again. "Stephanie and I may have done have a little conspiring," she smiled. Chase raised an eyebrow. "OK, mostly me."

"But why?"

"I was hoping you would come after me this time." Zoey gently rested her inner hand on Chase's. After a moment, he leaned in to kiss her, grasping her face. Zoey met his lips with her own, clutching at the hair on his neck.

When they parted, Chase had a confused look on his face. "For someone who isn't getting married, you sure look like a bride." Zoey looked at the ground again, blushing. "You're not getting married, are you?"

"That depends," Zoey answered, eyes still glued on the sand. "Are you gonna let me waste a perfectly lovely wedding dress?" She looked up and was met with an astonished Chase.