*~~Chapter One Hundred and Seventy-Four~~*

{~~Logan Grey~~}

Every day is exhausting.

By the time Avery and I finally headed home, exhaustion weighed down every step. It had been a grueling day, and the strain of it was starting to catch up to both of us. We pulled into the driveway as the sky began to dim, a soft glow of twilight falling over the house. When we stepped inside, the quiet was almost jarring after the chaos of the day.

Hope, our little bundle of energy, was wide awake. Of course, she had slept most of the day, blissfully unaware of the storms we'd been weathering. Her bright eyes tracked me as we came in. Avery was distracted, holding on to her with one hand while holding her bag in the other. I smiled despite the fatigue pulling at me, scooping her out of Avery’s arms as her small giggles filled the room. "Hey there, little one," I murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.

Avery dropped the bags by the door and gave me a tired but warm smile, the kind of smile that made the weight of the day a little lig