Free Black & White (Picture Perfect #1) by Traci Hayden

of the word 'mother' was more than he could bear. Mentioning Angel's mother was sure to cause a nervous breakdown.
    "I understand, Anne. I'm an only child. My parents were very over-protective of me." Jude's eyes glossed over and a smile played on her lips. Whatever she was thinking about, they were certainly happy thoughts. "We'll make sure everything is perfect."
    "I'm sorry, Jude, I don't know anything about taking pictures, but the lights and all that? Will Beth be able to handle the changes I know William will want?" There was a certain concern in my mind, thinking William would be a nightmare.
    Jude giggled as continued to watch Angel. "I promise, Beth has dealt with her share of divas, not saying William will be one. She has more patience than the Pope himself. Everything will be perfect."
    Voices drifted into the room from the hallway. William entered in nothing but his boxers. Shock settled in my chest, this wasn't like my brother, well, at least the brother I had known for the past six years. Maybe years ago, before his marriage, but not now. He had become more reserved after becoming involved with Angelina, growing out of the teenage mentality he'd had before then.
    There was tension in his body gestures as he walked, which revealed his anxieties. He never had issues showing off his physique, in fact, he had never realized the effect he had on women so his current anxiety was confusing. My first thought was that it was part of the package which made up my new brother, but the look on Beth's face told me a different story. She was trying so hard to control herself which was causing her professionalism to fail miserably. What seemed so familiar about Beth was unmistakable now. She was fighting a losing battle of being smitten by my brother.
    Even in the few minutes I'd known her, she had an evident way about her. She was controlled and closed off. It didn't make her a snob, but it was a coping mechanism she used to keep others from getting in or herself getting out. Now, everything about her was in sync with William. He had been dead for the past half year, but in the past few days something had changed. I doubted he or anyone else had realized it, but there was a tiny light in his eyes. Sure, it was dim but it was still there. There was life returning to him.
    I didn't know Beth, but it left me wondering if the same thing was happening to her. What I was sure of is that she had been 'dead' for a long time, and was now struggling to maintain it.
    The curiosity about what had happened to bring a small piece of the old William back had been killing me. The very last thought to cross my mind would have been that it was a who not a what. It was a woman and a complete stranger. She was bringing my brother out of the shell he had sealed himself up in. I needed to make sure Beth Huntley remained in our lives for both of their sakes. No one deserved to live like that.
    William reached out, silently asking for his daughter, the smile on his face bright in the faded light. Jude immediately relinquished her hold on Angel. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her to his chest. He gazed down into her tiny face as he cooed at her.
    After giving him time to connect with Angel, I reached for the bag hidden under the stroller and silently asked William to switch the baby for the bag. William was pulled from his enclosed world as he looked at the bag. He nodded and kissed Angel on the forehead before handing her to me.
    I watched as he moved to the opposite side of the room, and turned my attention to Beth. "Beth, I was wondering if we really needed to use such bright lights, I'm worried they'll be too harsh on Angel's eyes," I suggested, holding Angel against my chest.
    "Oh... ummm..." Beth turned her head towards me, her eyes taking an extra moment to turn with it. "I'm sure I can do something, I can turn them down."
    "Anne, it's fine. I trust Beth knows what she's doing." William called out.
    He was being way too casual. This