**Chapter 16**

**Ethan's POV**

The nurse and receptionist stood at the desk, whispering to one another. As I glanced their way, they fell silent, their expressions shifting to a mix of puzzlement and curiosity. They must have noticed my unusual demeanor with this particular patient, sensing there was more to the situation than met the eye. As we quickly closed the practice.

"Let's wrap this up quickly," I muttered, eager to leave the clinic.

I hurriedly stopped by the convenience store, grabbing a bouquet of fresh tulips and a box of chocolates, feeling guilty for being two hours late to meet Julia.

As I drove to Julia's house, the sun painted the sky in deep orange and purple hues as it set for the night. My thoughts kept drifting back to the chaotic scene at the clinic. I gripped the wheel tightly. Of all the dental offices Sophia could have chosen, she had to walk into mine. It felt like she couldn't stay out of my life.

Everywhere I turned, I spotted her. I punched the steering wheel in annoyance. How am I letting someone who has a happy life affect me so much?

Sophia's panicked eyes haunted me, the desperate plea for help etched into my memory. Despite the mess of the situation, her unspoken apology resonated deeply within me. It had my heart beating alive again. She was there for me.

Her trembling hands and tear-streaked face spoke volumes as she clung to Charlie, her silent gratitude echoing through the sterile corridors. It wasn't just about today's incident; it was the first silent acknowledgment of our shared history, of the pain we both carried from our past.

With a heavy sigh, Sophia's unspoken apology hung in the air, a fragile bridge between our tangled emotions and unresolved past. It only made my life more stressful, I thought, yanking my hair out of its bun.

But why am I worrying about her? I have a great girlfriend in Julia. We were finally moving forward. We reached a new understanding of our love growing. She's the complete opposite of Sophia. We discuss any disagreements. We are happy, have fun, and have a lot of date nights.

Yet all I was worried about was Sophia calling me by my name. My pride puffed my chest at how much I could show Sophia how I succeeded in doing my job.

Approaching Julia's house, I got my thoughts in order. I needed to tell Julia the truth, apologize for being late, and explain why I hadn't given notice. I hadn't called because I needed to sort my thoughts and hoped for forgiveness.

I parked the car and took a deep breath before grabbing the flowers and chocolates. As I walked up to the door, my heart raced. I rang the doorbell and waited, the weight of the day's events pressing down on me.

Julia opened the door, her face lighting up with a smile that quickly turned to concern when she saw my expression. "Ethan, what happened?" she asked, her voice gentle.

"I'm so sorry, Julia. I had a last-minute emergency patient," I apologized as I handed her the flowers and chocolates. "It was a tough day."

She took the items from me and set them aside, then pulled me into a warm hug. "Come in, let's get you settled," she said softly, leading me into the living room.

We sat on the couch, and she handed me a glass of water. "Tell me what happened," she urged, her eyes full of worry.

"A child fell and was bleeding so badly that she cracked her tooth. I had to do emergency surgery on her," I explained, taking a sip of water. The memory of the little girl's pain and Sophia's panic flashed through my mind.

Julia listened attentively, her hand gently rubbing my back. "That sounds intense. I'm glad you were there to help," she said.

I sighed, feeling the tension slowly begin to ease. "Yeah, it was pretty intense," I replied, omitting that it was Sophia's stepdaughter. I didn't want to complicate things further with that detail.

Julia took my hand in hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I understand. Thank you for telling me. You did the right thing by helping that little girl. And I'm here for you."

Her understanding was a balm to my troubled mind. I leaned back against the couch, feeling exhaustion wash over me.

Julia stood up with a teasing smile. "You didn't have to get me those treats, but I appreciate it," she happily said with a wink as she headed to the kitchen.

Yes, I had to—seeing her smile made it all worth it.

She returned with Skittles, popcorn, and sodas, "I got your favorites. Let's have a TV show marathon. You need to relax," she eagerly said.

I watched her move around the room and set up our snacks. Julia was always so thoughtful and always knew what I needed without me having to say a word. It was one of the many reasons I loved her.

She returned to the couch, snuggling up next to me. "You know, I thought I had a hard day," she said, trying to lighten the mood. "After I returned home, I had to do all the laundry. Can you imagine? Laundry!"

I chuckled, appreciating her attempt to make me laugh. "Laundry, huh? Sounds rough."

"Seriously! You'd think the laundry would have disappeared after piling up for so long," she joked, rolling her eyes dramatically. "But no, it was all waiting for me."

I smiled, feeling the tension in my shoulders ease a bit more. "Thank you for being here, Julia. I needed this."

"Anytime," she replied, giving me a warm smile. "Now, are you sure you don't need to pee before we start this marathon?"

"Nope, all good here," I said, laughing and shaking my head.

"Good. No movement allowed. It's time to start the series," Julia declared, grabbing the remote and turning on Netflix.

"Okay, let's go," I teasingly said as I rested her in my lap, and she giggled.

She snuggled up closer to me, her presence comforting and grounding. "We are ready," she happily said, pressing play on Sweet Tooth. "Shhh."

As the show began, I couldn't help but smile and laugh as we discussed the episode. It was good, with all the twists and turns.

I was beyond glad to be watching with Julia. I wrapped my arm around her, pulled her closer, and realized this was where I needed to be.

I leaned down and looked at Julia. I kissed the top of her head. "You know, Julia, you are amazing," I said softly.

Julia turned her head slightly to look at me, her eyes filled with warmth. She shook her head. "No, Ethan, you are always going above and beyond. You care so much, and that's what makes you special. Don't ever forget that."

Her words touched me deeply, and I hugged her tighter. "Thank you, Julia. You always know how to make me feel better."

I nodded as she praised me and only offered to focus on the show with a smile. Julia was beautiful inside and out. Yet all I cared about earlier was impressing Sophia.

As the episode paused, Julia shifted slightly and sighed. "I can't believe my days off are over, and I'm back to work tomorrow," she yawned. "It's dragging. We were supposed to finish the series tonight, but if we do, I'll fall asleep at work."

I laughed, appreciating her honesty. "Yeah, we can't have that. Your patients need you alert and awake."

"Exactly! Plus, can you imagine your ex having a field day if she saw me half-asleep at the hospital?" she joked, nudging me playfully.

"She'd probably think I was keeping you up all night," I replied with a grin.

"Well, she'd be right," Julia said, laughing. "But not for the reasons she might think."

I chuckled, the tension from earlier dissipating. "Thank you for making me laugh, Julia. I needed that."

"Anytime, Ethan. Let me go to sleep," she said and walked me out.

On my drive home, I realized I needed Keilen's help to figure out what to do.

'When you get off, wait for me,' I texted.