The next morning, Zac waited and the minutes ticked past. He wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t show at all, but what he did know of her said that wouldn’t happen. He wished he’d met Ava ten years ago. When he’d still believed in fairytales.

Now he knew about this ring, he needed the story behind it, but it was the one thing he wasn’t going to ask. The risk of upsetting her was too great.

When Ava arrived, he watched her with an intensity he couldn’t prevent, and his heart kicked with unexpected recognition his brain didn’t get. It didn’t help the decision he’d come to.

There was something about the way she moved, though, that was distracting him. She had dressed casually in long shorts and an open-necked shirt that tugged at him, but he couldn’t pin it to a memory. Her blonde hair hung loosely around her face in damp tendrils and she brushed it away from her face as she walked. She’d stopped to shower but looked unhurried and graceful as she sailed past the doorman with a smile, then raised a hand as she crossed the foyer towards him.

He could feel his mood lift, and automatically he stood as she approached. ‘You look too good to have just finished night shift.’ The words came from somewhere deep. Though now that she stood closer, he could see her eyes seemed weary but not defeated.

‘I’ll get my rest. How are you?’

‘Looking forward to breakfast with you.’

She sat and he did too. As she studied him, she said, ‘Why do you think you feel that way?’

It was a challenging question, especially since both of them had been up all night. He smiled quizzically at her. ‘Isn’t it usual to feel uplifted by having breakfast with a beautiful woman?’

‘I have no idea. You tell me.’ She shrugged and didn’t seem particularly thrilled by his compliment. He had the feeling she was focused on a course of action or conversation and wouldn’t be swayed.

He grimaced. ‘So, maybe finding some answers to things I want to know is a relief as well.’ He handed her a menu. ‘I thought we’d order off the menu. To save bouncing up and down for courses from the buffet.’

‘Sounds fine.’ She looked over the top of the menu sheet. ‘Have you remembered anything?’

He shook his head in frustration. ‘I’m beginning to think I won’t. There’s plenty of medical literature that says it can go either way.’

She sat back in her seat and regarded him sombrely. ‘I think I’m coming to a sort of peace about that.’

Lucky you. ‘I wish I was.’ The nightmares wouldn’t let him.