89. It's a Start

Tanner awoke the following day to find the situation precisely as anticipated: Avery was curled up on his chest, fast asleep. Her hair was spread across his face, a nightly occurrence that seemed to defy his awareness. He pondered how she managed this stealthy migration every night without him noticing. Part of him wondered if, deep down, he allowed it because he, too, sought that closeness. Yet, he recognized the importance of setting boundaries, not just for Avery but for himself as well. The last thing he wanted was to mishandle the delicate balance of their relationship.

Carefully not to wake her, Tanner extricated himself from under Avery and left her to sleep peacefully, wrapped in his bedding. He headed for Gideon's bathroom to shower, his thoughts inevitably drifting to Gideon, lying in a coma in the hospital, and Avla, who must be exhausted from the constant vigil. Tanner resolved that he needed to visit the hospital soon, despite the insistence from others that he remain on