Love Me(The Keatyn Chronicles #4)

Me: Hiding on the stage.



He doesn't reply.

I stand shaking in the curtain for what feels like an eternity.

I think about how it will go down.

Vincent watched the play. He's going to be waiting for me outside. He's going to hit me over the head, or jab a needle into me, or maybe he'll just put his hand across my mouth and say don't scream.

It’s then that I kick myself for hiding in this curtain. That was stupid of me. I should have stayed with Aiden. I should've grabbed his arm and left with the crowd.

But in Miami, Vincent threatened to shoot Damian. If he were cornered and close to having me, he would shoot his way out of here.

Killing Aiden and my friends.

No, it's better this way.

Just me and him.

Maybe I should let him kidnap me.

Let him take me. Have Garrett track my locket, find me, and then arrest him.

I’d get my life back.

I'd go see my family. Hug my sisters. Go back to the beach. Smell the ocean.

I think about a recent thriller movie where a girl is on the phone hiding under a bed while men are in her house. Her dad tells her that she’s about to get taken.

I'm about to get taken.

I reach up to grab my locket, but my fingers don’t touch it. I pat my chest, frantically searching for the locket.

It's not on me. It's lying on my dresser because we weren't allowed to wear any jewelry for the play.

I realize I'm screwed.

I hear the auditorium door open. Footsteps walk up the stairs.

Then onto the stage and closer to me.

I stop breathing and don’t move a muscle.

I can feel that he’s closer.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.”

Ohmigawd!

I was right.

He's here.

Please don't let him find me.

But then my phone vibrates.

Even though it’s tight against my chest it makes a little noise.

The shoes start walking toward me.

Getting closer and closer.

I'm going to have to fight. Take him by surprise.

I launch myself at the dark form in front of me, knocking him and me quickly to the ground. Then I start wildly punching.

I connect with both his chest and his face.

I leap up to run away as he grabs me, rolls on top of me, and pins me on the floor.

F*ck.

I close my eyes tightly.

“You're supposed to punch the bad guy, not the one that's here to rescue you.”

I quickly open my eyes. “Cooper? Ohmigawd. I thought. I thought . . .”

We both freeze at the sound of a door opening. Cooper covers my mouth and gets both of us to our feet effortlessly and quietly.

We hear the sound of shoes heading back toward the dressing rooms.

Cooper runs his hand down my leg, slides my heels off, and then pulls me across the stage.

We sneak down the steps then crouch behind the auditorium seats.

When he thinks the coast is clear, we run toward the main entrance.

Cooper’s still holding my hand as we exit the building. He pulls me toward a car parked in the handicapped stall.

There's a big puddle of water that I’m ready to run through, but Cooper scoops me up, carries me over it, and sets me in the car.

He slams the door shut, quickly runs to the driver’s side, and gets in.

I look out the window, scanning the area for Vincent. I remember Garrett telling me that he couldn’t disguise his height.

The only person I see, though, is Whitney. She watches us drive by, not even trying to hide the disgust on her face.

Shit.

Now, she's really going to think there’s something going on between us.

I shake my head. She’s the least of my worries.

“We need to leave campus,” I say, as I see Cooper driving toward his quarters.

“I think we're safer here.”

“No. Garrett told me to run. Go to the train station. Run. Get away.”

“That was before you hired me.”

He pulls up in front of his quarters and we run into his town house.

I drop down on his couch as he pulls his curtains shut. He grabs my hand again and leads me upstairs to his bedroom.

Then he pulls me onto the bed and into an embrace.

“You're shaking,” he says in a gentle voice. “Calm down. You're safe.”

Then he rubs his eye, which I realize is starting to swell.

“I think I gave you a black eye.”

He grins at me. “You did a good job.”

“Not good enough. You pinned me in two seconds.”

Cobra Cooper strikes again, quickly pinning me on the bed.

“Now what am I supposed to do?” I say as I reach up and gently touch his quickly swelling face.

He grabs my hands and pins them above my head.

My breathing starts to speed up a little.

“If something happens today. To me. To you. If he gets you. You need to know how to get away. I suspect this is a position he will want you in.”

I look up at his hand strongly gripping mine. Run my eyes down his tightly straining muscles His rock hard body.

But it’s Cooper and he’s not scary.

“You just relaxed. That's exactly what I was getting ready to tell you to do. It makes you feel like less of a threat. Look at me like you want to kiss me.”

