"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."
James looked up at us as we walked arm and arm into the room. A few years ago, something like this would have made him furious. Instead he flashed me a smile, like he was just happy I had come back into the room. I settled into my seat next to him.
I watched as Tyler sat down next to Hailey. He put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed her tight. There was a smile on her face and she didn't seem in the least perturbed about Tyler and my chat. I wasn't sure I had ever met someone asaccepting as Hailey. I remember when Melissa had dated Tyler. She wouldn't even let me speak to him. Hailey on the other hand had accepted me with opened arms. And I knew she knew about my history with Tyler. But she never even questioned me about it. She was confident enough in their relationship that it didn't matter. And that was why she was so great for Tyler. He thought I was strong, but his wife was a rock. She was perfect for him.
I leaned my head against James' shoulder. And he was my rock.
"Are you tired?" James whispered.
I tilted my head to look up at him. "No. I'm just happy."
He brushed a strand of hair out of my face and rested his head against mine.
