Chapter 5

Sloane,s pov

The showcase ended in a blur of applause and scattered cleanup. Volunteers drifted out in pairs. The last of the donor thank-yous were handled. By the time the main hall emptied, only the two of us remained to lock the student activities office.

Rina followed me inside without a word. The private office still carried the faint smell of ink and the memory of the night we almost crossed every line. I set the master keys on the desk and turned to say something practical about the final inventory.

I never got the words out.

Rina stepped into my space the same way she always did...