Page 165 of Breathe Again

This got me thinking about other things, other than writing. Olivia was thriving, there was room for me to do a bit more now, and I wascoming to believe that it would be just as good for her as it would be for me. My breakdown had delivered a gift, and that gift was of community. Rhys was a comfort to me now, as was Barrett, and both were close to Zale. In fact, I had noticed that Zale talked to Rhys quite a bit, often with a beer in hand, on either his back porch or ours, Barrett often joining them.

Willa was more involved with us than ever, and Rhys had adopted her as a younger sister. This made more sense now knowing how Barrett felt about her. I hoped she’d be brave.

As for Zale and me, we had become quite isolated for a number of years, so this was a change, a great one. Another thing about having community, it made you want to contribute, and I felt that, too.

Conversation died down quite a bit with the start of the music. The band was exceptional, the food, delicious, the company, first-rate. We stayed late, late for us at least, and when we walked out to the car, Bex and I walked in front, swinging our joined hands, Rhys and Zale bringing up the rear. I looked back to find Zale’s eyes trained on my ass and I laughed out loud. He met my eyes and smiled a promise.

Later, after Rhys and Bex dropped us off, after Zale ushered me to our bed, after his roaming hands removed my clothes, after he lay me down on our bed, after he wrapped my legs around his waist and covered me with his beautiful body, after he fell asleep with his arm draped over my waist, my body, the little spoon, tucked againsthis chest, after all of that, I realized, I had not once noticed the other women at the bar.

I fell asleep with a sigh and a smile.

West Side Diner

Mara

Saturday morning, we got an early phone call.

“What the fuck?” Zale swung around in the bed, reaching for his cell. “It’s Rhys.”

I blinked the sleep from my eyes as Zale answered the phone.

“Yeah?”

Rhys chuckled meanly. “Am I interrupting anything?”

Zale’s voice was still heavy with sleep, he rubbed a hand overhis face. “Not yet.”

“Bex wants you guys to meet us for breakfast. She didn’t want to call Mara’s cell and startle her. I drew the short straw.”

“Give me five. I’ll call you back.”

“Sure thing.”

“Right.”

Why did men speak in monosyllables? They don’t have to pay by the word.

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, baby. They want us to meet them for breakfast.”

I sat up, interested. “At the West End Diner?”

“I don’t know. Didn’t get that far.”

“I’ll call Bex.”

He grunted, “Good. We’re going, then?”

“Yeah, that okay?”

“Call her. Find out what time.”

Bex and I arranged to meet there at ten. We had two hours. I curled back into his chest for a few minutes, my nose pressed against his warm skin and crinkly chest hair, breathing him in.

“Let’s have coffee and then we’ll get ready?”

“Sounds good.” He slapped his palm down on my ass and jiggled it under his palm.

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