Page 87 of Dr. Stone

I smiled. “I’m delighted you see it that way.”

Inside, I watched my son light up under the glowing planets, Jace at his side like it was second nature.

“Mo! Mo!” Brandon squealed, clapping when the stars danced across the dome.

“You want more stars, huh?” Jace grinned, hitting the button again.

“Stah,” Brandon babbled, hand reaching for the light.

We ended the day at the Santa Monica pier with hot dogs and sodas.

“Doggy!” Brandon pointed at a seagull creeping toward Jace’s fries.

“That’s not a dog, buddy.” Jace laughed. “But I get why you think so.”

“Doggy!” Brandon insisted, clapping sticky hands.

Jace tore off a piece of bun, handed it over, and Brandon lit up. “Mo!” he chirped, bouncing until Jace gave him another bite.

I didn’t want the day to end. Somehow Jace gave us every second, even with a brutal shift ahead. As much as I wanted to fall asleep in his arms, what mattered more was the way he showed up—for me, for Brandon, for us. Watching my son glow around him made my chest ache in the best way, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself believe this wasn’t just another fleeting moment.

It felt like the beginning of something real—something we could hold on to forever.

FORTY

Jace

I wasforty-eight hours into a seventy-two-hour shift, and this damn place still hadn’t given me a breather. Since I’d walked through the doors, it had been trauma after trauma, hallways buzzing with urgency and overhead pages firing off like clockwork.

Normally, by this point, I’d be running on fumes and autopilot. But tonight was different. I was wired—in the best damn way. Hell, I felt like a rookie again, fired up even while getting my ass handed to me.

In the chaos, my mind kept flashing to Andie. I pictured her on her evening walk with that shithead Duke and my new little buddy, Brandon. Or maybe she was on her patio, watching the sunset roll in with the breeze.

What I really wanted to imagine was her and Brandon safe and happy at my place, waiting for me to come home. But I knew I was steamrolling things and needed to chill the hell out. Asmuch as I wanted to ask her to move in already, I also knew I had to slow down.

Still, I couldn’t help it. I was thrilled at the possibilities, and somewhere along the way, my usual patient, steady self had disappeared right along with the man I used to be.

“Dr. Stone,” a nurse said in a flirty tone, “sure you don’t want me to grab you a coffee? Maybe a neck rub?”

I glanced up from finishing a patient’s chart and spotted Kayla, one of the new hires. A month ago, I probably would’ve welcomed the attention. Maybe even flirted back, just to feel something during a long shift. But now? Nothing. Her pretty face, puppy-dog eyes, and overly done makeup for an on-call shift barely registered.

If anything, it made me cringe.

“I’m good, thanks,” I said, dismissing her ulterior motive with my tone.

“You do look exhausted,” Tasha added—another nurse who never seemed to take the damn hint. Her tone made it clear that if I gave them anything else, I’d be stuck in this conversation all night.

“Honestly, I’m fine. Thanks.” I handed off the chart to the receptionist. “Enjoy the quiet while it lasts. Something tells me it won’t be long.” I forced a polite smile and walked away before they could say anything else.

None of it landed the way it once did. I used to eat up the attention—it was a quick way to stay sharp and keep the night moving. But now? My mind was locked on the only woman who mattered, the one who left me more fulfilled every time I was with her.

I needed a power nap, though, because it wasn’t a lie when I told them this reprieve wouldn’t last. Hell, I was shocked an emergency hadn’t been called in the last five minutes.

The on-call suite Jake and I shared was more like an upscale apartment than a hospital crash pad—leather couch, blackout curtains, even a rainfall shower. Perks of Jake’s brother being the guy who practically owned the place.

I kicked off my shoes, lay back on the couch, and thirty seconds after closing my eyes—buzz. Pager lit up.

Of course.