stomach relaxes. It was real. It happened.
Fay smiles a little and pulls at my loosened shirt. I’m still
fully dressed, lying on top of the blankets where I collapsed
sometime last night.
“Up late studying, I assume?” she asks. “Getting ready for
college?”
My eyes dart to the papers on my desk once more, but
this time with a surge of panic. I can’t remember much of
what I wrote, but the words on the page seem to shine like
a beacon, exposing my secret to Fay. I slide off the bed and
grab for them as casually as I can, stuffing the pages into the
drawer.
“Something like that.”
Fay takes my spot, reclining on my bed and curving her hips
to expose just a touch of her lace stockings at the thigh.
“You’ll make one heck of a lawyer, Lonnie, though I pity the
woman who marries you. Lying all alone in bed at night as you
study up for your next case.”
”I suppose it will take a patient gal,” I say, distractedly, still
feeling nervous that she read the pages while I was sleeping. She has that knowing smile, but it’s her trademark. She makes sport of pretending she knows something you’d rather
she didn’t.
Fay stretches out her arms in a lazy yawn that makes her
dress strap slide down her shoulder. She runs her fingertips
along her décolletage.
“I’d never put up with such a man,” she says. “I demand to be
adored above everything else. I must be worshiped.”
I met Fay here at the house at a party celebrating my arrival.
She’s been appearing at social events all summer. She’s like a
phantom. She never comes with anyone else, never speaks of
a life outside the noise and frivolity of Ned’s parties. She exists
only to haunt me with her sly laugh. And I still can’t quite
figure out what she wants. Moments like these, I’m certain
she’s trying to seduce me. But other times she seems aloof, even
resentful of me.
I glance at the door. “I suppose it’s rather late. Ned’s probably
waiting for me.”
Fay watches me and then sits up, brushing her sleeve back in
place. “He gave that up hours ago. It’s almost noon, you know.”
“Ah.”
Fay’s still analyzing me, though she’s trying to hide it with a
casual, almost bored expression. “As a matter of fact, you slept
right through my visit. I have to go now.”
“Must you?”
She stands, and I catch a hint of hurt on her face. “I have an
appointment in town.” She smoothes her hair and breezes past.
“Do ring when you’re ready to give me the time of day.”
I grab her hand. “I’m sorry.”
She forces a laugh. “What for?”
“Fay.”
All at once, she presses her lips to mine. Her kiss is short,
but slow and tempting. The tip of her tongue brushes lightly
against mine. It’s indecent and intoxicating in a way only she
can manage. When she breaks off the kiss, a curl of triumph
pulls at her smile. She pats my cheek.
“Enjoy your studying.”
With that, she glides out of my room, her hips swaying ever
so slightly, like they always do.
Feeling flushed, I loosen my collar. I have half a mind to run
after her. But then my eyes fall to my desk. I slide open the
drawer with a tug. I pull out my notes and scan over the words.
Almost like a portal, they draw me right back to the emotions
of yesterday. It’s afternoon now. Cassandra might be waiting
for me. I set the pages down and soar out of my room.
Uncle Ned is in the library, sipping a brandy and reading the
paper. As I rush by, he sits up abruptly.
“There you are, Lonnie! Being the slouch today, are you? You
know, you missed Fay coming by.”
“Don’t worry. I saw her.” I make a motion to the door. “Have
to run, Ned.”
Without waiting for his reply, I continue on to the back
patio. Each step over the back lawn feels longer than the last.
My breath is as fast and short as my heartbeat. Breaking into a
full run, I crash through the bushy path.