London lay under a quiet sheen of frost when Brianna turned into the familiar driveway, the early afternoon sky a soft gray that seemed to echo the heaviness in her chest. She had rehearsed her expression during the long drive home, smoothing the worry from her face until only a calm, practiced composure remained.
But the moment she stepped inside the house, all discipline wavered.
Lucas came running down the hallway the instant he heard the door open. His small feet pounded against the hardwood floor, his face bright with pure and unguarded joy.
“Mommy!” He threw himself into her arms with such force she staggered a little, holding him tightly as she breathed him in. His warmth, his scent, the simple curve of his small arms around her neck. The ache in her heart pulsed so sharply she h
