My eyes wandered to the garden visible from where I stood. It was the same place where Ash and I had first met. The memory was so vivid, it felt as though it had happened yesterday.

His presence back then had been overwhelming—enough to make my knees weak even now.

“Coffee?” Silver offered, breaking my reverie.

“Sure,” I said, nodding as I followed him. “I missed these conversations, sir. It reminds me of the last time, minus the strings tied to my every move.”

My chuckle was ...