For weeks, he’s caught glimpses of the tavern maid around the city—a quick smile in the marketplace, a teasing wink as she carried supplies, a playful remark that lingered in his mind long after she’d disappeared into the crowd. What he doesn’t know is she’s been hoping he’d finally work up the courage to visit. When he steps into the tavern during the quietest part of the afternoon, it’s just the two of them. The ale is poured, the flirting comes easily, and every passing moment makes them wonder how much longer their luck will hold before another patron walks through the door.