I lock eyes with him. Raise my chin toward him, slowly licking my bottom lip.

“That’s exactly right. Because you’re not fighting me, I’m not gripping your hands as tightly. Can you feel that?”

“Yes.”

“What do you notice about my body?”

I open my eyes to look at him.

“No,” he says. “Leave your eyes closed. Use your body.”

I raise my hips up toward him, which causes him to push into me.

“What do you feel?”

“Your hips.”

“Yes, but if I were your assailant, I would be aroused. He’s been dreaming about having you in this position for months. He’s been planning and scheming and finally, you are his. And, even better, you’re submissive, so he thinks you want him. Which makes him feel powerful and in control. But he’s not anymore. Now that he’s aroused, he’ll loosen his grip. He’ll be vulnerable. What are you going to do?”

I press my lips firmly on his.

He responds by pushing his hip into me and kissing me back. I pull away from the kiss, pushing my head deeply into the pillow as I rock my hips into him and make a little moan.

“That’s it,” he tells me. “This is when you make your move.”

“I could head butt you.”

“Do it softly.”

I push my head into his. He reels back, but when he does, he sits on me. His full body weight trapping me.

“Shit. That didn’t work. All that would’ve done is pissed you off.”

“Exactly.”

“So what should I do?”

He gets back in his previous position.

“Push your hips back up. Feel how much space there is between us?”

I remember a wrestling move that Logan put on Jake.

I use the space to flip him over and sit on top of him.

“You're supposed to run away now. Not sit on top of me.”

I grab his hands and push them above his head, putting him into the position he just had me in. “What are you gonna do now?”

Cooper smiles big enough to form deep dimples. “That was a good move. But this isn’t some movie, Keatyn. This is real life.”

“I wish we were in a movie,” I say, suddenly exhausted. “Then I could control the script. And no offense, but if I controlled the script, you wouldn't be here. There would be no Vincent.”

There's a knock at his door.

My eyes get big.

Cooper effortlessly flips me off him and then pushes me into the bathroom. “The window opens to the fire escape. If I don’t come back, you go out that window and run.”

I start to shake again and get tears in my eyes.

I grab Cooper and hug him tightly.

“I’m coming back,” he says, grabbing a black handgun off his dresser and creeping downstairs.

There's another knock.

I hear Cooper answer the door.

Part of me is praying it’s Vincent. That Cooper will shoot him and this will be over.

Instead, I hear Whitney yell, “Keatyn, are you here?”

Cooper says in a calm voice. “You can't come in here. And, no, she isn’t.”

“I saw her get in the car with you. Where is she?”

“I dropped her off at her dorm.”

“I was just at her dorm. No one has seen her.”

“I’m not sure what she did after I dropped her off.”

“You have a black eye.”

“I'm sorry, Miss Clarke, but you need to leave. If you are concerned about Miss Monroe, I'll be glad to call the dean for you.”

“No, um, that's okay.”

Cooper shuts the door and turns the deadbolt. I shut the window, thankful not to have to crawl out of it.

Then I duck when I see Whitney peering back at the house.

“She’s a pain in the ass. I’m going to call Garrett to have some reinforcements sent in. I want a couple people just outside the school’s gates. Tell me what happened. How do you know that he’s here? Did you see him in the audience?”

“No. A stagehand gave me a ridiculously huge bouquet of flowers. The card was only signed with the chaos tattoo that Vincent got. And I was freaking out because I don’t have my locket on. I had to take it off for the play.”

While he’s on the phone with Garrett, I check my phone. I have a bunch of missed calls from B.

I decide to call him back.

“Keats! Wow!”

“Wow what?”

“You were amazing and I haven’t even seen it all yet. I wanted to come, but I figured that would be too dangerous. So I called a local videographer and paid him to record the play today. I’m watching it now. Keats, you did so good. I’m so proud of you. Did you get the flowers?”

Relief crashes over me like an ocean wave.

I drop my phone and start crying.

Cooper walks back in the room, picks up my phone, and says, “She’ll call you back.”

“What happened?”

“The flowers were from my ex, Brooklyn. They weren’t from Vincent. I’m sorry. I panicked when I saw the chaos tattoo. He and I both have them. I hate this!” I scream. “I hate that I can’t even get surprise flowers from a boy without freaking out!”

“Calm down. You did the right thing. Sit down for a minute. I need to call Garrett back.”

I throw myself across his bed.



Cooper shakes me. “Hey.”

