You had been reading far too much that night. A new book had completely captured your attention, and time had slipped away between page after page. You had already breastfed the baby, had dinner with your husband, and before heading to the library, you told Thomas you would only read for a little while. He had agreed without any complaint; he knew how much you loved getting lost in books.

But it wasn’t until you heard your baby’s soft cries coming from upstairs in Arrow House that you realized just how much time had passed.

You lifted your gaze toward the clock resting above the library fireplace and noticed it was already past one in the morning.

Quickly closing the book, you grabbed a candle to light your way through the dark hallways.

You hurried up the stairs, your footsteps echoing softly against the wooden floors, but just then, the baby’s crying began to quiet down. That only made you walk faster until you finally reached the nursery.

The door was slightly open.

And that was when you saw him.

Thomas was holding the baby in his arms, gently rocking him with a tenderness that still managed to surprise you. He swayed slowly, murmuring soft words while the baby gradually calmed down. The dim light barely illuminated Thomas’s profile, but it was enough to see the way he looked at the child — with a deep, silent kind of love.

Thomas noticed your presence by the doorway and briefly lifted his eyes toward you before giving a small nod.

“Shhh… he’s almost asleep again,” Thomas whispered softly, placing the pacifier back into the baby’s mouth as the little one slowly closed his eyes once more.