Gabriel’s smile grew wider, and I noticed how his eyes closed just a little when he smiled—something that was unexpectedly endearing.
He nodded. “Coffee and snacks sound good.”
We walked side by side toward the cafeteria. Along the way, I spotted Cameron coming from the other direction, dressed in scrubs and a surgical cap, just out of the operating room, it seemed. He stopped when he saw us.
I caught the brief tension between Cameron and Gabriel as their eyes met, but we kept walking. Gabriel gave Cameron a slight nod. “Dr. Davis.”
Cameron stayed silent. He didn’t offer a response.
We passed by him, leaving Cameron standing there, his gaze burning into my back.
Chapter Seven
Cameron
Iwoke up exhausted, tired down to the marrow of my bones. It wasn’t the kind of tiredness a few extra hours of sleep could fix. Maybe this was what people meant when they said that when the mind is worn thin, the body follows. That mental fatigue could seep into your limbs, settle in your muscles, and make every breath feel like an effort. I hadn’t run a marathon or stayed up all night, but somehow I felt like I’d done both. Over and over again.
Glancing to my side, I saw Evie still asleep. Peaceful. Unaware.
I looked at her, and the troubled thoughts crept back in.
I reminded myself of the decision I made. I hadn’t stumbled into it blindly. I chose this.
And I wanted to own it.
So why did it still feel like one of those moments in life when everything was just... wrong?
Why did it feel like part of me—my heart, my soul—was somewhere else entirely?
I let out a soft groan as I pushed myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom for a quick shower.
By the time I was dressed, Evie stirred, her voice still heavy with sleep.
“Where are you going? It’s your day off today.”
“It’s Saturday. I want to spend time with Harper,” I said, pulling my shirt over my head.
“So, you’re heading to Sloane’s?” Her voice was tight, clipped.
“Yes.”
She was quiet for a beat. “How long will you be there?”
“I planned the whole day with Harper. I miss her so much.”
I hadn’t asked Sloane yet, but I planned to beg for it again and again until she said yes.
“Just Harper?”
That’s when I turned to her, irritation creeping into my voice, my face already giving me away.
“What exactly are you trying to say, Evie?”
She shrugged. “It’s just...” She let out a slow sigh. “I don’t know how I feel about you spending the whole day there... with her.”
“Her, meaning...?” I prompted, already knowing the answer.
“Sloane. Is it her day off, too?”