I wake up with a start. “I think I fell asleep.”

“It’s called an adrenaline crash.”

“Yeah, I guess. I suppose I better get back to my dorm.”

He takes me downstairs and hands me the big bouquet of flowers that B sent. “I went and got them for you.”

I look at them and smile. “I should’ve known they were from him. The aqua blue ribbon is almost the same color as his eyes.”

“Maybe you should call him back.”

“Yeah. Do you care if I call him from here? I don’t want my friends to overhear anything they shouldn’t.”

“Go ahead. I’ve got a faculty meeting to attend. Just lock the door when you leave.”

“Thanks, Cooper. Did Garrett get mad?”

“He wasn’t mad. But I didn’t tell him what we have planned for tomorrow.”

I call B.

“What happened? Who was that guy?”

“I’m sorry. Thanks for the flowers. They’re beautiful. I just freaked out because I thought they were from Vincent. I thought he found me.”

“Who was that guy?”

“It was Cooper, my bodyguard.”

“You have a bodyguard?”

“I do now, yes.”

“How did you not know the flowers were from me? I signed it with chaos. Even did the bow the color of the ocean.”

“I told you that Vincent got a tattoo just like yours and he rubbed it against me in Miami.”

“I didn’t even think of that. I’m so sorry I scared you.”

“It’s okay.”

“I just finished watching the play. You were amazing, Keats. Really. I’m going to figure out a way to get rid of Vincent. Then you can come home and act. We’ll do a schedule. I’ll still travel but we’ll spend as much time together as possible. Tommy and your mom always make their schedules work. We’ll do it too.”

“Brooklyn, would you really be okay with me acting? With all that goes with it? The red carpet events. The tabloids. The magazine covers. Kissing my co-stars.”

“I’ve been going to clubs.”

“What?”

“I know. But that’s what all the guys like to do for fun while we’re on tour. I didn’t really get why you like it so much. But it’s the energy. The crowd. That’s what you love more than the dancing, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, probably.”

“I love you, Keats. I know I was a jerk about your party. About dancing. About your dress. It wasn’t slutty. You looked amazing. Like always. I was pissed at myself. I knew the second I left guys would be lining up for you. I just didn’t know what to do.”

“What if you got a do-over? What would you do differently?”

“I’d ask you to be my girlfriend. We’d figure out together how to make our relationship work. I’d be the only boy kissing you on the dance floor. And if I ever get the chance to walk with you on a red carpet, I’d be there. I’d even wear a suit.”

“Really?” I say, holding my hand to my heart as my eyes fill up with tears.

“Really.”
    

Monday, November 7th

Sandy castles.

4am



Cooper and I leave in our separate cars from school, meet up at the airport, and do our cross-country tour to get to Vancouver without leaving a trail.

When we get to the house my family is leasing, a shocked James meets us out front surrounded by four security guards.

“What are you doing here?” he asks, eyeing me suspiciously.

“What do you think I’m doing here, James? It’s Gracie’s birthday.”

“Who’s the guy?”

“This is Cooper Steele. Garrett hired him to be my bodyguard. Why are you acting so weird?”

“Since Vincent followed your mom to New York, we’ve been worried that you might not be enough for him.”

“What do you mean?”

“We think you’re both in danger. That’s why you haven’t seen any pictures of your mom and Tommy together. She refuses to go out in public with him. She won’t even ride in the same car with him.”

“Why?”

“She had a dream that Vincent shot them both. She’s afraid it was a premonition, and she doesn’t want the girls to grow up without at least one parent.”

“That’s horrible!”

“Garrett is also worried that he could use one of you as bait. In order to get you both.”

“Has he been following Mom?”

“She always has someone following her. It’s rarely Vincent, but we know he’s hired someone. And he watches the house. You shouldn’t be here.”

“Why don’t you make him go away?”

“Because he sucks at his job and is easy to spot. If he’s there, we know Vincent is probably not.”

“Wait. Is that why you brought the hulks with the guns out here? Why you haven’t let me in the house? You think I’d bring Vincent here? Where my sisters are? Are you nuts, James?”

“I’m sorry, Keatyn. I assume no matter what that you’d want me to keep your sisters safe. Is that correct?”

I nod as tears flood my eyes.

I was so excited to come here. I thought everyone would be happy to see me.

I turn toward the car. “I have a present for Gracie. Will you please give it to her and let her know it was from me?”

I open the car door and ask Cooper to unload her present.

