After roughly fifteen minutes of walking, Tara Summer finally stops. She stretches out her hand to pluck a half-ripened lychee from a tree.
"Miss! ..." The overseer's face changes drastically as she starts peeling the fruit. He rushes forward, ready to intervene, "Miss, you absolutely cannot eat that! Master Liam has instructed that, although the lychees from this tree might fall and rot, they absolutely cannot be eaten or touched!"
He snatches the lychee from Tara's hand, ready to throw it away, when he hears the steady footsteps behind him.
"Give it back to her!" A deep male voice follows.
Both Tara and the overseer shudder at the sound, turning around instinctively. They are both taken aback when they recognize the newcomer.
Tara, in particular, goes pale. Her reddened eyes remain focused on the man standing some distance away.
Liam Yancey stands underneath the lychee tree. Mottled sunlight casts playful shadows amongst his dark hair.
