Ten Tiny Breaths (Ten Tiny Breaths #1)(65)

My head flops down on Trent’s bare chest as I laugh. “I think my temper may finally be rubbing off on her.” I replay her words in my head as I nuzzle against Trent, inhaling his scent. “Forever’s a long time.”

Trent’s arms squeeze around me. “Forever’s not long enough when it’s with you.”

***

“Do you think if I go out there right now, Livie will hit me again?”

“Anything’s possible. But I do feel pretty happy right about now,” I murmur, stretched out in bed.

Trent’s arms extend back to cradle his head, a cocky grin curving his lips. “I sure hope so. I tried my best. Five times last night, I think? If that didn’t fix you …”

I lift myself up and throw one leg over his body to straddle him, arching my brow. “Oh, you fixed me last night. Today’s a different story.”

Hungry eyes graze the length of my body and then settle on my face with one raised brow. “Seriously?”

I shrug and then wink secretively.

He chuckles as his hands push through his hair, sending it into wilder disarray. “I’ve heard redheads were crazy, but man, no one warned me that you were sex fiends.”

I playfully flick his nose. With a roar, he rolls and pins me down on my back, holding himself up to linger over me, high enough to give me ample view of his entirety. With a wry smile, I throw my legs around his waist and pull him down to meet me.

***

The weeks fly by, and Trent stays. He stays in our apartment most nights now. He’s usually at the club late in the evening, sitting and watching me quietly with that intense, teasing stare that makes my knees buckle because I know what’s waiting for me when I get home. He stays, and he makes me happy. Happier than I’ve been in a long time. In many ways, happier than I’ve ever been. He makes me laugh. He makes me giggle. He makes me feel again. And each night, he takes my nightmares away. Not all of them. But they’re not on daily repeat anymore. And when I do wake up, drenched in sweat and gasping for air, Trent’s there to hold me, and stroke my hair, to promise me that it’s over, and what he and I have is real.

Each day, tiny pieces of Before Kacey fall into place. Or maybe come out from hiding. Maybe Kacey Cleary has been buried somewhere deep inside all this time, just waiting for the right person to pull her from the deep, dark waters.

To save her from drowning.

I don’t notice the pieces at first, but Livie sure does. I catch her watching me all the time—when I’m fixing myself a sandwich, when I’m cleaning, when I’m shopping—a secret smile touching her beautiful lips. When I ask her what’s up, she just shakes her head and says, “Kacey’s back.” And she’s happy.

Storm and Dan are going strong. I think Storm might be in love, though she won’t admit to it for fear of jinxing it. I can tell that Dan is head over heels in love with her and with Mia by the way he watches them, a tiny smile always touching his lips. And Mia?

Well, one morning, Trent and I wake up to Mia hovering over our bed with a gapped tooth grin and two quarters in the palm of her hand. “Look, Trent! I sold my teeth last night!” All I could do is laugh. Laugh and remind myself to get a lock for the door so Mia doesn’t learn more than cuss words from me. She’s the happiest kid I’ve ever seen because she’s surrounded by people who love her.

True to Storm’s promise, I’m making more money at Penny’s than I could ever dream of making elsewhere. My bank statement grows considerably each week. Two more years of this, and I’ll be able to pay for Livie’s first year at Princeton. I’m still banking on that scholarship, which is a good possibility. Livie’s so smart and so good. And so deserving.

Everything is perfect.

***

“Why do we have to be at Penny’s three hours early?” I moan, pulling my jacket against my body as a light December chill breezes through my body. There’s an unnaturally cool weather front coming through Miami for this time of year, I hear. It’s still balmy compared to Michigan but, all the same, the goose bumps spike on my skin.

“Liquor license training. We do it every two years. Anyone who serves needs to go through the course,” Storm explains.

“Three hours of how to pour a drink? Seriously?”

“Don’t worry,” she says as she bangs on Penny’s back door. “They let you sample too.”

“Great. I’ll be slurring before our shift starts,” I grumble with a quick nod to Nate as I pass through. It’s dark and quiet inside. I’ve never been at Penny’s when it’s this quiet. “Where is everyone? This is creeping me out.”

“By the bar,” Nate rumbles behind me, his hand prodding me forward. I peer over my shoulder and his mouth splits open to reveal gleaming white teeth. I can’t believe I used to be afraid of this giant teddy bear.

We round the corner into the dimly lit main club area.

“Surprise! Happy Birthday!”

I jump back and slam into Nate, who wraps his trunk-of-an-arm loosely around me while his deep laughter reverberates off the ceiling. Everyone’s there, standing on the stage, under the spot lights. Trent, Livie, Dan, Cain, Ben. Even Tanner.

And Mia! She’s off to the side, dancing around in circles with Ginger and a bunch of other fully-clothed dancers I don’t recognize.