Page 18 of The Light to My Darkness (The Light to My Darkness 1)

"You know, I remember you feeling like Scarlett was a boy too."

I smiled. "But she was my first kid. I had nothing to go off of." I put my hand on my stomach. "It already feels like he's a part of me. If I lost him..." my voice trailed off. "I don't know what I would do."

"You're stronger than you realize, Penny. I mean, look around you. You set your mind on a goal and go for it. If you let any old obstacle get in your way, you wouldn't be here right now."

I had certainly pursued James despite all the opposition. Giving up on us had never really seemed like an option. But that wasn't exactly the same as my heart not being strong enough. I had never had that issue before. I loved too hard if anything. I gave too many second chances. My heart always seemed capable of anything.

"And I don't think it's an issue of losing your son," Tyler said. "You said yourself that the doctor deemed him healthy. I know the conversation tonight has been focused on your baby, but everyone in there isn't talking about the real issue. You."

I laughed. "I'm not an issue."

"But what if something happens to you?"

"Nothing is going to happen to me." My chest was hurting again.

"You shouldn't even be standing here right now. You should be in bed resting. I know you're strong enough to handle all of this. But your body isn't on the same page as your mind on this one. We don't want anything to happen to the baby. But we don't want anything to happen to you either."

I knew he was right. And if I wasn't careful he was going to make me start crying. He was still one of my best friends, but we didn't spend nearly as much time together anymore. I probably ended up hanging out with his wife more than I did with him now. Time changed things. Fortunately for us, time healed things too.

"Just don't let your stubbornness get in the way of your health." Tyler stuffed his hands into his pockets. "You should probably go sit back down." He nodded toward the dining room.

He had talked so much about being strong. I needed to muster a little bit of that strength in order to tell him about my books. Or rather, ask him if it was okay. "Tyler?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm writing a book."

He smiled. "I know. You've told me numerous times."

Right. I had told him. I just hadn't gone into any details. "It's about James and my story. How we met. All of that. I mean, I changed the names and it's fiction. But I pulled a lot of truth out of my time at the University of New Castle."

"Does that mean I'm in it?"

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about. I wrote about meeting you and everything. Hanging out. Kind of dating. That sort of thing."

"You made me look like a complete dick, didn't you?"

I laughed. "No. You're sweet and charming."

He shook his head. "Just promise me that one day you'll tell my real story? Redeem me in some way. If that's possible."

"A Tyler Stevens redemption story? I think I can handle that."

"I'm going to look like such an idiot in your books. Chasing after a girl who was so obviously in love with someone else." He shook his head.

"You don't look like an idiot, I promise." I hesitated as I stared at him. "So, it's really okay? For me to write about everything?"

"All the ups and downs brought me here. I can't be upset about what did and didn't happen back then. The past is in the past, and I'm pretty damn happy about how everything turned out."

I slowly exhaled a breath that I didn't know I had been holding. "Me too."

"Then write it. Just don't forget that redemption story."

"I wouldn't dream of it."

"And please come sit down." He linked his arm through mine. "I'll try to steer the conversation away from your health as best I can."

"Thanks, Tyler."

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