“We’re clear.” I hear from a walkie-talkie.

Cooper has been standing stick still but ready to strike. He hasn’t said a word until now. “That means you get to go to your sister’s birthday party.”

“I’m sorry,” James says to me. “I’m just doing my job.”

I nod as we’re led through the front door of a sprawling contemporary log cabin style home.

Mom rushes down the stairs. “Keatyn! Why are you here?”

“I came for Gracie’s birthday. I couldn’t miss it.”

She looks really nervous to see me, but she quickly hides it with a smile. “Did Brook know you were coming?”

“Uh, no. Why?” I reply as Tommy and Mom give me hugs and I introduce them to Cooper. We briefly explain how Vincent is in Miami doing his auditions, so we knew that my coming here would be okay. Cooper also fills James in on our no breadcrumbs trip here.

We follow Mom out to a lush backyard.

And there, sitting in the middle of a huge sandbox, is Brooklyn, building sand castles with the girls.

“B is here? I just talked to him yesterday and he didn’t tell me he was coming.” My eyes fill up with tears again as my heart feels warm and full.

I grab my mom’s hand. “When did he get here?”

“Late last night. He had a sandbox and a truckload of sand delivered this morning.”

“I told him she wanted to build sandy castles with him.” I yell out, “Gracie!”

Gracie turns toward the sound of her name, sees me, jumps up, does something similar to the Snoopy happy dance, and then runs straight to me. I bend down as she catapults herself into my arms.

“Happy birthday, Gracie!”

“Happy birthday to Kiki,” she says back.

Then all the girls come running over and gang tackle me into the grass. Covering me with hugs and kisses.

Gracie screams, “No! My Kiki!”

The other girls back off as a hand reaches out to help me up.

A deeply tanned hand attached to a thicker than usual arm.

I grasp his hand as he pulls me to my feet and into a hug.

“I can't believe you're here.”

He gives me a lopsided grin. “I brought sand.”

I look into his warm blue eyes. Eyes that engulf me with more emotions than the ocean could hold. Eyes that make me feel like I’m riding a wave.

The eyes of home.

Gracie tugs on my hand causing me to break eye contact with him.

“Kiki! Come make sandy castles!” she screams.

I follow her to the sand box, sit in the sand, and start building a castle.

Gracie plops down in B's lap and stares at me.

“Gracie blow out candles,” she tells me.

“You already had cake?”

“No,” Avery says. “We had waffles for breakfast and she got candles in hers.”

Ivery says, “I didn't have waffles. I don't like waffles. Icky.”

Emery shakes her head. “I love waffles. They are my very favorite!” Then she lowers her voice. “Sometimes, Nanny lets us have waffles for dinner.”

“Waffles for dinner!” they all scream.

“Shhh,” Avery says. “It's a secret.”

“Why is it a secret?” B asks.

“Cuz Mommy and Daddy don't know that Nanny lets us have breakfast for dinner.” The girls all giggle quietly, like it’s the best secret in the world.

The girls chatter away, talking about all sorts of random facts.

I look up to find B staring at me.

He reaches out and places his hand on my cheek. I lean into it and close my eyes. Feeling the warmth. Soaking in his familiar touch. Causing a flurry of memories.

Sunrises on the beach. Floating on our boards. Waiting for the perfect wave. Kissing in the moonlight. Afternoons filled with nothing but his naked body, cool white sheets, and ocean breezes. The thrill of catching a big wave and the proud look on his face when I did.

I turn my face into his hand, put my lips on the spot I know so well, and kiss his tattoo.

Gracie jumps off his lap, knocking his hand off my face.

“Gracie wanna open presents!”

“Where's the dog?” I ask. “Do I get to meet Kiki?”

“I’ll get Kiki out of her kennel,” Emery says.

“No, it’s my turn!” Ivery argues.

They both rush off into the house.

A few minutes later, a yellow blur barrels out of the house with the girls chasing after it.

The dog rushes toward us, bounds into the sand, knocks down the castles, gives Avery a slobbery wet kiss, jumps on Gracie's lap, and then licks her entire nose.

“Bad Kiki!” Gracie yells, but then she wraps her arms around the puppy's neck and practically strangles it.

The dog deftly ducks out of her hold.

“I wuv my bad Kiki,” she says as the dog bounds onto my lap.

She sniffs me first and then licks my hands.

“Come inside for lunch, girls,” Mom yells.

I get up and try to brush some of the sand off my skirt. B wraps his arm around my waist and walks with me to the door.

