Page 26 of The Light to My Darkness (The Light to My Darkness 1)

That's what it was. It was the whole formal thing that bothered me. I couldn't break past that barrier with him. "Good morning, William," I said as he took my hand and helped me into the car behind James. One time I had called him Will and he had made such a horrendous face that a passerby would have thought I had spit on him. I had called him William ever since.

He closed the door behind us.

"We should give Jen and Ian a call," I said. "I think it's been a few weeks since we've talked to them. Really we should convince them to come early for Bee and Mason's wedding. Maybe they can stay at our place the whole week?"

"We can call them as soon as we get home." James wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "You miss Ian, huh?"

I laughed. "It's the whole being bad at change thing. I miss both of them. I kinda thought Jen would move back here once they got together."

"Yeah, me too."

I rested my head on James' shoulder as the car started to move. Silence settled around us. For some reason it put a nervous pit in my stomach. The baby kicked me like he was annoyed by my feelings. I lifted my head off of James' shoulder. "James?"

"Yes? You look beautiful today, by the way." He smiled.

"Oh my God. I'm the absolute worst. I walked into the closet this morning and found this dress and was so excited. It was such a sweet gesture because you know how much I love the other one. And then I immediately forgot to thank you. That's probably what you want to have breakfast together to talk about right? How awful I've been? I think your brother is right. I have crazy pregnancy hormones. I swear I can't even think straight anymore. I'm sorry about the past few days. I'm sorry that I keep assuming the worst and arguing with you and acting insane. And by the way, you can sue everyone we know for all I care. I don't want to fight about that. It's fine with me."

William cleared his throat from the front seat. "I'm just going to..." he let his voice trail off as he raised the partition.

"Ugh." I put my face in my hands. "See. I'm the worst. Now William thinks we're going to sue him."

"Penny?"

I lifted my head. "I know I've been impossible to please. First I was upset because we weren't talking. And then I got upset because you did open up. And you're allowed to talk to Rob about stuff. I want you to feel like you can talk to your brother. I shouldn't have been eavesdropping. And I way overreacted. Like a freaking lunatic. And I'm so hungry. Where are you taking me?"

"Baby." He wiped away the tears that I hadn't known I had shed. "Do you mind if I say something now?"

I shook my head.

"We're going to that brunch place you like so much. We should be there any minute. And I'm not taking you out to breakfast because I'm upset with you. I'm taking you out to breakfast because I love you."

"Oh." I exhaled slowly. "Yeah, I mean, I thought that was a possibility too."

He shook his head. "What am I going to do with you two?" He put his hand on my stomach and leaned toward me. His lips gently brushed against mine.

"This baby is making me insane."

"No." His breath was hot against my lips.

"I'm definitely insane."

"You're not insane. What would be insane is if you didn't kiss me back."

I laughed and stared into his eyes. "I'm so sorry."

"If you're apologizing for not kissing me, I don't accept your apology. There's only one way I'll forgive you."

The car pulled to a stop.

"Damn it," James said under his breath.

"It's fine. You couldn't possibly want me right now. I look like the entire Atlantic ocean." I gave him a chaste kiss.

His hand slid to my hip. "If anything you're more of a sexy, very slender river."

"Tell that to my ass."

"I'd be happy to." The car door opened and James sighed.

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