Page 76 of Heathens
And as selfish as it makes me, I don’t know if I’m ready to acknowledge that.
My phone beeps, and I jump.
Salem.
The man who couldn’t bear to be away from me for any longer. The man who made sure my pleasure was provided for—twice—before seeking his own. The man who equated our lovemaking to being a gift from God. The man whose touch I could drown in,
Salem. The man who adores me.
How old are you?
Squinting at the screen, I frown and respond. Talk about random.
Me: 24. Why?
Salem: I’m 29. What’s your favorite color?
Me: Black. Or red. You?
Salem: Green. What are your parents like?
Me: That’s a loaded question...
Salem: So, unload.
Me: Father comes from a long line of New England old money. Think Vanderbilt's, but less boring. He's a lawyer but doesn't need to work. My mother is French and was a stay-at-home mom, but she spent most of her time shopping and pruning herself with manicures and blowouts. No siblings. Greta, as you remember, raised me.
Salem: And Evelyn?
I hesitate. I know what he’s doing—he’s trying to get to know me. While our souls may have connected early on, we don’t know very much about each other on the surface.
Me: Her mother is a drug addict. Her childhood was riddled with stints of rehab and interventions. Her father walked in and out on them as he pleased. They inherited a tiny house in our town. They didn’t fit in, and people made sure Evelyn knew that. So, I befriended her when we were little. I’m attracted to that kind of darkness, you know? And we became inseparable.
Salem: She deserved better parents.
Salem: But thank God Evelyn had you.
Swallowing, I reply.
Me: She did deserve better parents. And thank you. :)
Salem: What’s your favorite book?
Me: Fifty Shades of Grey.
Salem: Really?
Me: I'm kidding. I don't have one. I like Harry Potter, and I read a hell of a lot of romance.
Salem: Damn. I was hoping I could bust out my whips and chains.
Me: Ha ha.
Me: What’s your favorite book?
Salem: The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Me: You’re really not helping with the French clichés.
