Chapter 27
Lucky Treasures is way on the opposite side of downtown, inland, in an old shopping plaza that, from what I remember from childhood, used to have some cute mom-and-pop restaurants and furniture stores but now is a collection of really run-down-looking electronic and dollar stores.
The building itself looks just as old as the surroundings, but the people in charge obviously keep it a lot nicer with what looks to be regular pressure washing and daisies and coneflowers planted all around the parking lot.
After we walk in, it becomes clear that we are definitely the only customers, which makes me relax muscles I hadn’t realized I’d been tensing.
While I still mostly don’t care that my shenanigans last night are possibly the talk of the town, that doesn’t mean that I want people to call me names and act like I need to adhere a big red F on my clothing for Freak while I’m trying to figure out which piece of raunchy lace Adam would like the most.
We wander from display to display, giggling and chatting about which pieces would be the most flattering for us. I end up falling in love with a shimmery lilac bodysuit that has the whole crotch, ass, and breasts cut out. “It’s so absurd,” I say. “But also very pretty.”
“That kind of describes most lingerie,” Sage agrees. “Absurd and pretty.”
Sage ends up with a corset, though, and a thigh-high mix.
Teal decides to grab some lube and a travel bullet vibrator.
She wants to buy me condoms as a sort of “congratulations on your first real adult sexual relationship” gift, but I wave her off, telling her about the massive variety collection I already have.
After saying goodbye to them, I drive to work, saying my usual greeting to Anise before going down into my lair. As soon as I put my handbag on my desk, my phone dings. The notification is for Matchmakr.
I narrow my eyes as I open the app, and there it is. From @tryingsomethingnew: Hey girl. Wyd?
I snort. I’m at work. Wyd? Didn’t William have a doctor’s appointment? How was it?
Got him in the office barely on time. He had another bad night.
Oh no. I’m sorry, Adam. How is he now?
Snoozing. At least the doc could see what I was talking about and prescribed him some sleep meds. I need to pick them up from the pharmacy in a few.
I tsk. Poor William. Was he always so grumpy, or did it become a thing as he got older?
Ahhh…yeah, Gramps was always a hardass. Sweet on my grandma, though. It definitely is getting worse with age, though, so both.
Are you okay? Do you need anything?
Just wanted to hear from you. My salt sea girl.
My heart feels so warm on its next few beats as I read him calling me his. I’m here. If you need to chat. My…uh. Trying Something New Guy.
Lmao. That’s not nearly as endearing a username. Ah.. I gotta run. Pharmacy’s calling. Chat later?
Of course. Have a good day.
I look at my desk and see the architecture book I had been so engrossed in only a couple days ago.
I shrug and push it aside. I don’t know why, but finding out what was happening under St. Theresa’s Catholic Church for Wanderers and Pilgrims doesn’t feel so urgent right now.
I guess maybe my brain can only handle so many exciting things at once.
And right now, Adam is taking precedence.
And I wouldn’t change the Brain Priorities List even if I could. I just…want Adam.
All I do at work is think about how much I want him.
As I categorize books, I also categorize all the sexual positions I know, and make note to research more later.
As I read through some annoying paperwork, my mind drifts off to think about whether Adam would enjoy an ass-eating, like apparently Carter does.
I think about the sounds Adam might make, similar to all the ways he groaned and moaned every time we touched yesterday, and yup, just like that, I’m wet.
I squeeze my thighs together and shake my head.
How can I focus on anything when Adam Noemi is officially mine? And we’re going on a date tomorrow? And are banging for the first time afterward?
I barely manage to make it through the workday and wonder how on earth anyone gets anything done when they have a partner as hot and as lovely as Adam Noemi.
Throughout the beginning of my workweek, there are many things I ignore in addition to my previous church investigation.
One is the increasing number of text messages Amá Sonya sends me, each one more morbid than the last. I am your only grandmother and we all know I will not be around much longer.
You need to go on a date with someone I approve of at least once.
After that, she wrote: COYOTES?? And the last text is simply: I suppose I must come to you.
But if it comes down to that, you might have regrets. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I send Teal a screenshot of all the texts and write, Please tell her, in the kindest way possible, to leave me the fuck alone.
Teal sends a thumbs-up with an On it, and then reminds me about her art opening this coming weekend.
I’d nearly forgotten, so I pencil it in my planner right away, then text Adam to invite him. I’d love to is what he writes back.
Tuesday comes a lot quicker than I expected, considering all the daydreaming and humming and smiling to myself I’ve been doing. I get off work at three, then look in my closet for what feels like an age, wondering what on earth to wear for my first official, real date with Adam.
I decide on a little black dress that fits me like a glove, emphasizing the curves of my hips and ass, featuring a square neckline that is high and elegant.
It reaches my midthigh and has a small slit that reveals my brown, moisturized skin, so the skirt is a little bit slutty.
Slutty and elegant. That’s me. I contain multitudes.
I pin up my hair according to a Pinterest tutorial promising to make me look like I’m an elven princess, put on smoky eye shadow and pink lipstick, and spray on a perfume that smells like autumn to me, the most romantic season, with notes of pumpkin, nutmeg, and coffee.
I’m slipping on Mary Janes at the door when Adam knocks. I open it and give him the biggest smile as I jump on him to hug him.
“Whoa,” he says, laughing as he slides his hands under my ass to hold me up against him. “Wow. What a greeting.” I slide back down him and he takes a step back. “And wow. You’re so fucking gorgeous. Look at you.”
I turn around, giggling. “It’s Calvin Klein. My grandmother got it for me, but she said I would need to get the skirt redone by a tailor to have it go to my knees.”
“I’m glad you ignored the advice.” He gives me a long look of approval.
“You look handsome,” I say shyly. He had put on a forest green dress shirt with black slacks and shoes. “I love green on you.”
