*~~Chapter One Hundred and Sixty-Seven~~*

{~~Avery Sterling~~}

I woke up to a faint yet sharp feeling of pain that tugged at my awareness, coaxing me out of the thick, hazy blanket of sleep I’d been wrapped in. The kind of pain that was more of a distant reminder than an immediate problem. I blinked, slowly coming to, my vision still blurred from the night. My hand instinctively reached out, and I felt the cool metal of the baby monitor right in front of my face. Logan must have placed it there, probably sometime in the early hours while I was deep in sleep. That small act of consideration—of knowing I would want to hear her, to be close to her even in my sleep—made my heart swell a little. He was thoughtful like that, even in the smallest details. I smiled despite the slight discomfort in my muscles from having slept in a bit of an awkward position, grateful for him.

Rolling out of bed, I moved gingerly, feeling the weight of the previous day's events settle into my bones. It had been a whirlwind, bringing Hope home, and fin