Chapter 51 Llittle Things, Big Love

• Lucas woke to the sound of soft cooing through the baby monitor. The world outside was still wrapped in the blue-gray hush of pre-dawn. He blinked against the darkness, slowly registering the warmth beside him—Emma, still curled under the covers, her breathing deep and even. Her hand was draped lightly across his chest, the small gesture of closeness they both reached for instinctively, even in sleep.
• The cooing grew louder. Then a short squeal. Then babbling.
• Lucas gently peeled Emma’s hand away and slipped out of bed. She stirred slightly but didn’t wake. Good. She’d been up twice in the night—once for Noah’s bottle, and again when Olivia had a teething fit so loud it had startled even the neighbor’s dog.