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Eventually, we did make it to the garden we originally set out for. Lachlan had this expression like he had just won the greatest prize, all from one kiss.

I can’t say that I felt much different. It was a great moment for me as well. I finally felt free from the ghost of Lachlan from my past. It was a small act, but felt enormous to me. Now, I do not flinch or hesitate when Lachlan grasps my hand, kisses the back of it, or when he places his arm on my shoulder, hugging me to his side. This feels….right. Like this was how we were meant to be.

The garden that used to belong to Lachlan’s mother was beautiful. It was a maze of foliage, blooming roses, and flower-covered vines over wooden archways. The center of the maze had an elaborate fountain with, of all things, a mermaid at its center. She was gorgeously intricate with her carved scales and the delicate way her tail and fins folded to the sides, like water currents were pressing down on them. Water was spewing from her uplifted hand