Chapter 17

They paused at the end of the hall, the weight of the surgery finally lifting from Sloane’s shoulders. She expected Ethan to give his usual nod of approval and leave, but instead his expression shifted, lighter, more mischievous. “Come on,” he said, slipping his hands into his pockets. “We should celebrate your win.” Sloane blinked. “Celebrate?” “Yes,” he said easily, as if it were the most natural thing in the world. “And before you protest, hear me out. We’ll take Jeremy with us. He mentioned wanting to go to the amusement park, didn’t he? Seems like the perfect excuse.” He tilted his head, adding with an almost boyish grin, “We should also pack a spare set of clothes for him. Parks like that get messy. Don’t want to miss the fun.” For a moment, Sloane simply stared at him. The casual way he said it, so sure, so thoughtful, caught her completely off guard. He had only met Jeremy once, and yet he remembered every detail. What he liked. What he wanted. Even the small practicality of a