Compatibility Matters

Valerie's POV

The sharp scent of antiseptic and the low hum of the fluorescent hospital lights welcomed me back. It felt like a lifetime had passed since that suffocating, freezing car ride with Gideon. I had taken three full days of leave, dedicating every waking hour to making sure Maisie was settling safely with my in-laws. I needed to see it with my own eyes—the genuine smile on her face, the