Chapter 137

Melanie’s POV

I cracked open the front door to the muffled sound of Asher’s laughter echoing down the hallway—somewhere between a delighted dad chuckle and an overexcited cartoon hyena. A moment later he appeared, cradling Theo like a golden-eyed, sticky-fingered burrito, while balancing a pile of picture books in his other arm. Theo’s eyelids bobbed up and down, each drop hinting at imminent Dreamland travel.

My heart melted. I suspected Asher had kept Theo up on purpose—maybe for an audience of one, just so he could hold the little guy in his arms while I faced the parental grilling chamber. Knowing that he’d have begged to sit beside me through the “This-is-your-daughter” speech, I was infinitely grateful to hand off the tiny boss-man and snag this quiet family moment.

Ours.

Asher set a wobbly foot on the carpet, swooped me into his arms, and together we created a three-person cuddle avalanche. Theo sleptily mumbled, “Eem? Eem dada?” and Asher’s eye