His gesture reminds me of a song. The kind of song that you know you’ll never forget the lyrics to.

This will always feel familiar.

He stops me, turning me to face him.

“I can't believe you're here,” he says.

“I can't believe you're here. You have no idea how much this means to me.”

He pulls me into a tight hug and I grasp him as tightly as I wish I could grasp my old life.

He looks into my eyes. I noticed there was something different about him in the sandbox but I couldn’t figure it out. Now I know it’s his eyes. They aren't bloodshot. They aren't dazed. They are clear and vibrant and beautiful.

“I’m sorry, for everything, Keats.”

“I’m sorry too.”

“Kiki, come now!” Gracie yells.



We go inside and have Gracie's favorite foods for lunch. After singing “Happy Birthday,” Gracie blows out the candles four different times only to make Tommy light them again.

By the time the candle blowing out is done, I’m sure the cake is covered with spit and germs. But I don't care. It may be the best cake I've ever had in my life.

My mind flicks to Aiden bringing me cake. One single amazing kiss.

I look at B and feel guilty.

While we’re cleaning up, I confess my guilt to Mom.

“My guilt tops your guilt,” she says seriously.

“How?”

“If I weren't an actress—if I were just a normal mom—none of this would be happening. It's my fault. All of it.”

Just as she starts to cry, the puppy jumps up on the kitchen bench, leaps onto the table, and dives headfirst into the cake.

Tommy is quickest to respond. He grabs the dog, hoisting her off the table and shooing her outside.

The girls tear back into the room with Gracie in the lead, all chanting, “Presents! Presents!”

Tommy leans back in his chair, grins, and pulls Gracie onto his lap.

“Did you know that when it’s your birthday you're supposed to get spanked once for every year?”

Brooklyn whispers in my ear. “I’ll be twenty soon. Wanna spank me now?”

The triplets all screech, “No, Daddy. No spankings!”

“Alright. Maybe we'll change that. Let’s go with kisses!” He gives Gracie three purposefully sloppy kisses on the check.

“My turn! My turn!” the triplets say. They stand in line and each kiss Gracie.

Mom follows suit. Then I pull her up on my lap and tickle her sides while I kiss her, causing her to shrill with laughter.

“Guess it’s my turn,” B says. He gives her three sweet kisses on the cheek, and I swear she swoons. She puts her hand on her cheek and holds it there like she's trying to save the kisses.

We go into the family room where there is a stack of presents on the floor. Gracie jumps up and down with excitement.

I sit on the floor. Brooklyn sits directly behind me, putting his knees on each side of me and wrapping his arms around me. He presses his lips into the side of my face.

I lean back into his chest and close my eyes.

“How many times have we sat this way on the beach? Can't you almost feel the ocean breeze on your face?”

“Yes.”

He continues to whisper in my ear as we watch Gracie rip open her presents. “Keats, I'm sorry for any hurt I caused you. I was an idiot. And high. After the cabana girl, I quit smoking and now there's a clarity to my life that I never had before. I'm eating healthier. Working out. And it's all for you.”

I open my eyes.

“You should be doing it for you, B. My mom says you have to love yourself before you can love someone else.”

“That's pretty deep.”

“I've changed too.”

“I can see that. You look so soft and even prettier than I remember.” He slides his hand down my hip, his fingers stopping at the exact spot of my tattoo.

“I know exactly where it is. I know every,” he taps my skin, “teeny, tiny place on you. And when you're ready, I can't wait to feel every single inch of it again.”

I feel high. My brain is fried. I don't even bother thinking at this point. I don't know when I'll see him again and I want to cherish it. Revel in it.

I feel my phone buzz in my pocket. I pull it out and peek at it.



Peyton: Both you and Hottie Cooper are absent today. If you are having a hot affair with him, I will be completely mad and totally jealous.



Me: Don’t I wish. Had to take care of some stuff for my family in NY. Where is the hottie?



Peyton: Rumor has it, he is ill.



Me: Sick of girls throwing themselves at him, maybe?



Peyton: Not funny. He loves it. I can tell. And I’m close. Closer than Whitney, for sure.



Gracie rips the wrapping off another present. This one is a baby doll, which she snuggles, then tosses aside. She carefully studies the remaining packages. She digs to the bottom of the pile to a small package. She rips it open and jumps up and down.

“Chocolate chips! Chocolate chips!!” she screams, holding up a bag of chips.

