Since the day she’d ridden away from Warshire Manor, he’d had a huge, gaping hole in his chest. In a vain attempt to fill it, he’d spent countless hours reviewing ledgers, eliminating extravagant expenses, and finding ways to make the estate profitable. He spent almost every afternoon sweating in the garden, clearing out dead trees and overgrown shrubs. He reasoned that if he kept busy, he wouldn’t have time to dwell on the hollow, aching feeling inside him. But he’d been wrong about that—along with a host of other things.

Now he couldn’t help but wonder if Sophie was giving him a second chance. And there was no way in hell he was going to waste it.

He sensed her presence even before she appeared in the garden. The crickets’ song grew louder, the flowers danced in the breeze, and the clouds in front of the moon parted in deference to her. Reese turned and watched as she approached, her golden hair shimmering in the pale light. Dressed in an elegantly simple gown of silver satin, she emerged from the foliage like a goddess.

“Reese,” she said softly.

“Sophie.” He longed to haul her close, to crush her against his chest, to slant his mouth across hers. “I’ve missed you.”

Her eyes welled with affection—and maybe regret. “I’ve missed you too,” she said. But she didn’t run to him or throw her arms around his neck.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you,” he confessed. “There’s something I need to say.”

She tilted her head, curious. “Yes. That is, I’ve something to tell you as well. I thought it best to discuss it in person.”

The skin at the back of his neck prickled ominously as he gestured toward the swing. “Would you like to sit?”

She nodded, and he carefully spread the quilt over the swing’s seat before she settled herself on one end. He sat on the other and basked in her nearness. Soaked it up. Let it soothe his wretched soul.

“How have you been?” he asked.

She hesitated before answering. “Fairly well, I suppose. You?”

“Miserable, as usual,” he said with a grin. “I’m nothing if not consistent.”

She smiled, filling a little of the emptiness in his chest. “You are remarkably consistent,” she said. Sobering slightly, she added, “There are two reasons I wanted to see you tonight.”

“I’m glad to see you, no matter the reason.”

Her cheeks pinkened. “The first is to tell you how proud I am of you—for reading the letters from your friend’s widow and for visiting her.”

He dragged a hand down the side of his face, perplexed. “How did you know?”