I stood up from the side of the bed, turning off the bedside lamp and leaving the small nightlight on near the door.
Eleanor was waiting in the hallway outside, leaning against the wooden railing with a soft smile on her face.
"He loves you so much already," she whispered as I closed Ryan's bedroom door without making a sound. "I have not seen him this happy since he came to live with Maddox."
"He is a sweet boy," I said softly, smoothing down my blazer. "He makes it very easy to care about him."
Eleanor walked beside me down the wide carpeted hallway. "Maddox can be difficult, Maeve. He is stubborn and private, and he carries too much responsibility for his own good. But seeing the way he looks at you tonight gives me hope. You bring a light into this house that we have needed for a v