“Yeah?” He gives me a half smile. “My mother told me green was our color. Because of our red hair.”
“You got your red hair from her?”
He nods. “Yup. Me and all my siblings. And my dad’s hair is black. You’d never think red was recessive with the way it took over our family. Only one of my sixteen nieces and nephews has dark hair. The rest, all different shades of red.”
“Maybe your mom had the rare dominant redhead gene,” I say as I shut and lock the door behind me.
Adam chuckles. “Wouldn’t surprise me.”
“So where are we going?” I ask after we settle in his car.
“That depends.” He glances my way. “How do you feel about seafood?”
“Some of it is weird. I don’t like the slimy sorts. But I love the other ones.”
He grins at me. “What are the slimy sorts?”
I scrunch up my nose. “You know. Anything in a shell. Like oysters?”
“Ah, yeah.” He nods. “Slimy definitely describes oysters. What are some dishes you love?”
I shrug. “I love blackened fish. Grilled fish. To me, crab is a little bit slimy sometimes, but crab cakes are good.”
“I see. So you have strong opinions on texture.” He frowns and nods. “Well, they have a steakhouse downtown called Jackson’s. I don’t know why it’s called a steakhouse when most of the menu is seafood. You ever been?”
I shake my head. Jackson’s Steakhouse is one of the most popular restaurants in Cranberry. I’ve certainly had many reasons to prefer the woods since my return from the oak tree.
Adam grabs my hand. “Does that sound okay? You want to go there?”
I hesitate for a moment and say, “Sure. I’m sure that will be fine.”
Adam doesn’t say anything for about thirty seconds. My body tenses—is he mad at me? Did I say the wrong thing? But then he says, “There’s also this new place that just opened up last summer. It’s inside an old house. They have candles, tablecloths. Very intimate.”
“Oh!” I smile. “Intimate sounds good. What kind of food is it?”
“I’m not really sure. I was chatting with someone a few weeks ago, and he said he took his wife there for their anniversary.”
“That sounds expensive, then. We can go to the steakhouse. You mentioned that one first, so that’s what you’d prefer, right?”
Adam glances at me with a relaxed smile on his face. “You want something quiet, I’m guessing?”
I nod. “Yeah. I don’t like crowds. Or loud music. I hate having to try so hard to focus on what the person I’m with is saying.”
“Okay. Noted. Let’s go to the other place.”
“I’ll pay for my dinner,” I say quickly. “Oh! I can treat! I can get both of our dinners.”
Adam laughs, but it’s not unkind. “Sky. I asked you out on this date. It’s my treat.
Don’t worry about money.” For a couple of minutes, we drive in silence, the town whipping past us in a blur of a mix of older neighborhoods with enormous oak canopies alongside pockets of new developments, most identifiable by the homes that are identical with virtually no trees.
I’m thinking about what the energy bills of those new homes look like when Adam says, “Correct me if I’m wrong.
But about the conversation we just had.”
I knew it! I did say the wrong thing! “Yes?”
“Do you always feel like you’re a burden? Or try to make yourself have as few needs as possible?”
I swallow. “Probably.” He’s patient as I go over my thoughts.
“It’s…well. My whole life, people who didn’t want me were forced to take care of me.
Like, in the beginning, my father didn’t want to know I existed.
My mother left when I was a baby. Nadia didn’t want to raise me, so she made Sage do it, and later on, Teal also helped with rearing me.
And then I fell, and returned, and they still are having a hard time letting go of those roles, you know?
I don’t like it.” I swallow and look out my window, noting the thin, bright clouds rolling across the blue sky.
“And I guess one way I try to make up for being the one everyone’s always worried about is by trying to not have any needs.
Otherwise…what if they leave me, too? I don’t ever want to be too much.
Although that seems unavoidable most of the time, given my whole life and personality. ”
Adam nods and squeezes my hand. “But you know that no one’s going to leave you. Your sisters do the things they do because they love you.”
I shake my head. “Maybe, but when they both got super busy this spring, with their families and their lives, they both kind of…ignored me. I know they both had a lot going on. But it bothers me that I was dropped. It didn’t help my fears.”
“I understand. But…just speaking for myself. And us. I don’t want you to try and minimize your needs around me. I want to know what it is that you need. If that means you want a quiet dinner, let me know. I want you to be comfortable.”
I nod. My heart almost hurts because this might be one of the sweetest things a man has ever told me. “What about you? What do you need?”
Adam laughs. “To make you smile like you’re smiling right now.”
I roll my eyes. “Yeah, yeah. That’s still about me, though.”
“Okay. I need to make you come again by sucking on your clit while pinching your nipples.”
“Holy shit.” I wasn’t expecting that kind of talk to come out of his mouth right now. I cross my legs and squeeze my thighs together. “Wait. That’s still about me! You’re trying to distract me!”
Adam laughs again, but this time it’s a deep belly laugh.
“Okay. Yeah.” He takes a breath as he pulls into the parking lot of what I’m assuming is the restaurant.
He turns the car off and looks at me. “I’m still trying to figure that out, you know?
My needs. Because for a long time, I just grabbed a beer. ”
I nod. “I get it.”
“I know you do. But I think, right now, I need to just take things easy and slow. With everything. Sobriety, figuring out my life here in Cranberry, caretaking.”
I think about this for a moment. “Do you need me to do anything to help you with that?”
“Not a damn thing.” He leans over and kisses me, hard and quick, and I nearly whimper when he pulls away. I can’t believe how ready I am for him over nothing but a few dirty words and a brief kiss. “Just let me take you out to dinner, and if you still want to, let me make love to you after.”
“I want that,” I say quickly. “All of it.”
He laughs again. “Okay. Let’s go eat, then.”