Damon didn’t speak for a long moment after his confession. His eyes lingered on the river before he exhaled slowly and turned toward Ivy again. The tension in the air shifted, heavy but fragile.“Let’s stop talking about the past,” he said finally, his tone low but steady. “I need to see how well you’ve recovered.”

Ivy blinked, caught off guard. “Recovered?”

“Yes,” he said, mounting down from the horse. “Train with me.”

She hesitated. “Now?”

Damon’s eyes softened ...