Page 74 of The Light to My Darkness (The Light to My Darkness 1)

"Where are you going?"

"To get ice. And then all three of us are going to go watch a movie."

"Tyler, I'm not going to interrupt your night with Hailey." I tried to grab Scarlett, but he shifted her away from me.

"You're not. We were renting a movie to watch with Axel. Unlike Scarlett, the kid is completely wired. I think he got more cake when we weren't looking."

I laughed. "I don't want to ruin your night."

He started walking backwards. "When have you ever ruined my night?"

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe that time I kneed you in the junk?"

He laughed. "I'm pretty sure I deserved that one. You coming or not?" He somehow managed to open the door even though his hands were full.

I looked back at the empty bed. He was right. I didn't want to spend the night alone. I followed him out of the door and grabbed the ice bucket out of his hand. "I can at least get the ice for you." We had passed it on the way to our room.

"You really don't want to talk about what's wrong?" Tyler asked.

He was a good designated uncle. He was a great dad. But none of that surprised me. Tyler was good at everything he did. "Does Axel ever say anything that scares you?"

"What do you mean? Like how he wants to grow up and be a football player? Because I have issues with that. I'm pretty sure their concussion protocol scares every parent now."

I laughed and tried to let my thoughts disappear with the churning of the ice machine. I picked up the full ice bucket. "You're right. You shouldn't let him be a football player."

Tyler grabbed the ice bucket from me.

"I can carry a little ice," I said.

"You can do anything. But it doesn'

t mean you should." He smiled at me.

We were quiet the rest of the way back to his room. I was pretty sure he was waiting for me to tell him what Scarlett said that scared me. But I didn't feel like talking about it. A movie to distract me actually sounded kind of perfect.

"Scar!" Axel yelled when we entered the room.

Scarlett immediately opened her eyes. She looked over Tyler's shoulder at me. "Slumber party?" she asked and yawned.

I nodded.

Tyler set her down on their king-sized bed and she plopped herself next to Axel in the middle. Tyler walked to the other side of the bed and climbed over Hailey to the empty spot that he had apparently abandoned on his ice expedition. He put his arm around Hailey's shoulders. "What are we watching?"

"We agreed on Trolls," Hailey said. "Does that sound alright, girls?" She reached over and tickled Scarlett.

I smiled and sat down in the chair in the corner. "That sounds great."

"Mhm," Scar said. "But, Mommy, you sit here." She patted the bed beside her.

"Oh, no. I'm okay right here."

"That chair is like a rock," Hailey said. "Get up here, Penny!"

I laughed. It really was uncomfortable. I was so glad that Hails wasn't mad at me anymore. "Okay." I climbed up on the bed beside my daughter. I thought she might snuggle up next to me, but instead she put her head on Axel's shoulder, mimicking the way that Hailey and Tyler were sitting.

I had walked into this room knowing I'd feel like the third wheel to Hailey and Tyler. But I didn't expect to feel like the fifth wheel.

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