Page 53 of The Light to My Darkness (The Light to My Darkness 1)

I laughed. "I've been denied by 15 publishers. It's never going to take off."

There was another pause on her end. "One day I'm going to tell you the whole story from my perspective. How I met Tyler. How we were both lost without each other."

"I'd love to hear it."

"Good. I heard you promised him a redemption story after you're done writing about you and James. I just want to make sure you get all the details right. That you paint him honestly. I'm going to help you make it perfect."

"That sounds like a good plan." I breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't upset with me. She was just worried that I was going to portray her husband wrong. But that was never going to happen. I knew what Tyler had been through. I knew the pain I had caused him. The pain he had suffered after losing his father and grandfather. I knew it. He wasn't just some frat boy I hooked up with once. He was one of my best friends. I respected him and I cared about him. He just wasn't the hero of my story. He was the hero of Hailey's.

"In the meantime, go tuck my son in."

I laughed. "Thanks, Hails. I love you, you know."

"Goodnight, Penny. I love you too."

"Goodnight." I looked down at Axel sleeping. "Good vibes," I said softly. "Everything is working out okay. Now let's tuck you back in." I lifted him up into my arms as I stood. We slowly made our way back out to the family room.

When I set him down on his sleeping bag he immediately opened his eyes and reached his hands back up to me.

"Axel, you need to go back to sleep."

"Can't I sleep with you? It's scary down here."

I looked at Scarlett and Soph sleeping soundlessly. There was nothing scary about this room. Unless Scarlett had a pet snake I wasn't aware of.

"Please, Aunt Penny." He gave me that same sad look he had when I opened up the bedroom door to find him.

"Okay, sweetie." I lifted him back into my arms and carried him upstairs. He was asleep before I even reached my bedroom door. It was tempting to turn back around and try to tuck him in again. But James had probably already fallen asleep. Besides, Axel looked so cute when he was sleeping. I didn't want to break my word to that innocent little face of his. I couldn't seem to say no to him.

"Finally..." James’ voice died away as I walked back into the room with Axel in my arms. "What are you doing?" he whispered.

"He wants to sleep up here with us."

"Are you serious? Why? Go put him back downstairs."

"He's scared downstairs, James. He's just going to wake us up again in a few minutes if I do. It's fine." I set him down in the bed and crawled in next to him.

"Fucking Stevenses, always getting in the way."

"Language, James."

"He's asleep." He gestured to Axel, who was snoring peacefully.

"Still."

James sighed and rested his head back on the pillow. "So you wan

t this scaredy pants to marry our daughter, huh?"

"He's three and a half."

"That's exactly what I've been saying."

I laughed. "No, I mean, he's scared because he's three and a half. He won't be scared when he's our age."

"Maybe."

"Scarlett referred to him as her boyfriend today."

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