Winter's POV
The next morning, the house felt quieter than usual. Damon had left early, the sound of the front door closing waking me just as the sun rose. I didn’t have to check the clock to know it was barely past six. I lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to piece together how to move forward without completely falling apart.
Kai’s small footsteps broke through the silence, bringing me back to reality. His sleepy face peeked around the doorway, his curls wild and his favorite stuffed dinosaur tucked under one arm.
“Mommy, can we have pancakes today?”
I forced a smile, willing the ache in my chest to stay buried for his sake. “Of course, buddy. Let’s make some special ones.”
In the kitchen, Kai climbed onto the counter as I mixed the batter. His chatter, about everything from