She tears through a few more packages.

When she's done, I ask Cooper, “Would you bring in my present?”

Cooper nods, goes out to the car, and then drags in the huge wrapped trunk.

Gracie's eyes get huge. She runs to it and hugs it then climbs on top of it like it’s a jungle gym.

“Did you wanna unwrap it? Maybe, since it’s big, the girls can help you?”

“No. Mine!” she yells.

“Gracie,” Mom says calmly, “even though it’s your birthday, you have to share your toys.”

She folds her little arms tightly across her chest and juts her lip out into a pout.

Brooklyn laughs in my ear. “She does that just like you.”

“I don't do that.”

He laughs again, as do Mom and Tommy, who both go, “Yes you do,” at the same time.

Which immediately causes me to fold my arms and stick out my bottom lip before I can stop myself.

“Haha. See?” Tommy says, pointing at me and laughing.

I uncross my arms and straighten my face.

Gracie walks in front of Mom and says politely, “Sissies can help me.” But then under her breath, I hear her say, “Mine.”

They shred the wrapping and Gracie opens the trunk filled with dress up clothes. The girls have an abundance of princess costumes and ballerina tutus, so this has different kinds of costumes. A dragon. A horse. A ninja. A butterfly. Basically, I bought one of every Halloween costume available and a handmade trunk to put them in.

The girls start pulling out costumes. She watches, looking at the costumes in amazement. Then she slowly walks over to me. “For my plays,” she states.

I nod at her. She throws herself into my arms and strangles me with a hug. Tears stream down my face.

She stops the hug, looks at me, and says, “No cry, Kiki.” Then she bounds away, grabbing a white doctor’s jacket and putting it on.

She walks over to Cooper and goes, “Do you have a tummy ache?”

Cooper looks puzzled and goes, “Uh, no.”

She leans in and whispers, “You say yes.”

Cooper holds his stomach. “Yes, my tummy hurts really bad.”

She taps on his tight torso. Pushes on his chin. Then she gives Mom and Tommy a sneaky glance, grabs the chocolate chips, and hands them to Cooper. “You need chocolate. Open.”

“She's brilliant. You know that, right?” Brooklyn says.

I laugh. “She's tricky is what she is.”

Cooper does as he's told. Gracie takes the package away from him and doles out two chips.

“Eat,” she says.

Cooper looks at the chips like they might be poisoned. I don’t think chocolate chips are part of the Steele Building Menu Plan.

“Eat!” Gracie insists, so Cooper pops them in his mouth.

Gracie stares at him for a second then asks, “All better?”

Cooper pats his stomach. “Yes, all better.”

“Gracie tummy hurt too,” she says, reaching into the chip bag.

“Gracie,” Tommy says. “Only two. You already had cake.”

She smiles, takes three, and shoves them in her mouth. Then she wanders over to Brooklyn and me. “Two for Bwooklyn. Two for Kiki. Two for Gracie. Two for Daddy.” She gives Tommy a radiant smile.

“Give Mommy the chips, Gracie.”

“No!” she replies, clutching them to her chest.

“Go put them in the pantry if you want to see your other present,” Mom tells her. As she runs off, Mom turns to Brooklyn and me and says, “Tommy renamed this month NOvember. That’s about all that comes out of her mouth.”

Gracie does as she's told and gets led back to a room with a large wooden stage. Behind the stage, painted on a big canvas, is a rainbow, a blue sky, mountains, and a castle in the distance.

Gracie’s eyes get huge then she starts jumping up and down and clapping. “My very own stage!”

The triplets are already ahead of the game. They are dressed up as a horse, a dragon, and a butterfly.

Gracie runs to another room and brings back two crowns, placing them on B’s and my heads.

“You, prince. You, princess.”

She pulls our hands and makes us stand up on the stage.

I have to stand in the corner while B and the horse fight the dragon with a bejeweled sword.

“Die, dragon!” Gracie yells.

The dragon runs into the sword and then drops to the ground.

“Prince, find princess!” Avery, who is dressed as the horse, says. She drags B over to me, then pulls us both back to center stage. “Lie down and be asleep,” she whispers to me.

I lie down on the stage and close my eyes.

“Kiss!” Gracie yells.

I open my eyes wide and look at B.

“Kiss!” all the girls say.

He leans down and gives me a sweet kiss on the cheek.

“Ahh. No,” Ivery says, clearly disappointed by this.

