Page 11 of Forbidden Harmony

“Good. What did you do today?”

“Cleaned my apartment, got my car washed,and Facetimed with Harper.”

“Did you tell her what happened between youand Preacher last night?” Grace said.

“Yeah.”

“And?”

“She was excited, kind of giddy, demandedto know every last detail,” Addison said.

Grace laughed. “That sounds like Harper. Willyou tellmewhy I found you outside with Preacher’s hands on your assand his tongue down your throat?”

“It all started because I had a stupidheadache…”

* * *

Addison resisted her temptation to drainthe half a glass of wine she had left, sipping at it instead. “Well, is thiswhere you call me a slut?”

Grace blinked at her. “What? Why would I callyou a slut?”

“Because I – I made out with Preacher in aparking lot! He gave me a hickey!”

“Oh yeah? Let me see it.”

Addison pulled aside the collar of hershirt and Grace studied the dark purple mark at the base of her neck. “Preacher,you dirty boy.”

“I can’t believe I made out with Preacher,”Addison said.

“He kissed you first,” Grace said.

“Yeah, but he pulled back right away andthen I practically threw myself at him.”

“Didn’t look like he minded,” Grace said. “Whydo you look like you’re going to barf?”

“Because I made out with Preacher! Oh myGod, Gracie. Harrison is the only guy I’ve ever kissed and I… I had my tongueshoved into the mouth of a guy whose name I don’t even know! I mean, his realname can’t be Preacher, can it? It can’t be. What kind of mother names herkid Preacher? And what kind of woman kisses a guy whose name she doesn’t evenknow!”

She could hear the hysteria in her voice,and she knew she was overreacting but the numbness she’d felt when she toldHarper about what happened this morning had completely disappeared. It’d beenreplaced by confusion and embarrassment and, God help her, just the tiniest bitof lust.

She drank the rest of her wine in three largeswallows before grabbing the bottle on the small table between their chairs andpouring herself another full glass. Screw it, she’d Uber home tonight.

“Simon,” Grace said.

“What?” Addison stopped with the wineglass to her mouth, her hand visibly shaking.

“Preacher’s real name is Simon.” Graceglanced at the fence that separated their yard from the neighbours, as if shethought Preacher might be peeking over it. “I don’t know his last name though.”

“How do you know his first name?”

“Gideon told me. But,” Grace took a drink ofbeer, “you can’t tell Gideon or Preacher that I told you. Gideon told me withthe understanding that I wouldn’t tell anyone, but I feel like knowing hisactual name might help you stop freaking out.”

Addison took a deep breath and then a sipof wine. Weirdly, knowing his name did help a little.

“Better?” Grace said.

“Yes.”

“Good. Listen to me, you’re not a slut,okay? Last night you had a very traumatic and scary experience that Preacherrescued you from. It’s natural in that moment to have some strong feelings forthe person who saved you and if the overwhelming feeling was lust… so what? Youhave a crush on Preacher, it’s not surprising that you made out with him.”

---