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I frown again. What does that have to do with anything? But he’s still waiting so to shut him up I think back and back. “I felt relief when Carter and I moved here. But giddy happy? Probably when I was ten and our housekeeper threw me a surprise party and invited all the kids in the neighborhood. She got fired for that, so I wasn’t happy for long.”
Trevor is busy pressing kisses against my hairline. “There’s your problem, sweetness. You need remedial happiness therapy.”
“Huh? Therapy I understand, and you’re probably right. Just not in this town.”
“Naw, tried that myself once and I think action helps more than words. Clearly you have undeveloped happiness muscles. You don’t throw someone like that into an endurance race on their first day. You need to work out, build up the muscles. Leave it with me, sweetness. I’ll have you whistling in no time.”
I blink at him because he’s being serious. He finally smiles gently. “You ready for dinner? We have a lot of certificates to get through and I’m thinking tonight is a good place to start. Chinese, hamburgers, or fish and chips?”
My stomach rumbles enthusiastically. “Fish, I guess,” I concede, sliding off his lap. “What exactly is entailed in a happiness workout?” I ask suspiciously.
“You’ll find out when the time is right. You’re in good hands, Cupcake. I’ll keep you safe.” His eyes are earnest even though I’m eyeing him warily.
12
Kerry
Turns out Trevor’s idea of a happiness workout looks remarkably like a regular physical one. That’s what I’m thinking when he literally pulls me out of bed before dawn. He draws a sweatshirt over my head and pulls shorts up my legs before sliding shoes on my feet. All while I blink at him like an owl.
“Come on, Cupcake. Up and at ‘em.” His enthusiasm has at least woken up my curiosity. I follow him out of the house and down the path to the cove, where he hands me a full travel mug of coffee. Then we walk the beach looking for pretty shells and rocks while the sun comes up over the trees and hits the water. It’s beautiful and peaceful, so I pause to drink it all in, taking a sip of hot coffee while I do so. When I turn to see where Trevor has gotten to, he’s right behind me with a proud grin on his face. He kisses me lightly. “Let’s go. The beach will be here tomorrow morning, too.”
I shake my head with bewilderment as he leads me back to the house. I’m still standing there in the kitchen while he sets a frying pan on the stove. “That’s it?” I finally ask.
Trevor’s expression softens. “Yes, baby. For today, that’s it. Probably for the rest of the week.”
“But… But…”
His eyebrows arch. “You got some big happiness race you signed up for, Cupcake? What’s the rush?”
Oh.
By the end of the week, I’m actually looking forward to getting out of bed. I’d be looking forward to getting in it too, except Trevor put a moratorium on sex while I’m in happiness training. When I pointed out that was a good reason to be in a rush, he just laughed and said I could have his cock on Saturday night as a reward and to hold me over for the week ahead. Still chuckling, he pulls me close and proceeds to hold me all night like I’m the most precious thing in the universe.
“Right, Cupcake. Time to bring a little more intensity to your training. You’ve been doing great, by the way,” he says cheerily the next morning after dropping a condescending kiss on my forehead while handing me a cute bucket of sidewalk chalk.
“What’s this for?” I’m getting used to being confused.
“For the sidewalk, baby. Draw whatever you like for the next ten minutes.” He pulls out his phone and sets the timer before taking a seat on the front steps.
I stare at him and then at the gray pavement leading to the front door. Ten minutes doesn’t sound like that much time until you’re confronted with a blank walkway and a child’s toy you have zero experience with.
Finally, I stiffly bend over and draw a yellow flower. It’s bright and cheery and never going to win any prizes. I add leaves. And then frown down at them because now the flower looks too small. The weight of the bucket lightens as Trevor takes it from my fingers. “Time’s up, Kerry. You can draw another tomorrow.”
“But…”
He shakes his head. “Nobody will yell at you for drawing a flower on your own path, baby.”
“But it’s not perfect,” I wail.
“Yes, it is. And so are you. Come on, it’s a good day for lunch at the cafe, yeah?”
“Are you sure I’m worth all this effort, Trevor?” I ask doubtfully after we’re seated in the cafe. Everyone’s eyes are on us.
“Yep,” he answers cheerfully. “Have you thought about what you want to try tomorrow?”
“Try?” I inquire, attempting to remember if we discussed any plans.
“Hmm. In bed, baby. Remember?” I blush because he didn’t keep his voice down and now mouths are hanging open, waiting for my answer.