“Don't wake up,” Avery, the horse, says to me. “That was not true love’s kiss.”

“Wait!” Gracie shouts. She waves a magic wand at Brooklyn, looking like she will curse him if he doesn’t comply. “Bibbidy, bobbidy, boo. Now, kiss!”

I quickly shut my eyes and pucker my lips, so B will know it’s okay to kiss me.

I feel his lips slowly press into mine and wonder if it is true love’s kiss. Will it wake me up? And when I wake up, will this all be over? Will my life go back to the way it was? Me and B on the beach. When my only worry in the world was what my friends would think of him.

I open my eyes slowly, like I've woken up from a really long dream, rub my eyes like Sleeping Beauty does, and sit up.

“My prince,” I say to B.

The girls clap and Emery says, “Now you have to dance. We all have to dance!”

B pulls me to my feet and into his arms.

Avery yells, “Wait. Cut!”

“No, Avery! Gracie say cut!”

“But we forgot the music,” Avery says back.

“Music!” Gracie screeches. “Turn music on.”

B and I stare at each other, ignoring most of what's going on around us.

When the music starts, he moves with me. Like he did that night at the Undertow. The night when I wished he’d kiss me. Now, I don't know what to wish for. B has changed. I've changed. We're not those two naive kids anymore. Vincent has changed us. I look at my sisters dancing with each other. The triplets are getting taller and are under constant surveillance. Mom and Tommy were nervous upon seeing me. My godfather, James, thought I was some sort of trap.

And I realize Vincent has changed us all.

I close my eyes and do something I haven't done for a while.

I make a wish.

“I wish we could have our old lives back,” I say quietly.

“I’ve been studying stalking cases,” B whispers in my ear. “I want to talk to you about it.”

“Not today, B. Don't ruin today with any other thoughts of him.”

I stop dancing and clap. “That was an amazing play, girls. Thank you for letting me be in it!”

“Let’s go outside!” Emery says. “I wanna bounce in the bouncy house.”

The triplets grab Brooklyn’s arm and pull him outside. I stop at the door to grab Gracie’s hand, but when I look back through the doorway, I see she’s still on the stage. She walks to the wall and runs her hand across the rainbow. Then she picks up a pretend microphone, walks to the center of the stage, and starts talking. At first, I don't realize what she's doing, but quickly understand that she's acting out a scene from The Little Mermaid. Playing Flounder and Ariel and Prince Eric.

I watch her perform all by herself. In front of no one. She even stops, getting irritated with herself when she messes up, and starts over. She wants it perfect.

I let her finish a scene then wander back in and sit on the edge of the stage.

“I practicing my lines,” she says.

“I saw. You're very good.”

She nods seriously. “I want to be on TV. I can dance too. Wanna see?”

“I’d love to see.”

“I'm the bestest in my class. Wait. I need my special tutu,” she says and goes tearing off.

She comes back wearing my pink tie dyed tutu. The one I was wearing when I met Tommy.

She marches up on stage, bows, and does a little choreographed dance. Twirls. Spins. Smiles at a crowd that's not there.

I clap.

“Shh,” Gracie admonishes me. “Not until I yell, Cut.”

I run to the stage, swoop her into my arms, and hug her tightly.

“Kiki, you cry too much. Is Kiki sad?”

“Kiki is sad because I miss you.”

“I miss Kiki too.” She lays her head on my shoulder. I automatically sway and pat her back when she’s in my arms. Like I used to when she was little. I take in her sweet scent. A mix of bubblegum, chocolate, and baby shampoo. When she doesn’t move, I realize she's fallen asleep.

I hug her tighter and stop fighting the tears that I haven't wanted anyone to see.

Cooper walks in, sees me holding a sleeping Gracie, and smiles a sad smile at me. I carry Gracie into her bedroom and lay her on her bed. Her hair is all sweaty, so I gently push it off her face. She opens her little eyes and smiles at me.

A streak of wet yellow dog bounds on the bed, licking our faces and dripping water on us.

“Bad Kiki!” Gracie says, now fully awake and drenched.

The dog stops bouncing, pausing only to shake its body and spray water all over. Gracie and I both giggle when Tommy chases the dog. B picks me up and carries me out of the room.

I'm laughing but also wondering when he got so strong. Before, I used to feel like I'd crush him when he gave me a piggyback ride. Now he's solid. Stronger.

We go outside to bounce in the bouncy house. After a while, Gracie climbs into my lap and promptly falls asleep again.