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I joined her at the railing. She leaned into my side. The sound of the waterfall filled the space between us without demanding anything.

Sloane tipped her head toward my shoulder. “I thought I lost all of this.”

I put an arm around her. “But you didn’t.”

“Because I saved everyone?”

“No.”

She pulled back. “Then why?”

“I wanted to forgive you before the attack.”

She raised her eyebrows. “Really?”

“I was going to defend you in the chat when the smoke bomb went off. Everyone was talking about how they missed you and were listing all the ways you made our lives better. Well, everyone except Karen.”

“What did Karen say?”

“That you never cared about us.”

Sloane’s jaw tightened. “I’m beginning to think she doesn’t understand people.”

“Grandma Ruth also talked to me the day before.”

“About me?”

“About us. About who I became with you.”

Sloane didn’t say anything.

“She said you made me a person instead of a blueprint. She also accused me of basically being a walking schedule.”

Sloane laughed. “That’s completely accurate.”

“It is not.”

She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? You organized this date into phases.”

“You’ll appreciate phase two.”

She turned fully toward me. “I already appreciate phase one.”

I put my hand on her cheek. “Good.”

Her hands rested against my sides.

I kissed her beside the waterfall. She rose onto her toes and pulled me closer. I slid my arm around her waist, relishing the warmth of her skin beneath my palm where her leggings ended.

The kiss deepened slowly.

Nothing about it felt like reclaiming what we had before. It felt new. Honest. More fragile because we understood what could break it. Stronger because both of us had chosen to return.

When we finally separated, Sloane kept her forehead against mine. “That was an excellent destination.”

I kissed her once more, shorter this time. Then I stepped back and offered my hand. “Are you ready for phase two?”

Her smile widened. “I thought you’d never ask.”